COPIER DEVICE CAPABLE OF ELECTRONICALLY STORING AND RECALLING COPIED DOCUMENTS
A method is described for electronically storing images of previously copied documents and recalling them for reprinting later. When a user uses a copier to make a physical copy of a physical document, the document image is stored by the copier, and certain document management information is captured and stored in a document management database to facilitate later recall and reprint of the document images. A document management section, which resides either on the copier or on a server connected to the copier by a network, performs document management functions that allow a user to select a previously copied and stored document for reprinting.
1 . A method implemented in a data processing system including a copier, comprising:
(a) making a physical copy of a physical document using the copier by scanning the physical document to generate digital image data representing the document and printing the physical copy from the digital image data;
(b) storing the digital image data representing the document in a storage device;
(c) generating document management information associated with the digital image data representing the document; and
(d) storing the document management information in a document management database.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the document management information includes one or more of a title, a short description, a date of the document, a date and time the copy was made, and a reference code.
3 . The method of claim 1 , further including:
prior to step (a), obtaining a user ID of a user operating the copier;
wherein the document management information includes the user ID.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein step (c) includes capturing textual content from the digital image data using optical character recognition.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein step (c) includes receiving document management information manually inputted by a user.
6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
(e) displaying document management information to a user;
(f) receiving a user input selecting one or more documents;
(g) in response to the user input, retrieving stored digital image data representing the selected document; and
(h) printing the retrieved digital image data.
7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein step (h) includes generating composite images from the retrieved digital image data and printing the composite image data.
8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein step (e) includes categorizing the documents represented by the digital image data stored in the storage device based on the document management information and displaying the document management information according to the categorization.
9 . The method of claim 6 , wherein step (e) includes receiving search criteria from the user, retrieving document management information according to the search criteria, and displaying the retrieved document management information to the user.
10 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
receiving an instruction from the user of the copier indicating a copy function or a recall function;
wherein steps (a)-(d) are performed when the instruction indicates a copy function, and
wherein steps (e)-(h) are performed when the instruction indicates a recall function.
11 . A copier comprising:
a scanning section for generating digital image data representing documents by scanning a physical medium;
a printing section for forming images on a physical medium from digital image data;
a storage device;
a user interface section for communicating with a user; and
a management section for storing in the storage device digital image data representing documents generated by the scanning section during a copy function, generating document management information associated with documents represented by the digital image data, storing the document management information in a document management database, displaying stored document management information to a user using the user interface, receiving a user input indicating one or more selected documents, and retrieving from the storage device stored digital image data representing the selected documents.
12 . The copier of claim 11 , wherein the management section captures textual content from the digital image data using optical character recognition for use as document management information.
13 . The copier of claim 11 , further comprising an image processing section for generating composite images from the retrieved digital image data.
14 . A data processing system comprising:
a copier connected to a network including a scanning section for generating digital image data representing a document by scanning a physical medium, a printing section for forming images on a physical medium from digital image data, a user interface section for communicating with a user, and a control section for determining whether a copy function or a recall function is to be performed;
a storage device connected to the network; and
a server connected to the network, the server including a management section,
wherein the control section of the copier transmits a first request to the server if it determines that a copy function is to be performed and transmits a second request to the server if it determines that a recall function is to be performed,
wherein in response to the first request, the management section of the server stores in the storage device digital image data representing documents generated by the scanning section during the copy function, generates document management information associated with documents represented by the digital image data, and stores the document management information in a document management database, and
wherein in response to the second request, the management section of the server transmits stored document management information to the copier to be displayed to a user, and retrieves stored digital image data from the storage device based on a user selection of one or more documents.
15 . The data processing system of claim 14 , wherein the management section of the server captures textual content from the digital image data using optical character recognition for use as document management information.
16 . The data processing system of claim 14 , wherein the copier further comprises an image processing section for generating composite images from the retrieved digital image data.