Distributed Computer Architecture and Process for Document Management

Abstract

A system and/or method enables a typical PC user to add electronic paper processing to their existing business process. The system and/or method extends the notion of copying from a process that involves paper going through a conventional copier device, to a process that involves paper being scanned from a device at one location and copied to a device at another location. In its more sophisticated form, the system and/or method can copy paper from a device at one location directly into a business application residing on a network or on the Internet, or visa versa. The system and/or method is software that manages paper so that it can be electronically and seamlessly copied in and out of devices and business applications (such as Microsoft Office, Microsoft Exchange, Lotus Notes) with an optional single-step operation. The system and/or method can reside on a PC, LAN/WAN server, digital device (such as a digital copier), or on a web server to be accessed over the Internet.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for electronic document management, the method comprising in any sequential or non-sequential order:
 storing, in a memory responsively connectable to a computing device, a plurality of protocols as a software application;   implementing, in the computing device, the plurality of protocols to communicate over a network with an external application, the external application being executable on an external device;   receiving a selection of the external application as a destination;   receiving an electronic document from an imaging device, the imaging device being operable to convert a paper document into the electronic document;   integrating the electronic document into the external application without the need to modify the external application; and   transmitting the electronic document to the external application over the network.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein transmitting the electronic document to the external application over the network comprises using an Application Programmer Interface (API) of the software application. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the imaging device comprises at least one of a multifunction peripheral a digital copier, or a scanner. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the software application seamlessly replicates and transmits the electronic document to a plurality of destination devices. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the software application generates a user interface that enables the conversion of the paper document into the electronic document between the imaging device and the destination application using a single “GO” operation. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the external application comprises an e-mail application. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , further comprising providing information relating to at least one of receiving the selection, integrating the electronic document or transmitting the electronic document in response to a user request. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the software application comprises an input module operable to manage the imaging device to receive the electronic document from the imaging device. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the software application comprises an output module operable to transmit the electronic document to the external application over the network, wherein receiving the selection of the external application as the destination comprises receiving a selection of the output module. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the software application comprises a process module operable to apply a data process to the electronic document, wherein the data process comprises an optical character recognition (OCR) process, an intelligent character recognition (ICR) process, or a barcode recognition process. 
     
     
         11 . A method for implementing including at least one of an electronic image, graphics and document management system capable of transmitting at least one of an electronic image, electronic graphics or electronic document to a plurality of external destinations including one or more of external devices or applications responsively connectable via at least one a local area network (LAN) or via the Internet, the method comprising in any sequential or non-sequential order:
 storing, in at least one memory, a plurality of interface protocols for interfacing and communicating;   implementing, by at least one processor responsively connectable to the at least one memory, the plurality of interface protocols as a software application for interfacing and communicating with the plurality of external destinations including the one or more of the external devices and applications; and   integrating the at least one of the electronic image, the electronic graphics or the electronic document into one external destinations among the plurality of external destinations without the need to modify the external application.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising transmitting the at least one of the electronic image, the electronic graphics or the electronic document to the plurality of external destinations including using an Application Programmer Interface (API) of the software application. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the document management system comprises at least one of a multifunction peripheral a digital copier, or a scanner. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the software application comprises a virtual copier operable to seamlessly replicate and transmit the at least one of the electronic image, the electronic graphics or the electronic document to the plurality of external destinations. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the software application generates a user interface that enables a conversion of a paper document into the at least one of the electronic image, the electronic graphics or the electronic document between an imaging device and the plurality of external destinations using a single “GO” operation. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the one of the external destinations among the plurality of destinations is associated with an e-mail address. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the software application is operable to interface and communicate with the plurality of external destinations using a component object module (COM) interface. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the software application comprises an input module operable to manage an imaging device to receive the at least one of the electronic image, the electronic graphics or the electronic document from the imaging device. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the software application comprises an output module operable to transmit the at least one of the electronic image, the electronic graphics or the electronic document to the plurality of external destinations, wherein the method further comprises receiving a selection of one of the external destinations by receiving a selection of the output module. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the software application comprises a process module operable to apply a data process to the at least one of the electronic image, the electronic graphics or the electronic document, wherein the data process comprises an optical character recognition (OCR) process, an intelligent character recognition (ICR) process, or a barcode recognition process. 
     
     
         21 . A method for electronic document management, the method comprising in any sequential or non-sequential order:
 storing, in a memory responsively connectable to a computing device, a plurality of protocols as a software application, the software application comprising a process module;   implementing, in the computing device, the plurality of protocols to communicate over a network with an external application, the external application being executable on an external device;   receiving an electronic document from an imaging device, the imaging device being operable to convert a paper document into the electronic document; and   receiving a selection of a data process, the process module being operable to apply the data process to the electronic document; and   integrating the electronic document into the external application without the need to modify the external application.   
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 21 , further comprising transmitting the electronic document to the external application over the network using an Application Programmer Interface (API) of the software application. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the data process comprises an optical character recognition (OCR) process, an intelligent character recognition (ICR) process, or a barcode recognition process. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the software application comprises a virtual copier operable to seamlessly replicate and transmit the electronic document to a plurality of destination devices. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein the software application generates a user interface that enables the conversion of the paper document into the electronic document between the imaging device and the external application using a single “GO” operation. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 21 , further comprising providing feedback information relating to receiving the selection of the data process. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the network comprises at least one of the Internet or a local area network (LAN). 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the software application comprises an input module operable to facilitate receiving the electronic document from the imaging device. 
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein the software application comprises an output module operable to transmit the electronic document to the external application over the network, wherein the method further comprises receiving a selection of the external application as the destination by receiving a selection of the output module. 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 29 , wherein at least one of the input module, the output module, or the process module comprises an API for interfacing with the external application.