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Description  |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for improving
communication between devices or stations on a network. More specifically,
the invention relates to a network having recipient defined communication
channel profiles and the capability of network access of the profiles.
As networks and systems become more integrated and more complex, the amount
and speed of information flow between users creates a need for more
versatile and more efficient control over the information flow process.
Current systems do not enable receivers of information to define how they
prefer their information received. Typically a sender controls the form
information should take, forcing the receiver to accept information in the
form defined by the sender.
Protocols defining integrated system behavior for devices such as printers,
scanners, workstations and facsimiles, are well known. These protocols
define how the systems should integrate across networks. Operational
transparency across networks and device platforms, provide users with an
increasingly integrated and transparent system environment. In this
environment the manipulation of information (such as documents) is
transparent to users as a result of the various network protocols that
define the manner in which devices manipulate information. For example,
"Office Systems Technology" Xerox Corporation, Palo Alto, Calif., 1984,
OSD-R8203, is an overview of the Xerox Corporation "8000" series products,
which include workstations, services, ethernet and software development.
The "8000" series products are integrated using Ethernet and the Xerox
Network Systems Communication Protocols which include: Internet Transport
Protocols: Xerox System Integration Standard, Xerox Corp., Stamford,
Conn., December 1981, XSIS-028112; Courier: The Remote Procedure Call
Protocol, Xerox System Integration Standard, Xerox Corp., Stamford, Conn.,
December 1981, XSIS-038112; Clearinghouse Protocol, Xerox Corp., Stamford,
Conn., April 1984, XSIS-078404; Authentication Protocol, Xerox Corp.,
Stamford, Conn., April 1984, XSIS-098404; Filing Protocol, Xerox Corp.,
Stamford, Conn., May 1986, XNSS-108605. Another example of an integrated
system is the ISDN telephone network that provides services such as fax
mail boxes and voice mail boxes.
The following Xerox Corporation U.S. patents include examples of systems
indicating a network, server and printer usually having shared remote user
terminals: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,153,577; 5,113,517; 5,107,443; 5,072,412;
5,065,347; 5,008,853; 4,947,345; 4,939,507; 4,937,036; 4,899,136;
4,531,239; 3,958,088; 3,920,895, also, Fuji Xerox Co. U.S. Pat. No.
5,113,355. By way of background for system user interfaces, U.S. Pat. Nos.
5,072,412 and 5,107,443 disclose workspaces having an object-based user
interface that appear to share windows and other display objects. A
display system object can be linked to several workspaces giving
workspaces the appearance of shared windows. These workspaces can be
navigated through using metaphors such as moving from one room to another
through doors. Additionally, these workspaces can be shared by groups of
users over a network. Also of interest are U.S. Pat. No. 5,008,853
disclosing shared structured data by multiple users across a network, and
U.S. Pat. No. 5,065,347 disclosing a method of presenting information
hierarchically using a folder metaphor. Also noted is a print server
disclosure by IBM Corp. U.S. Pat. No. 4,651,278 issued Mar. 17, 1987 to A.
Herzog, et al. Also, noted for examples of printer controls are Xerox
Corporation U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,048, and the October 1990 publication "The
Xerox DocuTech.RTM. Production Publisher" from BIS CAP International,
Newtonville, Mass., by Charles LeComte. Noted also are Xerox Corporation
U.S. Pat. No. 5,170,340, and allowed U.S. Ser. No. 07/591,324, on
networking thereof. Additionally, "Acrobat" products by "Adobe" will
provide transparent document sharing. "Acrobat" can be viewed using a
portable document format, through a "PostScript" file format that
describes pages and their interrelation within a document.
