Peripheral with integrated HTTP server for remote access using URL's

Claim 2

A peripheral for use with a network providing access to interconnected, on-line documents in response to document requests, said peripheral comprising: a server to control peripheral operations of said peripheral directly in response to requests, each of the requests formatted as http document requests, such that the peripheral can be coupled directly to said network.

Claim 3

The peripheral defined in claim 1 wherein the server is also responsive to request forms.

Claim 4

The peripheral defined in claim 2 wherein the request forms are fill-in through the use of a graphical browser.

Claim 5

The peripheral defined in claim 1 further comprising a data source, wherein the server provides data from the data source in response to requests.

Claim 6

The peripheral defined in claim 4 wherein the server controls the data source to capture information in response to an individual specifying a uniform resource locator, said server supplying the captured information.

Claim 7

A single integrated peripheral device that may be coupled directly to a network, said device comprising: a functional unit to perform a plurality of operations, each of the plurality of operations being invoked by a user specifying a descriptor defining a resource and its location, such that the single peripheral is responsive to a plurality of requests to control its operation; a communications mechanism that may be coupled to the network to transfer information to and from the device, wherein the communications mechanism receives requests for the device; a server coupled to the communications mechanism and the functional unit to translate the requests into parameters so that the functional unit is controlled directly by the requests and the device can be coupled directly to the network.

Claim 8

A single integrated peripheral device that may be coupled directly to a network, said device comprising: a functional unit to perform a plurality of operations, each of the plurality of operations being invoked by a user specifying a descriptor defining a resource and its location, such that the single peripheral is responsive to a plurality of requests to control its operation; a communications mechanism that may be coupled to the network to transfer information to and from the device, wherein the communications mechanism receives requests for the device; a server coupled to the communications mechanism and the functional unit to translate the requests into parameters so that the functional unit is controlled directly by the requests and the device can be coupled directly to the network.

Claim 9

The device defined in claim 6 further comprising storage coupled to the server and the communications mechanism to store objects that the server provides to the network using the communications mechanism in response to the descriptors from the network.

Claim 10

The device defined in claim 7 wherein the objects comprise at least one html source document.

Claim 11

The device defined in claim 6 further comprising registration means for registering the device with the network.

Claim 12

The device defined in claim 9 wherein the device is assigned an identifier for use in registration.

Claim 13

The device defined in claim 10 wherein the identifier comprises an IP number and name.

Claim 14

The device defined in claim 6 wherein the requests comprise at least one http request.

Claim 15

The device defined in claim 6 wherein the network comprises a local area network.

Claim 16

The device defined in claim 6 wherein the network comprises a wide area network.

Claim 17

The device defined in claim 6 wherein the communications mecahnism transfers information between the device and at least one phone line.

Claim 18

The device defined in claim 6 wherein the communications mechanism transfers information between the device and an ISDN.

Claim 19

The device defined in claim 6 wherein the server comprises an http server.

Claim 20

The device defined in claim 6 wherein the functional unit is directly controlled by a URL.

Claim 23

The system defined in claim 19 wherein the resource identifier comprises a universal resource locator (URL).

Claim 24

The system defined in claim 19 wherein the peripheral comprises an I/O device.

Claim 25

The system defined in claim 21 wherein the I/O device comprises a camera.

Claim 26

The system defined in claim 21 wherein the peripheral device comprises a multi-function machine.

Claim 29

The method defined in claim 24 wherein directly controlling the peripheral comprises contacting the peripheral directly to retrieve a document.

Claim 30

The method defined in claim 25 wherein the document comprises a previously created document stored in the peripheral.

Claim 31

The method defined in claim 25 wherein the document comprises data captured automatically in response to the peripheral receiving the request.

Claim 32

The method defined in claim 24 wherein directly controlling the peripheral comprises translating the request into at least one control parameter that causes the peripheral to operated in a predetermined manner.

Claim 33

The method defined in claim 24 wherein directly controlling the peripheral comprises handling the request using a server on the peripheral.

Claim 34

The method defined in claim 24 further comprising creating an interface for use on the device, wherein the interface includes the resource identifier specifiable by a user.

Claim 35

The method defined in claim 24 wherein further comprising interacting with an interface displayed on the device.

Claim 36

The method defined in claim 31 wherein the interface comprises a form originating from the peripheral.

