Systems and methods for walkup filing using removable storage

• US 7,843,594 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2007
• Issued: 11/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ferlitsch, Andrew R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Douglas Q
• Application Number:
  US11/673,381
• Publication Number:
  US 20080195772A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,390 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.1, 358/1.13, 358/1.14, 358/1.15, 358/1.16, 358/538, 358/539, 358/448, 358/426.07
• US Class Current: 358/1.16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1204 resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1206 resulting in increased flexibility in input data format or job format or job type
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1245 by conversion to intermediate or common format
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1247 by conversion to printer ready format
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/128 Direct printing, e.g. sending document file, using memory stick, printing from a camera

Abstract

A method for filing a data file from an imaging device using removable storage is described. A data file is received with a first format and a second format. A determination is made if the first format is a known format. A data converter is accessed to convert the first format to a known format if the first format is unknown. A determination is made if the second format is a known format. The data converter is accessed to convert the second format to a known format if the second format is unknown. The data file is filed to removable storage.

Claims

1. A method for filing a data file from an imaging device using removable storage, the method comprising:

receiving a data file with a first format and a second format;

determining if the first format is a known format;

accessing a data converter to convert the first format to a known format if the first format is unknown;

determining if the second format is a known format;

accessing the data converter to convert the second format to a known format if the second format is unknown; and

filing the data file to removable storage.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first format is an input format and the second format is an output format.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the imaging device is a multi-functional peripheral (MFP) device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising converting the data file from the input format to an intermediate format.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the removable storage device comprises a Universal Serial Bus (USB) memory stick.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising filing a plurality of data files to removable storage as a single composed document.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising inserting the removable storage device into a local port connection on the imaging device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the determination if the first format is known is made from a group of:

by reading a file suffix included with the data file, by reading an initial byte sequence of the data file, or explicitly indicated in the request.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an interface for selection of a source of the data file.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an interface for selection of a destination for the data file.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an interface for selection of an output format for the data file.

12. An imaging device that is configured for filing a data file using removable storage, the imaging device comprising:

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor;

instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable to;

receive a data file with a first format and a second format;

determine if the first format is a known format;

access a data converter to convert the first format to a known format if the first format is unknown;

determine if the second format is a known format;

access the data converter to convert the second format to a known format if the second format is unknown; and

file the data file to removable storage.

13. The imaging device of claim 12, wherein the imaging device is a multi-functional peripheral (MFP).

14. The imaging device of claim 12, wherein the first format is an input format and the second format is an output format.

15. The imaging device of claim 12, further comprising a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port.

16. The imaging device of claim 15, wherein the removable storage device is accessed through the USB port.

17. The imaging device of claim 12, wherein the instructions are further executable to file a plurality of data files to removable storage as a single composed document.

18. The imaging device of claim 12, wherein the determination if the first format is known is made from a group of:

by reading a file suffix included with the data file, by reading an initial byte sequence of the data file, or explicitly indicated in the request.

19. The imaging device of claim 12, further comprising an interface for selection of a destination for the data file.

20. A computer-readable medium comprising executable instructions for filing a data file from an imaging device using removable storage, the instructions being executable to:

receive a data file with a first format and a second format;

determine if the first format is a known format;

access a data converter to convert the first format to a known format if the first format is unknown;

determine if the second format is a known format;

access the data converter to convert the second format to a known format if the second format is unknown; and

file the data file to removable storage.