System, computer program product and method for scanning and managing documents

Abstract

A system, method and computer program product for scanning and managing documents. The system includes a scanning device, a scan server connected to the scanning device via a network, and a directory server connected to the scan server. The system allows a user of the scanning device to search the directory server for e-mail addresses, fax numbers, or other destination information stored at the directory server, and to e-mail, fax, or otherwise electronically deliver scanned documents from the scanning device. The scan server transmits the e-mail addresses, fax numbers, or other destination information to the scanning device from the directory server. The user of the scanning device can select one or more destinations (e.g., e-mail addresses or fax numbers) received from the scan server. The scanning device transmits the scanned document with the selected destination to the scan server. The scan server transmits the scanned document to the appropriate server, such as an e-mail or fax server. The document is routed, for example by the e-mail or fax server, to the selected destination.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:  
     
         1 . A method for managing documents, comprising the steps of: 
 requesting a destination information stored at a directory server, said requesting step being performed at a scanning device connected to a network;    receiving said destination information at said scanning device via said network, and    transmitting a scanned document and said destination information from said scanning device.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said destination information comprises an email address.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said destination information comprises a fax number.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: 
 receiving login information; and    requesting an authentication on the basis of said login information to access said directory server.    
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the step of requesting said authentication comprises the step of transmitting said login information to a server connected to said scanning device via said network.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of scanning said document.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising the steps of: 
 receiving login information; and    requesting an authentication on the basis of said login information to scan said document.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the step of requesting said authentication comprises the step of transmitting said login information to a server connected to said scanning device via said network.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of storing said destination information at said scanning device.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising the step of erasing said destination information after a set time period.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said transmitting step is performed by transmitting data using an HTTP protocol and an XML format.  
     
     
         12 . A method of e-mailing a document, comprising the steps of: 
 scanning said document at a scanning device;    transmitting an e-mail address from a scan server to said scanning device, said e-mail address being stored at a directory server connected to said scan server;    transmitting said scanned document and said e-mail address from said scanning device to said scan server;    transmitting said scanned document and said e-mail address from said scan server to an e-mail server; and    transmitting said scanned document from said e-mail server to said e-mail address.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising the steps of: 
 receiving login information; and    verifying an authentication on the basis of said login information.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the step of verifying said authentication comprises the step of transmitting said login information from said scanning device to said scan server.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said transmitting steps are performed by transmitting data using an HTTP protocol and an XML format.  
     
     
         16 . A method of managing a document, comprising the steps of: 
 receiving a request for destination information from a scanning device;    transmitting said request for destination information to a directory server;    receiving said destination information from said directory server;    transmitting said destination information to said scanning device;    receiving, from said scanning device, a scanned document and a request for routing said scanned document; and    routing said scanned document in accordance with said request for routing.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein: 
 said destination information comprises an e-mail address, and    said step of routing said scanned document comprises transmitting said scanned document to an e-mail server with a request for e-mailing said scanned document to said email address.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein: 
 said destination information comprises a fax number, and    said step of routing said scanned document comprises transmitting said scanned document to a fax server with a request for faxing said scanned document to said fax number.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the steps of: 
 receiving login information; and    verifying an authentication on the basis of said login information to access said directory server.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said steps of transmitting said request for destination information and said destination information are performed by transmitting data using an HTTP protocol and an XML format.  
     
     
         21 . A method for managing documents, comprising the steps of: 
 receiving login information at a scanning device;    requesting an authentication based on said login information from a server connected to said scanning device via a network;    receiving said authentication from said server at said scanning device; and    performing an operation by said scanning device based on said authentication.    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein performing said operation comprises transmitting a scanned document to said server.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein performing said operation comprises requesting a destination information from said server.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said destination information comprises an email address.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said destination information comprises a fax number.  
     
     
         26 . A system for managing documents, comprising: 
 means for requesting a destination information stored at a directory server, said means for requesting being included in a scanning device connected to a network;    means for receiving said destination information at said scanning device via said network, and    means for transmitting a scanned document and said destination information from said scanning device.    
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein said destination information comprises an email address.  
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein said destination information comprises a fax number.  
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 26 , further comprising: 
 means for receiving login information; and    means for requesting an authentication on the basis of said login information to access said directory server.    
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the means for requesting said authentication comprises means for transmitting said login information to a server connected to said scanning device via said network.  
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 26 , further comprising means for scanning said document.  
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 31 , further comprising: 
 means for receiving login information; and    means for requesting an authentication on the basis of said login information to scan said document.    
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the means for requesting said authentication comprises means for transmitting said login information to a server connected to said scanning device via said network.  
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 26 , further comprising means for storing said destination information at said scanning device.  
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 34 , further comprising means for erasing said destination information after a set time period.  
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein said means for transmitting comprise means for transmitting data using an HTTP protocol and an XML format.  
     
     
         37 . A system for e-mailing a document, comprising: 
 means for scanning said document, said means for scanning being included in a scanning device;    means for transmitting an e-mail address from a scan server to said scanning device, said e-mail address being stored at a directory server connected to said scan server;    means for transmitting said scanned document and said e-mail address from said scanning device to said scan server;    means for transmitting said scanned document and said e-mail address from said scan server to an e-mail server; and    means for transmitting said scanned document from said e-mail server to said e-mail address.    
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 37 , further comprising: 
 means for receiving login information; and    means for verifying an authentication on the basis of said login information.    
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the means for verifying said authentication comprises means for transmitting said login information from said scanning device to said scan server.  
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein said means for transmitting said scanned document and said e-mail address to said scan server comprises means for transmitting data using an HTTP protocol and an XML format.  
     
     
         41 . A system of managing a document, comprising: 
 means for receiving a request for destination information from a scanning device;    means for transmitting said request for destination information to a directory server;    means for receiving said destination information from said directory server;    means for transmitting said destination information to said scanning device;    means for receiving, from said scanning device, a scanned document and a request for routing said scanned document; and    means for routing said scanned document in accordance with said request for routing.    
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein: 
 said destination information comprises an e-mail address, and    said means for routing said scanned document comprises means for transmitting said scanned document to an e-mail server with a request for e-mailing said scanned document to said e-mail address.    
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein: 
 said destination information comprises a fax number, and    said means for routing said scanned document comprises means for transmitting said scanned document to a fax server with a request for faxing said scanned document to said fax number.    
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 41 , further comprising: 
 means for receiving login information; and    means for verifying an authentication on the basis of said login information to access said directory server.    
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein said means for transmitting said request for destination information and said destination information comprise means for transmitting data using an HTTP protocol and an XML format.  
     
     
         46 . A system for managing documents, comprising: 
 means for receiving login information at a scanning device;    means for requesting an authentication based on said login information from a server connected to said scanning device via a network;    means for receiving said authentication from said server at said scanning device; and    means for performing an operation by said scanning device based on said authentication.    
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 46 , wherein said means for performing said operation comprises means for transmitting a scanned document to said server.  
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 46 , wherein said means for performing said operation comprises means for requesting a destination information from said server.  
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 48 , wherein said destination information comprises an e-mail address.  
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein said destination information comprises a fax number.