Abstract:
A network interface ( 20 ) comprises a microprocessor having an access port ( 50 ). A portable memory device ( 60 ) is capable of being inserted into the access port ( 50 ). A software datafile is contained on the portable memory device. Office equipment ( 10 ) is connected to the microprocessor. The microprocessor reads the datafile contained on the portable memory device and configures operating characteristics of the office equipment.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     Reference is made to commonly-assigned copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/696,264, filed Oct. 29, 2003, entitled EASY SCAN KIOSK FOR LOW VOLUME DOCUMENT SCANNER, by Tesavis et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein.  
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The invention relates in general to network devices and in particular, to an interface for configuring equipment connected to the network.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Many document scanners can be interfaced directly to a customers Ethernet based network. These scanners have a common problem in that they require the user to employ a small, difficult to use keypad and display to enter their user ID and scanner setup information for each batch. Some machines have programmable function keys so that users can select from a limited number of configuration options. This typically can only be done once the user enters their user ID and possibly a password via the cumbersome keypad interface. This is still a less than optimal solution. Often this information is repetitive with an individual being required to provide his or her ID and scanner setup several times a day.  
         [0004]     U.S. Pat. No. 6,464,140 solves a similar problem for network scanners. Profiles are created representing different preferences for document processing and associated with different identification codes (ID). The identification codes are read, the ID is mapped to a data file, the data is received by an input device, and the data is processed according to the preference in the profile. Using this system, however, the identification code and other similar information still has to be input, usually by a small keypad as discussed above. Thus, it is seen that there is a need to provide an easy to use interface to a network connected document scanner.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     Briefly, according to one aspect of the present invention a network interface comprises a microprocessor having an access port. A portable memory device containing a software datafile is inserted into the access port. The microprocessor reads the datafile contained on the portable memory device and configures operating characteristics of the office equipment.  
         [0006]     Networked scanning requires that the scanners interface allow the document scanner to be placed directly on a customers Ethernet based network running TCP/IP. For a given batch or session a specific user must be associated with the scanner. According to this invention this process will be made easy for the user by providing an easy-share scanner interface. This interface employs a portable storage device similar to the commonly available FLASH key pen portable storage device or equivalent, hereafter referred to as an easy-share access device, in association with a software application to create scanning profiles.  
         [0007]     The invention and its objects and advantages will become more apparent in the detailed description of the preferred embodiment presented below. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]      FIG. 1  is a schematic perspective view of equipment associated with the present invention.  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  shows an easy-share FLASH key pen.  
         [0010]      FIG. 3  shows a scanner mounted on the easy-share base and a FLASH key pen device.  
         [0011]      FIG. 4  shows a screenshot of a user interface according to the present invention.  
         [0012]      FIG. 5  shows an example of the present invention using a barcode.  
         [0013]      FIG. 6  is a flow chart according to the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]      FIG. 1  is a schematic perspective showing a networked scanner  10  with the easy-share interface would or scanner dock  20 . A user  220  configures his scanning profiles  300 , shown in  FIG. 6  and discussed in more detail below, at a remote personal computer or workstation  210  using an easy-share profile configuration software application in a configuration session.  
         [0015]     A scanning profile  300  would include such things as destination of scanned images (i.e., network drive, local storage device, i.e., on the scanner itself, directory path or e-mail account, session timeout value, scanning resolution, color bitonal or grayscale output, compression, cropping, deskew, etc. For scan to print or multi-function peripheral (MFP) the scanning profile  300  would be configured to indicate the network printer to which to direct the output  230 , shown in  FIG. 1 , how many copies to print, snail mail address or mail stop to ship the prints to, along with any other output related parameters. In the scan to print case, the user could then pickup the hard copies of their scanned documents at the printer or they would be delivered via interdepartmental or regular mail per the users scanning profile.  
         [0016]     The scanning profile is associated with a user control icon  240 . The user control icons  240  and their mapping to scanning profiles will be stored directly on the easy-share access portable memory device  60  as records of a configuration file. When a user wants to scan a batch of documents they assume either one of their previous scanning profiles  300  is okay (the prevalent case) or they modify or create a new profile at their workstation  210  using the previously specified software application in a configuration session. Once this is complete, the user updates the configuration file on the easy-share portable memory device. In the preferred embodiment device  60  is a FLASH key pen. The user removes the FLASH key pen  60  from the workstation access port and ends the configuration session.  
