Abstract:
Message data is sent from an unconfigured digital transmitter device requesting configuration data, where the unconfigured digital transmitter device receives and interprets the requested configuration information to effect a configuration thereof.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates generally to configuration of peripheral devices, and more particularly to configuration of a digital transmitter device.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Many peripherals to computer networks include a scanner component. One example of such a peripheral is an “All-in-one”, also known as a multifunction peripheral (MFP) in that it has the capability to perform the multiple functions of scanning hardcopy documents, copying, and printing. Another example is a digital network copier that scans in documents from an automatic document feeder, does high volume copying, and has the capabilities of binding, collating, folding, stacking, stapling, stitching, edge-trimming, paginating, and printing on substrates of varied composition. Each of these peripherals, when in communication with an interconnecting network, can also be described as being a digital transmitter. A digital transmitter is an appliance that has a keyboard, a display, and a scanner. The digital transmitter need not have a printer. A digital camera is a type of digital transmitter, but in comparison to the foregoing, it is not as useful for handling documents and typically lacks the resolution and ability to rapidly and repetitively transfer information after scanning to a repository.  
           [0003]    In an exemplary digital sending operation, a hardcopy of a document can be presented to the scanner portion of a digital transmitter. After scanning, the digital transmitter transforms the scanned image into a digital representation of the document that is then saved in a data format, such as in a bit map data format or in a Portable Document Format (PDF). Electronic messaging can be used to send an electronic mail (e-mail) from the digital transmitter device with an attachment of the document in the data formats. The e-mail can be sent to recipients over the interconnecting network, where the recipients have an e-mail address that a user manually enters at the digital transmitter device or that user specifies using a defined list of recipient e-mail addresses.  
           [0004]    In order to use a digital transmitter device over an interconnecting network, the digital transmitter device must be configured for use on the interconnecting network. There are several methods of providing configuration information to the digital transmitter. One method is to use a web browser to manually make changes to the configuration of a digital transmitter device using an embedded-web server in the digital transmitter device. Another configuration method is known as Active Directory, which is a service that is set up to configure the digital transmitter device with information as to other resources that are in communication with the interconnecting network. A still further configuration method is the initiation of a software program by an administrator of an interconnecting network, where the software searches the interconnecting network to discover digital transmitter devices on the interconnecting network, and then presents the administrator with a variety preset configuration options to configure the digital transmitter device. An example of the later method is the WebJetAdmin™ software available from the Hewlett Packard Company. In each of these configuration methods, a manually established connection is required to the digital transmitter device, or the administrator is required to manually input the configuration into a directory. When multiple digital transmitter devices on an interconnecting network must be configured, the manual configuration task can be burdensome for an administrator of the interconnecting network. It would be beneficial to minimize the tasks required to configure digital transmitter devices in communication with an interconnecting network. Consequently, there is a need for improved methods and apparatuses that can provide such a capability.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    Message data is sent from an unconfigured digital transmitter device requesting configuration data. The requested configuration information with the unconfigured digital transmitter device is interpreted to configure the unconfigured digital transmitter device.  
           [0006]    These and other features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]    A more complete understanding of the various methods and apparatuses of the present invention may be had by reference to the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein the same reference numbers are used throughout the drawings to reference like components and features, and wherein:  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 1 is a block diagram depicting a computing and communication environment having a digital transmitter device in a system environment suitable for providing local access to the digital transmitter device.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 2 illustrates various digital transmitter devices that provide local access for input thereto.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a digital transmitter device in communication with a host computer in a system such as that shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 4 is a flow diagram depicting a method for use in a computing and communication environment having a digital transmitter device in a system as in FIG. 1, for example, in accordance with certain exemplary implementations of the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0012]    The methods and apparatuses described herein relate to the configuration of a digital transmitter device, and to the driving of the configuration with technologies used to implement web pages. To obtain configuration information a user keys in the name and network location address of a menu page in which the configuration information is contained. The digital transmitter device then retrieves the configuration information that is stored on a network resource at the user specified address. The network resource can be a server that is in communication with an interconnected network with which the digital transmitter device is also in communication. The retrieved configuration information can be stored on a server module on the digital transmitter device. Script code executing on a processor associated with the digital transmitter device alters internal device settings of the digital transmitter device by interpreting the configuration information in the retrieved menu page so as to configure the digital transmitter device.  
         [0013]    Preferably, configuration information for one or more digital transmitter devices is stored in a menu page that is formatted in a markup language document, such as a Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML) document, or more preferably an Extensible Markup Language (XML) document. As such, a browser application executing on a host computer can be used to control the configuration information for the digital transmitter device. The control of the configuration information makes the digital transmitter device easily reconfigurable to accommodate alternative configurations. A network administrator can maintain the configuration information stored on the server for one or several digital transmitter devices using a Web browser to edit and update the menu pages.  
