Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
  • G06F3/12—Digital output to print unit, e.g. line printer, chain printer
  • G06F3/1201—Dedicated interfaces to print systems
  • G06F3/1202—Dedicated interfaces to print systems specifically adapted to achieve a particular effect
  • G06F3/1203—Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. print management
  • G06F3/1204—Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. print management resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F21/00—Security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
  • G06F21/60—Protecting data
  • G06F21/606—Protecting data by securing the transmission between two devices or processes
  • G06F21/608—Secure printing
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
  • G06F3/12—Digital output to print unit, e.g. line printer, chain printer
  • G06F3/1201—Dedicated interfaces to print systems
  • G06F3/1223—Dedicated interfaces to print systems specifically adapted to use a particular technique
  • G06F3/1236—Connection management
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
  • G06F3/12—Digital output to print unit, e.g. line printer, chain printer
  • G06F3/1201—Dedicated interfaces to print systems
  • G06F3/1223—Dedicated interfaces to print systems specifically adapted to use a particular technique
  • G06F3/1237—Print job management
  • G06F3/1244—Job translation or job parsing, e.g. page banding
  • G06F3/1247—Job translation or job parsing, e.g. page banding by conversion to printer ready format
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
  • G06F3/12—Digital output to print unit, e.g. line printer, chain printer
  • G06F3/1201—Dedicated interfaces to print systems
  • G06F3/1278—Dedicated interfaces to print systems specifically adapted to adopt a particular infrastructure
  • G06F3/1285—Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server
  • G06F3/1288—Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server in client-server-printer device configuration
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
  • G06F3/12—Digital output to print unit, e.g. line printer, chain printer
  • G06F3/1201—Dedicated interfaces to print systems
  • G06F3/1278—Dedicated interfaces to print systems specifically adapted to adopt a particular infrastructure
  • G06F3/1292—Mobile client, e.g. wireless printing
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
  • G06F3/12—Digital output to print unit, e.g. line printer, chain printer
  • G06F3/1201—Dedicated interfaces to print systems
  • G06F3/1223—Dedicated interfaces to print systems specifically adapted to use a particular technique
  • G06F3/1237—Print job management
  • G06F3/126—Job scheduling, e.g. queuing, determine appropriate device

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a system and a method for printing an electronic document.
• print servers are connected to client terminals within the networking environment and the print servers are configured to store and release print jobs to connected multifunctional devices. In addition to directing the print jobs from the client terminals directly to
• the functionality of the print server may be extended for other uses. For example, it is known to cause the print server to check the identity of a user accessing the multifunctional device before allowing the user to print on the multifunctional device. Normally the identity of the user is necessary to access the network as a whole, which is often a closed security system and limited to a specific company, department or building. Also the scanning of hardcopies on multifunctional devices requires the direct physical presence of the user in front of the scanning device and therefore the presence and identification of a user within the networking environment.
• a print service on a network is provided for mobile computing devices, like PDAs, to print documents.
• the mobile device When the user of a mobile device wants to print a document, the mobile device is used to access the print service and send a print request that specifies the location the document on the network in terms of a URL.
• the print service validates the print request, retrieves the document, renders the document for printing, and prints directly the document as requested by the user.
• GB 2 429 872 A discloses a method of
• EP 0 691 619 Al discloses a system including a number of workstations and printers coupled in a network, and a number of portable devices carried by users and coupled to the network by infrared link. Each portable device emulates its user's personal satchel for documents.
• the device is programmed to receive, transmit and store document references or tokens, each of which is associated with an electronic document stored in the database. Documents are distributed from one person to another by transmission of document references or tokens, and a document is sent to a printer by beaming that document's reference or token to an infrared transceiver associated with that printer.
• the portable device is preferably a handheld computer with a graphical display for enabling the user to transfer documents.
• a system and a method for printing and scanning a document are disclosed.
• the system enables mobile devices, such as PDAs or mobile phones, to print and/or scan documents easily also outside the network, like a closed company intranet. Even though the mobile devices are not directly connected to the
• multifunctional device in the networking environment or do not support the software applications and printer drivers for printing.
• the mobile device When the user of the mobile device wants to print and/or scan a document, the mobile device is used to access the company intranet, even from outside, and therefore by access the multifunctional devices for printing and scanning.
• additional networks such as the Internet or radio telecommunication networks, are combined and can interact with each other.
• Present computer security systems like using routers or gateways between different networks or user identification by closed networking
• the disclosed system and method provide a
• processing means for interacting with the mobile device to receive electronic-document-information. Additionally print- related-information, like the selection of a possible printer or providing necessary finishing options, such as duplex printing, may be sent by the mobile device to the processing means.
• the processing means including a print server, converts the electronic document into a print-ready-converted electronic document by using the electronic-document- information and print-related-information.
• the print-ready- converted electronic document is thereafter stored in a secure print queue on the print server.
• the processing means may be part of a closed computer network, like a company intranet, and is connected with at least one multifunctional device, which is also part of the networking environment. Using the mobile device, which may be connected to an interface in connection with the processing means in the network, the print-related-information and the electronic- document-information may be routed from the mobile device to the processing means.
• the identity of the user using the mobile device, the electronic-document-information and the print-related- information are checked within the network, especially by the processing means.
• the identity of the user must be pre- registered within the network, so that only users with already registered identifications may access the network and therefore to the secure print queue on the print server.
• the electronic-document-information and/or print- related-information may be part of a message, especially of a short message service (SMS) or an electronic mail (email) .
• SMS short message service
• email electronic mail
• the electronic-document-information and/or print-related- information are analysed by the processing means, perhaps including additional file server and/or mail server and/or web server.
