System and method for managing documents with multiple applications

Abstract

A method and system for managing documents, where the system includes a document manager server connected to image processing devices and to applications via a network. The document manager server receives an identification from the image processing devices; looks up a profile and transmits the profile to the image processing devices. The profile includes information about the applications connected to the document manager server. The document manager server can receive a job information, e.g., a document, from the image processing devices; process the job information and transmit the processed information to the applications connected to the document manager server. The applications can include for example an e-mail server, a fax server, a file format conversion system, an optical character recognition system, a document management system and a file storage system.

1 . A method for managing documents, comprising the steps of: 
 receiving an identification information at a document manager server from an image processing device;    looking up a profile based on said identification information at said document manager server, wherein said profile includes information about an application connected to said document manager server via a network; and    transmitting said profile from said document manager server to said image processing device.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said identification information comprises a serial number of said image processing device.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said identification information comprises a group identification for said image processing device.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said steps of receiving and looking up said profile is repeated for a plurality of image processing devices.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein a same profile is transmitted from said document manager server to said plurality of image processing devices.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of: 
 inquiring at said document manager server whether said image processing device is registered.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising the step of: 
 registering said image processing device with said document manager server.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: 
 receiving a job information at said document manager server from said image processing device;    processing said job information at said document manager server; and    transmitting a processed information from said document manager server to said application connected to said document manager server.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said job information is login information related to a user of said image processing device.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said job information is a request for a destination information, and wherein said application connected to said document manager server is a directory server.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said destination information comprises an e-mail address.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said destination information comprises a fax number.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the steps of: 
 receiving said destination information at said document manager server from said directory server;    transmitting said destination information from said document manager server to said image processing device;    receiving at said document manager server from said image processing device a document and a request for routing said document; and    routing said document from said document manager server in accordance with said request for routing.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said destination information comprises an e-mail address, and 
 said step of routing said document comprises transmitting said document to an e-mail server with a request for e-mailing said document to said e-mail address.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein: 
 said destination information comprises a fax number, and    said step of routing said document comprises transmitting said document to a fax server with a request for faxing said document to said fax number.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said job information is a document, and said application connected to said document manager server is an e-mail server.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said job information is a document, and said application connected to said document manager server is fax server.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said job information is a document, and said application connected to said document manager server is a file format conversion system.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said job information is a document, and said application connected to said document manager server is an optical character recognition system.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said job information is a document, and said application connected to said document manager server is a document management system.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said job information is a document, and said application connected to said document manager server is a file storage system.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said job information is a document, and said step of transmitting said processed information is repeated for a plurality of applications connected to said document manager server.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said applications are grouped into a delivery system group, a middle processing group, and a backend system group.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein: 
 said delivery system group comprises an e-mail server and a fax server;    said middle processing group comprises a file format conversion system and an optical character recognition system, and    said backend system group comprises a document management system and a file storage system.    
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein said step of transmitting said processed information is performed for at least one application from said delivery system group, and for only one application from said backend system group.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said step of transmitting said processed information is performed for only one application from said middle processing group.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said steps of receiving and transmitting are performed by transmitting data using an HTTP protocol and an XML format.  
   
   
       28 . A system for managing documents, comprising: 
 a document manager server configured to receive identification information from an image processing device;    the document manager server configured to look up a profile based on said identification information, wherein said profile includes information about an application connected to said document manager server via a network; and    the document manager server configured to transmit said profile to said image processing device.    
   
   
       29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein said identification information comprises a serial number of said image processing device.  
   
   
       30 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein said identification information comprises a group identification for said image processing device.  
   
   
       31 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein said document manager server is configured to receive and look up said profile for a plurality of image processing devices.  
   
   
       32 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein said document manager server is configured to transmit a same profile to said plurality of image processing devices.  
   
   
       33 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein said document manager server is configured to inquire whether said image processing device is registered.  
   
   
       34 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein said image processing device is configured to register with said document manager server.  
   
   
       35 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein said document manager server is configured to receive a job information from said image processing device, process said job information, and transmit and process information to said application connected to said document manager server.  
   
   
       36 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein said job information is login information related to a user of said image processing device.  
   
   
       37 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein said job information is a request for a destination information, and wherein said application connected to said document manager server is a directory server.  
   
   
       38 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein said destination information comprises an e-mail address.  
   
   
       39 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein said destination information comprises a fax number.  
   
   
       40 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein the document manager server is further configured to receive said destination information from said directory server, transmit said destination information to said image processing device, receive from said image processing device a document and a request for routing said document, and route said document from said document manager server in accordance with said request for routing.  
   
   
       41 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein said destination information comprises an e-mail address, and 
 the document manager server is configured to transmit said document to an e-mail server with a request for e-mailing said document to said e-mail address.    
   
   
       42 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein: 
 said destination information comprises a fax number, and    the document manager server is configured to transmit said document to a fax server with a request for faxing said document to said fax number.    
   
   
       43 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein said job information is a document, and said application connected to said document manager server is an e-mail server.  
   
   
       44 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein said job information is a document, and said application connected to said document manager server is fax server.  
   
   
       45 . The system of  claim 35  wherein said job information is a document, and said application connected to said document manager server is a file format conversion system.  
   
   
       46 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein said job information is a document, and said application connected to said document manager server is an optical character recognition system.  
   
   
       47 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein said job information is a document, and said application connected to said document manager server is a document management system.  
   
   
       48 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein said job information is a document, and said application connected to said document manager server is a file storage system.  
   
   
       49 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein said job information is a document, and said document manager server is configured to transmit said processed information to a plurality of applications connected to said document manager server.  
   
   
       50 . The system of  claim 48 , wherein said applications are grouped into a delivery system group, a middle processing group, and a backend system group.  
   
   
       51 . The system of  claim 49 , wherein: 
 said delivery system group comprises an e-mail server and a fax server;    said middle processing group comprises a file format conversion system and an optical character recognition system, and    said backend system group comprises a document management system and a file storage system.    
   
   
       52 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein said document manager server is configured to receive and transmit data using an HTTP protocol and an XML format.