         [0014]    In another embodiment of the invention, several slave digital transmitter devices are in a communicating network with a master digital transmitter device. A user can use a user interface at the master digital transmitter device to set up all or a portion of the configuration information for the master digital transmitter device. Any remaining configuration information that is not input at the user interface at the master digital transmitter device can be later input using a Web browser at a personal computer or other computing device to edit and update the menu pages by which the configuration information is controlled. After the master digital transmitter device has received the configuration control information, the slave digital transmitter devices can communicate with the master digital transmitter device to retrieve their respective configurations. By way of example, each slave digital transmitter device can contain execute an application program on a processor that operates a timer. When a time out value is counted out by the timer, the slave digital transmitter device communicates with the master digital transmitter device to retrieve their respective configurations. Accordingly, changes to configuration information can be controlled at, and distributed from, the master digital transmitter device.  
         [0015]    Exemplary System for Configuration of a Digital Transmitter Device  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a system environment  100  suitable for implementing a process driven by web page technologies that controls the configuration of one or more digital transmitter devices  102 , including a master digital transmitter device in communication through an interconnecting network  106  with one or more slave digital transmitter devices. The system environment  100  contemplates local access to an input device, such as a touch sensitive menu screen, on a digital transmitter device  102 . A user accesses the input device for the purpose of entering a name and location of a menu page containing configuration information for the digital transmitter device  102 .  
         [0017]    Digital transmitter devices  102  generally include peripheral devices and stand-alone devices. Peripheral devices include devices such as printers, scanners, copiers, and fax machines, or multifunction peripheral (MFP) devices that combine two or more peripheral devices into a single device. Stand-alone devices include certain peripheral devices that often function while uncoupled or isolated from other devices. Digital transmitter devices  102  therefore include devices such as copiers, scanners and fax machines like those shown in FIG. 2.  
         [0018]    Digital transmitter devices  102  are generally distinguishable from devices such as laptop PCs (personal computers) and pocket PCs by their limited purpose and limited user interface or input/output capabilities. For example, a typical user interface for a digital transmitter device  102  includes a front menu panel with limited screen space and a limited number of buttons. In addition, a digital transmitter device  102  is typically oriented toward performing one general task such as scanning. By contrast, devices such as laptop and pocket PCs often provide multiple and varied means of input/output such as a full screen display, a QWERTY keyboard, a trackball mouse, speakers, microphones, PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association) slots, portable media drives and the like. These devices are capable of performing multiple functions through executing various software applications such as word processing applications, spreadsheet applications, financial applications, network browsers and network messaging applications.  
         [0019]    Exemplary Embodiment of an Apparatus for Implementing Configuration of the Same  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of the system  100  of FIG. 1 in greater detail. In accordance with still other aspects of the present invention, digital transmitter device  102  may be included within a multiple function peripheral (MFP) device  319 . As its name implies, MFP device  319  is configured to provide multiple functions. In this example, the functions provided by MFP device  319  include those provided by digital transmitter device  102  and a printer device  313 . Consequently, the user of digital transmitter device  102  may also print out a hardcopy of any applicable portions of the message data.  
         [0021]    The system  100  of FIG. 3 includes digital transmitter device(s)  102  as peripheral devices coupled through an interconnecting network  106 . Digital transmitter  102  includes a CPU  302 , which is operatively coupled to a memory  306 , a user interface such as a touch sensitive screen  310 , a scanning mechanism  305 , and at least one communication port for interfacing with the interconnecting network  106 . When included in a multifunctional peripheral (MFP) device  319 , CPU  302  would also be operatively coupled to a printer device  313 , for example. CPU  302  is representative of any hardware, firmware and/or software that is configured to perform certain functions associated with the operation of digital transmitter device  102  and, if applicable, MFP  319 . Hence, as those skilled in the art will recognize, CPU  302  may include dedicated logic and/or one or more processors configured in accord with software instructions, for example.  
         [0022]    Memory  306  is representative of any type of data storage mechanism that can be accessed by at least CPU  302 . Memory  306  may therefore include, for example, some form of random access memory (RAM); some form of read only memory (ROM), and/or other like solid-state data storage mechanism. Memory  306  may include a magnetic and/or optical data storage mechanism. Scanning mechanism  305  is representative of any optical scanner technology that may be employed to produce scanned object data upon scanning an object. Such scanning technologies are well known. The resulting scanned object data is provided to CPU  302  and/or stored in memory  306 .  
