Systems and Methods for a Bidirectional Multi-Function Communication Module

• US 20110276658A1
• Filed: 10/21/2010
• Published: 11/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Litera Technology LLC
• Original Assignee: Litera Technology LLC
• Inventors: Massand, Deepak
• Granted Patent: US 9,356,991 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1794 Details of file format conversion
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/215 Improving data quality; Data cleansing, e.g. de-duplication, removing invalid entries or correcting typographical errors
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1021 based on client or server locations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for bidirectional multifunction communication between a computing device and applications located at an external server. The bidirectional communications allows an operation to be performed on a file using a computing device and an external server. In one implementation, an application resides on a desktop computer that is connected to the Internet. The application sends a request to an external server accessible through the Internet using a bidirectional communication system. The server accepts and processes the request and provides data back to the computer via the same bidirectional communication system. A user may then access the data, manipulate it and provide an additional request to the server via the bidirectional communication system.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for performing an operation on a file using a mini-application installed on a computing device in communication with an external server, comprising:

receiving a request at the computing device to perform an operation on a first file;

formatting the request so that the request can be interpreted by the external server;

sending the request and the first file to the external server, such that the external server performs the operation on the first file; and

receiving a response comprising a second file from the external server that is based on the external server performing the operation on the first file.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the operation is cleaning metadata from the first file.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the operation is converting the first file from a first document type to a second document type.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the second document type is a PDF document type.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first file is a PDF document and the operation is converting the first file to a word processing document or a spreadsheet.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that a connection between the computing device and the external server does not exist; and

storing the request and the first file until a connection between the computing device and the external server is established.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the request further comprises a preference that is used by the external server to perform the operation.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising obtaining authentication for the request and adding to the request an indication that the request has been authenticated.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the response further comprises automatically saving the second file into a document management system.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first file is received from a document management system.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the response further comprises sending the second file to a user.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second request to perform a second operation on the second file;

formatting the second request so that the second request can be interpreted by the external server;

sending the second request and the second file to the external server, such that the external server performs the second operation on the second file; and

receiving a response comprising a third file from the external server that is based on the external server performing the operation on the second file.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the request further comprises information used to authenticate the request.

14. A system for performing an operation on a file, comprising:

a computing device comprising at least one processor; and

a mini-application installed on the computing device, the processor configured to execute the mini-application to perform functions comprising;

receiving a first request to perform an operation on a file,

providing a second request comprising the first request and the file, to an external server that executes an application that, in response to the second request, performs the operation on the file and generates a response as a result of the performed operation, and

receiving the response from the external server.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising the function of sending the response to a user.

16. The system of claim 14, further comprising the function of displaying the response.

17. The system of claim 14, further comprising the functions of:

determining that a connection with the external server does not exist; and

storing the second request until determining that a connection with the external server exists.

18. The system of claim 14, further comprising the function of receiving a preference and wherein the second request includes the preference, which the application executed by the external server uses to perform the operation.

19. The system of claim 14, further comprising the operation of:

obtaining authentication for the request and adding to the request an indication that the request has been authenticated.

20. The system of claim 14, further comprising the function of saving the response into a document management system.

21. The system of claim 14, further comprising the functions of:

receiving a third request to perform a second operation on the response, wherein the response comprises a second file;

providing a fourth request comprising the third request and the second file, to the external server that executes an application that, in response to the fourth request, performs the second operation on the second file and generates a second response as a result of the performed operation,

receiving the second response from the external server.

22. The system of claim 14, wherein receiving the first request further comprises receiving a request to perform a comparison of two files, and wherein the second request comprises the first request and the two files.

23. A system for performing an operation on a file using an application on an external server, comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the functions of;

receiving a request from a computing device comprising information indicating an operation to be performed on a first file and the first file, wherein the computing device has formatted the request so that the request can be interpreted by the external server;

performing the operation on the first file;

creating a second file based on the operation performed on the first file; and

sending a response to the computing device comprising the second file, wherein the response has been formatted so that the response can be interpreted by the computing device.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the request further comprises information used to authenticate the request and wherein the processor is further configured to perform the function of using the information to authenticate the request.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the response includes an indication of failure to perform the operation when the request is not authenticated.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the operation is cleaning metadata from the first file.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein the operation is converting the first file from a first document type to a second document type.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the second document type is a PDF document type.

29. The system of claim 23, wherein the first file is a PDF document and the operation is converting the first file to a word processing document or a spreadsheet.

30. The system of claim 23, wherein the request further comprises a preference and the operation is performed on the first file in accordance with the preference.

31. The system of claim 23, wherein the request further comprises a preference and the functions further comprise storing the preference for use in performing later operations.

32. A method for performing an operation on a file, comprising:

receiving a request from a computing device indicating an operation to be performed on a first file, wherein the computing device has formatted the request so that the request can be interpreted by an application on the external server;

causing the application to perform the operation on the first file;

creating a response based on the operation performed on the first file; and

sending the response to the computing device, wherein the response has been formatted so that the response can be interpreted by the computing device.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the request further comprises information used to authenticate the request and wherein the method further comprises using the information to authenticate the request.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the response includes an indication of failure to perform the operation when the request is not authenticated.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein the request further comprises a preference and the operation is performed on the first file in accordance with the preference.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein the request further comprises a preference and the method further comprises storing the preference for use in performing later operations.

37. The method of claim 32, wherein the response includes a second file created based on performance of the operation on the first file.

38. The method of claim 32, wherein the operation is comparing two files and the application performs the operation on the two files.