Systems and methods for generating and processing evolutionary documents

• US 8,154,769 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2005
• Issued: 04/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: McFarland, Max E., Hull, Jonathan J., Piersol, Kurt, Griffin, Michael G. E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tieu, Benny Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mushambo, Martin
• Application Number:
  US11/223,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20060184522A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,406 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/462.01, 235/462.08, 235/462.09, 715/221, 715/222, 715/223, 715/224, 715/225, 715/226, 358/400, 358/462, 358/443, 358/448, 358/500, 358/505
• US Class Current: 358/400
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/608 Secure printing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6209 to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00355 Mark-sheet input sensing record carriers G06K7/00; character recognition G06V30/10; document-oriented image-based pattern recognition G06V30/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00363 Bar codes or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00374 on the same page as at least a part of the image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/44 Secrecy systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

An evolutionary document system comprises: a multi-function printer, a recognition module, an evolutionary document processing module, a list of document identifiers and corresponding actions, and an evolutionary document creation module. The MFP includes software and control routines for processing and creating evolutionary documents. The recognition module is operable on the MFP and allows the MFP to determine an evolutionary document identification number from an image scanned by the MFP. The evolutionary document processing module is capable of matching an evolutionary document identification number to one or more steps or action stored in the list of document identifiers and corresponding actions. Once the actions have been identified, the evolutionary document processing module executes the actions. The present invention also includes an evolutionary document creation module for creating an evolutionary document including an identification code. The evolutionary document creation module also creates the actions associated with the evolutionary document and an entry in the list of document identifiers and corresponding actions. The present invention also includes a method for creating an evolutionary document, a method for processing an evolutionary document, and a method for printing an evolutionary document.

Claims

1. A method for processing documents comprising the steps of:

using a multifunction printer to perform the steps of;

receiving an input evolutionary document, the input evolutionary document having an identification number and a field that includes user input;

identifying the identification number associated with the input evolutionary document based at least in part on image pattern matching;

determining a first state for the input evolutionary document based at least in part on a query performed on a database;

determining an action path based at least in part on the identification number, the action path including at least one of an action, multiple parallel actions and conditional actions conditioned on at least one of the user input, the first state and data retrieved from the database;

determining, from the database, that the action path is to extract the user input field;

extracting the user input field from the input evolutionary document;

retrieving a form having a first code configured to identify a location on the form to add the user input field;

determining, based at least in part on the first code, the location on the form to add the user input field;

creating a new document by combining the form with the extracted user input field at the location;

determining a second state for the new document; and

tracking, from the database, the state of the new document through its lifecycle from creation to destruction including alerting a user of copying the new document.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of identifying includes scanning a second code from the input evolutionary document.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second code is one from the group of a two-dimensional bar code and a one-dimensional bar code.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising a step of decoding the second code to determine the field of the input evolutionary document and a corresponding action for the field.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of reprinting a mistakenly destroyed document using an image buffer having encrypted content.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of retrieving an action to be applied to the field of the input evolutionary document.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising a step of retrieving the action from the database, the database coupled to the multifunction printer.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of retrieving a plurality of actions to be performed on a plurality of fields of the input evolutionary document.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of performing an action, wherein the action is one from the group of:

storing the field of the input evolutionary document, redacting the field of the input evolutionary document, printing the field of the input evolutionary document, sending an email related to the field, sending an alert related to the field, displaying an alert related to the field, printing a version of the input evolutionary document having a modified version of the field, updating a database related to the field, and marking the field of the input evolutionary document.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of outputting a plurality of documents at least one of which includes content from the field of the input evolutionary document.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of creating the input evolutionary document, wherein the step of creating the input evolutionary document includes defining at least one field and an action associated with the at least one field.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of creating the input evolutionary document includes defining a physical layout and content for the evolutionary document.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of creating the input evolutionary document includes generating a file in a format printable by a word processing application.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of displaying a message related to the input evolutionary document to a user.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the message is one from the group of:

a confirmation that the input evolutionary document has been processed, an instruction to destroy the input evolutionary document, an instruction of how to handle the input evolutionary document, and a request for input from the user.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

scanning the input evolutionary document;

identifying the input evolutionary document;

updating the state for the input evolutionary document in the database; and

destroying the input evolutionary document.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising scanning the input evolutionary document by capturing an image of the input evolutionary document with a portable communication device.

18. A device for processing paper-based and electronic documents, the device comprising:

a processor;

a recognition module stored on a memory and executable by the processor, the recognition module for identifying an identification number associated with an input evolutionary document based at least part on image pattern matching, the input evolutionary document having the identification number and a user input field that includes user input;

the recognition module determining a first state for the input evolutionary document based at least in part on a query performed on a document database;

the recognition module determining an action path based at least in part on the identification number, the action path including at least one of an action, multiple parallel actions and conditional actions conditioned on at least one of the user input, the first state and data retrieved from the database;

the recognition module determining, from the document database, that the action path is to extract the user input field;

the recognition module having an input and an output, the input of the recognition module coupled to receive an image of the input evolutionary document;

a document processing module stored on the memory and executable by the processor, the document processing module having an input and an output, the document processing module for extracting the user input field from the input evolutionary document, retrieving a form having a first code configured to identify a location on the form for adding the user input field; and

an evolutionary document creation module coupled to the recognition module, the evolutionary document creation module for receiving the form having the code configured to identify the location on the form to add the user input field, for determining, based at least in part on the code, the location on the form to add the user input field and for creating a new document by combining the form with the user input field at the location,

wherein the recognition module determines a second state for the new document and tracks, from the document database, the state of the new document through its lifecycle from creation to destruction including alerting a user of copying the new document.

