Method for specifying delivery information for electronic documents

• US 6,684,368 B1
• Filed: 11/13/1998
• Issued: 01/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Piersol, Kurt, Hull, Jonathan J., Suzuki, Kiyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph H.
• Application Number:
  US09/192,168
• Time in Patent Office: 1,901 Days
• Field of Search: 707/204, 345/733, 345/751.2, 345/839, 345/846, 358/400-403, 358/442, 358/450, 715/500, 709/206
• US Class Current: 715/209
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00413 using menus, i.e. presenting the user with a plurality of selectable options H04N1/00464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00424 using a list of graphical elements, e.g. icons or icon bar
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00427 using a menu list H04N1/00421, H04N1/00424, H04N1/00429 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00472 using a pop-up window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00474 outputting a plurality of functional options, e.g. scan, copy or print
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00482 outputting a plurality of job set-up options, e.g. number of copies, paper size or resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00957 Compiling jobs, e.g. for batch processing H04N1/3208 takes precedence; program code compilation G06F8/41
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2179 Interfaces allowing access to a plurality of users, e.g. connection to electronic image libraries
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2187 with image input from a plurality of different locations or from a non-central location, e.g. from one or more users
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99955 Archiving or backup

Abstract

A graphical user interface that presents document destinations in terms of recipient objects readily familiar to the user is provided by the present invention. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for specifying delivery information for electronic documents can include the step of displaying a plurality of potential recipients to a user. Responsive to input from the user, the method can select at least one potential recipient from the plurality of potential recipients to form a plurality of selected recipients. The method then performs a scanning operation of a document to form an electronic copy of the document. The electronic copy of the document can be transmitted to the plurality of selected recipients. A step of incorporating the electronic copy of the document into a database belonging to each of the plurality of selected recipients is also included in the method.

Claims

1. A method for specifying delivery information for electronic documents comprising:

displaying, to a user, information identifying a plurality of potential users;

receiving a single input indicating a selection of one or more users from the plurality of potential users;

responsive to the single input;

scanning the document to form an electronic copy of the document;

generating the hard copy of the document using the electronic copy; and

transmitting the electronic copy to the one or more users.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

sending an email to the one or more users, the email indicating that the electronic copy is available to the one or more users.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

archiving the electronic copy of the document into an archival database without further input from the user, wherein the user need not be aware of the archiving.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the information identifying the plurality of potential users comprises an iconic image of the one or more users.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the information identifying the plurality of potential users comprises one or more names of the one or more users.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the information identifying the plurality of potential users comprises one or more names and one or more iconic images of the one or more users.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

accepting a login from the user; and

responsive to the login, displaying a name and an iconic image of the user.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the scanning is performed by a copier.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the scanning is performed by a facsimile machine.

10. A method for specifying delivery information for electronic documents in a networked environment having a plurality of destination nodes, the method comprising:

producing a representation for at least a first potential user and a second potential user included in a plurality of potential users;

associating the representation for the first potential user with a first destination node included in the plurality of destination nodes;

associating the representation for the second potential user with a second destination node included in the plurality of destination nodes;

displaying, to a user, the representation for the first potential user and the representation for the second potential user;

receiving a single input indicating a selection of the first potential user and the second potential user;

responsive to the single input;

scanning the document to form an electronic copy of the document;

generating the hard copy of the document using the electronic copy; and

transmitting the electronic copy to the first potential user and the second potential user; and

archiving the electronic copy of the document into an archival database without further input from the user, wherein the user need not be aware of the archiving.

11. A computer program product stored on a computer-readable storage medium for specifying delivery information for electronic documents, the computer program product comprising:

code for displaying, to a user, information identifying a plurality of potential users;

code for receiving a single input indicating a selection of one or more users from the plurality of potential users;

responsive to the single input;

code for scanning the document to form an electronic copy of the document;

code for generating the hard copy of the document using the electronic copy; and

code for transmitting the electronic copy to the one or more users.

12. The computer program product of claim 11 further comprising:

code for sending one or more emails to the one or more users, the one or more emails indicating that the electronic copy of the document is available to the one or more users.

13. The computer program product of claim 11 further comprising:

code for archiving the electronic copy of the document into an archival database without further input from the user, wherein the user need not be aware of the archiving.

14. The computer program product of claim 11 wherein the information identifying the plurality of potential users comprises one or more iconic images of the one or more users.

15. The computer program product of claim 11 wherein the information identifying the plurality of potential users comprises one or more names of the one or more users.

16. The computer program product of claim 11 wherein the information identifying the plurality of potential users comprises one or more names and one or more iconic images of the one or more users.

17. The computer program product of claim 11 further comprising:

code for accepting a login from the user; and

code for displaying, responsive to the login, a name and an iconic image of the user.

18. The computer program product of claim 11 wherein the scanning is performed by a copier.

19. The computer program product of claim 11 wherein the scanning is performed by a facsimile machine.

20. A method of communicating an electronic document using a facsimile machine, the method comprising:

displaying information identifying a plurality of potential users on the facsimile machine;

receiving a single input indicating a selection of one or more users from the plurality of potential users; and

responsive to the single input;

scanning the document using the facsimile machine to form an electronic copy of the document;

faxing the electronic copy of the document to the facsimile recipient using the facsimile machine; and

transmitting the electronic copy to the one or more users.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising:

archiving the electronic copy of the document in an archival database without further input from the user, wherein the user need not be aware of the archiving.

22. In a networked environment comprising a plurality of destination nodes and a copier machine, the copier machine comprising:

an output module;

a controller module;

a scanner; and

a print engine;

wherein the output device is configured to display information identifying a plurality of potential users;

wherein the controller module is configured to receive a single input indicating a selection of one or more users from the plurality of potential users; and

wherein, responsive to the single input, the controller module is configured to;

cause the scanner to scan the document to generate an electronic copy of the document;

cause the print engine to generate the hard copy of the document using the electronic copy of the document; and

transmit the electronic copy of the document to a destination node associated with the one or more users.

23. The copier machine of claim 22 wherein the controller is further configured to archive the electronic copy of the document in an archival database without further input from the user, wherein the user need not be aware of the archiving.

24. In a networked environment comprising a plurality of destination nodes and a facsimile machine, the facsimile machine comprising:

an output module;

a controller module;

a scanner; and

a facsimile engine;

wherein the output device is configured to display information identifying a plurality of potential users;

wherein the controller module is configured to receive a single input indicating a selection of one or more users from the plurality of potential users; and

wherein, responsive to the single input, the controller module is configured to;

cause the scanner to scan the document to generate an electronic copy of the document;

cause the facsimile engine to fax the electronic copy of the document to the facsimile recipient; and

transmit the electronic copy of the document to a destination node associated with the one or more users.

25. The facsimile machine of claim 24 wherein the controller is further configured to archive the electronic copy of the document in an archival database without further input from the user, wherein the user need not be aware of the archiving.