Radiant energy – Photocells; circuits and apparatus – Optical or pre-photocell system
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-12
2001-06-19
Font, Frank G. (Department: 2877)
Radiant energy
Photocells; circuits and apparatus
Optical or pre-photocell system
C250S208100, C358S400000, C358S468000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06248996
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to transmitting data to multiple receivers. Specifically, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for transmitting scanned data to multiple heterogeneous receivers.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A useful feature provided on some scanners enables a user electronically to send a scanned document to a specific receiver destination. Communications protocols such as Hewlett-Packard's JetSend™ technology can be employed to make such communication possible. JetSend™ acts as on-board “intelligence,” allowing various devices to communicate directly with other JetSend™ -enabled devices. The JetSend™ technology resides in device firmware or PC software. It allows two devices to connect, negotiate data types, provide status updates about device operation and exchange information without user intervention. The JetSend™ protocol can be built into any information appliance, regardless of device function.
Network scanner and printer combinations are designed to increase productivity and reduce cost. Working together, the two devices can eliminate the time spent waiting to use a busy fax machine or for interoffice mail to arrive, and they can reduce the use of expensive delivery services to send and receive paper-based information.
JetSend™ technology is available on scanning devices such as the HP Network ScanJet 5™ scanner. The Network ScanJet 5™ has the ability to send information directly to a JetSend™ -enabled receiving device anywhere in the world. To send information, the scanner communicates with the receiving device, and the two devices then negotiate their capabilities. Information is sent and then printed or displayed, depending on the type of receiving device. The information is exchanged between the two devices directly, without user intervention. The devices themselves determine the best-possible outcome. The network scanner's easy-to-use interface contributes to the simple and efficient JetSend™ communication process. From the front control panel of the scanner, the user enters the address of the receiving device and scans the document at a rate of 15 pages per minute. By pushing the green “go” button, information is sent directly to a JetSend™-enabled receiving device.
Another JetSend™ -enabled device is the HP 9100C Digital Sender™. The 9100C Digital Sender™ is a workgroup-communication device that converts paper documents into digital form. Documents can be sent directly from the HP 9100C Digital Sender™ device to any e-mail address, network fax, HP JetSend™ -enabled device, network printer or personal computer. The HP 9100C Digital Sender™ -enables users to easily integrate and distribute paper-based documents into the electronic workplace.
The HP 9100C Digital Sender™ includes an interface having a computer-like keyboard which allows users to manually enter receiving device information at the device. Similar to sending e-mail from a PC, the HP 9100C Digital Sender™ enables users to type e-mail addresses or to queue personalized e-mail addresses or distribution lists from a customized address book, allowing users to send paper-based documents as e-mail messages, in color or monochrome. By leveraging the global Internet e-mail infrastructure, the HP 9100C Digital Sender™ is an efficient and cost-effective alternative to such typical paper distribution methods as fax and courier.
One limitation of devices such as the Network ScanJet 5™ and the 9100C Digital Sender™ is in the transmission of individual files to multiple heterogeneous receivers. With these devices, the respective receiver destinations sometimes require different data formats. For example, a fax machine may expect 300 dots-per-inch (dpi) single bit-per-pixel (bpp) data, while a printer may be capable of 600-dpi single bpp data, and a PC may want 300-dpi 8-bpp data. In such instances, the original document must be scanned separately for each receiver destination. If a user wants to send a document to a printer, a fax machine, and an e-mail address, the user scans and sends the document three separate times. Furthermore, no new transmission can begin until the previous transmission has been completed.
If the user has even a few destinations for one document, the process of serially re-scanning and re-transmitting for each destination can be cumbersome and time consuming. This is especially true for multi-page documents, since each page of the document would have to be scanned for each receiver destination. Therefore, the need exists to provide a more user-friendly scanner that simplifies the task of sending a job to one or more heterogeneous receivers for the user.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A method for transmitting data contained in a document between a scanning device and a plurality of heterogeneous receiver destinations, each respective receiver destination being capable of receiving scanned information in a specific data form, is set forth. In a first step, a plurality of heterogeneous receiver destinations are selected. Next, an acceptable data form for each receiver destination is determined. The document is then scanned once to convert the document into electronic data. The electronic data is then used to create a respective electronic data file for each receiver destination, each file converted to a data form appropriate to its corresponding receiver destination. The electronic data files are then transmitted to their respective receiver destinations.
The step of using the electronic data can include the step of creating a buffer as an intermediate step in creating the respective data files. A job number can be assigned to each receiver destination selected, and the transmission status for each of the job numbers can be displayed.
The scanner can communicate with each receiver destination to determine the type and availability of each receiver destination. The receiver destinations can be of at least two types chosen from a group consisting of a host workstation, a fax machine, a server, an e-mail server, a printer, or any JetSend™ -enabled receiver device.
The step of scanning can be accomplished by dividing the document into a plurality of strips, and scanning the strips sequentially. A buffer file can be created to receive scanned data for each file type as each strip is scanned. The buffer files can be used to create electronic data files after the scanning step is completed.
The step of converting can include converting the document into a plurality of electronic data files having different resolutions.
The method can further include the step of displaying transmission status during the step of transmitting. Each job number can be queried at regular intervals to obtain updated status information while transmitting the files as electronic data to the selected receiver destinations. Updated transmission status of the electronic file can be displayed while transmitting the electronic file to the selected receiver destinations.
A memory device can be provided in the scanning device. The memory device can contain a plurality receiver destination addresses. A list of the receiver destination addresses stored in the memory device can be displayed, from which a plurality of heterogeneous receiver destinations can be selected.
In a system including a scanning device connected to at least one receiver capable of receiving scanned information as electronic files, a scanning device transmission arrangement is also set forth. The arrangement includes a processor for storing, retrieving, and selecting a plurality of heterogeneous receiver destinations. A scanning device is provided for converting the document into electronic data. Also included is a communication device for establishing contact with a selected plurality of heterogeneous receiver destinations and for transmitting data created from a scanned document to the selected plurality of heterogeneous receiver destinations simultaneously.
A display can be provided for displaying system status information. Receiver destination addresses can be entered into the processor mean
Greaves Warren J.
Johnson Stephen K.
Font Frank G.
Hewlett--Packard Company
Punnoose Roy M.
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