System and Method for Routing Electronic Documents for Processing Via Transient E-Mail Addressing

Abstract

The subject application is directed to routing electronic documents for processing using a transient email address. A document processing gateway automatically generates a transient email address in response to a non-electronic mail request to do so. A mail server routes a document processing request directed to the transient email address to a document processing device. Upon completion of the routing process or other similar event, the transient email address is deleted.

1 . A system for routing electronic documents for processing using a transient email address comprising:
 a document processing gateway to automatically generate a transient email address in response to a non-electronic mail request to generate the transient email address and, upon occurrence of an predetermined event, to delete the transient email address; and   a mail server in data communication with the document processing gateway, the mail server to route a document processing request directed to the transient email address to a document processing device.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the predetermined event is selected from the group consisting of an expiration of a predetermined time period and commencement of a selected number of document processing operations. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a data storage device from which an electronic document specified in the document processing request is retrieved for routing to the document processing device. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  further including a data device, selected from the group consisting of a portable data device and a personal computer, connected by a communication link to the document processing gateway, for providing the transient email address to the user. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a document processing device to receive the document processing request from the mail server, the document processing device including a user interface for accepting input of a release command from a user, the document processing device fulfilling the document processing request in response to the release command. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , the document processing device comprising at least one of a printer, a facsimile device, and a data storage device. 
     
     
         7 . A method for routing electronic documents for processing using a transient email address comprising:
 generating a transient email address in response to a non-electronic mail request to generate the transient email address;   routing a document processing request directed to the transient email address to a document processing device; and   deleting the transient address upon occurrence of a predetermined event.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the predetermined event is selected from the group consisting of an expiration of a predetermined time period and commencement of a selected number of document processing operations. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising retrieving an electronic document specified in the document processing request from a data storage device for routing to the document processing device. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising communicating the transient email address to the user using a communication link. 
     
     
         11 . The method for routing electronic documents for processing using a transient email address of  claim 7  further comprising:
 accepting input of a release command from a user associated with the at least one electronic document via a user interface associated with the document processing device; and 
 fulfilling the document processing request in response to the release command. 
 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the associated document processing device is at least one of a printer, a facsimile device, and a data storage device. 
     
     
         13 . Machine readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed, cause a computing device to perform actions comprising:
 generating a transient email address in response to a non-electronic mail request to generate the transient email address;   routing a document processing request directed to the transient email address to a document processing device; and   deleting the transient address upon occurrence of a predetermined event.   
     
     
         14 . The machine readable storage of  claim 13  wherein the predetermined event is selected from the group consisting of an expiration of a predetermined time period and commencement of a selected number of document processing operations. 
     
     
         15 . The machine readable storage of  claim 13  wherein the instructions will further cause the computing device to perform actions comprising retrieving the electronic document from a data storage device for routing to the document processing device. 
     
     
         16 . The machine readable storage of  claim 13  wherein the instructions will further cause the computing device to perform actions comprising communicating the transient email address to the user using a communication link. 
     
     
         17 . The machine readable storage of  claim 13  wherein the instructions with further cause the computing device to perform actions comprising:
 accepting input of a release command from a user associated with the at least one electronic document via a user interface associated with the document processing device; and 
 fulfilling the document processing request in response to the release command. 
 
     
     
         18 . The machine readable storage of  claim 13  wherein the associated document processing device is at least one of a printer, a facsimile device, and a data storage.