         [0017]     The user  220  then starts a scanning session, shown in  FIG. 2 , by walking up to the most convenient networked document scanner  10  and plugging the easy-Share FLASH key pen  60  onto the access port  50  of the scanner dock  20 . The embedded microprocessor, not shown, reads the configuration file and displays the custom user control icons  240 . The document scanner  10  is logged on the network  200 , shown in  FIG. 1 , as the user  220 . The user selects the desired scanning profile, shown in  FIG. 4 , by navigating through the user control icons  240 , shown in graphical display  130 . In the example shown the current active function  90  is “scan to e-mail.” The next function left  120 , as shown in  FIG. 4 , is “scan to FLASH key pen” and the next function right  180 , is shown in the example as “copy.” These functions are selected by using the navigation buttons  150 . The user then places the documents to be scanned for this scanning session in the input tray and depresses the “GO” button  140 . The scanner is configured per the profile associated with the selected user control icon  240  and the batch of documents is scanned with the resultant images routed per the scanning profile  300  to the indicated destinations  230 . Removing the easy-share FLASH key pen  60  from the access port  50  will end the scanning session.  
         [0018]     Use of the easy-share networked scanner  10  from the perspective of its user interface  40  is described in more detail below. Graphical display  130  with six associated buttons; four directional arrow keys  150 ; “GO” button  140 ; and setup button  110 , activate simple switches to generate input signals forming a intuitive control interface. The main focus of this control interface  FIG. 4  is simplicity. This is accomplished by having a flat system of control layers or menus. There will be only one layer for normal operation. This rule must be strictly adhered to in order to provide a competitive advantage over current networked scanners and other shared office equipment like multifunction peripherals (MFPs) with which it will compete. Since the FLASH key pen has already set configurations, usually only the GO button  140  will be pressed.  
         [0019]     Another key feature, which is important to the easy-share scanner docks  20 , is the fact that most if not all equipment configuration will be accomplished on the users workstation  210  and not on the document scanner  10  or scanner dock  20 . This will be done by employing an application specifically designed for ease of use, which runs on the users workstation  210 , remotely from the scanner. The purpose of this application is to disassociate any unpleasant experience connected with equipment configuration from the use of the easy scan scanner and thus promote a positive opinion of the equipment. The resulting configuration will be communicated to the easy-share scanner dock  20  by means of a portable memory device  60  in the form of a FLASH key pen  60  or equivalent portable memory technology. In addition to being capable of storing the resultant configuration files containing profile records  300  mapped to control icons  240  it will provide the user an additional mechanism for storing and transporting scanned images  230 . This will promote demand for the interface by users of shared office equipment and drive sales of document scanners  10 .  
         [0020]     The present invention differs from competitive equipment in two main areas, perceived ease of use of the device, and ability to control all machine attributes at the machine without a shared networked database application. Prior art networked scanning devices often require alphanumeric keypads to input complex information such as IP addresses, e-mail addresses, machine configuration data and or unique user IDs. Typically with this type of equipment the unique IDs are then associated with configurations stored in complex networked database applications or directly on the machines memory. There are many data points that indicate including complex interfaces of this nature on shared office equipment present a major detractor to the acceptance of the equipment by common non-technical users. Also the requirement for complex networked applications with their associated databases has a high entry cost and require a significant system administration effort. Additionally configuration applications of this nature tend not to be as user friendly or understandable by typical non-technical users. The non-technical user  220  of shared office equipment is the population of users that the easy-share scanner dock  20  is targeted to benefit. The user interface  40  described in this document is part of a system that should address a majority of the current concerns which non-technical users of shared office equipment experience, both perceived and real.  
         [0021]     The easy-scan portable memory technology suggested for communicating the user control and scanning profile information has many functional equivalents. These alternate technologies could be substituted for or used in addition to the aforementioned easy-share FLASH key pen. Examples are; scanable two-dimensional (2-D) barcode ID card, shown in  FIG. 5 , a simple keypad interface, finger print recognition device, and RFID device to name a few. Another embodiment may include a combination of these login technologies.  