Also noted are commercial network systems with printers is the 1992 Xerox
Corporation "Network Publisher" version of the "DocuTech.RTM." publishing
system, including the "Network Server" to customer's Novell.RTM. 3.11
networks, supporting various different network protocols, such as
"Ethernet.TM." and TCP/IP. Additionally noted is the Eastman Kodak
"LionHeart.TM." system. A network publication noted is "Mastering
Novell.RTM. Netware.RTM.", 1990, SYBEX, Inc., Alameda, Calif., by Cheryl
E. Currid and Craig A. Gillett. Further noted are page description
languages (PDL) for printers and systems as defined in "Interpress.TM.:
The Source Book", Simon & Schuster, Inc., New York, New York, 1988, by
Harrington, S. J. and Buckley, R. R.; and Adobe Systems Incorporated
"PostScript.RTM. Language Reference Manual", Addison-Wesley Co., 1990.
Also noted is the Apple Corp. "Quickdraw.TM." software and its published
materials.
Printers (and printer controllers or servers) are also sometimes referred
to as "shared resources" in a networked environment. The server typically
functions as a "spooler" to buffer the jobs that are sent to it, as well
as a page description language (PDL) "decomposer", for converting the PDL
files (e.g., "Interpress.TM." or "PostScript".RTM.) to bitmapped files for
application to the printer. Also of interest is Pennant Systems Co., Print
Services Facility/2 (PFS/2), server-based software intended to act as a
universal translator between various network protocols (LAN, TCP/IP and
SNA) and printer document protocols (PCL and Postscript).
Another example of an established commercial integral system, with a shared
printer and system server, comprises the Xerox Corporation "VP Local Laser
Printing" software application package, which, together with the Xerox
"4045" (or other) Laser Copier/Printer (CP), the "6085" "Professional
Computer System" using Xerox Corporation "ViewPoint" or "GlobalView.RTM."
software and a "local printer ›print service! Option" kit, comprises the
"Documenter" system. The laser printer prints text and graphics with high
quality resolution on a variety of paper sizes and special papers,
including transparencies, labels, and envelopes. ›When equipped with the
optional copier feature, the "4045" CP also alternatively provides quick
copies, functioning as a copier.! Printing occurs as a background process,
enabling system users to continue with other desktop activities at their
terminals. VP Local Laser Printing software can be loaded at a networked,
remote, or standalone Xerox "6085" Professional Computer System
(workstation).
Different workstations can access print services in different ways. To
print a document, desirably the user can simply "copy" or "move" the
document, with a mouse click or other command, to a printer icon on the
workstation desktop, and set the displayed printing options, as on Xerox
Corporation workstations. From other workstations such as the IBM PC's,
the user may need to select menu items or type in commands to obtain
access. The workstation selectable print options can include the number of
copies, selected pages to be printed, paper size, image orientation, a
choice of printers, and phone numbers when sending to a facsimile device.
In addition, the option sheet allows the user to specify whether to delete
the "Interpress.TM." or other master, or retain it at the workstation
desktop. Already print-formatted or master documents may be transmitted to
the printer directly, eliminating the need to repeat the conversion or
decomposition process if another copy of the document is desired. If
saved, an "Interpress.TM." master can be stored at the file service or
even mailed to one or more individuals via an electronic mail service.
Utilizing an internetwork routing service, users can transmit
"Interpress.TM." or other printing masters through a network and then
across an internet, typically, via telephone lines, twisted pair wires,
coaxial cables, microwaves, infrared, and/or other data links, allowing
documents created in one location to be automatically routed to a print
service and printer hundreds or even thousands of miles away, in seconds
or minutes.
The recently announced Xerox Corporation developed "PaperWorks".TM. product
utilizes a special encoded fine pattern of special marks ("glyphs"),
electronically recognized as such using PC computer software by the
facsimile electronic image receiver. It was initially configured to
operate on a conventional personal computer having a conventional internal
fax card and a modem, electronic mail system or other network connection
to telecommunications, and running "Windows".TM. software. A
"PaperWorks".TM. fax form carries a coded identification region which,
upon scanning, may be decoded by an appropriate processing system. This
coded identification allows the system to determine which of several
different pre-stored forms the received form is, and what its page layout
is. From this, the system can also extract the necessary user-entered
information from the form to facilitate processing. An important feature
of the "PaperWorks".TM. system is the use of data defining a control sheet
image to provide information in accordance with which operations are
performed on data defining a sequence of images ›data defining images, not
actual physical sheets of a medium!. For example, the control sheet image
can include information indicating a destination to which the fax server
then transmits data defining said sequence of images.
