WO1997045272A1

WO1997045272A1 - Teleworking station

Info

Publication number: WO1997045272A1
Application number: PCT/FR1997/000941
Authority: WO
Inventors: Raoul Girod
Original assignee: Raoul Girod
Priority date: 1996-05-30
Filing date: 1997-05-29
Publication date: 1997-12-04
Also published as: FR2749418A1; FR2749418B1

Abstract

The invention discloses a device for remote handling, printing and reading of paper documents, associated with a remote terminal with screen and keyboard, enabling a remote operator to send instructions. Two trays (2, 3) provide the supply and/or the storage of the documents which travel along an internal circuit (4) where they pass in front of an associated optical read head (8) and print head (9). Driving (7) and switching (10) equipment enable the documents to be moved in both directions (F1, F2), to eject them into a receiving tray (6) or to bring them back into one of the two trays (2,3). A supplementary tray (13) supplies blank paper to the document processing unit (4). This device enables all documents in a firm or service to be kept, these documents being handled in secure conditions by a remote operator.

Description

Telework station

The present invention relates to a telework station, in the sense of a device located in a company or an administration and making it possible to manipulate, print and read documents on paper, while being controlled remotely by an operator having a terminal with screen. and keyboard.

Currently, the peripherals used for reading and editing documents on paper are constituted by scanners, printers, etc. which require, during their use, various manual interventions for handling the documents concerned. In the context of a teleworking activity, the use of such peripherals requires coordination between the person handling the documents, on the one hand, and the remote person who must process these documents from a terminal, on the other hand . Current computer systems are well suited for processing information on magnetic and similar media, but are impractical for handling paper documents which remain, and will no doubt remain, common information media in various fields, for example: technical files or legal, contracts, commercial documents, administrative forms, etc.

The device according to the invention aims to remedy the drawbacks previously exposed, by allowing an operator to handle documents remotely, without having actual documents on site himself, and not requiring frequent dialogue with the people located on the location of original documents. To this end, the invention essentially relates to a telework station, making it possible to manipulate, print and read documents on paper remotely, in association with at least one remote terminal with screen and keyboard, this station comprising at least one internal document circuit on which are arranged a print head and an optical read head, associated to intervene on the same document during processing, means for driving documents on said circuit in the direction of advancement and retreat, two document supply and / or storage bins, located at the start of said circuit , means for switching documents between one or the other of the two aforementioned tanks and the circuit, and an electronic control and communication unit with the remote terminal.

Thus, the telework station object of the invention comprises a document circuit which is equipped with means of "work", that is to say of reading and / or printing, and two feed trays making it possible to handle documents in both directions, each tray can be the origin or recipient of a document, and can also serve as temporary storage of a document to be reprocessed later, the original documents to be processed being manually deposited in one bins.

The station may also include a blank paper tray, mechanically feeding the same internal document circuit, in addition to manual feeding of the original documents.

Advantageously, the station comprises, at the outlet of its internal document circuit, a reception tray receiving the documents definitively processed, the ejection of a document into the reception tray taking place in the event of a corresponding command sent by 1 ' remote operator, from his terminal.

Thus, before or during their processing, the documents do not leave the two feed trays and / or storage and internal circuit, unless an eject command is sent by the remote operator.

Document processing notably includes the progressive reading of documents by means of the optical reading head, the image of the document being transmitted to the remote terminal where it is displayed on the screen, and the writing of various signs and texts. on pre-printed documents or on blank paper, by the print head, from typing characters on the keyboard of the remote terminal. Note that, in the case of supplying the circuit with blank paper, the latter may also be printed in response to the reception of faxes or to signals from a computer unit or other peripherals of the same type. The optical read head and the print head can be combined into a single mixed read and print head. These two heads can also remain separate, in which case they are preferably relatively close to each other. In the latter case, the physical distance between the reading point and the printing point is a constructive constant of the material, and this parameter can be compensated by the electronic assembly, which will automatically carry out the corresponding correction. The means for driving documents on their circuit include motorized rollers and / or cylinders, capable of being rotated in one direction or the other, and controlled from the keyboard of the remote terminal. As for the means for switching documents between one or other of the two supply and / or storage tanks and the circuit, these advantageously comprise a pivoting flap mounted between the two tanks, at the starting point of the document circuit, as well as sets of rollers and / or motorized cylinders, located at the outlet of each of the two trays. These bodies provide in particular the return orientation of the documents to one or the other of the two supply and / or storage bins; they are also controlled from the keyboard of the remote terminal. Said switching means also allow the passage of a document from one tray to another, by extraction from one tray and introduction into the other tray, by reversing the direction of drive of the document and the position of the pivoting flap. .