19. The device of claim 18 wherein the recognition module includes a scanner for scanning the image of the input evolutionary document for a second code.

20. The device of claim 19 wherein the recognition module translates the output of the scanner into a document identification number.

21. The device of claim 19 wherein the second code is one from the group of a two-dimensional bar code and a one-dimensional bar code.

22. The device of claim 18 further comprising a printer reprinting a mistakenly destroyed document using an image buffer having encrypted content.

23. The device of claim 18 further comprising a table having at least one document identification number and a corresponding action for each document identification number, and wherein the recognition module scans the image of the input evolutionary document to produce a document identification number, and the action listed in the table corresponding the document identifier is the action provided to the document processing module.

24. The device of claim 18 further comprising an image buffer having an input and an output, the image buffer coupled to receive the image of the input evolutionary document, the output of the image buffer coupled to the recognition module and the document processing module for providing the image of the input evolutionary document.

25. The device of claim 18 wherein the input evolutionary document creation module for creating the input evolutionary document includes at least one field and an action corresponding to the at least one field.

26. The device of claim 25 wherein the evolutionary document creation module is one from the group of a stand-alone application, a plug-in module for a word processor, and a printer driver.

27. The device of claim 18 further comprising a user interface for communicating with a user, the user interface module coupled to the document processing module for sending prompts and requests to the user and receiving input from the user.

28. The device of claim 18 further comprising the document database, for storing a plurality of documents, the document database coupled to the document processing module for receiving and sending documents for processing by the document processing module in accordance with actions specified for the documents.

29. The device of claim 28 further comprising a network connection for coupling the device to a second document database remote to the device, the device coupled to the second document database by a network, the second document database for storing a plurality of documents, the second document database coupled to the document processing module for receiving and sending document for processing by the document processing module in accordance with actions specified for the documents.

30. The device of claim 18 further comprising a network connection for coupling the device to a document database remote to the device, the device coupled to the document database by a network, the document database for storing a plurality of documents, the document database coupled to the document processing module for receiving and sending documents for processing by the document processing module in accordance with actions specified for the documents.

31. The device of claim 18 further comprising:

an image capture device for generating the image of the input evolutionary document, the image capture device coupled to the recognition module; and

a printer for generating a document, the printer coupled to the document processing module.

32. The device of claim 18 further comprising:

an input device for inputting data to the device, the input device coupled to the document processing module; and

a display device for displaying information to a user, the display device coupled to the document processing module.

33. The device of claim 18 wherein the document processing module is adapted to perform an action from the group of:

storing the field of the input evolutionary document, redacting the field of the input evolutionary document, printing the field of the input evolutionary document, sending an email related to the field, sending an alert related to the field, displaying an alert related to the field, printing a version of the input evolutionary document having a modified version of the field, updating a database related to the field, and marking the field of the input evolutionary document.

34. The device of claim 18 further comprising storage for transformation information, the storage coupled to the document processing module and the recognition module for transforming the identified input evolutionary document into an action.

35. The device of claim 18 wherein the recognition module is adapted to identify the input evolutionary document from the image of the input evolutionary document, the recognition module decoding a bar code into at least one action to be performed on the input evolutionary document.

36. The device of claim 18 wherein the recognition module is adapted to decode a bar code to generate one from the group of document state, new document bar codes, other document, locations for other documents and an action for other documents.

37. The device of claim 18 further comprising a document destruction device having a document identification module, the document destruction device for destroying any document input, the document identification module identifying the document provided to the document destruction device prior to destruction, the document identification module coupled to the document processing module for specifying which documents have been destroyed.

38. The device of claim 18 further comprising a feeder-marking device for marking documents as they past through a feeder, the feeder-marking device coupled to the document processing module for receiving instructions on marking for a document being processed.

39. A method for processing documents comprising the steps of:

using a multifunction printer to perform the steps of;

scanning an input evolutionary document, the input evolutionary document having an identification number and a field that includes user input;

identifying the identification number associated with the input evolutionary document based at least in part on image pattern matching;

determining a first state for the input evolutionary document at least in part based on a query performed on a database;

determining an action path based at least in part on the identification number, the action path including at least one of an action, multiple parallel actions and conditional actions conditioned on at least one of the user input, the first state and data retrieved from the database;

determining, from the database, that the action path is to redact the user input field;

redacting the user input field from the input evolutionary document;

outputting a redacted evolutionary document;

determining a second state for the redacted evolutionary document; and

tracking, from the database, the state of the redacted evolutionary document through its lifecycle from creation to destruction including alerting a user of copying the new document.

40. A device for processing paper-based and electronic documents, the device comprising:

a processor;

a recognition module stored on a memory and executable by the processor, the recognition module for identifying an identification number associated with an input evolutionary document based at least in part on image pattern matching, the input evolutionary document having the identification number and a field that includes user input, the recognition module determining a first state for the input evolutionary document based at least in part on a query performed on a document database and determining an action path based at least in part on the identification number, the action path including at least one of an action, multiple parallel actions and conditional actions conditioned on at least one of the user input, the first state and data retrieved from the database, the recognition module determining, from the document database, that the action path is to redact the user input field, the recognition module having an input and an output, the input of the recognition module coupled to receive an image of the input evolutionary document; and

a document processing module stored on the memory and executable by the processor, the document processing module, having an input and an output, for redacting the user input field from the input evolutionary document and outputting a redacted evolutionary document;

wherein the recognition module determines a second state for the redacted evolutionary document and tracks, from the document database, the state of the redacted evolutionary document through its lifecycle from creation to destruction including alerting a user of copying the new document.