The "User Handbook, Version 3.01" .COPYRGT.1988, for the Xerox "FaxMaster
21" product, indicates that it can automatically load hours of multi-page,
multi-destination, facsimile transmission documents, and send them all
with a few simple keystrokes, and can retrieve document from multiple
locations, print them at the hub, store them on disk for later printout,
or forward them to other facsimile terminals ›automated store and
forward!. It provides electronic mail capability by storing documents for
retrieval by remote network users. It provides confidential ›electronic!
mailboxes, enabling secure document reception for only authorized
personnel. It utilizes a personal computer with software, and can use
remote touch-tone telephone access to the hub unit. Of particular
interest, especially re voice telephone notification to recipients of fax
messages, is U.S. Pat. No. 4,654,718 to T. Sueyoshi, assigned to Fuji
Photo Film Co.. It refers to facsimile correspondence containing codes for
telephone numbers and sensors in the receiving equipment for reading these
telephone codes. An "Octel System 200" voice mail system is called
"outcall notification" and may be as follows: when one receives a message
on his voice mail system that telephone system dials your pager number to
alert you that you have a message. One's voice mail box number and pager
number are both dedicated. Also, of course, manually, for many years, a
Western Union operator would call a person to let them know that their
telegram came in.
The aforementioned systems, however, do not enable the sender of
information on a network to identify the receiver's preferable form of
receipt and respond accordingly. Nor do the aforementioned systems provide
the receiver of information the capability of designating preferred forms
of information receipt that can be automatically carried out by senders on
the network. Given that hardware platforms and different software
representations of identical information exist, more and more users
require a system that establishes the preferred form with which their
information should be received.
Accordingly it would be desirable to provide a system network wherein
recipients of data on the network control the information flow and,
particularly providing a network repository for receipt of information
including control over the format, communication channel, and disposition
of information sent.
It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a new and
improved method of data flow over a network. It is another object of the
present invention to define the preferred form of receiving information
such as physical properties (printed) or intermediate properties
(electronic mail, digitally stored voice mail or facsimile mail) or
services and devices such as printers, facsimiles, telephones and video
terminals in a network repository. Still another object of the present
invention is to be able to selectively group senders for preferred
channels or preferred receipt status for data over a network. It is
another object of the present invention to be able to select a set of
communication channel profiles that identify a set of network users and to
be able to define a distribution list with the set of communication
channel profiles. Other advantages of the present invention will become
apparent as the following description proceeds, and the features
characterizing the invention will be pointed out with particularity in the
claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a method for a sender to automatically distribute
information to a receiver on a network using devices (such as printers and
facsimile machines) and communication channels (such as electronic mail)
defined in a receiver profile. The receiver profile establishes the
properties and mode for receipt of information for receivers on the
network and the profile is published in a network repository for all
network users or is accessible by selected groups or individuals on the
network. Receivers have additional control over network senders by
defining an information filter which further controls sender channel
access (to a receiver) by defining some channels as having priority of
access such as direct or delayed access, as well as selectively permitting
senders to override the receiver profile. Consequently, receiver profiles
provide a variable receiver definable link to senders using multiple forms
of media as well as multiple hardware platforms and network configurations
.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For a better understanding of the present invention, reference may be had
to the accompanying drawings wherein the same reference numerals have been
applied to like parts and wherein:
FIG. 1 is an illustration of a system environment incorporating the present
invention;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the multi-device user interface used on the
display screens shown in FIG. 1, and which embody communication channels
of the present invention.
FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of the system architecture used in the system
environment of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 shows a simulated screen image of a communication channel being
published;
FIG. 5 shows a simulated screen image of a property of a communication
channel being modified;
FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the general steps involved with publishing a
communication channel;
FIG. 7 shows a simulated screen image of receiver setable communication
channel profile's;
FIG. 8 shows a simulated screen image of the access properties of a
communication channel;
FIG. 9 shows a simulated screen image of information being sent using a
communication channel;
FIG. 10 shows a simulated screen image of the status of the information
being sent in FIG. 9;
FIG. 11 shows a simulated screen image of a communication channel of a
receiver being optimized by a sender.
