Patent Publication Number: US-2016224680-A1

Title: Imaging Device for Scan-To-Mobile Computing Device

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to imaging devices, such as printers and copiers, and mobile computing devices, such as smart phones and tablets. It relates also to scanning documents on imaging devices for easy viewing and manipulation on mobile computing devices. Computing applications, computing environments, systems, software, interfaces, methods and apparatus typify the embodiments. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Modern offices tend to use less paper documents in favor of digital documents. Among some reasons, digital documents require less expense to procure and replicate as they avoid the expense of ink, toner and paper. Their storage on hard drives, servers, etc. occupies much less physical space as compared to file rooms of cabinets, shelves, folders and boxes. They are also generally easier to file away and search for when needed and easier and cheaper to send to third parties, such as with attachments to email. Users often tote with them digital documents on their mobile computing devices for ready viewing and manipulation when away from office laptops and desktops. 
     Transferring paper documents to mobile computing devices, however, remains cumbersome. In some instances, users scan documents on imaging devices, such as printers or copiers, and then email digital images as attachments to one or more email addresses. They view the images on their mobile device by accessing their email accounts, selecting the appropriate email and opening the attachment with a suitable attachment reader or viewer. While sufficient for getting images to mobile devices, the foregoing requires many manual steps by the user and often requires manually typing email addresses on the imaging device which can be mistyped. In other instances, users take pictures of paper documents with a camera integrated on their mobile computing device. While also sufficient for obtaining images on mobile phones and tablets, the picture-taking approach becomes tedious when capturing large documents having many pages each requiring a picture and becomes impractical for delivery to more than one mobile device in need of the document. Capturing images with a camera on a mobile device also subjects images to distortion that is less likely with a flatbed scanner integrated on an imaging device as users sometimes skew their field of view when focusing on documents or shake their devices when activating a camera button. Image capture with a camera on a mobile device is also slow when compared to an automatic document feeder on an imaging device. 
     A need exists in the art to better facilitate transfer of hard copy documents onto mobile computing devices. The inventors have identified a further need that involves utilizing the scanner and sheet-feeder hardware of imaging devices, but without needing custom software from third parties. Additional benefits and alternatives are also sought when devising solutions. 
     SUMMARY 
     The above-mentioned and other problems are solved by imaging devices having scan-to-mobile-computing-devices. A user seeks to obtain a document on their mobile computing device, such as a smart phone or tablet. Their device has a quick response (QR) code reader application and a camera for capturing QR codes. An imaging device scans the document and transfers its image to a remote computing device, such as a server, for storage. The remote device returns to the imaging device a uniform resource locator (URL) and unique identifier corresponding to the image. The imaging device displays to the user a QR code corresponding to the URL and unique identifier. The user captures the QR code with the camera of their mobile device and the QR code reader application launches a browser, in turn requesting the image transfer to the mobile computing device. Upon return of the image from the remote computing device, the image of the document is available for display to the user and its ready manipulation thereof. In this way, users no longer need to obtain documents on their mobile devices by accessing email attachments, typing in URL addresses which can be often lengthy and tedious, taking photos of documents page-by-page to capture whole documents, or the like. Various embodiments contemplate techniques for sharing the document with multiple users each with their own mobile computing device, such as those attending a conference. Software, executable code, interfaces, computing system environments, methods, and apparatus typify the embodiments. For security, images can be encrypted and securely transmitted. Decryption occurs with suitable keys. Pins, passwords, badges, logins, and other features can be used for user authentication. 
     These and other embodiments are set forth in the description below. Their advantages and features will become readily apparent to skilled artisans. The claims set forth particular limitations. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic view of a computing system environment according to the prior art for configuring a mobile computing device with a quick response (QR) code reader application; 
         FIGS. 2A-2C  are stepwise diagrammatic views according to the present embodiments for obtaining images of hard copy documents on a mobile computing device; and 
         FIGS. 3A and 3B  are diagrammatic views according to the present embodiments for proliferating QR codes on mobile computing devices of multiple users to directly obtain images thereon. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS 
     In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings where like numerals represent like details. The embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The following detailed description, therefore, is not to be taken in a limiting sense and the scope of the invention is defined only by the appended claims and their equivalents. In accordance with the features of the invention, imaging devices have computing applications facilitating transfer of images direct to mobile computing devices. 
