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US 7,839,532 B2Granted
Methods and apparatus for imaging documents
AssigneeIPRO Tech, Inc.
InventorsDennis E. Brawn, James M. King
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for imaging systems according to various aspects of the present invention provide a system for making physical copies of images and, substantially concurrently, generating electronic images. The imaging system suitably includes a scanner and a control system. The scanner makes copies of the documents or other images and substantially concurrently stores image data corresponding to images. The control system controls the scanning process and/or the handling of the generated images.
Claims70
A system for making images of multiple groups of documents by a user, comprising:
- a multi-function device configured to substantially concurrently:
- generate electronic images of the multiple groups of documents;
- and
- print copies of the multiple groups of documents;
- a control system connected to the multi-function device, wherein the control system is configured to store the electronic images and a set of binding information for the multiple groups of documents as a digital representation of the multiple groups of documents in a long-term memory concurrently with the generation of the electronic images wherein the set of binding information includes:
- a sequence location of a binding element for each group of documents;
- and
- a type of the binding element associated with each group of documents;
- and
- an interface linked to the multi-function device and the control system, wherein the interface is configured to allow the user during the generation of the electronic images for the multiple groups of documents to sequentially:
- enter a beginning sequence location and type of binding element for the binding element of a first group of documents prior to the generation of the electronic images for the first group of documents, wherein the type of binding element is selected along with a presented selection of document scanning options that correspond to a desired binding element, wherein the document scanning options comprise:
- a scan stapled document option to correlate a scanned document with a staple as the binding element;
- and
- a scan loose document option to correlate a scanned document with a second type of binding clement;
- enter an ending sequence location for the binding clement of the first group of documents after the electronic images for the first group of documents have been generated;
- enter a beginning sequence location and type of binding element for the binding element of a second group of documents prior to the generation of the electronic images for the second group of documents, wherein the type of binding element is selected from the presented selection of a document scanning options;
- and
- enter an ending sequence location for the binding element of the second group of documents after the electronic images for the second group of documents have been generated.
15 more elements
A method of making images of a collection of documents, comprising:
- generating electronic images of the collection of documents;
- entering organizational data and binding information for the collection of documents while the electronic images arc being generated, comprising:
- indicating a start to the collection of documents;
- entering a beginning sequence location and type of binding element for a first binding element prior to the generation of a first group of one or more electronic images from within the collection of documents, wherein the type of binding element is selected along with a presented selection of document scanning options that correspond to a desired binding element, wherein the document scanning options comprise:
- a scan stapled document option to correlate a scanned document with a staple as the binding element;
- and
- a scan loose document option to correlate a scanned document with a second type of binding element;
- entering an ending sequence location for the first binding clement after the generation of the first group of one or more electronic images;
- entering a beginning sequence location and type of binding element for a second binding element prior to the generation of a second group of one or more electronic images from within the collection of documents, wherein the type of binding element is selected from the presented selection of a document scanning options;
- entering all ending sequence location for the second binding element after the generation of the second group of one or more electronic images;
- and
- indicating an end to the collection of documents;
- wherein the organizational data relates the binding information for each group of one or more electronic images to a sequence location within the collection of documents;
- storing the binding information pertaining to the collection of documents in a long-term memory concurrently with the generation of the electronic images of the documents;
- storing the organizational data to the long term memory concurrently with the generation of the electronic images of the documents;
- storing the electronic images in the long-term memory;
- and
- making a physical copy of the documents substantially concurrently with the generation of the electronic images of the documents.
15 more elements
An imaging system, comprising:
- a scanner configured to generate a collection of electronic images for a set of documents having multiple groups of one or more documents within the set of documents;
- a control system connected to the scanner and configured to substantially concurrently store the collection of electronic images, binding information for the set of documents, and organizational data pertaining to the set of documents in a long-term memory, wherein the organizational data comprises relating the binding information for each group of documents within the set of documents to a sequence location within the set of documents;
- and
- an interface linked to the scanner and the control system, wherein the interface is con figured to allow the user during the generation of the collection of electronic images for the set of documents to sequentially:
- indicate a start to the set of documents;
- enter a beginning sequence location and type of binding element for a first binding element prior to the generation of the electronic images for a first group of one or more documents within the set. of documents, wherein the type of binding element is selected along with a presented selection of document scanning options that correspond to a desired binding element, wherein the document scanning options comprise:
- a scan stapled document option to correlate a scanned document with a staple as the binding element;
- and
- a scan loose document option to correlate a scanned document with a second type of binding element;
- enter an ending sequence location for the first binding element after the generation of the electronic images for the first group of one or more documents;
- enter a beginning sequence location and type of binding element for a second binding element prior to the generation of the electronic images for a second group of one or more documents within the set of documents, wherein the type of binding element is selected from the presented selection of a document scanning options;
- enter an ending sequence location for the second binding element after the generation of the electronic images for the second group of one or more documents;
- and
- indicate an end to the set of documents.