While the present invention will hereinafter be described in connection
with a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that it is not
intended to limit the invention to that embodiment. On the contrary, it is
intended to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents, as may
be included within the spirit and scope of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT
In the description herein the term "hard copy" refers to a sheet of paper
or other such conventional individual physical image substrate, and not to
electronic images. The term "document" refers to either a single page or
multiple pages that can be represented either as hard copy or in some
intermediate electronically stored format for later rendering to a human
understandable form such as hard copy or video display. A "job" refer to
one or more documents or sets of documents being sent to or received by a
particular addressee or designee. Additionally, the term "multimedia" is
defined herein as documents that relay information using audio and/or
video, where video includes documents in the form of text, graphics and/or
images.
"Multimedia" can also encompass any information such as "electronic mail",
"facsimile", "voice-mail" or any other media transferable through network
having interconnected printers, scanners, facsimile devices or file
servers. Multimedia can be encoded in a plurality of formats (i.e.,
glyphs, page description languages, ASCII, bar code, etc.) in order to
optimize the quantity of data required for storage and transmission
efficiency as well as the speed with which the media is rendered to users
(e.g., electronic images displayed or printed). Plural mode or
"multi-function" systems or "devices" combine printing, scanning, editing,
facsimile and message receiver printing capability, where one such
capability is defined as a "service". The term "printer" encompasses hard
copy output from various input sources, including facsimile, scanners,
keyboard entry, and electronic document images input.
The term "electronic mail" (email) also has various broad meanings, and can
include multimedia transmission by either external telephone lines, and/or
shared internal networks using optical fiber, twisted wire pairs, coaxial
cable, wireless transmissions, or other networking media, or combinations
thereof, of documents for electronic remote terminal displays and/or
printer hardcopy printouts, to any of the numerous addresses designated by
the sender.
A. System Architecture
Referring now to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 1, an exemplary
multimedia device information system or network 2 including work station 4
enables users to communicate in a transparent and device independent
manner. Multimedia system 2 can be implemented using a variety of hardware
platforms and includes devices for input including scanner or Digital
Copier 5, keyboard 6, pointing device or mouse 7, microphone 8, and video
camera 9. The system further has devices for output including display
terminal 10, printer 11, and speakers 12. Input/output (I/O) devices
include facsimile 13, file server 14, and telephone 15. Server 14 is
configured central to or remote from work station 4 with public, shared
and/or private data storage that is differentiated by user access rights.
The server 14 includes relational database system 17, network
administration system 18, mail system 19 (e.g. email, voice mail) and data
storage and retrieval system 20, and can be physically configured using
optical drives, hard drives, floppy drives and/or tape drives. The
relational database system 17 provides systems with fast query and
retrieval of data.
Workstation 4 operates in a collaborative environment, where users at
different workstations 4 can work together in real time to process and
distribute public, shared or private information existing in different
forms. (Public data is defined herein as data accessible by anyone, shared
data is defined as data accessible by a limited number of users and
private data is data uniquely accessible by a single user.) Work station 4
can exist in a distributed or centralized environment. In either
environment workstation 4 is connected to other systems and devices
through local area network (LAN) 24, gateway 25, and/or modem 26. In
distributed systems, a number of Work stations extend distributed
processing and storage capabilities to each other, by providing for
example redundant storage or a single mounting of a unique application.
Workstation 4 includes an object oriented user interface (UI) 40 that uses
icons and windows to represent various data objects and user applications
such as a display illustrating an office desktop metaphor employing
various abstractions of a typical office environment. User interfaces
using windows and icons having an object oriented methodology to present
metaphors for maintaining data, navigating through various user spaces and
presenting abstract computer concepts are well known, an example of which
is Globalview TM ("GV") software available from Xerox Corporation, which
uses abstractions such as a desktop, inbasket, outbasket and documents.
FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of a multi-function device user interface 40
which is displayed on screens 10 of workstation 4, printer 11 and scanner
5. User interface (UI) 40 can operate remotely from any system; it is
extensible across network services using remote windowing protocols such
as X windows ("X Window System", W. Scheifler and James Gettys, Digital
Equipment Corporation, U.S., 1992, ISBN 1-55558-088-2). For example, the
user interface 40 on printer 11 is available remotely from any workstation
4 or alternate service such as scanner 5. Specifically, the user interface
40 is divided into three regions; resource bar 42, status bar 43, and
service area 44. Resource bar 42 is a menu bar that provides users access
to high level services that are integrated on network 24. Within the
resource bar document source or suitcase 45 provides the user with a
temporary storage space for documents. Suitcase 45 stores active and
editable documents for easy movement across network services, or it is a
transitional space where documents are stored while a user navigates
through network 24.
Further, provided on resource bar 42 is network services menu 46 and
network administration menu 47. Network services menu 46 provides access
to any networked service such as printer 11, facsimile 13, scanner 5, file
server 20 (private, shared and public file storage), database server 17,
mail servers (e.g. voice mail, email, etc.) 19, ports (such as modem 26,
network gateway 25), and other workstations 4. Also, available in services
area 44 are published communications channels 63 available from network
admin 18. These are channels that have been provided to a utility (not
shown) that manages network administration 18. These channels are included
in a user profile that is provided by a user who would like receive data
from other users on network 24. Other utilities available in network admin
18 are distribution lists, service access lists and other domain and area
network services. Network administration 47 provides users with access to
utilities for identification and location of profiles and services. For
example, network administration 47 includes information concerning user
access privileges as well as resource privileges to file server access.
Status bar 43 is divided into three dedicated message areas, system message
area 48, device message area 49, programming conflicts message and prompt
area 50. Text is updated in the message area 50 as system status changes.
The message area 50 can be selected to reveal more detailed messages. For
example, when a printer is down, the message area provides "Printer Down"
message; further selection of the message area 50 provides more detail of
causes for the printer to be down. Service area 44 groups and holds
related services and features as well as provides user work space 51. A
selected device is identified on herald menu 52, that is, cording on menu
52 provides utilities available to the named device 53. For example,
device 53 could be a network publishing system with scanning, printing and
faxing services. Service bar 55 groups services available on service 53.
For example, a user could select a service module to access a specific
document service (e.g. scan 56 or send 57). Service sub bar 58 provides
access to sub-services within service modules. Workspace 51 provides a
user area for preparing documents for distribution, which can include
publication and archival.
In particular, the send service 57, which is a service displayed on service
bar 55, is selected and opened on user interface 40 as shown in FIG. 2. As
shown in FIG. 2, the send service 57 has sub service bar 58, with
sub-services, quick-send 59 and distribution lists 60. The send service 57
provides virtual links or communication channels to other users on network
24. Channels 62 are published to the network by a receiver in the form of
a receiver profile to provide the receiver with the flexibility to define
the mode (facsimile, hardcopy, email, voice mail, etc.) that the
receiver's information should be received. In essence, the communication
channels 62 are receiver setable information filters. A single
communication channel 63 is identified using the user's name 64 as well as
location 65 and illustrative identification 66 (e.g. a scanned-in picture,
graphic, icon, etc.). Distribution list 60 is a sub-service that provides
similar functionality as a quick-send sub-service except that distribution
lists are communication channels that are directed to groups of
individuals. It is a means for a user to build district distribution
lists. Distribution list 60 sub-service provides either distribution lists
published to the network or be created by individual users.
In particular, it is possible to develop a communication channel profile
for each network user registered in the network repository by specifying
at least one preferred mode of data receipt in the communication channel
profile. It is also possible to select a set of communication channel
profiles that identify a set of network users from the network repository
and define a distribution list with the set of communication channel
profiles. This permits selection of a set of data for transmission to the
distribution list and transmission of the set of data to the distribution
list in accordance with the communication channel profile developed for
each network user in the set of network users so that the set of data is
transmitted in a preferred mode of data receipt.
