Scanner System Consolidating Multi-Page Scans into Single Email Attachment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current scan-to-email systems are inefficient as they require recipients to manage multiple separate scanned image file attachments for multi-page documents, leading to cumbersome organization and inefficient use of network bandwidth.
Innovation Solution
A system that electronically scans multiple physical documents, generates image data, and packages it into a unitary compressed file, which can be automatically attached to an email as a single attachment, with options for concurrent or post-scan compression to optimize processing power and user interaction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If multiple separate scanned image files are sent as email attachments, then each scan job is transmitted individually, but the recipient must manage multiple attachments which increases operational complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple scanned image files from different scan jobs into a single consolidated email attachment. The system creates one email message that contains all scanned images regardless of which scan job they originated from, eliminating the need for recipients to manage multiple separate attachments and significantly simplifying file organization.
2Loss of energy
If multiple separate scanned image files are transmitted, then each file is sent independently, but network bandwidth is used inefficiently
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges multiple image files into a single email transmission, consolidating what would otherwise be multiple separate network transmissions into one. This reduces overhead, minimizes protocol handshakes, and optimizes network bandwidth utilization while improving overall transmission efficiency.
3Quantity of substance
If compression is performed during scan job processing, then processing power is consumed in real-time, but file size is reduced before completion
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs compression as a preliminary action during scan job processing, compressing images as they are scanned rather than waiting until all scans are complete. This preliminary compression reduces the final file size before the scan job finishes, optimizing storage and transmission efficiency while distributing processing load over time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts compression operations based on available processing power and scan job progress. Compression intensity and timing are flexible, allowing the system to optimize between real-time compression benefits and processing power constraints, adapting to varying system conditions throughout the scan job execution.
4Power
If compression is performed after scan job completion, then processing power availability is maximized during scanning, but file size reduction occurs later
Solution Approach 1:
The system schedules compression as a preliminary action to be performed after scan completion but before file distribution. This timing ensures that all scan data is available for compression while minimizing the window during which large uncompressed files exist in the system, optimizing both processing power utilization and storage efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A scanner has a computer readable memory with programmatic instructions which are adapted to cause physical documents to be scanned, generate image data corresponding to the physical documents, in response to a scanning triggering event, electronically package image data into a unitary compressed file, and attach the unitary compressed file to an electronic message.