Computer-implemented image acquisition system

For a computer-implemented scanning system having a scanner coupled to a computer, a user interface comprising:

• a graphical window including a context space and a menu and toolbar area, the context space being separate from the menu and tool bar area;
• a preview scan space within the context space, the preview scan space being initially empty prior to a time when the scanner scans an image, the user interface progressively displaying the image within the preview scan space to visually convey that the scanner is scanning the image;
• and
• a persistently-visible, context-specific menu positioned adjacent the preview scan space within the context space.

A browser embodied on a computer-readable medium incorporating a user interface for a computer-implemented scanning system having a scanner coupled to a computer, the user interface comprising:

• a graphical window including a context space and a menu and toolbar area, the context space being separate from the menu and tool bar area;
• a preview scan space within the context space, the preview scan space being initially empty prior to a time when the scanner scans an image, the user interface progressively displaying the image within the preview scan space to visually cove that the scanner is scanning the image;
• and
• a persistently-visible, context-specific menu positioned adjacent the preview scan space within the context space.

For a computer-implemented scanning system having a scanner coupled to a computer, a computer-implemented method for executing a scanning software application in a graphical user interface windowing environment, comprising:

• displaying a graphical window including a user interface with a menu and toolbar area and a context space separate from the menu and tool bar area;
• presenting a preview scan space within the context space, the preview scan space being initially empty;
• showing a persistently-visible menu adjacent the preview scan space and within the context space;
• and
• progressively displaying an image within the preview scan space to visually convey that the scanner is scanning the image.

A preview scan user interface embodied on a computer-readable medium and executable on a computer comprising:

• a graphical window including a context space, a menu area and toolbar area, the context space being separate from the menu and tool bar areas;
• a preview scan space within the context space, the preview scan space being initially empty prior to a time when the scanner scans an image, the user interface progressively displaying the image within the preview scan space to visually convey that the scanner is scanning the image;
• the menu area including a persistently-visible, context-specific menu positioned adjacent the preview scan space within the context space and the menu and toolbar areas;
• and
• a file space of a selectable context, the file space being separate from the menu and toolbar areas and exhibiting one or more files and/or folders pertaining to the context, the context-specific menu listing options that are particular to the context of the file space so that upon selection of a first context, the file space is populated with one or more files and/or folders pertaining to the first context and the persistently-visible context-specific menu lists options pertaining to doe first context and upon selection of a second context, the file space is populated with one or more files and/or folders pertaining to the second context and the persistently-visible context-specific menu list options pertaining to the second context.