• the electronic-document-information may contain the electronic document itself or a link to one of the file servers, where the electronic document is stored.
• the electronic document is stored in a specific way on several connected processing means, like the archiving of documents within a computer cloud network of file servers. Also the conversion of the electronic document in a print-ready-converted electronic document may be conducted on several processing means, which may also be part of a cloud computing network.
• the print-ready-converted electronic document is stored within the secure print queue on the print server and the user can release the print-ready-converted electronic document from the secure print queue for printing on a designated multifunctional device.
• multifunctional device may be selected by the mobile device, whereas it will be appreciated that the mobile device has a display, especially a touch screen, for intuitive selecting one of the possible multifunctional devices displayed on the mobile device.
• the multifunctional device may be selected directly by the user using a user-interface attached to the multifunctional device. Also the status of the different multifunctional devices within the network may be routed to the mobile device. After choosing one specific
• the processing means may prepare the print-ready-converted electronic document for printing on the designated multifunctional device by combining the relevant print driver with the print-ready-converted electronic document .
• a processing means comprising at least one multifunctional device, a processing means, including a print server, which is connected to the multifunctional device and the processing means is configured to process the electronic document for printing on the multifunctional device.
• a mobile device which is connectable with the processing means, is configured to initiate the printing of the electronic document.
• the electronic-document-information may contain the electronic document and is routed from the mobile device to the processing means.
• the processing means uses the print- related-information for converting the electronic document into a print-ready-converted electronic document. Afterwards the print-ready-converted electronic document is stored within the secure print queue on the print server and is releasable by the user from the secure print queue on the print server for printing on the multifunctional device.
• the mobile device is accessing within a
• the mobile device is sending a release message to the processing means for releasing the print-ready-converted electronic document from the secure print queue on the print server for printing on the multifunctional device.
• the electronic document is preferably part of the electronic-document-information and is routed with the print- related-information as part of a message from the mobile device to the processing means.
• the processing means uses the electronic-document-information and the print-related- information for converting the electronic document into a print-ready-converted electronic document. Then the print- ready-converted electronic document is stored within the secure print queue on the print server, and is releasable by the user from the secure print queue on the printer server.
• the processing means preferably including a mail server and a document conversion server for converting the electronic document into the print-ready- converted electronic document.
• the address of the recipient of the message may relate to the print-related-information and/or designation of one multifunctional device. The possible addresses of
• recipient of the message may select the designated multifunctional devices and/or define the
• the address of the recipient may be selected by the mobile device. Therefore the
• multifunctional device and/or finishing options could be selected very easily and no further print-related-information need to be defined.
• the electronic-document-information is routed from the mobile device to the processing means.
• the processing means uses the electronic-document-information for
• the processing means including the file server
• the print-related- information for converting the electronic document into the print-ready-converted electronic document.
• the print-ready-converted electronic document is stored within the secure print queue on the print server and is releasable by the user from the secure print queue on the print server for printing on the designated multifunctional device.
• the electronic- document-information contains a document link to the
• the processing means is configured to retrieve the electronic document from the fil server based on the document link.
• the print-related- information may be pre-defined and stored on the processing means .
• the electronic-document-information and the print- related-information are routed from the mobile device and/or by a user-interface to a number of connected processing means defining a network.
• the network could be an open network, like the internet or a computer cloud network, or a closed network, like a company intranet or a radio communication network, like Bluetooth.
• the network is used for a
• a number of connected processing means defining the network uses the electronic-document-information and the print-related- information for converting the electronic document within the network into a print-ready-converted electronic document. Afterwards the print-ready-converted electronic document is stored within the secure print queue on the print server in the network and is releasable by the user from the secure print queue on the print server for printing.
• the electronic-document-information and the print-related-information are routed via a router to the processing means, including a file server, and the processing means uses the electronic-document-information for
• the processing means is using the print-related-information for converting the electronic document into a print-ready- converted electronic document. Then the print-ready-converted electronic document is stored within the secure print queue on the print server and is releasable by the user from the secure print queue on the print server.
• the router is used for connecting the first network with a second network and for accessing the mobile device to the networks.
• the router is connected with at least one processing means and one mobile device and files and information are stored on the router. Only if the mobile device and/or the processing means accessing the router are authorized to connect to the router, the information and/or files may be retrieved from the router. Also files and/or information could not be directly exchange between the mobile device and the processing means and could only be forwarded to and stored on the router.
• print-related- information are part of a release message sent by a second mobile device.
• the electronic format of the print-ready- converted electronic document contains PostScript (PS),
• PCL Printer Command Language
• PDL Portable Document Format
• PDF Portable Document Format
• PDML Page Description Markup Language
• processing means by means of a second mobile device and/or by means of a user-interface of the multifunctional device to the secure print queue on the print server.
• At least one multifunctional device is configured to process a hardcopy for scanning on the multifunctional device and the user may access the processing means by means of the mobile device and/or by means of the user-interface of the multifunctional device to initiate the scanning of the hardcopy on the multifunctional device.
• a method for printing the electronic document on at least one multifunctional device is disclosed, which is connected to the processing means, including the print server
• the processing means is configured to process the electronic document for printing on the multifunctional device.
• the mobile device which is connectable with the processing means is configured to initiate the printing of the electronic document.
• the disclosed method comprising the steps of initiating a communication between the mobile device and the processing means and routing from the mobile device the electronic-document-information related to the electronic document to the processing means. After that the electronic- document-information and the print-related-information are used for converting the electronic document into the print- ready-converted electronic document, the print-ready- converted electronic document is stored within the secure print queue on the print server. After that the print-ready- converted electronic document are released from the secure print queue on the print server for printing on the
• multifunctional device in case the user accesses to the processing means and releases the print-ready-converted electronic document for printing.