         [0022]     The 2-D barcode access card method is unique and will be described in additional detail. There is readily available software  310  to create two-dimensional barcodes  320 , which contain a significant amount of information on a small piece of paper  320 . These access cards could be authored at the users personal computer or workstation in a simple text editor or with a Windows application with pull downs and check boxes in the form of the aforementioned configuration application. The text is then fed into the conversion software creating the image of 2-D barcode  320 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . This image can subsequently be printed on a sheet of paper or cardstock sized such that the user can easily slip them into their shirt pocket or wallet. This access card  320  would be the first sheet in a stack of documents to be scanned on a network scanner. Sheets containing 2-D barcodes could also be included intermingled within the batch to change the configuration or network destination  230 , etc. within a batch. The 2-D barcode access card  320  would contain the user ID and the other configuration data  300  previously described as scanning profile information. The result of the image of the access card being correctly decoded  310  would be that the scanner would be logged onto the network  200  as the specified user  220  or some other generic login and the scanner configured per the user scanning profile. This process would be very similar to that previously described in the easy-share FLASH key pen  60  use case above.  
         [0023]     In yet another embodiment the user configures his or her scanning profile at a remote personal computer or workstation as previously described, and stores it on a RF capable device. The scanning profile will be stored directly on the RF capable device. When a user wants to scan a set of documents they assume either their previous scanning profile is okay (the prevalent case) or they update their profile for the specific batch to be scanned at their workstation. They then simply walk up to the most convenient networked scanner and bring their easy-share RFID fob into close physical proximity to the scanner. Once the scanner has recognized the user by the RFID device or equivalent technology it logs them onto the network with their ID. Once logged on the scanner is loaded with the users scanning profile from the RFID device and is ready to scan and at this point the scanner responds with a beep. The user then places the documents to be scanned for this session in the input tray and scanning begins. The batch can be ended by means of one final scan of the active users fob, by a timeout resulting from the active user not using the scanner for a set period (walk away), or when a new user wands their fob to begin a new scanning session. When a new and different user begins a session by holding their fob near the scanner, any previous session, which has not yet timed out will be terminated and the new session begun.  
         [0024]     With any of these previously described methods, the process to use the networked document scanner will be simple for the user  220 , which will promote use of the document scanner for scan to print, OCR, PDF, MFP, or networked archiving and other yet to be determined applications. These types of applications could result in the easy-share networked scanner being prevalent in the workplace and highly desirable for office installations.  
         [0025]     A network scanner flowchart in  FIG. 6 . At the start of the session  172  the user starts the session  174  by choosing either the configuration session or the scanning session. If the configuration session is used, the FLASH key pen is plugged into the users workstation at  176 . The current configuration files stored on the FLASH key pen are then read by the workstation. New configurations are then created or current configuration files on the FLASH key pen are edited and updated at  178 . The new configuration files are stored on the FLASH key pen at  182 . The files are written to the FLASH key pen at  184 . The FLASH key pen is unplugged to end the session at  186 .  
         [0026]     The FLASH key pen is moved to a second device, such as a scanner, and plugged into an access port of the scanner at  188 . The user interface data is read from the FLASH key pen at  190  and the user selects scanning information at the customer user interface at  192 . The scanner is configured according to the profile data on the selected user interface control at  194 . The scanner scans the documents and routes the digital images to the destinations selected at  196 . At this point there is an option of continuing scanning or unplugging the FLASH key pen at  198 . If additional scanning is selected the user selects scanning functions from the custom user interface at  192 . If the user decides to discontinue the session, he or she unplugs the FLASH key pen from the access port of the scanner dock at  202 .  
         [0027]     The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the scope of the invention.  
       PARTS LIST  
       [0000]    
       
           10  document scanner  
           20  scanner dock  
           30  CD/RW Drive  
           40  user interface  
           50  access port  
           60  portable memory device (FLASH key pen)  
           90  current active function  
           110  setup button  
           120  next function LEFT  
           130  graphical display  
           140  GO button  
           150  LEFT, RIGHT, UP, DOWN navigation buttons  
           172  start of session  
           174  user starts session  
           176  FLASH key pen plugged into users workstation  
           178  configurations on FLASH key pen edited and updated  
           180  next function RIGHT  
           182  new configurations stored on FLASH key pen  
           184  files written to FLASH key pen  
           186  FLASH key pen unplugged  
           188  FLASH key pen plugged into access port of scanner  
           190  user interface data read from FLASH key pen  
           192  user selects scanning information at customer user interface  
           194  scanner configured  
           196  destinations selected  
           198  option of continuing scanning or unplugging FLASH key pen  
           200  network  
           202  unplug FLASH key pen from access port of scanner dock  
           210  user workstation  
           220  user  
           230  destination for images  
           240  control icons  
           300  scanning profile  
           310  2-D barcode software  
           320  image of resultant 2-D barcode