JP2000156760A - Image processing unit, image processing system and storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processing unit where transmission of image data is completed, in a short time. SOLUTION: The capacity of a storage device of an output device is compared with the capacity of transmitted image data (S204), and when the capacity of the image data is larger, an output device with a storage device having a sufficient capacity is detected from among other selectable output devices (S206) to urge revision of the selection. When the selection is changed, data are transmitted altogether (S210) and when the selection is not changed, the data are transmitted with division in matching with the capacity of the storage device of the original output device (S211).

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, and in particular, to another image processing apparatus which reads compound document information including characters, graphics, images, etc., and which can be connected to a predetermined communication medium such as a telephone line. And an image processing apparatus that outputs the information.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when data read from an image reading device such as a scanner is output from a printing device such as a printer, the entire data output by a storage device such as a hard disk or a readable / writable memory of the printing device. If it is not enough to hold the data, it is necessary to transfer the data by dividing it into a size that can fit in the storage capacity.

[0003]

However, in such a data transfer method, the processing time is lengthened by dividing the data, and the time required for the data transmission source device to be released for the next processing is increased. Take it. Further, when the printing apparatus is located at a remote place and is connected via a telephone line or the like, there is a problem that the communication cost increases.

An object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus capable of terminating the transmission of image data in a short time.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus capable of selecting an optimum output device from a plurality of selectable output devices.

[0006]

The gist of the present invention is an image processing apparatus for transmitting output data to any of a plurality of output devices communicably connected, wherein each of the plurality of output devices is transmitted once. And comparing the maximum amount of data that can be held with the size of the output data and transmitting the output data to one of the output devices having a maximum capacity larger than the size of the output data. .

Another aspect of the present invention is an image processing apparatus that transmits output data to a specified output device from among devices that are communicably connected, including a plurality of output devices. Means for comparing the maximum amount of data that the output device can hold at one time with the size of the output data,
As a result of the comparison, if the maximum capacity of the designated output device is smaller than the size of the output data, a relay device having a larger maximum capacity than the designated output device is detected from among the devices communicably connected. Means for transmitting output data to the relay device together with information necessary for transmitting the output data from the relay device to the designated output device.

Another aspect of the present invention resides in an image processing system having a plurality of the above image processing apparatuses on a network.

[0009] Another aspect of the present invention is a storage medium for storing a program executable by an apparatus, wherein the apparatus executes the program by outputting the program to one of a plurality of output devices communicably connected. An image processing device that transmits data, and compares the maximum amount of data that can be held by each of the plurality of output devices at once with the size of the output data,
A storage medium characterized by being operated as an image processing device for transmitting output data to one of output devices having a maximum capacity larger than the size of output data.

[0010] Another aspect of the present invention is a storage medium for storing a program executable by an apparatus, wherein the apparatus for executing the program includes a plurality of output devices among communicably connected apparatuses. An image processing apparatus for transmitting output data to a specified output device from a maximum capacity of data that can be held at a time by the specified output device, and a means for comparing the size of the output data, and a result of the comparison, If the maximum capacity of the specified output device is smaller than the size of the output data, a relay device having a maximum capacity larger than the specified output device is detected from among the devices communicably connected, and the output data is output. Operating as an image processing apparatus having means necessary for transmitting output data from a relay device to a designated output device together with information necessary for transmitting the output data to the relay device. It resides in the storage medium to be.

[0011]

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. (First Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a general configuration of an image processing apparatus according to the present invention. The present invention relates to an MFP (Mult) having functions of a scanner, a printer, and both.
Although it can be applied to any image processing apparatus such as iFunctionPeripheral), since they communicate with each other, it is desirable that the driver software, controller, and protocol for controlling do not depend on functions or models. Therefore, it has the same basic structure and a hardware configuration in which functions are modularized.

Referring to FIG. 1, an image processing apparatus 100 includes a network interface 1 used for connection to a network centered on a controller 101 for performing overall control.
09, memory 103, user interface (UI:
Display device, input device, etc.) 102, scanner engine 1
08 and the printer engine 104 are connected. Each component connected to the controller 101 is modularized, and can be added or deleted as needed. For example, when used as a scanner, the UI 102, the memory 103, and the scanner engine 108 are connected. If the printer engine 104 is connected instead of the scanner engine 108, it can be used as a printer.
Can be used as P.

[0013] Further options can be connected to the scanner engine 108 and the printer engine 104.
Each function can be extended. The drawing shows a state in which a feeder 107 is connected to a scanner engine 108, and a paper deck 105 and a finisher 106 are connected to a printer engine 104. The controller 101 recognizes the type of the connected module (including an optional module if the module is further connected to the module), and holds its own configuration, functions, and various conditions.

The controller 101 analyzes various commands received from the outside via the network interface 109, gives instructions to each module, and transmits requested information. At this time, the controller interprets the command according to the type of the connected module, so that necessary information can be obtained by transmitting a common command to image processing apparatuses having different types of modules. . The controller 101 performs necessary processing by executing system software 1010 stored therein.