• At least one of multifunctional devices is configured to scan a hardcopy and the processing means is configured to process the hardcopy for scanning on the multifunctional device.
• the mobile device and/or the user-interface are connected to the processing means the user may route from the mobile device and/or the user-interface a scan-related- information to the processing means.
• the hardcopy is scanned on the multifunctional device .
• the present invention also provides a program that, when executed by a system for printing, causes the system for printing to perform the steps of a method for printing and scanning.
• the present invention provides also a computer- readable storage medium having computer-executable
• a system for printing the electronic document comprising, at least one multifunctional device, a processing means, including a print server, which is
• the mobile device is configured to initiate the printing of the
• the mobile device is connected to the processing means, including the print server.
• a user may route from the mobile device an electronic-document-information related to the electronic document to the processing means and the processing means uses the electronic-document-information and the print- related-information for converting the electronic document into a print-ready-converted electronic document.
• the print-ready-converted electronic document is stored within a secure print queue on the print server and in case the user has access the processing means the print-ready- converted electronic document is releasable by the user from the secure print queue on the print server for printing on the multifunctional device.
• the electronic document is part or separate of the electronic-document- information .
• the electronic-document-information and/or the print-related-information are routed as part of the message, like short message service (SMS) or electronic mail (email), from the mobile device to the processing means.
• SMS short message service
• electronic mail electronic mail
• the electronic-document-information, the print-related-information and/or the electronic document are routed as part of the message from the mobile device via at least one processing means, including the file server to the processing means, including the print server.
• these file servers may be connected as a computer cloud network for storing and retrieving documents within a widespread
• the electronic-document- information contains a document link to the electronic document stored on at least one processing means or within a network with a number of processing means, including file servers, like a computer cloud network.
• the processing means is configured to retrieve the electronic document from the file server based on the document link.
• the electronic-document- information and/or the electronic document and the print- related-information are part of an electronic mail and the electronic mail as part of the message is routed by the mobile device to an address of the electronic mail relating to the processing means, including especially a mail server. Also the electronic mail message is relating to the
• no document link is needed because all necessary information about the storage location of the document is within the address of the recipient of the message.
• the address of the electronic mail message relating to the multifunctional device and the electronic mail message is routed by the mobile device to the processing means, including the print server, and after the conversion the related print-ready-converted electronic document is printed on the multifunctional device.
• the print-related-information like the selection of a printer and/or the setting of finishing options for the printing, like duplex printing or paper orientation, may be defined by the address of the recipient.
• the message is analysed and the electronic-document-information and/or the electronic document and/or the print-related-information and/or the selection of the multifunctional device are extracted und used by the processing means, including a document conversion server or the print server, for the conversion of the electronic document into the print-ready-converted electronic document.
• the processing means is used for analysing and extracting of information about the electronic-document- information and/or the electronic document and/or the print- related-information and/or the selection of the multifunctional device and the extracted electronic-document- information and/or the extracted electronic document and/or the extracted print-related-information and/or the extracted selection of the multifunctional device are used by the processing means for the conversion of the electronic
• the processing means routes the print-ready- converted electronic document to the secure print queue on the print server.
• the multifunctional device are used by the number of connected processing means, including file servers and the print server, for the conversion of the electronic document into the print- ready-converted electronic document.
• the print-ready- converted electronic document is routed to the secure print queue on the print server.
• the connected processing means defining a computer cloud network ensuring the coordinated analysing and extracting of information from the address of the message relating to the multifunctional device for
• the electronic format of the print-ready-converted electronic document contains
• PS PostScript
• PCL Printer Command Language
• PDL Page Description Language
• PDF Portable Document Format
• PDML Page Description Markup Language
• multifunctional devices are connected with secure print queue on the processing means, including the print server and the user may select a specific multifunctional device of the number of multifunctional devices for printing a selected print-ready-converted electronic document on the designated multifunctional device.
• the user may access the processing means by means of a second mobile device and/or by means of a user-interface attached to one of the multifunctional devices to the secure print queue on the print server.
• multifunctional device are connected by a wireless link to the processing means and the user must be authenticated on the mobile device and/or the user-interface of the
• multifunctional device for accessing the secure print queue on the print server.
• the user is authenticated for accessing the processing means by means of a security token, especially a hardware security token or an USB token. Also the user may access the processing means for releasing the print-ready- converted electronic document from the secure print queue when a connection between the processing means and the mobile device and/or the user-interface of the multifunctional device is established.
• the mobile device may be configured to allow the user to interact with the processing means.
• the user is allowed to route and/or release from the secure print queue on the print server the print-ready-converted electronic document. Additionally the user may also be allowed to select the multifunctional device for printing the print-ready-converted electronic document.
• the mobile device may accesses within a communication network, like a universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) or a global system for mobile communications (GMS), or within a radio communication network, like the use of devices based on the standard IEEE 802.11 (WiFi) or the use of devices based on the standard IEEE 802.15.1 (Bluetooth) .
• UMTS universal mobile telecommunications system
• GMS global system for mobile communications
• the necessary router may define a gateway to the internet or be a mail server, a fax server or a printer proxy for connecting to the computer cloud network.
• the router or gateway acts in that way, that requests, messages, including electronic-document-information and/or the electronic document and/or the print-related-information and/or the selection of the multifunctional device, or status information from the mobile device are stored on the router.