         [0023]    Interconnecting network  106  is representative of one or more communication links, either wired or wireless, that are capable of carrying data between digital transmitter  102  and other network resources in communication with interconnecting network  106 . In certain exemplary implementations, interconnecting network  106  includes a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), an intranet, the Internet, or other similar network. Digital transmitter device(s)  102  are also typically coupled to host computer(s)  108  either through a direct or network connection.  
         [0024]    In general, the host computer  108  outputs host data to a digital transmitter device  102  in a driver format suitable for the digital transmitter device  102 , such as PCL or postscript for printer device  313 . Printer device  313  converts the host data and outputs it onto an appropriate print media, such as paper, transparencies or glossy photo paper.  
         [0025]    The peripheral or digital transmitter device  102  has a controller  300  that processes the host computer  108  data. The controller  300  typically includes data processing unit or CPU  302 , a volatile memory  304  (i.e., RAM), and a non-volatile memory  306  (e.g., ROM, Flash). Digital transmitter device  102  also includes a device engine  308  and an input device. Preferably, the input device will be locally accessible at digital transmitter device  102 . By way of example, the input device can be a touch sensitive menu screen. The touch sensitive menu screen acts as a local user interface for digital transmitter device  102  by displaying menu pages and accepting user input based on selectable menu items displayed on the menu pages. The Touch sensitive menu screen can be used to display a menu page that asks for and receives input needed to configure digital transmitter device  102 . Preferably, the input will include the network address at which configuration information is stored for digital transmitter device  102 , as well as the name of a resource, such as a menu page, that contains the configuration information at the network storage address.  
         [0026]    A device controller  300  processes host data and manage device functions by controlling a device engine  308  and responding to input from a touch sensitive menu screen  310 . Controller  300  includes a device driver software  312  stored in a memory  306  and executed on a processor, such as a CPU(s)  302 . Memory  306  also includes a server module  314  configured to serve menu documents  316  to the touch sensitive menu screen  310 . The server module  314  is a local server in the sense that it is present within the same digital transmitter device  102  to which it serves menu documents  316 . Menu documents  316  are interpreted by the server module  314  and are configured to display textual and graphical information as menu pages on the touch sensitive menu screen  310 .  
         [0027]    Within system  100  of FIG. 1, a host computer(s)  108  executes a browser application. Host computer(s)  108  can also act as a remote server that serves menu pages for storage in markup language (menu) documents  316  at digital transmitter device  102 . The browser application executing on the host computer(s)  108  can be used by a network administrator to create and update configuration information for one or more digital transmitter devices  102  that are also in communication with interconnecting network  106 . The browser application is useful for creating and editing configuration information. The configuration information will preferably be formatted as markup language documents using markup languages such as HTML (hypertext markup language) and XML (extensible markup language). By way of example, the administrator of interconnecting network  106  can use the browser application executing on host computer(s)  108  to move configuration information from one HTML document at one uniform resource locator (URL) that is designated for use by a first digital transmitter device to another HTML document at another URL that is designated for use by a second digital transmitter device. In this way, the first and second digital transmitter devices can be configured identically when the menu page is received and interpreted by CPU  302  on the respective digital transmitter device.  
         [0028]    Graphical keys or buttons presented on menu pages that are displayed by the touch sensitive menu screen  310  offer selectable menu items that are described by accompanying textual information. Menu documents  316  driving the menu pages include embedded script code associated with graphical keys. Selecting a menu item by pressing a graphical key on the touch sensitive menu screen  310  triggers an event which causes a “virtual machine”  318  to interpret and execute the script code associated with the selected graphical key. The virtual machine  318  is a software module stored in memory  306  that executes on CPU(s)  302  to interpret and execute script code. The script code is preferably written in JavaScript code that is interpreted and executed on a Java Virtual Machine (JVM)  318 . However, the script code can also be written in other script code languages such as VBScript or Perl.  
         [0029]    The script code associated with selectable menu items (i.e., graphical keys or buttons) is configured to perform the task of receiving a name and a location of configuration information for digital transmitter  102 . Digital transmitter device  102  can be in an unconfigured state at the time when a user inputs the name and the location of the configuration information. When so received, the script code associated with selectable menu items will retrieve the configuration information from a server or other storage location, such as host computer(s)  108  that is also in communication with interconnecting network  106 .  