In general, the device which is the subject of the invention thus makes it possible to work on a file, or on several documents, by allowing simultaneous reading and printing on a document being processed, from a remote terminal comprising at least a screen and a keyboard, or from any device, such as a computer, performing the functions of such a terminal. The device also makes it possible to leaf through a file to consult it, to put documents on hold, to annotate and / or sign them, as if the remote operator were present at the actual place of existence of these documents.

The physical transfer of a document between two teleworking stations, such as that previously defined, can also be done, by providing for example the reading and the ejection of the document in a first station, and the printing then the storage of the same document in the second station, the passage from the first station to the second station being automated, or carried out by manipulation, with the intervention of an operator responsible for supply and evacuation operations. This makes it possible to keep the documents in the company or the administrative service which they concern, without these being physically present on distant sites occupied by people carrying out teleworking, from where a security concerning the detention and handling. originals, which remain in the company or service. The telework station may also include additional functions and uses. Thus, its printing mechanism may include means for projecting or depositing white ink on the documents being processed, making it possible to remotely make corrections to these documents, from a command sent from the keyboard. from the remote terminal. Other combinations are also possible, as regards printing devices and inks, for producing colored documents.

The invention will in any case be better understood with the aid of the following description of an embodiment and of variants of this telework station, with reference to the appended drawing in which: Figure 1 is a side view, schematic , a telework station in accordance with the present invention;

Figures 2 and 3 are partial views, illustrating two variants of this station.

The telework station, shown completely in FIG. 1, comprises a box 1 in the upper part of which are provided two tanks 2 and 3, adjacent and symmetrical to one another, for feeding and / or storage of documents processed in the station considered. The two tanks 2 and 3 are both located at the start of an internal circuit 4 for working documents, which leads to an exit point 5 located on one side of the station, and provided with a receiving tray 6 of the documents processed. On circuit 4 there are motorized components

7, such as rollers and / or cylinders, for driving documents in the direction of advance (arrow FI) and backward (arrow F2).

An optical read head 8, and a print head 9, are arranged on the internal circuit 4 documents, the read head 8 being located upstream of the print head 9 in the example of FIG. 1.

A "switch" 10 is provided between the two supply and / or storage tanks 2 and 3 and the start of the internal circuit 4. The switch 10 comprises a pivoting flap 11, mounted between the two tanks 2 and 3, thus as sets of motorized rollers and / or cylinders 12, located at the outlet of each of the two tanks 2 and 3 and which can be driven in one direction or the other. The station also includes, in its lower part, a tray 13 receiving a reserve of blank paper. An auxiliary internal paper circuit 14, starting from the tray 13, is connected to the main circuit 4 upstream of the read heads 8 and print head 9. The telework station also includes a set of electronic circuits 15 which allows: the control of the read heads 8 and print heads 9; the control of the motorized organs 7 for driving the documents, as well as the switch 10; communication via a teletransmission line 16 with a remote terminal (not shown), provided with a screen and a keyboard, and optionally communication, via a connection 17, with a computer system.

The teleworking station, previously described, can be used by an operator located remotely, and having the remote terminal with screen and keyboard, as follows:

The two trays 2 and 3 associated with the switch 10 make it possible to supply the internal circuit 4 with documents to be processed, to advance or to go back in a packet of documents to choose the one to be treated or to return to a document already displayed (as if we were "leafing through" a file), and receiving in return from circuit 4, and temporarily storing, one or more non-ejected documents to be resumed later, all these manipulations being controlled remotely by the keyboard of the remote terminal, being controlled on the screen of this terminal.

For the actual processing of documents, the optical reading head 8 makes it possible to read a document and, in combination with the electronic circuits 15, to progressively transmit the read image of the document to the remote terminal, where it is displayed on the screen. screen. The print head 9 makes it possible to print all signs, mentions and texts on the same document being processed, according to the characters and commands entered by typing on the keyboard of the remote terminal.

