JP2008193217A - Automatic scanner connection program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an automatic scanner connection program which automatically connects a USB scanner to a PC when a user executes scanning, and which disconnects the USB scanner from the PC after completing the scanning. <P>SOLUTION: In a system wherein a client terminal is connected to a USB device server to which a scanner is locally connected through a network, a computer in the client terminal is made to achieve: a function for acquiring a command from a DSM when a scanning command is issued from a scanning application in the client terminal; a function for reading out the network information of the USB device server for managing the scanner and information capable of specifying the scanner from a setting storage part when a command target is a scanner to be automatically connected; a function for transmitting the command together with the information of the USB device server and the scanner information to a virtual USB port driver; and a function for executing an image acquisition request and image data acquisition through a DS. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an automatic connection program for a remote scanner using TWAIN (Tool Without An Interesting Name) which is a standard interface of a scanner.

  In recent years, with the spread of the Internet, it is common to connect computers via a network even on a small scale, and share data and computer peripheral devices such as printers. In addition, along with the practical use of the USB (Universal Serial Bus) standard, USB terminals are mounted on many computer peripheral devices (hereinafter referred to as USB devices) because they can be easily connected to a computer with a USB cable.

  However, the USB device is originally designed on the assumption that it is connected to a computer on a one-to-one basis, and no specific means has been found even if it is shared on a network. In order to solve such a problem, a peripheral server device that is an independent device from the USB device is used. By using this peripheral device server apparatus, in some cases, it is possible to share many types of USB devices in a network environment by installing a driver of a USB device to be connected in advance in a computer (PC). It becomes possible. A USB device server is known as a peripheral server device that can share various types of USB devices such as scanners and storages as well as printers in a network environment (Non-Patent Document 1).

  In particular, the scanner has been strongly requested to be networked because it has a relatively large area and is not frequently used at all times. In response to such a demand, by using the USB device server described above, the scanner can be used over the network, and as a result, the convenience of the scanner can be greatly improved.

  As described above, the USB device server allows a USB device that has been conventionally connected and used from only one PC to be shared from any PC on the network via the network.

  Each PC can use the USB device connected to the USB device server in the same manner as the USB device connected to the local interface provided by itself. That is, the status of the USB device connected to the USB device server can be monitored on the screen, and a data file can be transmitted and received. More specifically, a printer or scanner that is a USB device connected to the USB device server can be selected from a PC on the network, and printer output and scanning data can be captured.

Here, a USB device server system (hereinafter referred to as a USB device server system) will be described with reference to a system schematic diagram of FIG. Such a system includes a PC (101a, 101b, 101c), a USB device server 103, and a USB device 104 connected to the USB device server 103. The PC (101a, 101b, 101c) and the USB device server 103 are connected by a network 102 such as a LAN (local area network), and the USB device server 103 and the USB device 104 are connected by a USB cable. .
When using more USB devices 103 than the number of USB ports of the USB device server 103, the USB device 104 may be connected to the USB device server 103 via a USB hub. Also, a plurality of USB device servers 103 may exist on the network 102, and USB devices may be connected to each.

Next, a USB data transmission / reception process will be described.
When transmitting data from the PC (101a, 101b, 101c) to the USB device 104, the PC (101a, 101b, 101c) sends a command or data to the USB device 104 issued from the application to a network protocol such as TCP / IP. It is encapsulated inside and sent to the USB device server 103.
This encapsulation process is performed by a virtual USB port driver (not shown) that is incorporated in the PC in advance. Upon receiving this, the USB device server 103 releases the encapsulation, extracts the command and data, and gives the command and data to the USB device 104. In this way, the USB device server system enables remote control of the USB device 104 via the network 102 from the PC (101a, 101b, 101c). On the other hand, when the PC (101a, 101b, 101c) receives data from the USB device 104, it operates in the reverse manner to the transmission process described above.

