Patent Application
20180278795
This application relates generally to generating identifying indicia that are inserted into scanned documents. The application relates more particularly to generating a barcode that is added to the electronic version of a scanned document.
In an example embodiment, a system and method for adding a barcode to an electronic document includes a multifunction peripheral having a user interface for accepting user input such as data and commands, a scan engine configure to scan a tangible document into an electronic document, and a processor configured to generate a barcode from barcode identifying data. A user can enter a document identifier via a user interface as the barcode identifying data. The user can select an area of the electronic document via the user interface and the processor can extract the barcode identifying data using optical character recognition of the selected area. A user can enter barcode position data via the user interface and the processor can generate a barcoded electronic document in accordance with the barcode position data. The barcoded electronic document can be forwarded to the user via a network interface associated with the multifunction peripheral.
In another example embodiment, a multifunction peripheral includes a scanner, a user interface, and a controller. The scanner scans a physical or tangible document into an electronic form of the document, or scanned document. The user interface includes a display for displaying a preview of the scanned document, and a user input for accepting user commands associated with obtaining or entering barcode data for the scanned document. The controller includes a processor and memory, and determines the barcode data based on the user commands, such as a user entry of alphanumeric characters, or the selection of a selected area of the preview, from which the processor can extract the barcode data based on performing optical character recognition of alphanumeric characters in the selected area. The controller generates a barcode based on the barcode data, positions the barcode onto the scanned document, and outputs a scanned document that has the barcode on one or more pages of the document. The user input can be configured to accept user commands, such as the entry of an x,y coordinate pair, to position the barcode as desired by the user on the scanned document. The user input can be configured to accept user commands for determining which pages of the document the barcode are to include the barcode. The scanned document with the barcode can be output to a printer or print engine, or forwarded to a user as an electronic document, for example via email.
Document processing devices include printers, copiers, scanners and e-mail gateways. More recently, devices employing two or more of these functions are found in office environments. These devices are referred to as multifunction peripherals (MFPs) or multifunction devices (MFDs). As used herein, MFP means any of the forgoing. Given the expense in obtaining and maintaining MFPs, MFPs are frequently shared by users and monitored by technicians via a data network for example using Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP). When a user scans a document on an MFP, the MFP makes the scanned document available to the user, for example by forwarding the scanned document directly to the user via email, or by storing the document in a network server that the user can access.
Barcodes are machine-readable representations of data that can assist in identifying items, such as a product, a shipped item, or a document. Example barcodes include Universal Product Codes or UPCs, and Quick Response or QR codes, as well as a myriad of other linear and two-dimensional bar codes.
To add a barcode to an item, such as a document, a label or sticker is usually separately printed, using specialized software and often a dedicated purpose printer. To add a barcode to the electronic version of a scanned document, a user would ordinarily be required to first scan a document on an MFP and then return to their desktop computer, retrieve the electronic version of the document, and use specialized software to attach a barcode to the document. Many users may not have the necessary software installed on their computers, or the technical proficiency to complete the necessary operations available via the software.
Turning to
Advantageously, a user can add a barcode to any scanned document 106 at the MFP 102 at the time that the physical document 104 is scanned. The system 100 alleviates the necessity for the user to either add a printed bar code to the document 104 prior to scanning, or return to their desktop computer and use specialized software to insert a barcode into the scanned document 106.
Turning now to
Processor 202 is also in data communication with a storage interface 208 for reading or writing to a storage 216, suitably comprised of a hard disk, optical disk, solid-state disk, cloud-based storage, or any other suitable data storage as will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art.
Processor 202 is also in data communication with a network interface 210 which provides an interface to a network interface controller (NIC) 214, which in turn provides a data path to any suitable wired or physical network connection 220, or to a wireless data connection via wireless network interface 218. Example wireless connections include cellular, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, wireless universal serial bus (wireless USB), satellite, and the like. Example wired interfaces include Ethernet, USB, IEEE 1394 (FireWire), Apple Lightning, telephone line, or the like.
Processor 202 can also be in data communication with any suitable user input/output (I/O) interface 219 which provides data communication with user peripherals, such as displays, keyboards, mice, track balls, touch screens, or the like. Hardware monitor suitably provides device event data, working in concert with suitably monitoring systems. By way of further example, monitoring systems may include page counters, sensor output, such as consumable level sensors, temperature sensors, power quality sensors, device error sensors, door open sensors, and the like. Data is suitably stored in one or more device logs, such as in storage 216.
Also in data communication with data bus 212 is a document processor interface 222 suitable for data communication with MFP functional units 250. In the illustrated example, these units include copy hardware 240, scan hardware 242, print hardware 244 and fax hardware 246 which together comprise MFP functional hardware 250. It will be understood that functional units are suitably comprised of intelligent units, including any suitable hardware or software platform.
Turning now to
Processor 304 is also in data communication with a storage interface 316 for reading or writing to a data storage system 318, suitably comprised of a hard disk, optical disk, solid-state disk, or any other suitable data storage as will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art.
Processor 304 is also in data communication with a network interface controller (NIC) 330, which provides a data path to any suitable wired or physical network connection via physical network interface 334, or to any suitable wireless data connection via wireless network interface 338, such as one or more of the networks detailed above.
Processor 304 is also in data communication with a user input/output (I/O) interface 340 which provides data communication with optional user peripherals, such as a display 344, a keyboard 350, a mouse 360 or any other interface, such as track balls, touchscreens, or the like. It will be understood that functional units are suitably comprised of intelligent units, including any suitable hardware or software platform.
While certain embodiments have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the inventions. Indeed, the novel embodiments described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms; furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form of the embodiments described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the inventions. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the spirit and scope of the inventions.