B. Channel Architecture
The channel architecture is based on a client-server relationship, where
client facilities are applications that are exported to the network 24,
and server facilities are imported from the network. In other words,
clients access exported server functionality. Thus, some services
(printer, scanners, and the like) may only export or provide server
functionality while using no client functionality. As a result, both the
channel client and channel server may operate on the same service as well
as uniquely on different services. The architecture is shown in detail in
FIG. 3, where an integrated client/server system 102 is operating with
stand-alone client 104, server 103 and communication channel admin server
105 that provides network administrative facilities such as storing
communication channel information on disk 106.
Common to both the client and server architecture is communication channel
manager 110. Manager 110 interfaces user interface 111 with network 24,
local storage disk 112 and cache 113, receiver service 114 and sender
service 115. Listed in Appendix A is an example of an interface for
manager 110 between user interface 111 and receiver and sender service 114
and 115. Local storage available to manager 110 is in the form of
long-term storage 112 (e.g. disk, floppy or tape) and short-term fast
access, or cache storage, 113. Receiver service 114 provides server
functionality while sender service 115 provides client functionality to
manager 110. Manager 110 establishes virtual links or communication
channels 63 either directly to other servers such as server 103 or
indirectly through admin server 105.
C. Channel Control (Receiver Service)
1. Channel Profile Publication
Communication channel control begins with the receiver defining the
preferred form(s) that documents should take when received. The user
activates profile 150, shown in FIG. 4, by selecting display user profile
command (not shown) from the network administration menu 47. User profile
150 is completed by a user, for example Fred Smith, and published to
network administration 105 using the publish command 151 on the profile
herald bar 152. Publication to other network users defines the preferred
form with which the publisher, namely Fred Smith, desires his information
to be received. Profile properties 153 are a number of different profile
categories, each category can be either checked, locked, or unselected. If
a category is unselected, then a category is neither locked nor checked. A
checked category such as fax category box 155 identifies facsimile as the
users established default receive preference. For example, given Fred
Smith checked the fax box, then all facsimile documents sent to him are
routed to the fax at the identified phone number in the profile properties
153. In a similar manner, Fred Smith can set his preference for a
particular page printer, color printer, or any other device to receive
information. It should be noted that it is well within the scope of the
present invention that multiple printers or devices can be listed or
scrolled and the user or receiver can rank the devices or modes of
communication in a priority of preference to receive information.
Also, the user or publisher can selectively lock choices or set-ups using a
lock as shown in page printer box 156. The lock function inhibits users
from changing the published set up. The lock feature can be any hard or
soft button or indicator to inhibit alteration of a specified mode or
device. In other words, both a check box and a lock identify receiver
preference, where the lock disables the ability of the sender to deviate
from the published receiver profile. For example, users sending documents
may desire changing the preferred printer, if unlocked, to enable color
printing rather than black and white printing.
Each profile property 153 is further selectable through each box category
as indicated above. For example, the page printer selection window 159
shown in FIG. 5 depicts how users change the set-up of a particular
category. Page printer window 159 opens as a result of double clicking on
the page printer button 156. Once the user, Fred Smith, has selected a
preferred page printer by filling out the appropriate categories in window
159 including a privacy button P as shown, the user can either apply these
selections or cancel them by selecting "Cancel" or "Close" on the herald
bar of window 159. The profile properties 153, however, are not limited to
those shown in user profile 150. Any preferred form of receipt may be
entered as a property in profile 150, some examples include a video
conferencing center and a voice mailbox.
The sequence of steps for publishing the user profile 150 (shown in FIGS. 4
and 5) with network administration 47 is depicted in FIG. 6. In box 160,
the user opens the user profile by invoking the "open user profile"
command (not shown) in the network administration menu 47. In box 161,
manager 110 (FIG. 3) is activated with receipt of the open channel profile
command identified as "Open Channel Profile" in Appendix A. To return the
user profile, manager 110 queries channel profile database (DB) 112 for
the logged on user's current profile. Alternatively, if the user profile
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