Next, actual usage will be described.
When a user uses a USB device 104 connected to the USB device server 103 from a PC, first, the user must operate an application attached to the USB device server 103 to establish a connection between the USB device server 103 and the PC. There is.
More specifically, a list of the USB device server 103 existing on the network and the USB device 104 connected thereto is displayed on the application screen described above, and the user manually selects a desired device from the list. Select with and press the connection button on the application to connect. That is, before using the USB device 104, the connection process described above is necessarily required.
On the other hand, after the USB device 104 is used, a disconnection work is necessary, and the USB device 104 cannot be used from another PC unless this work is performed.

Such an operation is troublesome when the USB device 104 is frequently used, and lacks convenience in a printer that is frequently used. Moreover, such a work has become a work with a high threshold for a user unfamiliar with a computer.
In order to solve the above problem, a program for monitoring the print spool area is built in the PC, and when the print data is spooled, it automatically connects to the USB device 104 specified in advance, and the spool area is An automatic connection / disconnection technique for disconnecting when empty is disclosed (Patent Document 1).

International Publication No. 20066082782 Silex Technology's HP USB Device Server (URL address: http://www.silex.jp/japan/products/network/what/index3.html)

  The automatic connection / disconnection technique described above monitors the print spool area in the PC and cannot be used for other USB devices such as scanners other than printers. Further, as described above, the scanner is strongly required to be networked. By using the USB device server system, it becomes possible to use it on the network, but connection / disconnection work specific to the USB device server system is still required. Such work is troublesome, and is a high threshold for a user who is not familiar with computers.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and in a USB device server system, when a user executes a scan, the USB scanner and the PC are automatically connected and disconnected when the scan is completed. Is to provide a program.

In order to achieve the above object, an automatic scanner connection program of the present invention is a system in which one or more client PCs and a USB device server to which a scanner is connected are connected via a network.
A function for setting and saving scanner selection information designated for automatic connection in the setting holding unit, a function for receiving a scan start command from the data source manager (DSM), and a scanner for which the processing target of the scan start command is designated for automatic connection The function of reading the network information of the USB device server to which the scanner is connected and the information that can specify the scanner from the setting holding unit, the network information of the read USB device server and the information about the scanner, the virtual USB This is for causing the client PC to realize a function of transmitting to the port driver and a function of receiving an image acquisition command from the data source (DS) and transparently transmitting the command to the virtual USB port driver.

The above-described scanner automatic connection program of the present invention makes it possible to automatically connect the USB scanner and the client PC when the user executes a scan.
The scanner automatic connection program of the present invention is substantially a virtual data source (virtual DS) described later.
Note that receiving an image acquisition command from the data source (DS) and transparently transmitting it to the virtual USB port driver means that the image acquisition command received from the DS is sent to the virtual USB port driver without any particular processing. It means to send.

  The scanner automatic connection program according to the present invention preferably has a function of transmitting a request for instructing disconnection between the client PC and the scanner to the virtual USB port driver when receiving the close command from the DSM in the above program. Is further realized in the client PC.

  With the above-described scanner automatic connection program of the present invention, when the user executes a scan, the USB scanner and the client PC are automatically connected, and the scan can be disconnected when the scan is completed.

  The scanner automatic connection program according to the present invention preferably includes a function for monitoring whether the scanner designated for automatic connection is being used by another client PC in the above program, This is for causing the client PC to further realize a function of displaying a message on the screen when it is determined that the client PC is in use, or when it is determined that the scanner is released from use by another client PC. .

  A function for monitoring whether or not the scanner designated for automatic connection is being used by another client PC, and determining that the scanner is being used by another client PC, or that the scanner is being used by another client PC The function of displaying a message on the screen when it is determined that the user has been released can save the user from having to retry the scanner operation, improving convenience.

  The scanner automatic connection program of the present invention preferably has a timer function in the above program, and is set by the timer function when a scan start command is received from the DSM for a scanner designated for automatic connection. This is to allow the client PC to further realize a function of interrupting subsequent processing until a predetermined time elapses.

  The timer function that interrupts subsequent processing until a predetermined time has elapsed allows the start of the scanning process to be delayed in consideration of the time required for the user to move from the location of the client PC to the location of the scanner. .