<System Configuration> FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of a network system using the image processing apparatus according to the present invention. In the figure, scanners 11 and 12, printers 21 and 22, and MFPs 41 and 42 having scanner and printer functions are all image processing apparatuses according to the present invention. Further, the PCs 31 and 32 communicate with the image processing apparatus of the present invention, and have a configuration capable of performing predetermined processing.

Scanner 11, Printer 21, MFP 41
And the PC 31 are respectively connected to a common network 6, while the scanner 12, the printer 22, the MFP 42 and the PC 32 are each connected to a common network 7, and the networks 6 and 7 are interconnected by the Internet 5.

<Data Processing> Next, processing for outputting data read from a scanner to a printer will be described with reference to FIG. When a composite document such as an image is read by the scanner 11 and output from a specific printer 22, a printer to be output is selected from a list of printers that can be specified as an output destination displayed on a display unit such as a panel of the scanner (S201). ), And acquires model information such as the function and performance of the designated printer (S202).

Including a printer that can be specified as an output destination;
The list of the devices connected to the network and the model information may be stored in advance in a storage device inside the scanner 11 or may be called from another device such as the PC 31 connected to the same network as the scanner 11. Good. The list of all devices available on the network and their model information include not only the data displayed on the display unit, but also, for example, addresses and device types on the network, types of connected optional devices, Information such as the size of paper, the contents of possible processing, and the storage capacity of a usable storage device is included. Devices for which information is stored
Not only devices connected to the same network but also devices that can communicate via another network may be included.

Next, the scanner 11 reads data from a reading target placed on the table according to designated conditions (spatial resolution, color resolution, etc.), finds and holds the data size (S203), and stores the data size internally or The read data is stored in an external storage device.

The size held in S203 is compared with the storage capacity included in the model information of the printer 22 acquired in S202 (S204). If the storage capacity of the printer 22 is sufficient, the printer 22 Is transferred from the printer 22 to output read data (S205).

On the other hand, if the printer 22 does not have a sufficient capacity, a printer having a storage device capable of holding data is detected from a list of model information (S206), and an alternative printer (MFP 42) is detected in S207. If done,
A list of alternative printers is displayed (S208). If the output from the alternative printer is selected in S209, the data is transferred to the MFP 42, which is the alternative printer (S210). If the alternative printer is not detected or if the output to the alternative printer is not selected, the initially designated printer is selected. The data is divided and transferred to S22 (S211).

(Second Embodiment) S20 of the first embodiment
A process for specifying the number of copies (the number of copies) at the same time as the output device in step 1 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. After the data is read in S203 of FIG.
In step 501, it is determined whether or not the number of copies has been designated. If the number of copies has not been designated, the processing after step S204 in FIG.
If the number of copies is specified, S502 in FIG.
It is determined whether or not the designated printer 22 has a copy function based on the information acquired in step (1). If there is a copy function, data is generated as many as the number of copies in step S505 if there is no copy function, and the process returns to step 204 and subsequent steps in FIG.

If the printer 22 has a copy function, the capacity of the storage device of the printer 22 is compared with the data capacity of one page in step S204. Prior to the data transfer to the first embodiment, the same processing as in the first embodiment is performed except that the number of copies is notified.

On the other hand, if the printer 22 does not have the copy function, the storage capacity of the printer 22 is compared with the data capacity of the number of copies in S204, and the subsequent processing is the first processing.
The same processing as in the embodiment is performed.

(Third Embodiment) In the above-described embodiment, the storage capacity of the initially designated printer is not sufficient, and no alternative printer is detected. When the output from the initially designated printer is selected, the data is divided and output to the initially designated printer (FIG. 3, S21).
However, in this embodiment, data is not directly transferred to the initially designated printer, but is transmitted to the initially designated printer via another device in such a case.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a data transfer process according to the third embodiment. The processing is performed in the same manner as in the first and second embodiments up to 211 in FIG. As described above, when the storage capacity of the initially designated printer is not sufficient and the alternative printer is not detected, and when the output from the initially designated printer is selected despite the alternative printer being detected. Includes S40 in FIG.
The processing shifts to 0.

First, it is checked whether or not an alternative printer has been detected in S206 of FIG. 3 (S400). If no alternative printer has been detected, an apparatus having the largest capacity storage device is detected (S401). Here, the capacity of the storage device of the detected device is compared with the storage device capacity of the initially designated printer (S410). If the capacity is larger than the initially designated printer, the process proceeds to S402; otherwise, the process proceeds to S211 in FIG. And the data is initially divided and transferred to the designated printer.

Next, if an alternative printer has been detected, that alternative printer is detected.
01, devices having a larger storage capacity than the initially designated printer are used as relay devices, for example, the network address of the final transfer destination (the printer 22 in the above-described embodiment), the output of a plurality of copies, and the printer 2
If the second device has a copy function, information necessary for data transfer from the relay device to the printer 22, such as the number of copies, is added and the data is transferred (S402). At this time, if a plurality of alternative printers are detected, the data is transmitted to, for example, the alternative printer having the largest storage device. Also, S
When transferring data to the device detected in 401, the data is divided and transmitted according to the capacity of the storage device of the device.