• the processing means is then accessing the router and
• the mobile device is conducted to retrieve documents, requests or information from the storage of the router, if the mobile device is authorized for accessing the router.
• the mobile device contains an application programming interface (API), which is configured to interact with the number of connected API.
• API application programming interface
• the mobile device contains an application programming interface (API), which is
• the mobile device may also contain an application programming interface (API), which is configured to make, change and/or delete the API.
• API application programming interface
• the router is synchronized with the information about the secure print queue on the processing means, including the print server.
• the mobile device may be updated by a status message with
• multifunctional devices is configured to scan a hardcopy and the processing means is configured to process the hardcopy for scanning on the multifunctional device.
• the mobile device and/or the user-interface are connected to the processing means the user may route from the mobile device and/or the user-interface a scan-related-information to the processing means and/or multifunctional device.
• the user has access the processing means by the mobile device and/or the user-interface the hardcopy is scanned on the multifunctional device.
• a method for printing an electronic document on at least one multifunctional device is disclosed, whereas the multifunctional device is connected to a processing means and the processing means is configured to process the
• the mobile device is configured to initiate the printing of the electronic document, comprising the steps of initiating a communication between the mobile device and the processing means and routing from the mobile device the electronic-document-information to the processing means, including the print server.
• the processing means including the print server.
• releasing the print-ready-converte electronic document from the secure print queue on the print server for printing on the multifunctional device in case a user accesses to the processing means and releases the print ready-converted electronic document for printing on the multifunctional device.
• the electronic-document-information, the print-related-information and/or the electronic document may be routed as a message from the mobile device to the processing means.
• the processing means for the conversion of the electronic document into the print-ready-converted electronic document.
• the electronic format of the print-ready-converted electronic document contains PostScript (PS), Printer Command Language (PCL) , Page Description Language (PDL), Portable Document Format (PDF) or Page Description Markup Language (PDML) .
• the user In case the mobile device and/or the user-interface of the multifunctional device is connected to the processing means the user must be authenticated on the mobile device and/or on the user-interface attached to the multifunctional device for accessing the secure print queue on the print server. Additionally information about the secure print queue on the print server are synchronized with a router and in case the mobile device is connected with the router the mobile device may be updated with information about the secure print queue and/or the printer status. The costs for the printing of every print-ready-converted electronic document on the multifunctional device may be determined and the costs may be charged to a specific cost-centre account.
• processing means is additionally configured to process a hardcopy for scanning on the multifunctional device.
• mobile device is configured to initiate the scanning of the hardcopy on the multifunctional device.
• a program is disclosed that, when executed by the system for printing according to the above mentioned disclosure , causes the system for printing to perform a method for printing and scanning.
• a computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions to perform steps for providing a method for printing and scanning.
• Fig. 1 shows parts of a system for printing and scanning in first embodiment of the present invention
• Fig. 2 shows hardware of an MFP
• FIG. 3 shows hardware of a mobile phone
• Fig. 4 shows print server hardware
• Fig. 5 shows a processing means, including a print server, connected to a mobile device, whereas the print server is connected to a plurality of multifunctional
• Fig. 6 shows the mobile device connected with the processing means by two networks, whereas a message from the mobile device is analysed by the processing means, including a document conversion server;
• Fig. 7 shows the mobile device connected with the processing means via one network, whereas the electronic document is stored on the processing means, including a file server, and the electronic-document-information contains a document link to the electronic document on the file server;
• Fig. 8 shows a cloud computing network defined by a number of processing means, whereas the electronic document is stored and converted within the cloud computing network;
• FIG. 9 shows a system for printing with two combined networks
• Fig. 10 shows a system for printing and scanning, whereas the electronic document is stored and converted within the cloud computing network defined by a number of processing means;
• Fig. 11 shows a Unified Modeling Language (UML)- sequence diagram of the disclosed method for printing, which makes use of the mobile device and of the processing means, including the print server, the file server and the
• UML Unified Modeling Language
• Fig. 1 shows a system 13 for printing and scanning of the first embodiment.
• the system 13 for printing and scanning comprises a multifunction peripheral (MFP) 6 and a mobile device 4.
• the multifunction peripheral 6 has an associated processing means 3h in form of a print server 3h, as will be explained in more detail below.
• Fig. 2 shows the hardware configuration of the multifunction peripheral 6.
• the multifunction peripheral 6 comprises a CPU 37, a ROM 38, a hard disk drive 39, and a RAM 40. These components are standard hardware components for computers and other devices and perform their usual functions
• the multifunction peripheral 6 further comprises a display unit 41, an operation unit 42, a communication control unit 43, an image reader 44, a recording unit 45, an image memory 46, an image processing unit 47, an authentication unit 48, a card reader 49 and an I/O control unit 50.
• the display unit 41 is a touch-screen LCD display provided on the multifunction peripheral 6 to allow a user to make selections and view information on the multifunctional device 6.
• the operation unit 42 is a keypad and other buttons to allow a user to enter settings and other information to the multifunction peripheral 6.
• the communication control unit 43 is provided to allow the multifunctional device 6 to communicate over a LAN with the print server 3h (not shown in Fig. 2) especially with the print server 3h,ll.
• the multifunctional device 6 may be also a scanner that allows scanning of documents.
• the recording unit 45 shown in Fig. 2, represents parts of the multifunctional device 6 dedicated to printing.
• the recording unit 45 functions to print image data onto a recording medium and output the recording medium for collection by a user.
• the image memory 46 is a memory provided for storage of image data during scanning by the image reader 44 or printing by the recording unit 45.
