GB2341954A - Sharing an image processing device via a local area network - Google Patents
Sharing an image processing device via a local area network Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2341954A GB2341954A GB9821031A GB9821031A GB2341954A GB 2341954 A GB2341954 A GB 2341954A GB 9821031 A GB9821031 A GB 9821031A GB 9821031 A GB9821031 A GB 9821031A GB 2341954 A GB2341954 A GB 2341954A
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- program
- client
- server
- netwain
- twain
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Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
- G06F13/00—Interconnection of, or transfer of information or other signals between, memories, input/output devices or central processing units
- G06F13/10—Program control for peripheral devices
- G06F13/12—Program control for peripheral devices using hardware independent of the central processor, e.g. channel or peripheral processor
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- H04N1/00—Scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission; Details thereof
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
- Multimedia (AREA)
- Signal Processing (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Facsimiles In General (AREA)
Abstract
Sharing an image processing device 33 such as a scanner, between a plurality of client computers 20, over a local area network, and using the TWAIN image processing program interface standard. Each of the clients 20 and the server 30, when they have similar operating systems, is provided with a network data management (NETWAIN) program 23, 31. When the application program 21 of the client instructs its TWAIN program 22: the TWAIN program 22 treats the NETWAIN CLIENT program 23 as a data source, and transfers the related instructions into the NETWAIN compatible device driver 24; thence through the network interface 40 to the NETWAIN SERVER program 31 of the server; then to the server side TWAIN program 34 which treats NETWAIN SERVER program 31 as its application program, and controls the image processing device 33 via interface 32. When the client and server computers have different operating systems, the server 30 has a PROPRIETARY NETWAIN SERVER program (36, fig. 5), but no TWAIN or other related programs.
Description
2341954 STRUCTURE AND METHOD FOR SHARING EVIAGE PROCESSING DEVICE VIA
LOCAL AREA NETWORK The present invention relates to a structure for sharing image processing device via local area network and the method thereof, so that each client computer connected to the network can access and share a single image processing device via the network.
Most of the local area network nowadays use Ethernet to link computers for achieving the purposes of data management, resource sharing, etc. Each connected computer can access the information of other computers, share a printer, manage the centralized information. It is not necessary for each computer to have kinds of peripherals connected physically, such as a storaging UMt (e.g. hard disk, floppy disk, CD- is ROMs), a printer, and a modem, and the cost is therefore reduced dramatically.
However, as to the image processing device, although it is popular day by day, it still can not be used as a shared device for the networked computers. Take a scanner as an illustration, conventionally the scanner is linked to computer via SCSI (Small Computer Small Interface) interface, USB(Universal Serial Bus) bus or parallel port, the related system structure and operating flow chart are shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 respectively. As shown in Fig. 1, the system structure comprises an application program 10, a data source management program (to be called TWAIN program hereinafter) 11, a scanner device driver 12, a communication interface 13 (SCSI, USB or parallel port) and a scanner 14. The TWAIN program 11 is standardized by TWAIN organization 1 (With website address http://www.twam.org/) as an image processing program interface standard. Every scanner manufacturer will develop its own scanner device driver according to this standard, and to be compatible with related imaging processing packages.
As the application program 10 calls TWAIN program 11 M order to control the scanner 14, TWAIN program 11 will then call the related functions. For example, if the application program 10 intends to acquire image data from scanner 14, TWAIN program 11 will accept instructions of the application program 10 and interpret them into the format of the scanner device driver 12, and pass through the communication interface 1 (SCSI, USB or parallel port) to the scanner 14, and the acquired data of the scanner 14 will then be sent back through the communication interface 1-3 and stored in TWAIN program 11 for the application program 10 to use later on. However, since TWAIN specification did not have network access methodology defined, we can not use TWAIN program 11 to serve for a system that a plurality of client computers are connected to a network, and each client computer can not access and share a scanner through the network.
The major object of the present invention is to provide a structure and method for sharing image processing device via local area network. tacti of the client computers and the server in the same local area network is provided with a network data management program (NETWAIN program) respectively. When an application program, which resides on a client computer, interacts with its data source management program (called client side TWAIN program hereinafter), the NETWAIN CLIENT program of the client computer will be treated as a data source, and all 2 related commands will be transferTed by a communication interface through the network to a data source management program of the server (called server side TWAIN prograin hereinafter). The server will then control the image processing device via SCSI, USB or parallel port, thus the image processing device can be shared by a plurality of client computers Via the network.