The relay apparatus that has received the data receives the relay data (S403) and extracts the final transfer destination information from the data (S404). Next, the data is divided according to the capacity of the storage device of the initially designated printer that is the final transfer destination (S405), and the data is transferred (S406).
After the data transfer is completed, it may be configured to check whether the data transfer is completed normally and notify the data transmission source of the result (S
407-S409). With this configuration,
When there is no device that can transfer the read data at one time, or when such a device is detected as an alternative printer but is not selected, it is possible to reduce the load performed by the device that has read the data. Can,
It is possible to quickly release a frequently used device for the next process.

[0030]

[Other Embodiments] In each of the above embodiments, an image processing apparatus controlled by common driver software, a controller and a protocol is used. However, the types and functions of the devices constituting the network, the command system, and the storage capacity are used. Any image processing device may be used as long as the minimum information among the information described above can be grasped in advance (or in real time) and communication with each other is possible.

Although only an example in which data read from a scanner is output from a printer has been described, it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to any input / output relationship, such as outputting data read from an MFP from another MFP. .

The object to be detected as an alternative printer may be a scanner, an MFP, or a PC as long as it has a storage device sufficient to hold data.

The present invention may be applied to an apparatus (for example, a copying machine, a facsimile machine, etc.) consisting of one device connected to a network.

An object of the present invention is to provide a storage medium storing a program code of software for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or apparatus, and to provide a computer (or CPU) of the system or apparatus.
And MPU) read and execute the program code stored in the storage medium.

In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium implements the functions of the above-described embodiment, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.

As a storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a floppy disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, CD
-R, a magnetic tape, a nonvolatile memory card, a ROM, or the like can be used.

When the computer executes the readout program code, not only the functions of the above-described embodiment are realized, but also the OS (Operating System) running on the computer based on the instruction of the program code. ) May perform some or all of the actual processing, and the processing may realize the functions of the above-described embodiments.

Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written into a memory provided on a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, based on the instructions of the program code, It goes without saying that the CPU included in the function expansion board or the function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing, and the processing realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments.

When the present invention is applied to the storage medium, the storage medium stores program codes corresponding to the above-described flowchart, at least program codes corresponding to the flowchart of FIG.

[0040]

As described above, according to the present invention, when there is not enough storage device capacity to hold print data, a device having sufficient storage device capacity is detected, and from among those devices, By selecting an apparatus that performs the alternative processing, it is possible to reduce the printing time and thereby the printing cost.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a basic configuration of an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an image processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a process according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a process according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a process according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

Claims (9)

[Claims] An image processing apparatus for transmitting output data to one of a plurality of output devices communicably connected, the maximum capacity of data that each of the plurality of output devices can hold at one time, Comparing with the size of the output data,
An image processing apparatus, wherein the output data is transmitted to one of the output devices having the maximum capacity larger than the size of the output data. 2. An image processing apparatus for transmitting output data to a designated output device from among devices communicably connected, including a plurality of output devices, wherein the designated output device holds the data at once. Means for comparing the maximum capacity of data that can be output with the size of the output data; and if the result of the comparison indicates that the maximum capacity of the specified output device is smaller than the size of the output data, the connection is established so as to enable communication. Detecting a relay device having the maximum capacity larger than the designated output device from among the designated devices, and transmitting the output data from the relay device to the designated output device. Means for transmitting to the relay device together with information necessary for the image processing. 3. The image processing device according to claim 2, wherein the relay device is an image processing device or an information processing device. 4. When the maximum capacity of the relay device is smaller than the size of the output data, the output data is divided and transmitted according to the maximum capacity of the relay device. Item 3. The image processing device according to Item 2. 5. A means for detecting whether or not the designated output device has a copy function of outputting a plurality of copies from one piece of the output data when outputting the plurality of copies of the output data, 3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said means compares a size of data necessary for output of said plurality of copies according to the presence or absence of said copy function with said maximum capacity of said designated output device. apparatus. 6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, which has a scanner function and / or a printer function, and operates by a common command. 7. An image processing system comprising a plurality of image processing apparatuses according to claim 1 on a network. 8. A storage medium for storing a program executable by an apparatus, wherein the apparatus for executing the program is:
An image processing apparatus for transmitting output data to any one of a plurality of output devices communicably connected, the maximum capacity of data that each of the plurality of output devices can hold at one time, and the size of the output data Compare with
A storage medium that is operated as an image processing device that transmits the output data to one of the output devices having the maximum capacity larger than the size of the output data. 9. A storage medium for storing a program executable by a device, wherein the device executing the program is an output device designated from among communicably connected devices including a plurality of output devices. Means for comparing the maximum amount of data that can be held by the designated output device at one time with the size of the output data, and a result of the comparison, the designated If the maximum capacity of the output device is smaller than the size of the output data, a relay device having the maximum capacity larger than the designated output device is detected from among the communicably connected devices, Means for transmitting the output data to the relay device together with information necessary for transmitting the output data from the relay device to the designated output device. A storage medium characterized by operating as an image processing device.