• the image-processing unit 47 represents various application specific integrated circuits (ASIC) provided in the multifunctional device 6 in order to increase the speed of certain image processing operations, such as conversion of scanned R,G,B data into C,M,Y,K data during a copying operation.
• the authentication processing unit 48 is provided in order to authenticate user details received from the card reader 49. Data from the card reader 49 is received at the authentication unit 48 via the I/O control unit 50.
• the authentication unit 48 may be implemented by software run using the CPU 37 and RAM 40 rather than as a separate hardware component.
• the multifunctional device 6 runs an operating system.
• the operating systems is the Multifunctional Embedded Application Platform (MEAP) operating system provided on multifunctional device devices sold by Canon (RTM) .
• MEAP Multifunctional Embedded Application Platform
• RTM Canon
• the operating system allows the running of JAVA applications and also includes a web interface.
• Fig. 3 shows the hardware configuration of the mobile device 4.
• the mobile phone 4 comprises a control unit 52 connected to a digital signal processing unit 53.
• the control unit 52 controls operation of a display unit 54, an operation unit 55, a camera unit 56, an external I/F 57, a wireless communication unit 58 and a power supply unit 59.
• the display unit 54 comprises an LCD display for displaying information to a user of the phone 4.
• the operation unit 55 comprises a keypad and other operation buttons to allow a user to make inputs into the mobile phone 4.
• the camera unit 56 is a camera that is integrated into the phone 4 to allow a user to take pictures and to collect visual information.
• the external I/F 57 is a port provided in the mobile phone 4 to allow the mobile phone 4 to communicate with other devices.
• the external I/F 57 allows the mobile phone 4 to be connected to a computer for the purposes of synchronizing data (contact details, calendar entries etc.) stored on the mobile phone 4 with data stored on the computer
• the wireless communication unit 58 provides support for various wireless services.
• the wireless communication unit 58 provides support for Wi-Fi communication and Bluetooth communication.
• the wireless communication unit 58 is connected to an antenna.
• the power supply unit 59 includes a battery and a mechanism for charging the battery from an external power supply.
• the digital signal processing unit 53 is connected to an audio input unit 60, an audio output unit 61, and an RF input/output unit 62.
• the audio input unit 60 is an analogue to digital processor for receiving and converting audio signals from a microphone 63.
• the audio output unit 61 is a digital to analogue processor for receiving and converting digital signals into an analogue output to be output by a speaker 64.
• the RF input/output unit 62 is connected to an antenna 65 and is used to allow the mobile phone 4 to communicate with a local mobile phone station.
• the audio input unit 60, audio output unit 61, digital signal processing unit 53 and RF input/output unit 62 allow the mobile phone 4 to operate as a portable telephone.
• the mobile phone 4 is a so called 'smart phone' in this embodiment and runs Google (RTM) Android (RTM) operating system.
• the print sever 3h comprise typical server hardware exemplified by Fig. 4.
• the server hardware includes a CPU 37, a RAM 40, a hard disk drive 40 and a network I/O 50.
• the network I/O 50 allows the print server 3h including web server functionality to communicate over a LAN.
• the print server 3h is storing print-ready-converted electronic document 7 in a print queue.
• the print server 3h is also connected with the multifunctional device 6 and conducted to manage and proceed print jobs in different formats within the print queue for the multifunctional device 6.
• the multifunctional device 6 and the print server 3h are associated via a network 15,16
• a web application is run on the print server 3h in order to control operations on the multifunctional device 6.
• Installed on the multifunctional device 6 is a web browser
• a service interface (not shown in Fig. 1) to allow the business logic of the print server 3h (not shown in Fig. 1) to access various services of the multifunctional device 6.
• the business logic of the print server 3h may send commands to the service interface to cause the scanner 6 to perform a scanning operation or to cause the multifunctional device to print a print ob.
• FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing an exemplary embodiment of the processing means 3a, 12a connected to a mobile device 4.
• a print server 3a with a document conversion server 12a combined on one server. It will be appreciate that the print server 3a and the document conversion server 12a are different servers. Alternatively it will be appreciate that the print server 3a may have document conversion 12a functionalities or the document conversion server 12a may contain print server 3a functionalities.
• the print server 3a is also connected with a number of multifunctional devices 6. The print server 3a, the multifunctional devices 6 and the mobile device 4 are linked together by a wired or by a
• Mobile devices 4 may include Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a mobile phone, a laptop, a computer hand-held device, a microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronic device, a network-PC, a minicomputer, a web cell phone or the like.
• PDA Personal Digital Assistant
• the mobile device 4 is configured to initiate the printing of an electronic document 10 on the multifunctional device 6.
• a user 5 of the mobile device 4 routes an electronic-document-information 1 containing the electronic document 10 and a print-related-information 2 to the print server 3a after a connection is established.
• the mobile device 4 is a computer laptop.
• the electronic-document-information 1 may contain additional information about the electronic document 10, like the file name, the file size and/or the file format.
• the print- related-information 2 may also contain information about the electronic document 10, such as the file format and/or
• the multifunctional device 6 may be a multifunctional office colour printer, for example the Canon iRC5185i having a variety of functions including printing, copying, faxing, scanning and sending functions and files within the networking environment.
• the mobile device 4 and the printer server 3a with the document conversion server functionality 12a are directly linked without any need for a router or gateway.
• the print-related-information 2 and the electronic-document- information 1 and the electronic document 10 are transmitted to the print sever 3a.
• the print-related-information 2 and/or the electronic-document-information 1 and/or the electronic document 10 may in combination define a job ticket with all relevant information about the electronic document 10, the associated print-ready-converted electronic document 7 and/or perhaps additional company/office information.
