Methods and systems for imaging device remote form management

• US 20060077422A1
• Filed: 10/08/2004
• Published: 04/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yamamura, Shinichi, Sojian, Lena, Chrisop, Roy, Nguyen, Uoc, Stevens, Mark, Richardson, Tanna, Plewnia, Bogdan, Lum, Joey, Schacht, Bryan K., Mathieson, Rono
• Granted Patent: US 8,035,831 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.150
• 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 1/0035 User-machine interface; Control console input or output arrangements for computers G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention comprise systems, methods and devices for modifying and managing documents from an input device on an imaging device.

Claims

1. A method for imaging device remote document modification, said method comprising:

a) receiving user input data on an imaging device (IDev) user interface;

b) sending said user input data to a remote computing device (RCD);

c) modifying a document stored on said RCD using said user input data; and

d) sending said modified document from said RCD to a destination.

2. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said destination is said IDev.

3. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said destination is a device other than said IDev.

4. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said imaging device has no significant memory for on-board applications.

5. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said sending said user data is at least partially achieved by transport of data commands with a markup language.

6. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said sending said user data is at least partially achieved by transport of data commands with an object access protocol.

7. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said sending said user data is at least partially achieved by transport of data commands with a markup language and an object access protocol.

8. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said sending said user data is at least partially achieved by transport of data commands with a language selected from the set consisting of HIML, XML, WML and XHTML.

9. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said sending said user data is at least partially achieved by transport of data commands with SOAP.

10. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said sending said user data is at least partially achieved by transport of data commands with XML and SOAP.

11. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said sending said user data is at least partially achieved by exposing imaging device function and data interfaces defined by Web Services Definition Language (WSDL).

12. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said sending said user data is at least partially achieved by exposing imaging device function and data interfaces using Web Services.

13. A method for imaging device remote document modification, said method comprising:

a) identifying a user characteristic on an imaging device (IDev) user interface;

b) sending said user characteristic data to a remote computing device;

c) modifying a document on said RCD in response to said user characteristic data; and

d) sending said modified document to said IDev.

14. A method as described in claim 13 wherein said document is a form and said modifying comprises filling areas of said form with said user characteristic data.

15. A method as described in claim 13 wherein said document is menu data.

16. A method for imaging device remote document modification, said method comprising:

a) identifying a user characteristic on an imaging device (IDev) user interface;

b) selecting a document stored on a remote computing device (RCD) from said IDev user interface;

c) sending said user characteristic data and said form selection data to said RCD;

d) modifying said document on said RCD in response to said user characteristic data; and

e) sending said modified document to a destination.

17. A method as described in claim 16 wherein said document is a form and said modifying comprises filling areas of said form with said user characteristic data.

18. A method as described in claim 16 further comprising selecting said destination from said IDev user interface.

19. A method as described in claim 16 wherein said destination is specified in said user characteristic data.

20. A method for imaging device remote document modification, said method comprising:

a) selecting a document stored on a remote computing device (RCD) from an imaging device (IDev) user interface;

b) sending said document selection data to said RCD;

c) sending a user data query from said RCD to said IDev;

d) accepting a user data query response on said IDev;

e) sending said user data query response to said RCD;

f) modifying said document on said RCD in response to said user data query response; and

g) sending said modified document to a destination.

21. A method for imaging device remote document modification, said method comprising:

a) displaying a form on an imaging device (IDev) user interface;

b) accepting user input data on said IDev user interface in response to said displaying;

c) sending said user input data to said RCD; and

d) modifying said form on said RCD in response to said user input data.

22. A method as described in claim 21 further comprising sending said modified form to a destination.

23. A method as described in claim 21 further comprising sending said user input data to a destination.

24. An imaging system comprising:

a) an imaging device (IDev), said IDev comprising;

i. a user interface on said imaging device;

(1) said user interface comprising a display;

(2) said user interface further comprising an input device;

b) a remote computing device (RCD);

i. said RCD comprising;

(1) an application that can be executed on said RCD;

(2) at least one document stored on said RCD;

c) a network connecting said IDev to said RCD; and

d) wherein data entered on said user interface on said IDev may be transmitted to said RCD such that said application on said RCD may use data entered on said IDev user interface to modify said document.

25. An imaging device with remote document access, said imaging device comprising:

a) a display device;

b) a user input device;

c) an imaging function;

d) a connection on said imaging device to allow communication with a remote computing device (RCD); and

e) wherein said imaging device is configured to allow data entered on said user input device to be transmitted to said RCD and used to modify a document stored on said RCD.

26. A remote computing device for interacting with an imaging device, said remote computing device (RCD) comprising:

a) a document;

b) an application configured to interact with input from an imaging device and modify a portion of said document with said input; and

c) a connection on said remote computing device to allow communication with said imaging device.

27. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions for modifying a document on a remote computing device with input received from a user input device on an imaging device, said instructions comprising the acts of:

a) receiving input at a user input device on an imaging device (IDev);

b) sending said user input to a remote computing device (RCD); and

c) modifying a document stored on said RCD in response to said user input.

28. A computer data signal embodied in an electronic transmission, said signal having the function of modifying a document on a remote computing device with user input received from a user input device on an imaging device, said signal comprising instructions for:

a) receiving input at a user input device on an imaging device (IDev);

b) sending said user input to a remote computing device (RCD); and

c) modifying a document stored on said RCD in response to said user input.

29. An imaging device with remote document processing capability, said imaging device comprising:

a) a user interface comprising a user input device and a display, wherein said imaging device is configured to receive user input relative to a document stored on a remote computing device (RCD) and transmit said user input to said RCD for document modification;

b) a receiver for receiving said modified document;

c) an imaging function; and

d) an imaging device API that allows remote computing device access to said imaging device.

30. A remote computing device (RCD) capable of processing imaging device (IDev) input, said RCD comprising:

a) a document; and

b) an application comprising API calls to an IDev user interface API, wherein said application is configured to accept user input from said IDev and modify said document using said user input.

31. A method as described in claim 30 further comprising an imaging function API that allows remote computing device access to an IDev imaging function.

32. A method for document modification, said method comprising:

a) receiving document content on an imaging device (IDev) user interface;

b) modifying a document using said document content; and

c) sending said modified document to a destination.

33. A method as described in claim 32 wherein said destination is an imaging device imaging function.

34. A method as described in claim 32 wherein said destination is external to said imaging device.

35. A method as described in claim 32 wherein said modifying comprises creating said document.

36. A method as described in claim 32 wherein said modifying comprises adding content to a pre-existing document.

37. A method as described in claim 32 wherein said document is stored on said imaging device.

38. A method as described in claim 32 wherein said document is stored on a remote storage device, but modified on said imaging device.