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The Document Highway Concept in the Web2.0 Age |
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The Document Highway is a network-based platform to easily link office equipment and document solution systems which utilize documents. By envisioning the network as a "highway", the documents can be seen as vehicles on the highway. The devices on the network providing the functions for documents then become the "service stations" on the highway. The service stations provide the series of functions required in the life cycle of documents, including retrieve, store, deliver, and input/output. The highway also establishes "interchanges" to link with external systems which can then provide auxiliary functions. Each function is supplied using an Internet technology known as Web services. This facilitates interaction with external systems, particularly Internet applications and is important in defining rules to insure high performance and comfortable operation on this document highway.
(1) Common architecture for the devices Unlike conventional MFP architecture, where printer and fax functions were provided through expansion boards as add-on functions, the new common architecture (GW architecture) uses Unix (NetBSD) as an operating system, thus making it possible to provide common services, as well as share hard disks, memory, network interfaces, and other resources at the system level. As a result, the following was achieved.
 (2) Provide document-handling functions as software components In the past, document handling functions were designed for each device or as software packages. By providing a common architecture for all devices, document handling functions could be designed as integral software components to extend functionality while still working well as a total system. For example, we provide storage/retrieval, delivery and input/output functions as software components. Combining the required components yields the following advantages.
(3) Prepare and provide open interfaces To insure openness of the system, Ricoh provides the following application program interfaces (APIs).
(4) XML for data interchange The Document Highway adopted industry standards for data formats and protocols to insure openness of the system and to allow easy coordination with external systems. Web services and XML were identified as especially critical technologies. These were developed to allow the mutual use of various services, and provide services incorporating functions (programs) from different providers on the networks. A key technology of the Web service is SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol). On the Document Highway, SOAP-based Web services are supported as an API to scan, input/output, fax, store, retrieve, deliver, and manage users and jobs. Because SOAP is based on XML, flexible coordination among different environments, such as PC and multifunction copiers, is possible.
Furthermore, as the Web2.0 age arrived, a paradigm shift has occurred in our business model as well as in our work style. As the slogan "from products to services" indicate, we will provide more services such as SaaS (Software as a Service), in addition to equipment and software packages. It becomes increasingly important to be able to seamlessly coordinate contents and services. In addition, progress in image processing technology has enabled various types of information to be embedded, both visibly and invisibly, within printed documents. Using this technology, we can take advantage of the unique characteristics of paper to realize further innovation in the office, not only in electronic document workflow but also in the paper document workflow. Security requirements in these new work styles have also become increasingly important.
 Points especially intensified at the Web2.0 age are as follows: (1) To ensure extensibility by our partners In addition to the Web service API currently provided, we have added a Java-based SDK and Web browsers for multifunction copiers, enabling our partners to easily develop solutions using our devices and software.(2) To provide Web2.0 age APIs Based on our development experience with the SOAP-based Web service, we will provide lightweight Web APIs for our partners to use. The lightweight Web APIs have a high affinity with the solutions of the Web2.0 age. This Web2.0 style of development makes it possible to provide services that meet customer needs speedily and at low cost.(3) To improve security Because multifunction copiers are regarded as computers with interfaces to both paper and electronic worlds, linking securely with external systems is critical. Ricoh provides secure and safe devices and software to handle documents. We use high-level security technologies in both the electronic and paper document worlds, including IC card and biometric user authentication. Ricoh also continues, from the design phase, to create devices and software that are secure.
By continuing to incorporate new and evolving technologies, Ricoh's Document Highway will grow to support changing customer work styles.
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