• Such a job ticket may also contain information about the printing status 21 of the print-ready-converted electronic document 7.
• the job ticket is commonly used for the monitoring of the status of the printing within a company from the document receiving until the accounting or delivery of the printed hardcopies to the customer.
• the print server 3a receives the electronic-document- information 1 and electronic document 10 and print-related- information 2.
• the document conversion server functionality 12a on the print server 3a is also converting 19 the
• the print server 3a combines the print-ready- converted electronic document 7 with the relevant printer driver when the print-ready-converted electronic document 7 is released from the secure print queue on the print server 3a by a release message 20 of the mobile device 4.
• the path of the release message 20 from the mobile device 4 is depicted in Fig. 5 by the 2-dotted and dashed line.
• the print-ready-converted electronic document 7 is sent by the print server 3a to the designated multifunctional device 6 and printed. It will be appreciated that the status of the multifunctional device 6 and/or the printing status of the print-ready-converted electronic document 7 is forwarded as a status message 21 to the mobile device 4. In case the mobile device 4 contains a display the status message 21 may be visualized on the mobile device 4. The paths of the status messages 21 from the multifunctional devices 6 to the mobile device 4 are depicted in Fig. 5 by 1-dotted and dashed lines. Therefore the user 5 of the mobile device 4 is continually informed about the printing of the electronic document 10 initiated by him or her.
• Fig. 6 is a diagram illustrating another embodiment of a system 13 for printing.
• An email message 8 is sent by the mobile device 4 via a first network 15 to a mail server 11 within a second network 16, such as a local area network (LAN) .
• the processing means 3b, 11, 12b in this embodiment are a print server 3b, a mail server 11 and a separate document conversion server 12b.
• the second network 16 is protected by a security system and contains a firewall and individual user authentication tools.
• the email message 8 contains the electronic document 10 to be printed, the electronic-document-information 1 and the print- related-information 2 and the release message 20.
• the print-related-information 2 and/or release message 20 may be generated by a terminal within one of the networks 15,16 or by web-based applications making use of different print processing methods, such as the internet printing protocol (IPP) .
• IPP internet printing protocol
• the address of the recipient of the message 8 is used to splits or convert at least parts of the print-related-information 2.
• the address of the recipient defines the selection of a specific multifunctional device 6 and/or defines possible printing and finishing options, such as duplex printing, paper size or paper orientation.
• the body of the message 8 contains the electronic document 10 or a document link for uploading the electronic document 10 from another location within the network 15. After that the relevant print-ready- converted electronic document 7 with the selected finishing options is released to the designated multifunctional device 6. Also the sender of the email message 8, identified in the message header, could be analysed and compared with an internal look-up table to ensure a clear authentication of the user 5 sending the message 8. In the preferred embodiment of Fig.
• the conversion 19 into a print-ready-converted electronic document 7 is done by a document conversion server 12b, which forwarded the print-ready-converted electronic document 7 to the secure print queue on the print server 3b.
• the print-ready-converted electronic document 7 is released by the release message 20 within the email message 8.
• a connection between the mobile device 4 for transmitting the release massage 20 and the print server 3b may be proceeded by a telephone network, such as a universal mobile
• UMTS telecommunication system
• GMS global system for mobile communications
• radio communication network including a wireless local area network (WLAN) based on the standard IEEE 802.11 (WiFi) or on the standard IEEE 802.15.1 (Bluetooth) .
• WiFi wireless local area network
• Bluetooth Bluetooth
• a direct wired connection between the mobile device 4 and the print server 3b and/or the mail server 11 and/or the document conversion server 12b and/or to the designated multifunctional device 6 is envisaged.
• the mobile device 4 displays a list of network-based
• multifunctional devices 6, which may be selected by the user 5 on the mobile device 4.
• the designated multifunctional device 6 is sent with the release message 20 to the print server 3b, which triggers the further release of the print-ready-converted electronic document 7 to the designated multifunctional device 6. If necessary the print server 3b may also prepare the print-ready-converted electronic document 7 for printing on a multifunctional device 6, which needs a specific printer driver for printing.
• the user 5 will be identified by analyzing the sender of the message 8, especially the email or SMS sender.
• the sender information in the email message 8 will be
• the user 5 may be compared with user information that may be taken directly from a standard database within the company network 15,16 or could be extracted from a look-up table that would allow the user 5 to associate more than one address to his or her account. Also the user could be indentified during a login on the mobile device 4. Additionally the user 5 may be
• the user 5 would be known in one of the networks 15,16 to have the company email address
• the look-up table would also store that user 5 has one private email address which he might use to initiate a printing within the company network 16, like oesmith@mail . eu . If the email message 8 from the mobile device 4 is any of these two email addresses, then the system 13 will assign the user 5 as the owner of the electronic document 10. Any messages 8 received from an unknown sender email account will be treated as spam and automatically deleted.
• a similar procedure is envisaged for other message-formats, like SMS, in which case the sender identification is adapted suitably by those skilled in the art. For example, checking the sender mobile number is possible for user authentication in case of using SMS messages 8.
• the user 5 can release this print-ready-converted electronic document 7 from the secure print queue on the print sever 3b from any accessible mobile device 4 in the network 15,16.
• the mobile device 4 that releases the print job 7 does not need to be the same device that sent the electronic document 10 to the mail server 11.
• the release message 20 is part of the email message 8.
• the user 5 may also release the print- ready-converted electronic document 7 along with any other print-ready-converted electronic documents 7 relating to him or her that may be already in the secure print queue on the print server 3b.
• FIG. 7 there is shown schematically another embodiment of the system 13 for printing with one network 15 and the processing means 3c, 9a, 12c.
