Embodiments of the invention relate to a method and system for managing scanned documents.
In order to save a scanned document on a network, a user generally has to provide a profile of information relating to the scanned document. The profile is essentially a set of information relating to the document and can include the name of the profile, the author of the scanned document, a library to which the scanned document belongs, a client number, a matter number, the name of the scanned document, the type of the scanned document, and a file format of the scanned document. To enter all the profile information, the user generally logs in to the computer network and enters the profile information through the computer or through a multi-function device (“MFD”) or other device on the network. Entering the information can be time consuming. Furthermore, entering profile information for repetitive batch jobs where the same profile is used for multiple documents can be tedious.
After the scanned document has been profiled, the user can save the scanned document based on information provided in the profile. In this way, the user can associate the information in the profile with the scanned document and be able to retrieve the scanned document using the information in the profile. The user can link the document to email, fax, and other functions that a corresponding database or document management system offers. Typically, additional thick or fat client software applications have to be installed on the computer. However, the additional thick or fat client software applications, depending on functions and capability offered, can require a lot of overhead, exhaust computer memory, and consume large amounts of processing time.
Some existing software applications allow the user to enter the profile on a computer. However, these software applications often require a large amount of memory and entering the information can be tedious and time consuming. Embodiments of the present invention can simplify the process of manipulating information in a profile of a document to be scanned at an MFD in a network setting. For example, a user can generate at a computer a physical coversheet with the profile information, load the coversheet and the document to be scanned at the MFD, and scan the document together with the coversheet at the MFD. The scanned document is subsequently exported from the MFD to a database according to the profile information provided on the coversheet. In another example, the user can generate a virtual coversheet, load the document to be scanned at the MFD, select the virtual coversheet to be used and scan the document at the MFD. The virtual coversheet is then associated with the scanned document. The scanned document is subsequently exported from the MFD to the database or document management system according to the information on the coversheet.
In one form, the present invention provides a method of managing a scanned document. The method includes identifying profile information for the scanned document and generating a virtual coversheet based on the identified profile information. The method also includes associating the virtual coversheet with the scanned document.
In another form, the present invention provides a method of managing a document. The method includes accessing a profile that can be a combination of an existing profile and a new profile. The method also includes scanning the document and associating the accessed profile with the scanned document.
In yet another form, the present invention provides a system for managing a document. The system includes a first application configured to access a profile for the document. The system also includes scanning device configured to retrieve the accessed profile and to scan the document and a second application configured to associate the accessed profile with the scanned document.
Other aspects of the invention will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings.
Before any embodiments of the present invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The present invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Unless specified or limited otherwise, the terms “mounted,” “connected,” “supported,” and “coupled” and variations thereof are used broadly and encompass both direct and indirect mountings, connections, supports, and couplings. Further, “connected” and “coupled” are not restricted to physical or mechanical connections or couplings.
As should also be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art, the systems shown in the figures are models of what actual systems might be like. Many of the modules, applications, and logical structures described are capable of being implemented in software executed by a microprocessor or a similar device or of being implemented in hardware using a variety of components including, for example, application specific integrated circuits (“ASICs”). Terms like “processor” may include or refer to hardware, software or a combination thereof. Furthermore, throughout the specification capitalized terms are used. Such terms are used to conform to common practices and to help correlate the description with the coding examples, equations and/or drawings. However, no specific meaning is implied or should be inferred simply due to the use of capitalization. Thus, unless specifically indicated otherwise, the claims should not be limited to the specific examples or terminology or to any specific hardware or software implementation or combination of software or hardware.
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a method and system for managing a scanned document or scanned images acquired or generated using a conventional scanner or a multi-function device (“MFD”) capable of any combination of scanning, faxing, copying, or printing functions. In one embodiment, the system includes a web browser that is accessible at a desktop computer and that is integrated with a database or document management system such as Hummingbird Document Management or Worldox. The web browser includes a login screen that prompts a user to login to the database or document management system. In one specific embodiment, the user generates or prints a barcode coversheet. The user then places the barcode coversheet on top of a document to be scanned, and places the barcode coversheet and the document to be scanned at the MFD. Once the MFD has scanned in the barcode coversheet and the document, the scanned document can be directed within the database management system.
Once the user has successfully logged in at block 220, a home page of the coversheet application is shown or displayed at block 224. At block 228, both the local database application 148 and server database application 124 may also be launched or started in a known manner. At block 230, the coversheet application determines whether a profile is already saved on the system 100. If it is determined that there are no currently saved profiles, a profile may be created at block 236.
Once at least one profile exists, a user may elect to create another profile. As shown in
Once at least one profile exists, a user may elect to perform one or more functions on an existing profile. For example, at block 240, the coversheet application determines whether the user selection received is to copy a profile. If it is determined that a profile is to be copied, the copy-profile application is executed at block 244. At block 248, the coversheet application determines whether the user selection received is to edit a profile. If it is determined that a profile is to be edited, the edit-profile application is executed at block 252. The coversheet application may also determine whether a profile is to be deleted (block 256). If it is determined that a profile is to be deleted, a delete-profile application is executed at block 260. At block 264, the coversheet application determines whether the user selection received is to generate a coversheet. If it is determined that a coversheet is to be generated, the generate coversheet application is executed at block 268. The determination of what function the user wants to perform may occur in any order and may occur simultaneously or sequentially.