  According to the scanner automatic connection program of the present invention, it is possible to provide a user-friendly scanner usage environment in which a USB scanner and a PC are automatically connected when a user performs a scan and automatically disconnects when the scan is completed. There is an effect.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings, taking as an example an example using TWAIN (Tool Without An Interesting Name) which is a standard interface of a scanner. Hereinafter, an embodiment of a scanner automatic connection program in the USB device server system will be described.

The present invention is a program using TWAIN (Tool Without An Interesting Name) which is a standard interface of a scanner. First, FIG. 2 shows a functional block diagram inside the PC when the USB device server system is not used.
In FIG. 2, the scanning application indicates software used for image capture. Specifically, there are many applications that perform image processing. The DSM (Data Source Manager) is normally installed in advance in the OS (Operating System) and is located between the scanning application and the DS (Data Source) described later, and displays a list of DS installed in the PC. It manages DS, such as having it.

Note that TWAIN is used as an interface between the scanning application and DSM and DSM and DS.
The DS is normally provided by each scanner vendor, and replaces the TWAIN command obtained via the DSM with a command unique to each scanner. The replaced command is sent to the scanner via the USB interface.

  FIG. 3 shows a functional block diagram inside the PC in a conventional USB device server system not using the present invention. Compared to FIG. 2, a virtual USB port driver and a setting application located between the DS and the network interface are added in the PC.

  FIG. 15 shows a process flowchart of a conventional USB device server system not using the present invention. As described in the background art, the virtual USB port driver is a component that encapsulates a command for the scanner and transmits it as a network packet to the USB device server. Here, a command related to the scanner operation obtained from the DS is encapsulated in a network packet and transmitted to the USB device server through the network interface.

On the other hand, the encapsulated response data obtained from the USB device server is decapsulated and sent to the DS contrary to the transmission. Further, the virtual USB port driver executes not only the above-described processing related to the encapsulation but also the connection between the PC and the scanner connected to the USB device server according to the connection instruction from the setting application described later. Plug and play (PnP) notification processing is also performed so that the scanner is virtually recognized. The setting application searches and acquires the USB device server existing on the network and the USB device information connected thereto, and displays a list of all or part of them on the setting application screen. Specifically, the information here is network information including the IP address of the USB device server, the name of the USB device, and the like. The user manually selects the USB device server and the USB device displayed in the setting application, and executes the connection to use the USB device from the PC. Although not shown here, as described later, these pieces of information acquired by the setting application may be stored in a storage area. The operation of DSM and DS, which are other components shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 shows a functional block diagram inside the PC in the present invention. Compared with the PC side in FIG. 3, a virtual DS (data source), a setting holding unit, and a command buffer unit located between the DSM and the virtual USB port driver are added. When viewed from the DSM, the virtual DS is recognized in the same way as a normal DS. That is, the virtual DS and the DS are equivalent to the DSM, and the DSM does not need to be aware of these differences.

The setting holding unit is a storage device such as a hard disk (HDD) usually provided in the PC, and is an area for storing data acquired by the setting application as described above. In addition to the information described above, selection information indicating which scanner is automatically connected is added to the data to be stored. The command buffer unit will be described later.

An example of the information table held by the setting holding unit is shown in FIG. “IP address” is an IP address of a USB device server existing on the network. “Host” is the host name of the USB device server. “Device” is the name of the USB device connected to the USB device server, and this is associated with location information (not shown) including information such as a physical port to which the USB device is connected on the USB device server. It has been. “DS” is a DS name corresponding to a scanner which is a device. “Automatic connection” is selection information indicating which scanner to connect to when performing automatic connection.

That is, in the case of FIG. 12, Scanner 2 connected to the USB device server with the host name Server 2 is the target of automatic connection. The automatic connection selection information is usually given by a user operation from a setting application. Further, by providing the setting holding unit, the virtual DS can directly read and acquire the connection destination scanner information without going through the setting application. The command buffer unit is an area for temporarily storing a TWAIN command obtained from the DSM as necessary. This is usually realized by a RAM (not shown) provided in the PC.
In the following example, an embodiment of the virtual DS of the present invention will be described.

First, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 5 shows a functional block diagram of the virtual DS in the first embodiment.
In FIG. 5, the TWAIN interface is an interface for communicating with the DSM, and receives a TWAIN command for the scanner from the scanning application through the DSM. Further, the command processing unit monitors a TWAIN command from the DSM and executes a predetermined process to be described later when a command designated in advance is detected. The DS interface is an interface for exchanging the TWAIN command received via the TWAIN interface with the DS. The virtual USB port driver control unit controls the exchange between the virtual USB port driver and the virtual DS.

  FIG. 6 shows a sequence when the PC is automatically connected to the scanner and image acquisition is performed. Hereinafter, the flow of processing in the first embodiment will be described using the sequence shown in FIG.

(1) First, the user selects a DS corresponding to a scanner to be automatically connected using a setting application (S601).
An example of the selection screen at this time is shown in FIG. In this selection screen, the virtual DS is displayed with the name “SX Virtual TWAIN”, and SX Virtual TWAIN, which is the virtual DS, is associated with TWAIN2, which is the DS corresponding to the scanner to be automatically connected. As a result, the target scanner of the automatic connection column, which is data held in the setting holding unit shown in FIG. 12, is selected, and the virtual DS and the selected DS are associated with each other.

(2) When the user opens the DS selection screen of the scanning application (S602), the scanning application requests the DSM from the DS list incorporated in the PC (S603). In response to the request for the DS list, the DSM responds to the scanning application with the list of managed DSs (S604).

(3) Upon receiving the DS list from the DSM, the scanning application displays the DS list on the scanning application (S605). At this time, a virtual DS (SX Virtual TWAIN) is displayed together with the regular DS. FIG. 14 shows an example of the DS selection screen. Here, in order to use the automatic connection function, the user selects “SX Virtual TWAIN” which is a virtual DS.

(4) When the user selects a virtual DS from the DS list (S606) and issues a scan instruction from the scanning application (S607), an OPEN command is transmitted to the DSM (S608). As shown in S606, all the commands from the scanning application are sent to the virtual DS by selecting the virtual DS as the DS from the scanning application.
Here, the OPEN command is a generic name for a plurality of TWAIN command groups that are first required when using DSM. After the processing of the series of commands is completed, actual scan data can be communicated. Further, the process of selecting the virtual DS shown in S606 is not necessarily required every time, and may be unnecessary when already selected.

(5) The DSM that has received the OPEN command from the application sends this OPEN command to the virtual DS (S609). In the virtual DS, the command control unit monitors the TWAIN command from the DSM, and when a specific command is detected, processing according to this is executed. Here, the OPEN command received from the DSM is associated with a specific process.

(6) In response to receiving this OPEN command, the command processing unit executes the next processing. First, the OPEN command is saved in the command buffer unit (S610). (7) Next, information necessary for connection such as the IP address and scanner name of the USB device server corresponding to the scanner for which automatic connection is selected is read from the setting holding unit (S611). Further, according to the read information, the virtual USB port driver is instructed to connect the PC and the scanner via the virtual USB port driver control unit (S612).

(8) In response to the connection request instruction received in S612, the virtual USB port driver requests descriptor information of the connected scanner from the USB device server (S613).
(9) Next, when a response is received from the USB device server (S614), the plug-and-play (PnP) of the scanner is notified to the OS, and at the same time, the connection between the PC and the scanner is established (S615). .

(10) Thereafter, the virtual USB port driver controller of the virtual DS is notified that the connection has been completed (S616). When this process is completed, the scanner and the PC connected to the USB device server are connected over the network.
(11) Upon receiving the connection completion notification, the virtual DS responds to this by transmitting the OPEN command held in S610 to the DS (S640) and receives a completion response (S641) from the DS. Next, the virtual DS returns this completion response to the DSM (S617), and at the same time, deletes the OPEN command stored in the command buffer unit (not shown).

(12) Upon receiving the completion response to the OPEN command, the DSM responds to this to the scanning application (S618).
(13) Upon receiving S618, the scanning application recognizes that the OPEN process for the DSM has been completed. That is, the image acquisition command can be issued.

