Portable multi-media automatic authenticating router and method for automatically routing stored data

Abstract

A computer program product and automatic authenticating router device for automatically routing stored data from a single device to at least one remote storage location is provided. The router device includes the computer program product. The computer program product includes a computer readable medium bearing software instructions for enabling predetermined operations. The predetermined operations include detecting an availability of a proximal network; automatically establishing a connection with the at least one remote storage device based on the availability of the proximal network; automatically recognizing a data type of a data file stored on the single device; associating routing information with the data file based on the data type; and automatically uploading the data file from the single device to the remote storage device based on the routing information.

1 . A multi-media automatic authenticating router device, comprising:
 a processor;   a first storage medium that stores multi-media data in a database format;   a second storage medium including software instructions that are performed by the processor,   a third storage medium that stores configuration records including at least one configuration parameter defining a value for accessing the one of the plurality of remote storage devices and an action script defining a process for causing the data file to be stored on the one of the plurality of remote storage devices, wherein the plurality of remote storage devices each store a different type of data, receive different configuration parameters during authentication, and execute different processes when data is stored thereon;   a display;   a plurality of user input buttons, wherein the display displays input options to a user;   wherein the software instructions enable predetermined operations comprising:   detecting an availability of a network proximate to the router device;   automatically recognizing a data type of a data file stored on the router device;   configuring the plurality of user input buttons on said device based on the data type of the data file;   receiving user input via the user input buttons, wherein the user input defines a classification of the data file which is used for storing the data file in the one of the plurality of remote storage devices;   selecting the one of the plurality of remote storage locations based on the user input and the data type of the data file;   utilizing a configuration record from the configuration database based on the user input and the data type of the data file;   associating routing information with the data file based on the data type and the configuration record, wherein routing information indicates a network address of the remote storage device;   automatically establishing a connection with the one of the plurality of the remote storage devices based on the availability of the network using the retrieved configuration data; and   automatically uploading the data file from the router device to the remote storage device based on the routing information, thereby causing the data file to be stored in a particular location on the remote storage device based on the classification of the data file.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of connection ports that facilitate the connection of multi-media peripheral devices to the router device. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1  further comprising a scanning device operable to scan documents of the multi-media data. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 2  further comprising a receptacle that stores documents associated with the multi-media data in a collector tray. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 2  further comprising a printing device that prints a unique identification number on the scanned documents. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1  further comprising a status indicator that indicates a status of at least one of memory full, upload complete, and network detected. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1  further comprising a unique device identification number associated with the device and stored in at least one of the first storage medium and the second storage medium. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1  further comprising configurable buttons operable to accept user input. 
     
     
         9 . A routing apparatus, comprising:
 a processor;   a scanning module that captures images of receipts;   a first storage medium that stores local copies of the captured images of receipts;   a second storage medium that stores software instructions that are performed by the processor,   a third storage medium that stores configuration records, a configuration record including at least one configuration parameter defining a value for accessing a remote storage device that stores accounting data and an action script defining a process for causing an image of a receipt to be stored on a remote storage device that stores accounting data;   a display;   a plurality of user input buttons, wherein the display displays input options to a user;   wherein the software instructions enable predetermined operations comprising:   detecting an availability of a network proximate to the routing apparatus;   performing character recognition on the image of a receipt to be backed up on a remote storage device that stores accounting data and determining information regarding a classification of the receipt;   receiving user input via the user input buttons, wherein the user input defines a classification of the receipt to be backed up which is used for storing the image of the receipt to be backed up at the remote storage device;   utilizing a configuration record from the third storage medium based on the classification of the receipt to be backed up;   automatically establishing a connection with the remote storage device that stores accounting data using a retrieved configuration record;   associating routing information with the image of the receipt to be backed up based on the classification of the receipt to be backed up, wherein routing information indicates a network address of the remote storage device;   automatically uploading the image of the receipt from the routing apparatus to the remote storage device based on the routing information, thereby causing the image of the receipt to be backed up to be stored in a particular location on the remote storage device based on the classification of the receipt;   a fourth storage medium that stores multi-media data in a database format;   a fifth storage medium that stores configuration records including at least one configuration parameter defining a value for accessing the one of a plurality of remote storage devices and an action script defining a process for causing a data file to be stored on the one of the plurality of remote storage devices, wherein the plurality of remote storage devices each store a different type of data, receive different configuration parameters during authentication, and execute different processes when data is stored thereon;   wherein the software instructions enable predetermined operations comprising:   automatically recognizing a data type of a data file stored on the routing apparatus;   configuring the plurality of user input buttons on said apparatus based on the data type of the data file;   receiving user input via the user input buttons, wherein the user input defines a classification of the data file which is used for storing the data file in the one of the plurality of remote storage devices;   selecting the one of the plurality of remote storage locations based on the user input and the data type of the data file;   utilizing a configuration record from the configuration database based on the user input and the data type of the data file;   associating routing information with the data file based on the data type and the configuration record, wherein routing information indicates a network address of the remote storage device;   automatically establishing a connection with the one of the plurality of the remote storage devices based on the availability of the network using the retrieved configuration data; and
 automatically uploading the data file from the routing apparatus to the remote storage device based on the routing information, thereby causing the data file to be stored in a particular location on the remote storage device based on the classification of the data file. 
   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9  further comprising a plurality of connection ports that facilitate the connection of multi-media peripheral devices to the routing apparatus. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 9  further comprising a scanning device operable to scan documents of the multi-media data. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11  further comprising a receptacle that stores documents associated with the multi-media data in a collector tray. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11  further comprising a printing device that prints a unique identification number on the scanned documents. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 9  further comprising a status indicator that indicates a status of at least one of memory full, upload complete, and network detected. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 9  further comprising a unique device identification number associated with the routing apparatus and stored in at least one of the first storage medium and the second storage medium. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 9  further comprising configurable buttons operable to accept user input.