System and method to perform mobile printing from handheld devices

• US 20060200472A1
• Filed: 03/04/2005
• Published: 09/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Corporation, Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Corporation, Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Truc
• Granted Patent: US 7,424,479 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1206 resulting in increased flexibility in input data format or job format or job type
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1236 Connection management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1292 Mobile client, e.g. wireless printing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/922 Communications

Abstract

A system and method for printing a file on a remote printer via an electronic message. A personal electronic device transmits an electronic message requesting a listing of available electronic files. The personal electronic device then receives an electronic message in response to the request containing a list of available electronic files. At least one electronic file is then selected from among the listing of available files. The personal electronic device then receives, from the remote computer, an electronic message containing the selected electronic file. The personal electronic device then forwards the message containing the file to an image processing device.

Claims

1. A method for performing document processing operations on a remote image processing device comprising the steps of:

generating a request for all electronic files located in a selected storage area associated with a selected computing device;

transmitting the request, via an electronic message, to the selected computing device;

receiving, via an electronic message, data representative of the identification data associated with each of the electronic files located in the selected storage area associated with the selected computing device to an associated user;

generating selection data representative of identification data associated with at least one electronic file;

transmitting, via an electronic message, the selection data to the selected computing device; and

receiving the at least one electronic file, via an electronic message, for document processing.

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

selecting, from a list of image processing devices, an image processing device; and

transmitting, via an electronic message, the at least one electronic file for document processing.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the data representative of the identification data associated with each of the electronic files located in the selected storage area associated with the selected computing device to the associated user is preselected by the selected computing device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the image processing device includes a facsimile device, a copying device, a scanning device, a printing device, and a multifunction peripheral device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic messages are short message service messages.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the electronic messages are short message service messages.

6. A method for performing remote document processing operations comprising the steps of:

receiving a request, via an electronic user message, from an associated user for electronic files located in a selected storage area associated with a selected computing device;

generating identification data associated with the electronic files;

transmitting, via an electronic identification message, the identification data from the selected storage area to the associated user;

receiving selection data from the associated user representative of identification data associated with at least one electronic file;

retrieving the at least one electronic file from the selected storage area in response to the received selection data; and

transmitting the at least one electronic file, via an electronic message, to at least one of an associated remote portable device and an associated remote image processing device for document processing.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

receiving, from the portable electronic device, data representative of an amount of available associated memory;

determining a file size corresponding to the at least one requested electronic file, wherein the file size is larger than the amount of available associated memory; and

forwarding the at least one electronic file, via an electronic message, to an associated image processing device.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the remote portable electronic device includes a personal data assistant, a smart phone, and a combination cellular telephone/personal data assistant.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the image processing device includes a facsimile device, a copying device, a scanning device, a printing device, and a multifunction peripheral device.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the electronic messages are short message service messages.

11. A system for performing document processing operations on a remote image processing device comprising:

means adapted for generating a request for all electronic files located in a selected storage area associated with a selected computing device;

means adapted for transmitting the request, via an electronic message, to the selected computing device;

means adapted for receiving, via an electronic message, data representative of the identification data associated with each of the electronic files located in the selected storage area associated with the selected computing device to an associated user;

means adapted for generating selection data representative of identification data associated with at least one electronic file;

means adapted for transmitting, via an electronic message, the selection data to the selected computing device; and

means adapted for receiving the at least one electronic file, via an electronic message, for document processing.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

means adapted for selecting, from a list of image processing devices, an image processing device; and

means adapted for transmitting, via an electronic message, the at least one electronic file for document processing.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the data representative of the identification data associated with each of the electronic files located in the selected storage area associated with the selected computing device to the associated user is preselected by the selected computing device.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the image processing device includes a facsimile device, a copying device, a scanning device, a printing device, and a multifunction peripheral device.

16. A system for performing remote document processing operations comprising:

means adapted for receiving a request, via an electronic user message, from an associated user for electronic files located in a selected storage area associated with a selected computing device;

means adapted for generating identification data associated with the electronic files;

means adapted for transmitting, via an electronic identification message, the identification data from the selected storage area to the associated user;

means adapted for receiving selection data from the associated user representative of identification data associated with at least one electronic file;

means adapted for retrieving the at least one electronic file from the selected storage area in response to the received selection data; and

means adapted for transmitting the at least one electronic file, via an electronic message, to at least one of an associated remote portable device and an associated remote image processing device for document processing.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

means adapted for receiving, from the portable electronic device, data representative of an amount of available associated memory;

means adapted for determining a file size corresponding to the at least one requested electronic file, wherein the file size is larger than the amount of available associated memory; and

means adapted for forwarding the at least one electronic file, via an electronic message, to an associated image processing device.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the remote portable electronic device includes a personal data assistant, a smart phone, and a combination cellular telephone/personal data assistant.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the image processing device includes a facsimile device, a copying device, a scanning device, a printing device, and a multifunction peripheral device.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the electronic messages are short message service messages.