     With reference to  FIG. 1 , users  5  need a quick response (QR) code reader  14  on their mobile computing device  16 , e.g., smart phone, tablet, etc. To obtain the reader, a computing system environment  10  includes a service provider  12  of mobile applications (colloquially “mobile ‘apps’”), as is familiar. The provider makes available the applications that users download onto their device. The download resides as executable code on a computing device  18  such as a server or imprinted on a computer readable medium  19  such as a CD, smart card, USB stick, etc. Users retrieve the medium and load the application directly onto their mobile device or with assistance from still another computing device (not shown). Alternatively, users execute a series of functions on their mobile device and obtain the requisite code by way of an attendant computing network  25 . The network includes or not a variety of software such as an “app store” and hardware such as routers, servers, switches, desktop/laptop computers, phone transmission towers, satellites, etc. The connections typify wired and wireless communications between a few or many devices in an internet, intranet or other environment. Skilled artisans readily understand the process and the requisite actions for downloading applications. 
     Upon successful receipt of the application  14 , the mobile computing device  16  hosts it on one or more controllers  20  resident in a housing  17 . The controller(s) also host an operating system  21  and one or more additional mobile applications, as is typical. The additional applications also have functionality that can be accessed, opened or otherwise utilized by the QR reader application  14 . These include, for example, a web browser  23 , camera  27 , map or GPS device  29 , photo album  31 , SMS  33 , and security module for encryption un/lock  35 . Their functionality is known in the art. 
     With reference to  FIG. 2A , users seek to transfer to their mobile computing device an image corresponding to hard copy input document(s)  40 . The document(s) are any of a variety, but commonly hard copies in the form of letters, papers, invoices, receipts, business cards, books, etc. They contain text, graphics, or other information  47  and/or background  49 . The text typifies words, numbers, symbols, phrases, etc. having content relating to the topic of the document. The background represents the underlying media on which the content appears. The background can also include various colors, advertisements, corporate logos, watermarks, textures, creases, speckles, stray marks, row/column lines, and the like. 
     Regardless of type, a user begins the process of getting document(s)  40  to their mobile computing device by initiating an application on an imaging device  48 , such as scan-to-mobile  100 . A user interface  43  displays the application to the user and the user selects it, such as by pressing the application. The application is hosted in executable code on a controller  45  of the imaging device. The controller typifies one or more (micro)processors, ASICs, circuits, etc. At  200 , the user feeds the document(s) to the imaging device for capture by the controller. This includes placing the document(s) direct on a scanner  51  of the imaging device or placing them in an automatic document feeder  45 , as is familiar, and executing a scanning operation of the imaging device. 
     From there, the document(s)  40  have digital images  46  created  300  by the controller that correspond in digital format to the information, graphics, etc. of the document(s). Alternatively, the digital images are created at a computing device (not shown), such as a laptop, desktop, tablet, smart phone, etc. that are sent to the imaging device  48 . In either, the image  46  typifies a grayscale, color or other multi-valued image having pluralities of pixels  57 - 1 ,  57 - 2 ,  57 - 3 , . . . . The pixels define text and background of the document(s)  40  according to their pixel value intensities. The quantities of pixels in the images are many and depend upon the resolution of the scan at the capture  100 , e.g., 150 dpi, 300 dpi, 1200 dpi, etc. Each pixel also has an intensity value defined according to various scales, but a range of 256 possible values is common, e.g., 0-255. The pixels may be also in binary form (black or white, 1 or 0) after conversion from other values or as a result of image creation at  300 . In many schemes, binary creation occurs by splitting in half the intensity scale of the pixels (0-255) and labeling as black pixels those with relatively dark intensities and white pixels those with light intensities, e.g., pixels  57  having intensities ranging from 0-127 become labeled black, while those with intensities from 128-255 become labeled white. Other schemes are also possible. That the document capture function sometimes results in imperfections in the document(s), such as rotation, skew, wrinkle, etc., and/or that differing document(s) might have differing resolutions or bit-depth, the controller  25  is often outfitted with executable instructions to overcome these imperfections and optimize the images. 