The virgin paper tray 13 makes it possible, in association with the print head 9, to introduce and create, in the internal circuit 4, additional documents which may result from typing on the keyboard of the remote terminal, or from the reception of faxes, or of data coming (by connection 17) from local or remote computer systems.

The additional documents thus created can, thanks to the motorized drive members 7, be introduced into the trays 2 and 3, into which documents which have already been partially processed can also be re-introduced, these operations being made possible by the fact that the drive members drive can be operated one way or the other.

A specific eject command, sent from the keyboard of the remote terminal, makes it possible to direct the documents fully processed, and possibly verified remotely by re-reading by means of the optical scanning head 8, to the reception bin 6.

The connection 17 with a computer system also makes it possible to program all the computer operations of the station considered, and to command and control a local or remote network comprising several stations in accordance with the invention. Figures 2 and 3 show two alternative positioning of the read and print heads. In the case of FIG. 2, the optical read head 8 is located downstream from the print head 9, on the internal circuit 4 for working with documents. In the case of FIG. 3, the read head 8 and the print head 9 are located at the same point, and are in particular joined in the form of a mixed read and print head.

The station which is the subject of the invention is particularly suitable for constituting a multipurpose document processing installation, within the framework of teleworking which is currently tending to develop, by making it possible to keep the original documents in the company or the service which they concern. , and avoiding any document written by the remote operator, who uses only a personal terminal, or common to several users, or even public, with screen and keyboard.

Within the framework of a particular organization, a centralized site can group together several teleworking stations such as the one described above, assigned respectively to predetermined people or operations.

Special adaptations, such as vertical and horizontal tabulations, can be programmed on these stations, for specialized work.

Finally, the telework station object of the invention can be combined with other functions, such as telephone or answering machine, useful for communication with the remote operator.

Claims

1 - Teleworking station, allowing remote handling of documents on paper, in combination with at least one remote terminal with screen and keyboard, characterized in that it comprises at least one internal circuit (4) of documents on which are arranged a print head (9) and an optical read head (8), associated to intervene on the same document being processed, drive means (7) of the documents on said circuit (4) in the direction of advance (FI) and backward movement (F2), two trays (2,3) for feeding and / or storing documents, located at the start of said circuit (4), switching means ( 10) documents between one or the other of the two aforementioned tanks (2,3) and the circuit (4), and an electronic assembly (15) for control and communication with the remote terminal.

2 - Telecommuting station according to claim 1, characterized in that the two bins (2,3) for feeding and / or storing documents are adjacent and symmetrical bins, provided in the part top of the housing (1) of said station.

3 - Teleworking station according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it also comprises a tray (13) of virgin paper, also supplying the internal circuit (4) of documents.

4 - Teleworking station according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises, at the outlet (5) of its internal circuit (4) of documents, a reception bin (6) receiving the documents definitively processed, the ejection of a document into the reception tray (6) being controlled from the keyboard of the remote terminal.

5 - Teleworking station according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the optical reading head (8) and the printing head (9) are united in a single mixed reading and printing head.

6 - Teleworking station according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the optical reading head (8) and the printing head (9) are separate, but relatively close to each other , the physical distance between the reading point and the printing point being preferably compensated by the electronic assembly (15). 7 - Telecommuting station according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the means for driving the documents on their circuit (4) comprise rollers and / or motorized cylinders (7), capable of being driven in rotation in one direction or the other, and controlled from the keyboard of the remote terminal.

8 - Teleworking station according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the switching means (10) of the documents between one or the other of the two feed trays (2,3) and / or storage and the circuit (4) comprise a pivoting flap (11) mounted between the two trays (2,3), at the starting point of the circuit (4) of the documents, as well as sets of rollers and / or cylinders motorized (12), located at the outlet of each of the two tanks (2,3), these means being controlled from the keyboard of the remote terminal.

9 - Teleworking station according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that its printing mechanism comprises means for projecting or depositing a white ink on the documents being processed, for remotely performing corrections, from a command sent from the keyboard of the remote terminal.

10 - Teleworking station according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it is also provided for the reception of faxes.