21. A computer-readable medium of instructions with computer-readable instructions stored thereon for performing document processing operations on a remote image processing device comprising:

instructions for generating a request for all electronic files located in a selected storage area associated with a selected computing device;

instructions for transmitting the request, via an electronic message, to the selected computing device;

instructions for receiving, via an electronic message, data representative of the identification data associated with each of the electronic files located in the selected storage area associated with the selected computing device to an associated user;

instructions for generating selection data representative of identification data associated with at least one electronic file;

instructions for transmitting, via an electronic message, the selection data to the selected computing device; and

instructions for receiving the at least one electronic file, via an electronic message, for document processing.

22. The computer-readable medium of instructions with computer-readable instructions stored thereon of claim 21, further comprising:

instructions for selecting, from a list of image processing devices, an image processing device; and

instructions for transmitting, via an electronic message, the at least one electronic file for document processing.

23. The computer-readable medium of instructions with computer-readable instructions stored thereon of claim 21, wherein the image processing device includes a facsimile device, a copying device, a scanning device, a printing device, and a multifunction peripheral device.

24. The computer-readable medium of instructions with computer-readable instructions stored thereon of claim 21, wherein the electronic messages are short message service messages.

25. A computer-readable medium of instructions with computer-readable instructions stored thereon for performing remote document processing operations comprising:

instructions for receiving a request, via an electronic user message, from an associated user for electronic files located in a selected storage area associated with a selected computing device;

instructions for generating identification data associated with the electronic files;

instructions for transmitting, via an electronic identification message, the identification data from the selected storage area to the associated user;

instructions for receiving selection data from the associated user representative of identification data associated with at least one electronic file;

instructions for retrieving the at least one electronic file from the selected storage area in response to the received selection data; and

instructions for transmitting the at least one electronic file, via an electronic message, to at least one of an associated remote portable device and an associated remote image processing device for document processing.

26. The computer-readable medium of instructions with computer-readable instructions stored thereon of claim 25, further comprising:

instructions for receiving, from the portable electronic device, data representative of an amount of available associated memory;

instructions for determining a file size corresponding to the at least one requested electronic file, wherein the file size is larger than the amount of available associated memory; and

instructions for forwarding the at least one electronic file, via an electronic message, to an associated image processing device.

27. The computer-readable medium of instructions with computer-readable instructions stored thereon of claim 25,

wherein the remote portable electronic device includes a personal data assistant, a smart phone, and a combination cellular telephone/personal data assistant;

and

wherein the image processing device includes a facsimile device, a copying device, a scanning device, a printing device, and a multifunction peripheral device

28. The computer-readable medium of instructions with computer-readable instructions stored thereon of claim 25, wherein the electronic messages are short message service messages.

29. A computer-implemented method for performing document processing operations on a remote image processing device comprising the steps of:

generating a request for all electronic files located in a selected storage area associated with a selected computing device;

transmitting the request, via an electronic message, to the selected computing device;

receiving, via an electronic message, data representative of the identification data associated with each of the electronic files located in the selected storage area associated with the selected computing device to an associated user;

generating selection data representative of identification data associated with at least one electronic file;

transmitting, via an electronic message, the selection data to the selected computing device; and

receiving the at least one electronic file, via an electronic message, for document processing.

30. The computer-implemented method of claim 29, further comprising the steps of:

selecting, from a list of image processing devices, an image processing device; and

transmitting, via an electronic message, the at least one electronic file for document processing.

31. The computer-implemented method of claim 29, wherein the electronic messages are short message service messages.

32. A computer-implemented method for performing remote document processing operations comprising the steps of:

receiving a request, via an electronic user message, from an associated user for electronic files located in a selected storage area associated with a selected computing device;

generating identification data associated with the electronic files;

transmitting, via an electronic identification message, the identification data from the selected storage area to the associated user;

receiving selection data from the associated user representative of identification data associated with at least one electronic file;

retrieving the at least one electronic file from the selected storage area in response to the received selection data; and

transmitting the at least one electronic file, via an electronic message, to at least one of an associated remote portable device and an associated remote image processing device for document processing.

33. The computer-implemented method of claim 32, further comprising the steps of:

receiving, from the portable electronic device, data representative of an amount of available associated memory;

determining a file size corresponding to the at least one requested electronic file, wherein the file size is larger than the amount of available associated memory; and

forwarding the at least one electronic file, via an electronic message, to an associated image processing device.

34. The computer-implemented method of claim 32, wherein the electronic messages are short message service messages.