Prior art

To identify the most relevant prior art for US patent 8488173, I have examined the patent citations listed on its Google Patents page. US patent 8488173, titled "Distributed computer architecture and process for document management," was published on July 16, 2013, from an application filed on July 14, 2011, and claims a priority date of August 14, 1997. The patent generally describes a system and method for managing documents, particularly electronic images, across various devices and applications, often leveraging a "Virtual Copier" concept and a layered software architecture to standardize access to diverse "engines" or core technologies.

Below is an analysis of the patent citations listed for US8488173, providing a full citation, publication/filing date, brief description, and which claim(s) it potentially anticipates under 35 U.S.C. § 102. It is important to note that a definitive legal determination of anticipation would require a detailed claim construction and expert legal analysis, and the following identifies potential overlaps in disclosed subject matter.

Patent Citations for US8488173:

1. US6185590B1

   • Full Citation: US6185590B1, Klein, Laurence C., "Distributed computer architecture and process for document management," published February 6, 2001.
   • Publication/Filing Date: Filed October 15, 1997; Published February 6, 2001.
   • Brief Description: This patent describes a distributed computer architecture and process for document management, particularly for integrating diverse core technologies ("engines") through a uniform management layer. It focuses on migrating program-specific APIs to a generic interface by building objects, and includes an engine management layer, an engine configuration layer, and an engine layer. The invention also details a "Virtual Copier" (VC) for seamlessly copying paper and electronic documents between devices and applications using a single "Go" operation.
   • Potential Anticipation: US6185590B1 is a direct predecessor and parent patent of US8488173, sharing the same inventor and title. Given its priority date and extensive overlap in subject matter, it potentially anticipates all claims of US8488173 that are identically or inherently disclosed in US6185590B1. Specifically, core concepts such as the layered architecture for API migration (e.g., claims 1, 10, 17, 26, 35, 44, 53, 62, 71), the "Virtual Copier" functionality (e.g., claims 76, 82, 85, 93, 98, 104, 107, 115, 120, 126, 129, 137), the modular design (e.g., claims 76, 85, 98, 107, 120, 129, 137), and the single "GO" operation (e.g., claims 82, 93, 104, 115, 126) appear to be directly anticipated.

2. US6473042B1

   • Full Citation: US6473042B1, Klein, Laurence C., "Distributed computer architecture and process for document management," published October 29, 2002.
   • Publication/Filing Date: Filed September 13, 2001; Published October 29, 2002.
   • Brief Description: Similar to US6185590B1, this patent further elaborates on a distributed computer architecture and process for managing documents, particularly electronic images, using a uniform management layer. It focuses on integrating diverse core technologies ("engines") and presents a "Virtual Copier" system for copying images between various devices and applications, including the Internet, with a simple user interface. It emphasizes seamless integration without modifying destination applications.
   • Potential Anticipation: US6473042B1 is also a related patent by the same inventor and shares substantial disclosure with US8488173. It likely anticipates many of the same claims as US6185590B1, particularly those related to the "Virtual Copier" system, its ability to integrate with existing applications without modification (e.g., claims 85, 98, 107, 120, 129, 137), the single "GO" operation, and the overall distributed architecture for document management. The modularity of the system and its components (input, output, process, client, server modules) as described in US8488173 also appear to be well-described in US6473042B1 (e.g., claims 76, 85, 98, 107, 120, 129, 137).

3. US6645087B2

   • Full Citation: US6645087B2, Klein, Laurence C., "Distributed computer architecture and process for document management," published November 11, 2003.
   • Publication/Filing Date: Filed September 13, 2001; Published November 11, 2003.
   • Brief Description: This patent, again by the same inventor, details a distributed computer architecture and process for document management, focusing on the seamless integration and replication of electronic images and documents across various external destinations, including devices and applications, and via the Internet. It describes an interface with a "single GO operation" to facilitate copying and emphasizes adding electronic document and paper processing with a single programming step, largely through a modular "Virtual Copier" application.
   • Potential Anticipation: As another related patent in the same family by the same inventor, US6645087B2 likely anticipates a significant number of claims in US8488173. Key areas of potential anticipation include the seamless replication of images (e.g., claims 76, 85, 98, 107, 120, 129, 137), integration into existing applications without modification, the "single GO operation" interface (e.g., claims 82, 93, 104, 115, 126), and the one-step programming method for adding paper support (e.g., claims 82, 93, 104, 115, 126). The modular structure of the Virtual Copier, including input, output, process, client, and server modules, is also a highly probable point of anticipation (e.g., claims 76, 85, 98, 107, 120, 129, 137).

These three patents (US6185590B1, US6473042B1, and US6645087B2) are particularly relevant prior art because they are earlier patents by the same inventor, sharing a common priority date with US8488173, and disclose highly similar or identical core concepts and architectures for distributed document management and the "Virtual Copier" system. They are part of the same patent family and represent earlier stages of the same inventive concept, making them strong candidates for anticipating many of the claims of US8488173 under 35 U.S.C. § 102.