         [0030]    A server module  322  on host computer  108  acts as a remote server to the digital transmitter device  102 , serving menu documents  324  that contain configuration information for digital transmitter device  102 . When the configuration information is retrieved from the host computer(s)  108 , the script code executing on CPU  302  of digital transmitter device  102  can change the status of digital transmitter device  102  from an unconfigured state to a configured state. Alternatively, execution of the script code can be used to change the status of digital transmitter device  102  from one configured state to a different configured state that is consistent with the interpretation of the markup language in the retrieved menu page that contains the configuration information. As such, modifications to digital transmitter device configurations can be readily preformed as an administrative task by the use of a browser application to create and edit various states of configuration for various digital transmitter devices using markup language documents in the form of menu pages.  
         [0031]    The host computer  108  includes a processor  328 , a volatile memory  330  (i.e., RAM), and a non-volatile memory  332  (e.g., ROM, hard disk, floppy disk, CD-ROM, etc.). The host computer  108  may be implemented, for example, as a general-purpose computer, such as a desktop personal computer, a laptop, a server, and the like. The host computer  108  may implement one or more software-based device drivers  320  that are stored in non-volatile memory  332  and executed on the processor  328  to configure data into an appropriate format (e.g., PCL, postscript, etc.) and output the formatted data to the digital transmitter device  102 .  
         [0032]    Exemplary Embodiment of a Method For Configuring a Digital Transmitter Device  
         [0033]    With this in mind, CPU  302  is configured to perform the operations described above. By way of further example, a flow diagram is depicted in FIG. 4 to illustrate certain exemplary functions that can be performed using CPU  302  and the other resources in digital transmitter device  102 . Here, a process  400  is provided.  
         [0034]    In step  402 , digital transmitter device  102  is in an unconfigured state. As such, digital transmitter device  102  does not store the digital address or identity of an email server, a name directory, or other network resources on interconnecting network  106 . A user then provides a recipient address data to digital transmitter device  102  by making input at touch sensitive screen  310 . The recipient address data includes a name of a configuration menu page as well as the location of the menu page on interconnecting network  106 . In step  404 , message data is generated by using the digital transmitter device  102 . In step  406 , the message data is addressed according to the recipient address data received as input from the user at touch sensitive screen  310 . Then, the message data is forwarded over interconnecting network  106  to the storage location designated in the recipient address data. In step  408 , the storage location, such as host computer(s)  108 , retrieves the specified menu page from menu documents  324 .  
         [0035]    In step  410 , the retrieved menu page is then transmitted over interconnecting network  106  back to digital transmitter device  102  for storage in menu documents  316 . In step  412 , server module  314  serves the requested menu page stored in menu documents  316  to CPU  302  for execution of script code. In step  414 , the script code being executed by CPU  302  effects the configuration of digital transmitter device  302 . The script code will preferably be executed in conjunction with an interpretation of the markup language in the requested menu page stored. Note that in certain implementations, the retrieved menu page can be directly interpreted by script code executing on CPU  302  without any prior storage in menu documents  316  or use of server module  314  in digital transmitter device  102 .  
         [0036]    In step  416 , using touch sensitive menu screen  310 , a user can be prompted to enter user input data, such as, e.g., a recipient(s) e-mail address information, the subject of the e-mail, the text or body of the e-mail, etc. The user then inputs at touch sensitive menu screen  310  recipient address data to which facsimiles of a set of documents are to be sent. The recipient address data will preferably be an email address. The user then places the set of documents into a sheet feeder device associated with digital transmitter device  102 . The sheet feeder device then physically serves each sheet in the set of documents to scanning mechanism  305 . CPU  302  then generates a bit map or other output that is a digital representation of the scanned documents. For example, the scanned object data may be included in the e-mail message data as an attached file. The scanned object data may include Portable Document Format (PDF) formatted data, tagged image file format (TIFF) formatted data, Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) formatted data, bit-map formatted data, optical character recognition (OCR) related data, American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) formatted data, and/or other forms of encoded data, including, e.g., encrypted data, etc.  
         [0037]    In step  418 , a message data is addressed according to the recipient address data received from the input by the user. The message data may, for example, include electronic mail (i.e., e-mail) message data from the user of the digital transmitter device to the user(s) of the remote device(s). Here, an e-mail message would include the scanned object data in some manner.  
         [0038]    In accordance with still other aspects of the present invention, CPU  302  may be configured to maintain at least one recipient address data list within memory  306 . The recipient address data list may include a plurality of recipient addresses associated with a plurality of potential message data recipients. CPU  302  may also be configured to selectively modify the recipient address data list based on the received recipient address data from digital transmitter device  102 .  
         [0039]    Thus, although some preferred embodiments of the various methods and apparatuses of the present invention have been illustrated in the accompanying Drawings and described in the foregoing Detailed Description, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the exemplary implementations disclosed, but is capable of numerous rearrangements, modifications and substitutions without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth and defined by the following claims.