Claim 37

A peripheral for use with a network providing access to interconnected, on-line documents in response to document requests, said peripheral comprising: a server to control peripheral operations of the peripheral directly in response to requests by translating the requests into commands, each of the requests formatted as a http document request such that the peripheral can be coupled directly to said network; and a memory to maintain objects that the server serves onto the network in response to requests.

Claim 38

A peripheral for use with a network providing access to interconnected, on-line documents in response to document requests, said peripheral comprising: a server to control peripheral operations of the peripheral directly in response to requests by translating the requests into commands, each of the requests formatted as a http document request such that the peripheral can be coupled directly to said network; and a memory to maintain objects that the server serves onto the network in response to requests.

Claim 39

The peripheral defined in claim 33 wherein the server is also responsive to request forms.

Claim 40

The peripheral defined in claim 34 wherein the request forms are fill-in through the use of a graphical browser.

Claim 41

The peripheral defined in claim 33 further comprising a data source, wherein the server provides data from the data source in response to requests.

Claim 42

The peripheral defined in claim 36 wherein the server controls the data source to capture information in response to an individual specifying a uniform resource locator, said server supplying the captured information.

Claim 43

A single integrated peripheral device that may be coupled directly to a network, said device comprising: a functional unit to perform a plurality of operations, each of the plurality of operations being invoked by a user specifying a descriptor defining a resource and its location, such that the single peripheral is responsive to a plurality of requests to control its operation; a communications mechanism that may be coupled to the network to transfer information to and from the device, wherein the communications mechanism receives requests for the device; a server coupled to the communications mechanism and the functional unit to translate the requests into parameters so that the functional unit is controlled directly by the requests and the device can be coupled directly to the network; and a storage coupled to the server and the communications mechanism to store objects that the server provides to the network using the communications mechanism in response to requests, such that the peripheral is responsive to a plurality of requests that individually specify objects to be served by the server that are maintained in the storage.

Claim 44

A single integrated peripheral device that may be coupled directly to a network, said device comprising: a functional unit to perform a plurality of operations, each of the plurality of operations being invoked by a user specifying a descriptor defining a resource and its location, such that the single peripheral is responsive to a plurality of requests to control its operation; a communications mechanism that may be coupled to the network to transfer information to and from the device, wherein the communications mechanism receives requests for the device; a server coupled to the communications mechanism and the functional unit to translate the requests into parameters so that the functional unit is controlled directly by the requests and the device can be coupled directly to the network; and a storage coupled to the server and the communications mechanism to store objects that the server provides to the network using the communications mechanism in response to requests, such that the peripheral is responsive to a plurality of requests that individually specify objects to be served by the server that are maintained in the storage.

Claim 45

The device defined in claim 38 further comprising registration means for registering the device with the network.

Claim 46

The device defined in claim 39 wherein the device is assigned an identifier for use in registration.

Claim 47

The device defined in claim 40 wherein the identifier comprises an IP number and name.

Claim 48

The device defined in claim 38 wherein the requests comprise at least one http request.

Claim 49

The device defined in claim 38 wherein the network comprises a local area network.

Claim 50

The device defined in claim 38 wherein the network comprises a wide area network.

Claim 51

The device defined in claim 38 wherein the communications mechanism transfers information between the device and at least one phone line.

Claim 52

The device defined in claim 38 wherein the communications mechanism transfers information between the device and an ISDN.

Claim 53

The device defined in claim 38 wherein the server comprises an http server.

Claim 54

The device defined in claim 38 wherein the functional unit is directly controlled by a URL.

Claim 57

The method defined in claim 49 wherein directly controlling the peripheral comprises contacting the peripheral directly to retrieve a document.

Claim 58

The method defined in claim 50 wherein the document comprises a previously created document stored in the peripheral.

Claim 59

The method defined in claim 50 wherein the document comprises data captured automatically in response to the peripheral receiving the request.

Claim 60

The method defined in claim 49 wherein directly controlling the peripheral comprises translating the request into at least one control parameter that causes the peripheral to operate in a predetermined manner.

Claim 61

The method defined in claim 49 wherein directly controlling the peripheral comprises handling the request using a server on the peripheral.

Claim 62

The method defined in claim 49 further comprising creating an interface for use on the device, wherein the interface includes the resource identifier specifiable by a user.

Claim 63

The method defined in claim 49 wherein further comprising interacting with an interface displayed on the device.

Claim 64

The method defined in claim 56 wherein the interface comprises a form originating from the peripheral.