11 more elements
An imaging system for making images of multiple groups of documents by a user, comprising:
- a multi-function device configured to generate the images and substantially concurrently generate physical copies of the images;
- an interface linked to the multi-function device and configured to receive organizational information from the user regarding an organization of the multiple groups of documents, wherein the organizational information comprises:
- binding information;
- range information;
- and
- image description information;
- and
- a control system connected to the multi-function device and the interface, wherein during the generation of the images the control system is configured to:
- receive the organizational information from the interface, wherein:
- a beginning sequence location and type of binding element for a first binding element is received from the interface prior to the generation of a first group of electronic images, wherein the type of binding element is selected along with a presented selection of document scanning options that correspond to a desired binding element, wherein the document scanning options comprise:
- a scan stapled document option to correlate a scanned document with a staple as the binding element;
- and
- a scan loose document option to correlate a scanned document with a second type of binding element;
- an ending sequence location for the first binding element is received from the interface after the generation of the first group of electronic images;
- a beginning sequence location and type of binding element for a second binding element is received from the interface prior to the generation of a second group of electronic images and prior to the completion of the generation of the first group of electronic images, wherein the type of binding element is selected from the presented selection of a document scanning options;
- and
- an ending sequence location for the second binding element is received from the interface after the generation of the second group of electronic images and prior to the completion of the generation of the first group of electronic images;
- generate organizational data based on the organizational information;
- associate the organizational data with the images concurrently with the generation of the images;
- and
- store the organizational data and the images in a long-term memory.
18 more elements
A computer system configured to:
- control a scanner to generate image data corresponding to a set of images;
- control a printing device to make a physical copy of the images substantially concurrently with generating the image data;
- receive organizational information relating to the set of images during generation of the image data, wherein the organizational information comprises:
- binding information comprising:
- a beginning sequence location and type of binding element for a first binding element received prior to the generation of the image data corresponding to a first group of one or more documents within the set of images, wherein the type of binding element is selected along with a presented selection of document scanning options that correspond to a desired binding element, wherein the document scanning options comprise:
- a scan stapled document option to correlate a scanned document with a staple as the binding element;
- and
- a scan loose document option to correlate a scanned document with a second type of binding element;
- an ending sequence location for the first binding element received after the generation of the image data corresponding to the first group of one or more documents;
- a beginning sequence location and type of binding element for a second binding element received prior to the generation of the image data corresponding to a second group of one or more documents within the set of images, wherein the type of binding element is selected from the presented selection of a document scanning options;
- and
- an ending sequence location for the second binding element received after the generation of the image data corresponding to the second group of one or more documents;
- range information;
- and
- image description information;
- generate organizational data associated with the set of images according to the organizational information substantially concurrently with the generation of the image data;
- and
- store the organizational data in a long-term memory with the image data corresponding to the set of images.
15 more elements
A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions to be executed on a computer having a long-term memory, wherein the instructions are configured to cause the computer to:
- control a multi-function device to generate image data corresponding to a set of images;
- control the multi-function device to make a physical copy of the set of images substantially concurrently with generating the image data;
- receive organizational information relating to the set of images during generation of the image data, wherein the organizational information comprises:
- binding information comprising:
- a beginning sequence location and type of binding element for a first binding element received prior to the generation of the image data corresponding to a first group of one or more documents within the set of images, wherein the type of binding element is selected along with a presented selection of document scanning options that correspond to a desired binding element, wherein the document scanning options comprise:
- a scan stapled document option to correlate a scanned document with a staple as the binding element;
- and
- a scan loose document option to correlate a scanned document with a second type of binding element;
- an ending sequence location for the first binding element received after the generation of the image data corresponding to the first group of one or more documents;
- a beginning sequence location and type of binding element for a second binding element received prior to the generation of the image data corresponding to a second group of one or more documents within the set of images, wherein the type of binding element is selected from the presented selection of a document scanning options;
- and
- an ending sequence location for the second binding element received after the generation of the image data corresponding to the second group of one or more documents;
- range information;
- and
- description information;
- generate organizational data associated with the set of images according to the organizational information concurrently with the generation of the image data;
- and
- store the image data and organizational information in the long-term memory.
15 more elements
A method for making images of a plurality of documents by a user, comprising:
- generating image data corresponding to the plurality of documents;
- storing the image data in a long-term memory;
- generating organizational data relating to the documents concurrently with the generation of the image data, wherein the organizational data comprises:
- document binding information, comprising:
- a beginning sequence location and type of binding element for a first binding element corresponding to a first group of one or more documents from among the plurality of documents entered into a user interface by the user prior to the generation of the image data for the first group of one or more documents, wherein the type of binding element is selected along with a presented selection of document scanning options that correspond to a desired binding element, wherein the document scanning options comprise:
- a scan stapled document option to correlate a scanned document with a staple as the binding element;
- and
- a scan loose document option to correlate a scanned document with a second type of binding clement;
- an ending sequence location for the first binding clement entered into the user interface by the user after the generation of the image data for the first group of one or more documents;
- a beginning sequence location and type of binding element for a second binding element corresponding to a second group of one or more documents from among the plurality of documents entered into the user interface by the user prior to the generation of the image data for the second group of one or more documents, wherein the type of binding element is selected from the presented selection of a document scanning options;
- an ending sequence location for the second binding element entered into the user interface by the user after the generation of the image data for the second group of one or more documents;
- document range information;
- and
- document description information;
- associating the organizational data with the image data;
- and
- storing the associated organizational data in the long-term memory.
14 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.