• the processing means 3c, 9a, 12c is defined by a document conversion server 12c, one print server 3c and a file server 9a.
• the electronic document 10 is stored on the file server 9a and may be pulled by the print server 3c on the basis of a document link within the electronic-document-information 1 sent by the mobile device 4.
• the mobile device 4 is a voice recording and/or speech recognition device. These kinds of mobile devices 4 need no keyboard and have the capability to convert speech patterns of the user 5 into machine-readable information and parameters. According to Fig. 7 these recognized speech patterns are converted into electronic-document-information 1 and sent within the network 15. The electronic-document-information 1 is dictated into the mobile device 4.
• the user 5 needs to know the storage location of the electronic document 10 on a known file server 9a.
• the user 5 may dictate the following document link, e.g. "Server4 : ⁇ mydocs ⁇ patent . doc" , which may be used directly as machine-readable electronic-document-information 1 within the system 13.
• the print-related-information 2 and/or the electronic document 10 could be dictated by the user 5 into the mobile device 4, like an electronic
• Dictaphone with speech recognition or just a normal mobile telephone and be converted into machine-readable information.
• the release of the print-ready-converted electronic document 7 from the print server 3c may be also initiated by means of the voice and speech recognition of the mobile device 4.
• the speech patterns of the voice of the user 5 are analyzed and converted into machine-readable information and/or parameter settings.
• the speech recognition and/or voice-based user authentication may also be conducted on the document
• conversion server 12c the print server 3c, the file server 9a or on one of the network 15 components.
• the address of recipient of the message 8 relates to the electronic-document-information 1 and may defining the document link to the electronic document 10 on the file server 9a.
• the mail server 11 as part of the document conversion server 12c, is analyzing the address of the recipient, like "server- patent . doc@company . com" , and forwarding this electronic- document-information 1 to the document conversion server 12c. According to the received document link the document
• conversion server 12c is configured to download the relevant electronic document 10, in this example "patent.doc", from the relevant file server 9a, in this example "server4".
• the downloaded electronic document 10 is then converted into a print-ready-converted electronic document 7.
• the electronic-document-information 1 is sent via the network 15 to the designated file server 9a and contains the document link to the electronic document 10 stored on the file server 9a. After that, the electronic document 10 is pushed by the file server 9a to the document conversion server 12c and afterwards to the printer server 3c.
• the electronic-document-information 1 is sent to document conversion server 12c, which uses the electronic- document-information 1 for pulling the electronic document 10 from the file server 9a via the network 15.
• the print-related information 2 is stored on the document conversion server 12c. After the conversion 19 on the document conversion server 12c the print-ready-converted electronic document 7 is sent to the print server 3c and stored within the secure print queue.
• the user identification for releasing the print-ready-converted electronic document 7 from secure print queue on the print server 3c is initiated by the mobile device 4 as a hardware security token 4, such as a pager or a RSA authentication token of the EMC
• the mobile device 4 accesses the network 15 and generating a security number, which is compared with a second security number generated within the network 15. If both security numbers are identical the hardware security token 4 is accepted within the network 15 and the designated user 5 is allowed to access to retrieve his or her related
• Fig. 7 illustrates the authentication of the hardware security token 4 within the network 15 causes also the sending of the release message 20 for the print-ready-converted electronic document 7 of the related user 5.
• the print server 3c receives the release message 20 and sends the print-ready-converted electronic document 7 to the designated multifunctional device 6 for printing.
• Fig. 8 illustrates the retrieving of an electronic document 10 from a computer cloud network 15 initiated by the sending of the electronic-document-information 1 by means of the mobile device 4.
• the processing means 3d, 9b, 12d have the capability of storing and converting 19 of the electronic document 10 and defining a computer cloud network 15.
• the processing means 3d, 9b, 12d is defined by a print server 3d and a array of file servers 9b with a document conversion server 12d
• the user 5 may access a user-interface 14 of the multifunctional device 6 and may send the release message 20 and the print-related-information 2 to the computer cloud network 15 for conversion the electronic document 10 into the print-ready-converted electronic document 7.
• the computer cloud network 15 defined by the file servers 9b, the electronic document 10 is converted into the print-ready- converted electronic document 7.
• Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram showing another exemplary embodiment of the system 13 with two different communication networks 15,16.
• the communication and computer system networks 15,16 may be different, for example a first (telephone) network 15 and a second (radio communication) network 16, such as Bluetooth.
• the networks 15,16 are
• routers 17a, 17b or gateways are separated by routers 17a, 17b or gateways. Especially internet gateways are provided between the internet and an internal network, which control the security access and within the relevant network 15,16.
• the router 17a, 17b between two networks 15,16 also converts the different communication protocols used in each network 15,16.
• the electronic- document-information 1 is sent by means of a first mobile device 4 to a first router 17a.
• the first router 17a controls the identification of the user 5 within the first network 15.
• the electronic document 10 is stored on one of a number of connected file servers 9c defining the computer cloud network 15.
• the electronic document 10 is pushed or pulled from the first network 15 to the second network 16.
• a second router 17b is used for the re-authentication of the user 5 within the second network 16.
• the prmt-related-mformation 2 is combined with the release message 20 of a second mobile device 4.
• the electronic document 10 and the print-related-information 2 are converted by the document conversion server 12e
• the functionality on the print server 3e into the print-ready- converted electronic document 7 and the print-ready-converted electronic document 7 is stored within the secure print queue of the print server 3e.
• the user 5 may use the second mobile device 4 for sending the release message 20 to the print server 3e with the document conversion server 12e functionality.