     Next, the images in their digital form are transferred  400  from the imaging device  48  to a remote computing device  401 , such as a computing server. The remote computing device stores the images  500  on a local or remote volume  403 . Artisans will appreciate that imaging devices  48  are normally configured for printing, copying, emailing, faxing, etc., but are not typically configured with a large-enough storage volume to locally maintain multiple images of multiple documents thereon, thus transmission and storage of the images to the remote computing device. Artisans will also appreciate that the transmitting of the images can occur in a secure manner, such as by encrypting the images  407  and transmitting requisite keys  405  for unlocking them. The encryption and keys can be adopted from any well known or other scheme. 
     Upon receipt of the images for storage at  500 , the remote computing device generates a unique identifier corresponding to the location of the stored images and a URL for accessing them over a computing network  25 . The unique identifier and URL is returned to the imaging device  48  at  600 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 2B and 2C , the URL and unique identifier are embedded into a QR code  601  and such is displayed to the user on the user interface  43 . The QR code is either generated  700  at the imaging device in functionality of the controller  45  or is generated at the remote computing device and pushed to the imaging device upon returning of the URL and unique identifier at  600 . Of course, the generation of QR codes from data is well known in the art and is often advertised under the label “QR code generators,” generally available via the internet. 
     At  800 , the user of the mobile computing device  16  utilizes the camera function  27  and captures thereon the QR code  601 . Within the functionality of the QR reader application  14  already installed for operation on the mobile computing device ( FIG. 1 ), the QR reader automatically opens the browser function  23  of the mobile device and launches redirection of the browser at  900  to the URL embedded in the QR code. Alternatively, the QR reader application requires URL redirection upon manual activation by a user  900 *. From there, the images stored  403  by the remote computing device  401  become automatically requested  1000  (or by manual manipulation by the user  1000 *) for return  1100  to the mobile computing device. Once at the mobile computing device, the images are available for viewing and manipulation on the display  11  by the user of the mobile computing device as is typical. In this way, the user now has quick access to image(s)  40 ′ corresponding to the original hard copy document(s)  40 , but without extensive interaction to obtain the images on their mobile device, such as occurs with emailing document(s), uniquely taking pictures of each page of document(s), typing in URL&#39;s, typing in email addresses, etc. Decryption * 407  of the images may be also required if such were securely transmitted to the mobile computing device. For added security, a pin or other manual entry technique could be required of the user to access the images. The pin can be generated and displayed to the user as part of their capture of the QR code at  800 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 3A and 3B , the foregoing enables easy proliferation and dissemination of the original document(s) to multiple users each equipped with their own mobile computing devices having QR reader applications. In one instance, the QR code  601  can be shared  301  from one mobile computing device  16  to another  16 ′, in turn, retrieving the relevant images  1100  from the remote computing device for display,  FIG. 3A . The sharing can occurring within functionality of the QR reader application or can occur such as by texting a picture of the QR code from the mobile computing device of the first user  5  to a second user  5 ′. A picture of the QR code can be captured by the camera of the mobile device and shared from the photo album function  31  ( FIG. 1 ). In another instance, multiple users can each capture  800 ′,  800 ″,  800 ″′ their own QR code  601  direct from the user interface  43  of the imaging device  48  or from a common projection  350  or display of the QR code in communication with the imaging device. In turn, the return  1100  of the images  40 ′ from the remote computing device occurs to each mobile computing device  16  for each of the users  5  (only showed for user  5 ″′ on their mobile device  16 ″′). 
     Relative advantages of the many embodiments should now be apparent to those skilled in the art. They include but are not limited to: (1) facilitating easy placement of images of documents on a mobile device; (2) leveraging hardware functionality of flatbed scanners and sheet-feeders of imaging devices; (3) quickly placing images on devices with minimal steps; and (4) quick proliferation of the images on multiple mobile devices, without unnecessary tasks of emailing, typing, texting, etc. 
     The foregoing illustrates various aspects of the invention. It is not intended to be exhaustive. Rather, it is chosen to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical application to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention. All modifications and variations are contemplated within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims. Relatively apparent modifications include combining one or more features of various embodiments with features of other embodiments.