Information processing methodology

• US 7,672,007 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Issued: 03/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Glory Licensing LLC (Mitchell A. Medina)
• Original Assignee: Glory Licensing LLC (Mitchell A. Medina)
• Inventors: Lech, Robert, Elias, Catherine B., Medina, Mitchell A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Thomas D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brinich; Stephen M
• Application Number:
  US11/979,264
• Publication Number:
  US 20080180736A1
• Time in Patent Office: 853 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.15, 358/1.9, 358/2.1, 382/175, 382/177, 382/180, 382/282, 382/287, 382/306, 382/317
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/10 Character recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1444 Selective acquisition, locating or processing of specific regions, e.g. highlighted text, fiducial marks or predetermined fields
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00236 using an image reading or reproducing device, e.g. a facsimile reader or printer, as a local input to or local output from a computer image input to or image output from a computer via a network H04N1/00209
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00241 using an image reading device as a local input to a computer input via network, e.g. network scanners H04N1/00225
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/38 Circuits or arrangements for blanking or otherwise eliminating unwanted parts of pictures H04N1/387 takes precedence

Abstract

An information processing methodology gives rise to an application program interface which includes an automated digitizing unit, such as a scanner, which inputs information from a diversity of hard copy documents and stores information from the hard copy documents into a memory as stored document information. Portions of the stored document information are selected in accordance with content instructions which designate portions of the stored document information required by a particular application program. The selected stored document information is then placed into the transmission format required by a particular application program in accordance with transmission format instructions. After the information has been transmission formatted, the information is transmitted to the application program. In one operational mode, the interface interactively prompts the user to identify, on a display, portions of the hard copy documents containing information used in application programs or for storage.

Claims

1. An automated digitizing system configurable to route information identified by content instructions in a document file on a computer to a potential plurality of application programs according to customizable transmission format instructions, said transmission format instructions being customized to requirements of each application program receiving said information.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, in which at least one of said application programs is a digital archiving program.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2, in which said digital archiving program enables storage and retrieval of one or more document files based on information identified by content instructions.

4. A system as claimed in claim 1, in which at least one of said application programs is a billing program.

5. A system as claimed in claim 1, in which at least one of said application programs is a workflow program in which one or more document files are routed to one or more workstations based on information identified by content instructions.

6. A system as claimed in claim 1 in which said potential plurality of application programs is an unrestricted diversity of application programs operating on an arbitrary remote computer system and said document file is not derived from scanning a hard copy document.

7. A method of processing data on an automated digitizing system configurable to route information identified by content instructions in a document file on a computer to a potential plurality of application programs according to customizable transmission format instructions, said transmission format instructions being customized to requirements of each application program receiving said information.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, in which at least one of said application programs is a digital archiving program.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8, in which said digital archiving program enables storage and retrieval of one or more document files based on information identified by content instructions.

10. A method as claimed in claim 7, in which at least one of said application programs is a billing program.

11. A method as claimed in claim 7, in which at least one of said application programs is a workflow program in which one or more document files are routed to one or more workstations based on information identified by content instructions.

12. A method as claimed in claim 7 in which said potential plurality of application programs is an unrestricted diversity of application programs operating on an arbitrary remote computer system and said document file is not derived from scanning a hard copy document.

13. A computer-readable medium comprising an application program interface, the application program interface configurable to route information identified by content instructions in a document file on a computer to a potential plurality of application programs according to customizable transmission format instructions, said transmission format instructions being customized to requirements of each application program receiving said information.

14. A computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 13 in which at least one of said application programs is a digital archiving program.

15. A computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 14 in which said digital archiving program enables storage and retrieval of one or more document files based on information identified by content instructions.

16. A computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 13 in which at least one of said application programs is a billing program.

17. A computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 13 in which at least one of said application programs is a workflow program in which one or more document files are routed to one or more workstations based on information identified by content instructions.

18. An application program interface as claimed in claim 13 in which said potential plurality of application programs is an unrestricted diversity of application programs operating on an arbitrary remote computer system and said document file is not derived from scanning a hard copy document.

19. A method of doing business comprising the step of:

utilizing an automated digitizing system configurable to route information identified by content instructions in a document file on a computer to a potential plurality of application programs according to customizable transmission format instructions, said transmission format instructions being customized to requirements of each application program receiving said information.

20. A method of doing business as claimed in claim 19 in which at least one of said application programs is a digital archiving program.

21. A method of doing business as claimed in claim 20 in which said digital archiving program enables storage and retrieval of one or more document files based on information identified by content instructions.

22. A method of doing business as claimed in claim 19 in which at least one of said application programs is a billing program.

23. A method of doing business as claimed in claim 19 in which at least one of said application programs is a workflow program in which one or more document files are routed to one or more workstations based on information identified by content instructions.

24. A method as claimed in claim 19 in which said potential plurality of application programs is an unrestricted diversity of application programs operating on an arbitrary remote computer system and said document file is not derived from scanning a hard copy document.

25. A computer readable medium comprising instructions to enable an automated digitizing system configurable to route information identified by content instructions in a document file on a computer to a potential plurality of application programs according to customizable transmission format instructions, said transmission format instructions being customized to requirements of each application program receiving said information.

26. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 25, in which at least one of said application programs is a digital archiving program.

27. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 26, in which said digital archiving program enables storage and retrieval of one or more document files based on information identified by content instructions.

28. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 25, in which at least one of said application programs is a billing program.

29. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 25, in which at least one of said application programs is a workflow program in which one or more document files are routed to one or more workstations based on information identified by content instructions.

30. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 25 in which said potential plurality of application programs is an unrestricted diversity of application programs operating on an arbitrary remote computer system and said document file is not derived from scanning a hard copy document.

31. The hardware component of an automated digitizing system configured to route information identified by content instructions in a document file on a computer to a potential plurality of application programs according to customizable transmission format instructions, said transmission format instructions being customized to requirements of each application program receiving said information.

32. The hardware component of an automated digitizing system as claimed in claim 31, in which at least one of said application programs is a digital archiving program.

33. The hardware component of an automated digitizing system as claimed in claim 32, in which said digital archiving program enables storage and retrieval of one or more document files based on information identified by content instructions.

34. The hardware component of an automated digitizing system as claimed in claim 31, in which at least one of said application programs is a billing program.

35. The hardware component of an automated digitizing system as claimed in claim 31 in which at least one of said application programs is a workflow program in which one or more document files are routed to one or more workstations based on information identified by content instructions.

36. A hardware component as claimed in claim 31 in which said potential plurality of application programs is an unrestricted diversity of application programs operating on an arbitrary remote computer system and said document file is not derived from scanning a hard copy document.

37. An automated digitizing system comprising computer hardware, software and peripherals configured to route information identified by content instructions in a document file on a computer to a potential plurality of application programs according to customizable transmission format instructions, said transmission format instructions being customized to requirements of each application program receiving said information.

38. A system as claimed in claim 37, in which at least one of said application programs is a digital archiving program.

39. A system as claimed in claim 38, in which said digital archiving program enables storage and retrieval of one or more document files based on information identified by content instructions.

40. A system as claimed in claim 37, in which at least one of said application programs is a billing program.

41. A system as claimed in claim 37, in which at least one of said application programs is a workflow program in which one or more document files are routed to one or more workstations based on information identified by content instructions.

42. A system as claimed in claim 37 in which said potential plurality of application programs is an unrestricted diversity of application programs operating on an arbitrary remote computer system and said document file is not derived from scanning a hard copy document.

43. A computer-readable medium comprising an application program interface, the application program interface configurable to define a software component of an automated digitizing system configurable to route information identified by content instructions in a document file on a computer to a potential plurality of application programs according to customizable transmission format instructions, said transmission format instructions being customized to requirements of each application program receiving said information.

44. A computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 43 in which at least one of said application programs is a digital archiving program.

45. A computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 43 in which said digital archiving program enables storage and retrieval of one or more document files based on information identified by content instructions.

46. A computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 44 in which at least one of said application programs is a billing program.

47. A computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 43 in which at least one of said application programs is a workflow program in which one or more document files are routed to one or more workstations based on information identified by content instructions.

48. An application program interface as claimed in claim 43 in which said potential plurality of application programs is an unrestricted diversity of application programs operating on an arbitrary remote computer system and said document file is not derived from scanning a hard copy document.

49. A computer-readable medium comprising an application program interface, the application program interface configurable to assemble software components of an automated digitizing system configurable to route information identified by content instructions in a document file on a computer to a potential plurality of application programs according to customizable transmission format instructions, said transmission format instructions being customized to requirements of each application program receiving said information.

50. A computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 49 in which at least one of said application programs is a digital archiving program.

51. A computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 50 in which said digital archiving program enables storage and retrieval of one or more document files based on information identified by content instructions.

52. A computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 49 in which at least one of said application programs is a billing program.

53. A computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 49 in which at least one of said application programs is a workflow program in which one or more document files are routed to one or more workstations based on information identified by content instructions.

54. An application program interface as claimed in claim 49 in which said potential plurality of application programs is an unrestricted diversity of application programs operating on an arbitrary remote computer system and said document file is not derived from scanning a hard copy document.

55. A computer-readable medium comprising a software suite, the software suite configurable to route information identified by content instructions in a document file on a computer to a potential plurality of application programs according to customizable transmission format instructions, said transmission format instructions being customized to requirements of each application program receiving said information.

56. A computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 55 in which at least one of said application programs is a digital archiving program.

57. A computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 56 in which said digital archiving program enables storage and retrieval of one or more document files based on information identified by content instructions.

58. A computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 55 in which at least one of said application programs is a billing program.

59. A computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 55 in which at least one of said application programs is a workflow program in which one or more document files are routed to one or more workstations based on information identified by content instructions.

60. A software suite as claimed in claim 55 in which said potential plurality of application programs is an unrestricted diversity of application programs operating on an arbitrary remote computer system and said document file is not derived from scanning a hard copy document.

61. A computer-readable medium comprising an application program interface, the application program interface configurable to orchestrate services operating in an automated digitizing system to route information identified by content instructions in a document file on a computer to a potential plurality of application programs according to customizable transmission format instructions, said transmission format instructions being customized to requirements of each application program receiving said information.

62. A computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 61 in which at least one of said application programs is a digital archiving program.

63. A computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 62 in which said digital archiving program enables storage and retrieval of one or more document files based on information identified by content instructions.

64. A computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 61 in which at least one of said application programs is a billing program.

65. A computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 61 in which at least one of said application programs is a workflow program in which one or more document files are routed to one or more workstations based on information identified by content instructions.

66. An application program interface as claimed in claim 61 in which said potential plurality of application programs is an unrestricted diversity of application programs operating on an arbitrary remote computer system and said document file is not derived from scanning a hard copy document.