The profile information or metadata may be stored in any computer readable format. In some embodiments, the information of the profile may be encoded and/or stored in a database.
If it is determined at block 308 that the coversheet process 300 is to generate a physical coversheet, aa coversheet is printed at block 312. The user can then stack the printed coversheet on a document to be scanned at block 320. Although the printed coversheet is described as being stacked on top of the document to be scanned at block 320, the printed coversheet can also be placed in any other position in the document. In such cases, the coversheet is formatted such that when the document is scanned, the MFD 108 can read and recognize the coversheet regardless of the coversheet position.
If it is determined at block 308 that a virtual coversheet can be generated, a virtual coversheet is created at block 340. In some embodiments, the virtual coversheet can be an electronic image, electronic data, or an electronic hook that includes the metadata of the document to be scanned. At block 344, the virtual coversheet generated at block 340 is stored or saved on the server 104 and may be accessible from other locations. At block 348, the coversheet process 300 prompts the user for a selection of a server database application to be used with the virtual coversheet. At block 352, another log-in process is performed at the MFD 108 to validate or authenticate the user's identity. After a successful log-in, the user selects a profile with which the document to be scanned is associated (block 356). It should be noted that the log-in process at block 352 can be similar to the log-in process at block 220 of
Thereafter, the document to be scanned is scanned by the MFD 108 at block 360. In a case where a virtual coversheet has been generated, only the document to be scanned is scanned in at block 360. In a case where a physical coversheet has been generated, scanning the document at block 360 includes scanning in the printed coversheet and the document to be scanned. Once the document has been scanned at block 360, the coversheet process 300 links the scanned document to the information provided in the coversheet or the metadata at block 364. In some embodiments, the information on the coversheets, whether virtual or physical, includes the information of the profile selected by the user. The information may include a client number, client name, matter number, matter name, folder name, folder number, description, file format, and name of the profile. Other information may also be included with the profile information depending upon the desires of the user or needs of system 100.
To access information from locations and devices such as the computer 112, the user can use the web browser application 140 and the plug-in 144 to access the information and data stored in the memory 128 that is organized and managed by the database application 124 via the coversheet application 120. For example, the user may be authenticated by the server 104 via the browser application 140 to access information on a server 104 in a known manner.
The home page 504 includes a profile area 522. As shown, the profile area 522 does not include any profile in order to show that it is the first time a particular user has successfully logged into the coversheet application 120 with the plug-in 144. However, in other embodiments, the home page 504 can include a number of default profiles predetermined or offered by the coversheet application 120 or the server database application 124. The home page may also include profiles or previously created by the user. In some embodiments, a maximum number of profiles can be displayed with the home page 504. Generally, the maximum number of profiles that can be displayed on the home page 504 is configurable by the user or system administrator. In the embodiment shown in
If the user decides to create a new profile from the home page 504, the user can select or click the new profile link 508 to create a new profile.
In some embodiments, a selection button or link 608, 614, 618, 622 may correspond to or be associated with information fields 612, 616, 620, 624, 628. For example, field 612 has a respective option button 614 to select a client number, field 616 has a respective option button 618 to select a matter number, and the folder field 620 has a respective option button 622 to select a folder directory. In this way, the user can choose from a list of options from a pop up window such as a customer pop up window 632 as shown in
If the user has already saved some profiles in the home page 504, the user can choose to edit a particular profile using the link 516.
Referring again to
As described, the second home page 832 shows two profiles 808 and 830. The user is also given an option to create a coversheet using the link 524 on the second home screen page 836. The user can create a coversheet by clicking the link 524. In this way, a batch job or a repetitive job using a selected profile can be performed to improve efficiency and to reduce the time required to enter information for an individual profile. Once the user has highlighted a particular profile for the batch job, the user clicks the link 524 to create a coversheet as discussed in connection with the flowchart shown in
Once the user has finished creating the coversheet through link 524, the user can access the created profile via the touch-screen 132 at the MFD 108.
Although the interface 900 is shown on the touch-screen 132, the interface 900 can also be displayed on a computer that is linked to the MFD 108. To access the virtually created profile using the web browser application 144, the user can select the local database application 148 or server database application 124 selecting the server database application function option button 924. In some embodiments, once the database function option button 924 has been selected, the user will go through a log-in process that may require the user to enter the user ID and/or a respective password.
Once successfully logged in, the user may view profiles created by the user or to which the user has been authorized to access that have been generated using the coversheet application 120 and the plug-in 144.
In some embodiments, the user is also provided with the information of the selected profile 1012 so that the user can edit or change the information of the selected profile 1012.
In a case where the coversheet 840 (as shown in
In some embodiments, after the document has been scanned, the scanned document may be submitted to the local database application 148 or the server database application 124 with the profile or the metadata generated previously for storage and/or performance of other functions such as faxing, emailing, copying and printing.
Thus, the invention provides, among other things, a method and system for managing a scanned document or scanned images. Various features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following claims.
This patent application is related to the U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/055,875, filed Feb. 11, 2005, entitled “System and Method of Importing Documents into Document Management System” and U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, filed MONTH DAY, 2005, entitled “Coversheet Manager Application,” both of which are assigned to the assignee of the present application.