Another object of the present invention is to develop a similar platform topology and a diflerent platform topology according to the operating systems used in the server and the client computers of the local area network. Thus a scanner can be shared m both a similar operating system and different operating systems.
The present invention can be better understood by detailed description of the following drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a system structure diagram showing that a conventional client computer controls a scanner.
Fig. 2 is an operating flow chart showing that a conventional client computer controls a scanner.
Fig. 3 is a system structure diagram of a similar platform topology according to the present invention.
Fig. 4 is an operating flow chart of the similar platform topology according to the present invention.
Fig. 5 is a system structure diagram of a difFerent platform topology according to the present invention.
Fig. 6 is an operating flow chart of the difTerent platform topology according to the present invention.
3 The present invention is mainly to provide a structure and a method so that an image processing device can be shared through a local area network. A scanner will be used as an example hereinafter.
As shown In Fig. 3, a system structure of similar platform topology according to the present invention comprises a plurality of client computers 20 and a server 30 having the same or similar operating system (e.g. Windows 95/98 or WMdows/NT). Each client computer 20 has a client's application program 2 1, a client side TWAIN program 22, a NETWAIN CLIENT program 23, a NETWAIN compatible device driver 24, a communication interface 25 (SCSI, USB or parallel port). The server 3 0 has a NETWAIN SERVER program 31, a server side TWAIN program 34, a scanner device driver 35, a communication interface 32 (SCSI, USB or parallel port), and a scanner 333. The plurality of client computers 20 and the server 30 are linked by a network interface 40 (e.g.
Ethernet or other topologies).
As shown in Fig. 4, when the application program 21 on the client computer interacts with the client side TWAIN program 22, the client side TWAIN program 22 will treat the NETWAIN CLIENT program 23 as a data source, and tranfer the related instructions into the NETWAIN compatible device driver 24 (same as the transfer in a conventional client computer). And then the related instructions will be transferred through the network interface 40 to the NETWAIN SERVER program 31 of the remote server 30. NETWAIN SERVER program 31 will then pass the instructions to the server side TWAIN program 34 according to TWAIN specification. The server side TWAIN program 34 will treat NETWAIN SERVER program 3 1 as its application program, and operates just the same as a conventional client computer to control the scanner 33 via the
4 communication interface 32 (SCSI, USB or parallel port), and acquire the image data from the scanner 33. The image data will be passed to NETWAIN SERVER program 3 1, and transferred to NETWAIN CLIENT program 23 via the network interface 40 later on. The NETWAIN CLIENT program 23 wiH treat the received image data as it is just acquired from the data source and pass it to the client side TWAIN program 22. After that, all data are passed to the application program 21 on the client computer, so that a user can get the image data of the scanner 33 from any client computer that is connected to the local area network through the network interface 40.
If the NETWAIN SERVER program of the server 30 and the NETWAIN CLIENT program 23 of the client computer 20 are built on different operating systems, it is called a different platform topology. Fig.
and Fig. 6 show respectively the structure and operating flow chart thereof In this mode, server _30 can be a built-in module in a scanner or a stand-alone box connected to a scanner, and are designed to have an operating system which can provides compatible work flow With the client computer 20.
As the application program 21 on client computer interacts with the client side TWAIN program 22, the client side TWAIN program 22 will treat the NETWAIN CLIENT program 23 as a data source, and pass the related TWAIN instructions through network interface 40 to a PROPRIETARY NETWAIN SERVER program 36 on the server 30.
Server 30 has no TWAIN or other related programs. After the PROPRIETARY NETWAIN SERVER program 36 on the server 30 receives the instructions of the NETWAIN CLIENT program 23 on the client computer, it will send all related instructions through communication interface 32 to scanner 33 to acquire the image data. All acquired image data from the scanner 33 are then transferred back to NETWAIN CLIENT program 23 on the client computer 20.
The NETWAIN CLIENT program 23 will pass the received data to the client side TWAIN program 22, and then in turn pass to client's application program 2 1, thus the user will get the image data that was acquired from the scanner 33 as if the scanner 33 is connected directly at the client computer 20.
To sum up, the structure and method for sharing image processing device via local area network according to the present invention can share a single image processing device, not just limited to a scanner, via local area network in a similar operating system or in different operating systems.
It is no doubt that after reading the above descriptions any skillfid person in the art can create many different variations without departing the spirit and scope of the accompanying claims. Therefore, it is intended that the appended claims will cover all those variations.
