Patent ID: 7697005

Claim:
An image scanning system having a scanner for scanning a paper document, a user operating terminal distinct from the scanner and including an interface to the scanner for enabling a user to operate the scanner remotely via the interface, and a server computer connected to the user operating terminal through a network, the server computer comprising: a user interface provider responsive to a request for user interface information, wherein the request is received at the server computer from the user operating terminal via the network, wherein in response to receipt of the request the user interface provider provides user interface information from the server computer to the user operating terminal through the network, wherein the user interface information includes data which provides a user interface for enabling the user to operate the scanner at the user operating terminal, wherein the user interface information includes a scanning instruction form for causing the scanner to scan the paper document and a destination selection form for causing the user to select a destination for sending an electronic document representing the scanned paper document by a predetermined sending protocol; an operating information receiver which receives operating information as a response to the provided user interface information, wherein the operating information is received at the server computer from the user operating terminal through the network; a command sender which sends a scanning command for causing the scanner to scan the paper document based on the received operating information, wherein the scanning command is sent from the server computer to the user operating terminal through the network; a document receiver which receives the electronic document representing the scanned paper document, wherein the electronic document is received at the server computer from the user operating terminal through the network; and a document sender which sends the electronic document representing the scanned paper document to the destination based on the received operating information in accordance with a sending protocol determined in correspondence to the selected destination, wherein the electronic document is sent to the destination from the server computer and not via the user operating terminal.