Queue processor for document servers

Abstract

A configurable queue processor for document servers is described. The configurable queue processor strives to allocate server resources in an optimal manner such that document servers can process documents efficiently. In various embodiments, the facility includes a configurable queue processor for allocating document flows for handling documents, document transport module for transporting documents between network devices, such as printers, fax boards, and content servers and across local and wide-area networks; functionality for routing optimization with other communications networks, such as messaging services, telephony, and IP networks; and flexible document transport capabilities to workflow applications and multifunction devices (such as all-in-one print/scan/copy/fax/telephone/answering machine devices) and multifunction devices enhanced with video & video capture, messaging, email, network router & gateway capabilities.

1 . A method for handling documents of various types, the method comprising: 
 receiving a document at a document server;    analyzing metadata associated with the received document;    evaluating a resource at the document server to determine whether an additional document flow is to be allocated;    when it is determined that an additional document flow is to be allocated, allocating an additional document flow; and    causing the received document to be processed by the allocated document flow wherein the processing includes: 
 forwarding the document and associated metadata to one of multiple document transport modules, wherein a document transport module provides rule-based routing of documents;  
 assessing dialing or routing rules based on the metadata for the document;  
 routing the document by the document transport module via one of multiple communication methods, including without limitation, a Public Service Telephone Network (“PSTN”), another document transport module, Internet, mobile device network, wireless device network, document server, fax server, or a board server containing one or more communications hardware devices, and wherein the routing is based on at least one dialing or routing rule; and  
 repeating the associating, forwarding, assessing and routing for any subsequent document transport module that receives the document, wherein the dialing or routing rules are applied independently at each document transport module encountered by the document during processing of the document.  
   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein when it is not determined that a document flow is to be allocated, the received document is processed by a previously allocated document flow.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the resource comprises a processor, a memory, or network bandwidth.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the allocating includes associating the allocated document flow with the document transport module.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the document flow handles an identified document type.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the document type comprises a facsimile, a T.30 image, or a SMS message.  
   
   
       7 . A computer-readable medium whose contents cause at least one data processing platform to process a document under a document processing method, the method comprising: 
 recognizing at least one document request based on a received document;    interacting with one or more document routing rules and one or more workflow requirements with respect to the received document;    evaluating a load at the document server to determine whether a document flow is to be allocated;    when it is determined that a document flow is to be allocated, allocating a document flow; and    causing the received document to be processed by the allocated document flow wherein the processing includes: 
 managing content flows between network nodes or devices, wherein a same processing architecture is employed for document handling or transporting, wherein a common scheduling and a common queue support multiple transport types, and wherein the managing of content flows includes selecting document-specific or hardware-specific processing tasks by reference to a type of protocol associated with the document or a desired handling of the document.  
   
   
   
       8 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 7  wherein when it is not determined that a document flow is to be allocated, the received document is processed by a previously allocated document flow.  
   
   
       9 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 7  wherein the computer-readable medium comprises a memory of a document server or a board server.  
   
   
       10 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 7  wherein the computer-readable medium comprises a logical node in a computer network receiving the contents, a network service receiving the document, a network storage system or database server, or a computer-readable disk.  
   
   
       11 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 7  wherein the load is processor utilization.  
   
   
       12 . An apparatus for handling various documents within a network, the apparatus comprising: 
 document transport means for transporting documents between network devices, wherein the network devices include printers, fax boards, multifunction devices, and content servers;    queue processor means for allocating document flows that provide documents in a queue to the document transport means; and    means for routing optimization wherein the other communications networks include messaging services, telephony, Internet, mobile and wireless networks, IP networks, or other document transport modules.    
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the network comprises a local network or a wide-area network.  
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the queue processor means is configured to allocate an identified number of document flows, each document flow for processing one of multiple identified types of documents.  
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the queue processor means allocates document flows dynamically based on a server load.  
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the server load includes a measure of a number of documents awaiting processing.  
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the server load includes a measure of processor utilization.  
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the document transport means comprises: 
 communication means for performing discrete document creation, storage and transmission tasks between various communication networks and network servers;    means for providing flexible, programmable communication of documents in various message formats and on various network types; and    means for routing the document communications via optimization routing rules.    
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 18  wherein the document transport means communicates with another document transport means that is configured for use with a server.  
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 18  wherein the document transport means communicates with another document transport means via a secure connection.  
   
   
       21 - 29 . (canceled)