Data access methods and multifunction device therefor

• US 20030084049A1
• Filed: 10/25/2001
• Published: 05/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Wiley, Jeffrey G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,263,524 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/258 Data format conversion from or to a database
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0086 Image transceiver H04N2201/0093 and H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0087 Image storage device

Abstract

Data access methods and multifunction device therefor. The invention is preferably embodied in computer-readable media operatively associated with a multifunction device and having computer-readable program code thereon. The computer-readable program code may comprise program code for identifying a remote storage device having the data operatively associated therewith, and program code for accessing the data operatively associated with the remote storage device from the multifunction device.

Claims

1. A method for providing access from a multifunction device to data operatively associated with a user-specified remote storage device, comprising:

establishing a link between said multifunction device and a user-specified remote storage device having said data operatively associated therewith; and

accessing said data operatively associated with said user-specified remote storage device from said multifunction device over said link established therebetween.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying said user-specified remote storage device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying said user-specified remote storage device is based at least in part on a path thereto specified by a user at said multifunction device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying said user-specified remote storage device is based at least in part on a user profile.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

converting a document to electronic format at said multifunction device; and

combining said document in electronic format with said accessed data.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

combining said accessed data with an electronic document generated at said multifunction device; and

sending said combined electronic document and accessed data from said multifunction device to a network destination.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein accessing said data is from an address book operatively associated with said user-specified remote storage device.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising identifying a network destination for an electronic document generated at said multifunction device based on said data accessed from said address book.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising editing an entry in said address book operatively associated with said user-specified remote storage device from said multifunction device.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising configuring said multifunction device before identifying said user-specified remote storage device.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying at least a portion of said data at said multifunction device.

12. A method for accessing user-requested data from a configured multifunction device, comprising:

identifying a remote storage device having said user-requested data operatively associated therewith; and

retrieving said user-requested data operatively associated with said remote storage device from said configured multifunction device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein identifying said remote storage device is based at least in part on a path for said remote storage device specified by a user at said configured multifunction device.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein identifying said remote storage device is based at least in part on a user profile.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

converting a document to electronic format at said configured multifunction device; and

combining said document in electronic format with said retrieved user-requested data.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

combining said retrieved user-requested data with an electronic document generated at said configured multifunction device; and

sending said combined electronic document and retrieved user-requested data from said configured multifunction device to a network destination.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein retrieved said user-requested data is from an address book operatively associated with said remote storage device.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising identifying a network destination for an electronic document generated at said configured multifunction device based on said user-requested data retrieved from said address book.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising editing an entry in said address book operatively associated with said remote storage device from said multifunction device.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising displaying at least a portion of said data at said multifunction device.

21. A multifunction device comprising computer-readable media operatively associated with said multifunction device and having computer-readable program code thereon including program code for identifying data operatively associated with a user-specified remote storage device, and program code for accessing said data operatively associated with said user-specified remote storage device from said multifunction device.

22. The multifunction device claim 21, wherein said data is an address book.

23. The multifunction device of claim 22, wherein said computer-readable program code comprises:

program code for retrieving an entry from said address book, said entry identifying a network destination;

program code for associating said entry from said address book with an electronic document at said multifunction device; and

program code for sending said electronic document to said network destination identified by said entry from said address book.

24. The multifunction device of claim 21, wherein said data is a document in electronic format.

25. The multifunction device of claim 21, wherein said computer-readable program code comprises:

program code for sending a document in electronic format from said multifunction device to a network destination.

26. The multifunction device of claim 21, wherein said computer-readable program code further comprises:

program code for combining a document in electronic format with a document image at said multifunction device;

program code for sending said combination of said document in electronic format and said document image from said multifunction device to a network destination.

27. The multifunction device of claim 21, wherein said user-specified remote device is another multifunction device.