6
Claims (8)
1 - A structure of similar platform topology for sharing image processing device via local area network, comprising a plurality of client computers, a server, a network interface and an image processing device, the plurality of client computers and the server having similar operating system, characterized in that:
the plurality of client computers being user's terminals, including a client's application program, a client side TWAIN program, a NETWAIN CLIENT program, a NETWAIN compatible device driver and a communication interface; the server being a remote terminal to be linked with the image processing device, including a server side TWAIN program, a NETWAIN SERVER program, a device driver for image processing device, and a communication interface; the network interface linked with the plurality of client computers and the server, so that the image processing device can be'shared by the plurality of client computers.
2. The structure according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the communication interfaces is selected from a group consisting of SCSI interface, USB bus and parallel port interface.
3. The structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the network interface is an Ethernet or any other interface which can form a network.
4. A method for sharing image processing device via local area network, characterized in the following steps:
a. build up a structure according to claim 1 b. the client's application program instructs the client side TWAIN program; 7 c. the client side TWAIN program will treat the NETWAIN CLIENT -program as a data source, and pass the related TWAIN instructions through the network interface to the NETWAIN SERVER program; d. the NETWAIN SERVER program will pass the related instructions to the server side TWAIN program, the server side TWAIN program will treat the NETWAIN SERVER program as its application program; e. the server side TWAIN program will take the image data from the image processing device, and pass to the NETWAIN SERVER program, then in turn pass through the network interface to the NETWAIN CLIENT program.
f. the NETWAIN CLIENT program will pass the image data to the client side TWAIN program, and then m turn pass to the client's application program.
5. A structure of difFerent platform topology for sharing image processing device via local area network, comprising a pluraEty of client computers, a server, a network interface and an image processing device, the plurality of client computers having difierent operating system from the server, characterized in that:
the plurality of client computers being user's terminals, including a client's application program, a client side TWAIN program, a NETWAIN CLIENT program, a NETWAIN compatible device driver and a communication interface; the server being a remote terminal to be linked with the image processing device, including a PROPRIETARY NETWAIN SERVER program, and a communication interface; 8 the network interface linked with the plurality of client computers and the server, so that the image processing device can be shared by the plurality of client computers.
6. The structure according to claim 5, characterized m that each of the communication interfaces is selected from a group consisting of SCSI interface, USB bus and parallel port interface.
7. The structure according to claim 5, characterized in that the network mterface is an Ethernet or any other interface which can form a network.
8. A method for sharing image processing device via local area network, characterized in the following steps:
a. build up a structure according to claim 5; b. the client's application program Mstructs the client side TWAIN program; c. the client side TWAIN program Will treat the NETWAIN CLIENT program as a data source, and pass the related TWAIN instructions through the network interface to the PROPRIETARY NETWAIN SERVER program; d. the PROPRIETARY NETWAIN SERVER program will pass the related instructions through the communication interface to the image processing device, acquire the image data from the image processing device, and then pass the image data back to the NETWAIN CLEENT program; e. the NETWAIN CLEENT program will pass the image data to the client side TWAIN program, and then in turn pass to the client's 25application program.
9
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9821031A GB2341954A (en) | 1998-09-28 | 1998-09-28 | Sharing an image processing device via a local area network |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9821031A GB2341954A (en) | 1998-09-28 | 1998-09-28 | Sharing an image processing device via a local area network |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB9821031D0 GB9821031D0 (en) | 1998-11-18 |
| GB2341954A true GB2341954A (en) | 2000-03-29 |
Family
ID=10839561
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9821031A Withdrawn GB2341954A (en) | 1998-09-28 | 1998-09-28 | Sharing an image processing device via a local area network |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2341954A (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN1976310B (en) * | 2005-07-08 | 2014-04-16 | 美国博通公司 | Communication method using bus interface over a network |
Citations (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP0733978A1 (en) * | 1995-03-23 | 1996-09-25 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Network interface board for digital copier |
-
1998
- 1998-09-28 GB GB9821031A patent/GB2341954A/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP0733978A1 (en) * | 1995-03-23 | 1996-09-25 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Network interface board for digital copier |
Non-Patent Citations (3)
| Title |
|---|
| Computer Shopper Vol. 16, No. 5, May 1996, page 436, and also IAC Accession No. 18182352. * |
| Dr Dobb's Journal Vol. 19, No. 10, September 1994, pages 76-82, and also IAC Accession No. 16173304. * |
| PC User No. 277, February 21 1996, page 83, and also IAC Accession No. 18047531. * |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN1976310B (en) * | 2005-07-08 | 2014-04-16 | 美国博通公司 | Communication method using bus interface over a network |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB9821031D0 (en) | 1998-11-18 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |