System and method for obtaining an electronic document

• US 8,736,878 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2011
• Issued: 05/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon USA, Inc. (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon USA, Inc. (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Grabkowitz, Benjamin Gregory, Candreva, Nicholas Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Rudolph, Vincent
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ky, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US13/304,190
• Publication Number:
  US 20130128305A1
• Time in Patent Office: 916 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.15, 358 113- 118, 709/228, 382/274, 382/167
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00225 details of image data generation, e.g. scan-to-email or network scanners using an image reading device as a local input to a computer H04N1/00241
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0023 Image pull arrangements, e.g. to a multifunctional peripheral from a networked computer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00973 from a remote device, e.g. receiving via the internet instructions input to a computer terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0015 Control of image communication with the connected apparatus, e.g. signalling capability
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0081 Image reader H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0093 Facsimile machine H04N2201/0094 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

Methods, devices, and computer-readable storage media are provided. Some embodiments of the invention include an image processing device displaying on a display of the image processing device a machine-readable code, wherein information encoded in the machine-readable code is usable by a mobile computing device to establish a communication session between the mobile computing device and the image processing device. In some embodiments, the mobile computing device reads the machine-readable code, obtains the information by decoding the machine-readable code, and establishes the communication session using the information. In some embodiments, during the communication session, the image processing device receives a scan command, scans a physical document in response to the scan command, and sends an electronic document representing the scanned physical document to the mobile computing device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

displaying on a display of an image processing device a machine-readable code, wherein information encoded in the machine-readable code is usable by a mobile computing device to establish a communication session between the mobile computing device and the image processing device;

receiving, at the image processing device from the mobile computing device, a communication establishing the communication session;

in response to the receiving the communication establishing the communication session, sending, from the image processing device to the mobile computing device, a communication indicating the image processing device is ready to perform scanning of a physical document;

receiving, at the image processing device from the mobile computing device, a scan command during the communication session;

scanning, at the image processing device, the physical document in response to the scan command; and

sending, from the image processing device to the mobile computing device, an electronic document representing the scanned physical document during the communication session,

wherein the receiving the communication establishing the communication session, the sending the communication indicating the image processing device is ready to perform scanning of the physical document, the receiving the scan command, the scanning the physical document, and the sending the electronic document are performed over a period of time without requiring any user input operation for the entirety of the duration of the period from the receiving the communication establishing the communication session to the sending the electronic document.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the information comprises identification information that identifies the image processing device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication session is over a local area network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication session is over a wide area network.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting, at the image processing device using a sensor, that the physical document is in position for the image processing device to perform the scanning of the physical document,

wherein the displaying the machine-readable code comprises automatically displaying the machine-readable code in response to the detecting that the physical document is in position for the image processing device to perform the scanning of the physical document.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting, at the image processing device using a sensor, that the physical document is in position for the image processing device to perform the scanning of the physical document,

wherein the sending the communication indicating the image processing device is ready to perform scanning of the physical document is based on the detecting that the physical document is in position for the image processing device to perform the scanning of the physical document.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the scan command comprises a scan command the mobile computing device sent in response to receiving the communication indicating the image processing device is ready to perform scanning of the physical document.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause an image processing device to perform operations comprising:

displaying on a display of the image processing device a machine-readable code, wherein information encoded in the machine-readable code is usable by a mobile computing device to establish a communication session between the mobile computing device and the image processing device;

receiving, at the image processing device from the mobile computing device, a communication establishing the communication session;

in response to the receiving the communication establishing the communication session, sending, from the image processing device to the mobile computing device, a communication indicating the image processing device is ready to perform scanning of a physical document;

receiving, at the image processing device from the mobile computing device, a scan command during the communication session;

scanning, at the image processing device, the physical document in response to the scan command; and

sending, from the image processing device to the mobile computing device, an electronic document representing the scanned physical document during the communication session,

wherein the receiving the communication establishing the communication session, the sending the communication indicating the image processing device is ready to perform scanning of the physical document, the receiving the scan command, the scanning the physical document, and the sending the electronic document are performed over a period of time without requiring any user input operation for the entirety of the duration of the period from the receiving the communication establishing the communication session to the sending the electronic document.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the scan command comprises a scan command the mobile computing device sent in response to receiving the communication indicating the image processing device is ready to perform scanning of the physical document.

8. A method comprising:

reading, at a mobile computing device, a machine-readable code associated with an image processing device;

obtaining, at the mobile computing device, information encoded in the machine-readable code by decoding the machine-readable code;

in response to the obtaining the information, establishing a communication session between the mobile computing device and the image processing device using the information;

during the communication session, receiving, at the mobile computing device from the image processing device, a communication indicating the image processing device is ready to perform scanning of a physical document;

in response to the receiving the communication indicating the image processing device is ready to perform scanning of the physical document, sending, from the mobile computing device to the image processing device, a scan command; and

during the communication session, receiving, at the mobile computing device from the image processing device, an electronic document representing the physical document the image processing device scanned in response to the scan command,

wherein the establishing the communication session, the receiving the communication indicating the image processing device is ready to perform scanning of the physical document, the sending the scan command, and the receiving the electronic document are performed over a period of time without requiring any user input operation for the entirety of the duration of the period from the establishing the communication session to the receiving the electronic document.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the information comprises identification information that identifies the image processing device.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the communication session is over a local area network.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the communication session is over a wide area network.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein the communication indicating the image processing device is ready to perform scanning of the physical document comprises a communication the image processing device sent based on detecting, at the image processing device using a sensor, that the physical document is in position for the image processing device to perform the scanning of the physical document.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause a mobile computing device to perform operations comprising:

reading, at the mobile computing device, a machine-readable code associated with an image processing device;

obtaining, at the mobile computing device, information encoded in the machine-readable code by decoding the machine-readable code;

in response to the obtaining the information, establishing a communication session between the mobile computing device and the image processing device using the information;

during the communication session, receiving, at the mobile computing device from the image processing device, a communication indicating the image processing device is ready to perform scanning of a physical document;

in response to the receiving the communication indicating the image processing device is ready to perform scanning of the physical document, sending, from the mobile computing device to the image processing device, a scan command; and

during the communication session, receiving, at the mobile computing device from the image processing device, an electronic document representing the physical document the image processing device scanned in response to the scan command,

wherein the establishing the communication session, the receiving the communication indicating the image processing device is ready to perform scanning of the physical document, the sending the scan command, and the receiving the electronic document are performed over a period of time without requiring any user input operation for the entirety of the duration of the period from the establishing the communication session to the receiving the electronic document.

13. An image processing device comprising:

a display;

one or more communication interfaces;

a scanner unit;

one or more memory devices storing instructions for execution by one or more processors; and

the one or more processors, operable when executing the instructions to perform operations comprising;

causing the display to display a machine-readable code, wherein information encoded in the machine-readable code is usable by a mobile computing device to establish a communication session between the mobile computing device and the image processing device;

receiving, at the image processing device from the mobile computing device, a communication establishing the communication session;

in response to the receiving the communication establishing the communication session, sending, from the image processing device to the mobile computing device, a communication indicating the image processing device is ready to perform scanning of a physical document;

receiving, at the image processing device from the mobile computing device, a scan command during the communication session;

causing the scanner unit to scan the physical document in response to the scan command; and

sending, from the image processing device to the mobile computing device, an electronic document representing the scanned physical document during the communication session,

wherein the receiving the communication establishing the communication session, the sending the communication indicating the image processing device is ready to perform scanning of the physical document, the receiving the scan command, the causing the scanner unit to scan the physical document, and the sending the electronic document are performed over a period of time without requiring any user input operation for the entirety of the duration of the period from the receiving the communication establishing the communication session to the sending the electronic document.

17. The image processing device of claim 13, wherein the scanner unit includes a sensor, and

wherein the causing the display to display the machine-readable code comprises automatically causing the display to display the machine-readable code in response to detecting, at the image processing device using the sensor, that the physical document is in position for the scanner unit to scan the physical document.

18. The image processing device of claim 13, wherein the scanner unit includes a sensor, and

wherein the sending the communication indicating the image processing device is ready to perform scanning of the physical document is based on detecting, at the image processing device using the sensor, that the physical document is in position for the scanner unit to scan the physical document.

19. The image processing device of claim 13, wherein the scan command comprises a scan command the mobile computing device sent in response to receiving the communication indicating the image processing device is ready to perform scanning of the physical document.

14. A mobile computing device comprising:

a reading unit;

one or more communication interfaces;

one or more memory devices storing instructions for execution by one or more processors; and

the one or more processors, operable when executing the instructions to perform operations comprising;

causing the reading unit to read a machine-readable code associated with an image processing device;

obtaining, at the mobile computing device, information encoded in the machine-readable code by decoding the machine-readable code;

in response to the obtaining the information, establishing a communication session between the mobile computing device and the image processing device using the information;

during the communication session, receiving, at the mobile computing device from the image processing device, a communication indicating the image processing device is ready to perform scanning of a physical document;

in response to the receiving the communication indicating the image processing device is ready to perform scanning of the physical document, sending, from the mobile computing device to the image processing device, a scan command; and

during the communication session, receiving, at the mobile computing device from the image processing device, an electronic document representing the physical document the image processing device scanned in response to the scan command,

wherein the establishing the communication session, the receiving the communication indicating the image processing device is ready to perform scanning of the physical document, the sending the scan command, and the receiving the electronic document are performed over a period of time without requiring any user input operation for the entirety of the duration of the period from the establishing the communication session to the receiving the electronic document.

20. The mobile computing device of claim 14, wherein the communication indicating the image processing device is ready to perform scanning of the physical document comprises a communication the image processing device sent based on detecting, at the image processing device using a sensor, that the physical document is in position for the image processing device to perform the scanning of the physical document.