• the second mobile device 4 is located within the second network 16 and accesses the second router 17b to transmit the release message 20 to the print server 3e. After that the print server 3e pushes the print-ready-converted electronic document 7 to the designated multifunctional device 6.
• a status message 21 indicates the status of the multifunctional device 6 and/or the printing of the released print-ready-converted electronic document 7 on the designated multifunctional device 6 may be sent to the print server 3e and/or file servers 9c.
• the print server 3e and/or file servers 9c may share the status message 21 with the second router 17b, whereas the second router 17b allowing the access the status message 21 by the first mobile device 4 from the first network 15 and the first router 17a and/or by the second mobile device 4. Therefore at least one of the mobile devices 4 may display the actual status of the printer 6 and/or printing status about the released print-ready- converted electronic document 7 on the designated
• a hardcopy is scanned on the designated multifunctional device 6, such scanning of the hardcopy may be initiated on the designated multifunctional device 6 by receiving scan-related-information 18 from the mobile device 4 or from the user-interface 14.
• the scan-related-information 18 is entered into the user- interface 14 of the multifunctional device 6 by the user 5.
• the scan-related-information 18 and the hardcopy scan 22 are forwarded to the the print server 3f.
• the hardcopy scan 22 is analyzed and/or converted 32 into an electronic document 10 on the print server 3f.
• Text based recognition methods such as optical character recognition (OCR)
• the electronic document 10 based on the hardcopy scan 22 is routed via the print server 3f to the computer cloud network 15 and stored within the computer cloud network 15 defined by file servers 9d with document conversion server 12f functionalities.
• the electronic-document-information 1 in this embodiment is a document link referring to the
• the electronic- document-information 1 may be used by the mobile device 4 to initiate and release printing of the previously scanned electronic document 10 stored within the computer cloud network 15.
• the electronic document information 1 can also be used by the mobile device 4 to release such an electronic document 1 to the multifunctional device 6.
• the print- related-information 2 is sent by the mobile device 4 or by the user-interface 14 to the computer cloud network 15.
• the electronic document 10 is retrieved from the file servers 9d within the computer cloud network 15 and converted into the print-ready-converted electronic document 7.
• the print- related-information 2 also designates one of the
• the print-ready-converted electronic document 7 is routed to the secure print queue on the print server 3f and released to the designated multifunctional device 6 based on the release message 20 of the mobile device 4. After that the print-ready-converted electronic document 7 is stored within the secure print queue and is pulled by the multifunctional device 6 for printing.
• an UML-sequence diagram illustes another preferred embodiment of the disclosed method for printing.
• the system 13 for printing in this embodiment contains a mobile device 4, a router 17a, a print server 3g, a file server 9e, a document conversion server 12g and a printer as a multifunctional device 6.
• the print server 3g functionality may also be conducted by a number of connected processing means 3g,9e,12g, including print servers 3g, and acting as a computer network 15 (not shown in Fig. 11), especially a computer cloud network 15.
• the mobile device 4 sends a request for authentication 23 to the designated router 17a.
• the router 17 makes a security check based on the request 23 and in case of a successful user identification an acknowledge 24 is sent in response to the mobile device 4.
• an acknowledge 24 is sent in response to the mobile device 4.
• the user 5 is also logged on the print server 3g within the networking environment, like an intranet, protected by the router 17a.
• the electronic-document-information 1 and the print-related- information 2 are sent by the mobile device 4 to the router 17, whereas the router 17 routes 27 the electronic-document- information 1 and the print-related-information 2 to the print server 3g.
• a message 8 (not shown in Fig. 11) containing the electronic-document-information 1 and the print-related-information 2 must be sent by the mobile device 4 and be converted into the communication protocol used within the network 15.
• the print server 3g Based on the electronic-document-information 1 the print server 3g sends a request 28 to the file server 9e to pull the electronic document 10 from the file server 9e.
• the file server 9e After the user authentication and the retrieving of the electronic document 10 within the file system of the file server 9e, the file server 9e sends 29 the electronic document 10 to the print server 3g.
• the print server 3g checks 30 all available information, like the electronic document 10 in relation with the print-related-information 2, and after that routes 31 the electronic document 10, for example a TIFF-file commonly used as a scanned file format, to the document conversion server 12g.
• the document conversion server 12g converts 32 the document format, for example from the TIFF- format to
• the print server 3g then converts 19 the format-converted document into a print-ready-converted electronic document 7 considers the print-related-information 2.
• a status message 21 is sent via the router 17 to the mobile device 4.
• the print server 3g requests 34 the printer status of the multifunctional device 6, perhaps even of other multifunctional devices 6 within the network 15.
• the print server 3g routes the status message 21 via the router 17a to the mobile device 4.
• One of the multifunctional devices 6 may be designated by means of the mobile device 4 and the printer selection 35 is routed via the router 17a to the print server 3g. Based on this information the print server 3g selects 35 the designated multifunctional device 6.
• the mobile device 4 generates the release message 20 by selecting the printing of the electronic document 10 and routing the release message 20 via the router 17 to the print server 3g.
• the printer server 3g processes the print- ready-converted electronic document 7 by combining 36 it with the relevant printer driver for the designated
• step 36 is not necessary if a universal printer driver is used within the network 15. After that the print-ready-converted electronic document 7 is pushed to the designated multifunctional device 6 for printing based on the release message 20. Additionally the device status of the designated multifunctional device 6 may be routed as a status message 21 via the print server 3g and via the router 17 to the mobile device 4.
• processing means be defined by a combination of print server
• 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d, 9e may conduct print server
• CPU central processing unit
• RAM random access memory

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