(14) The scanning application issues an image acquisition command to the DSM (S619).
(15) The DSM sends this command to the virtual DS (S620), and the virtual DS sends this command transparently (S621) to the DS (S622). Here, “transparent” does not mean that no processing is applied to the image acquisition command received from the DSM, but includes processing within a range in which the gist of the command is not changed.
For example, the command transmission timing may be changed in accordance with the DS operation that is different for each vendor or scanner. That is, in this case, even if the timing is changed, no processing is added to the command itself.

(16) Upon receiving the image acquisition command in step S622, the DS sends this to the virtual USB port driver (S623).
(17) The virtual USB port driver transmits the image acquisition command in step S623 to the scanner connected over the network (S624), and receives image data from the scanner as a response to the command (S625). .

(18) The virtual USB port driver sends the image data as it is to the DS (S626), and the DS sends the received image data to the virtual DS (S627).
(19) In the virtual DS, this image data is transmitted transparently (S628) to the DSM (S629). The DSM sends this image data to the scanning application (S630).
(20) The scanning application that has received the image data displays it as scan data on the screen (S631).

  The above is the flow of a series of image acquisition. Actually, the sequence from the scanning application issuing the image acquisition command (S619) to receiving the image data (S630) is repeatedly executed. The application gets image data.

Next, an automatic cutting sequence from the PC to the scanner in the first embodiment will be described. FIG. 7 shows a sequence of automatic cutting processing.
(1) First, when an image acquisition instruction is issued from the scanning application, the TWAIN screen is activated. In the automatic disconnection process, the process starts with the closing of the TWAIN screen as a trigger. When the TWAIN screen is closed (S701), a CLOSE command is sent from the scanning application to the DSM (S702).
Here, the CLOSE command is a general term for a series of TWAIN commands necessary for the close process, as with the OPEN command.

(2) The DSM sends this command to the virtual DS (S703), and the virtual DS sends a completion response to the CLOSE command to the DSM (S704).
(3) The DSM returns this completion response to the scanning application (S705). With this process, all the close processes for the CLOSE command are completed.
(4) On the other hand, after returning a response to the CLOSE command in S704, the virtual DS requests the virtual USB port driver to disconnect the scanner from the PC (S706).
(5) Upon receiving this request, the virtual USB port driver issues PnP indicating that the corresponding scanner has been removed to the OS (S707).
(6) Next, the connection between the PC and the scanner is disconnected (S708).
(7) Thereafter, the virtual USB port driver control unit of the virtual DS is notified that the disconnection has been completed (S709).
With this process, the automatic cutting process is completed.

  Note that the processing of S706 for requesting disconnection from the scanner does not have to be after responding to all CLOSE commands from the DSM, and may be performed simultaneously with this processing. That is, it may be executed between steps S703 and S704. Further, the automatic disconnection process does not necessarily have to be executed, and the execution may be switched on / off by means such as a setting application.

According to the first embodiment, in the USB device server system, when the user uses the scanner, there is no need to manually connect the PC and the scanner in advance. For this reason, the invention according to the first embodiment is not only troublesome work, but also can be used in the same procedure as a locally connected scanner, so it is not necessary to be aware of the network and is unfamiliar with the computer. It is easy for users to use.
Further, since the connection between the PC and the scanner is automatically disconnected after the use of the scanner is finished, the occupation of the scanner due to forgetting to disconnect does not occur, and resources can be effectively shared.

Next, as a second embodiment, an embodiment in which the status of whether or not the scanner to be automatically connected is being used by another PC can be monitored and a message can be notified when the target scanner becomes available Will be described. FIG. 8 shows a functional block diagram of the virtual DS in the second embodiment.
In the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, a resource confirmation unit and a message display unit are added to the virtual DS as compared to the first embodiment. The resource confirmation unit confirms whether or not a connection between an arbitrary PC and the scanner is established.

In the USB device server system, the scanner is exclusively used. That is, scanning can be performed only from one PC that has established a connection. When there are a plurality of PCs that want to use the scanner, other PCs cannot establish a connection with the scanner unless the connection between the already established PC and the scanner is released.
In the second embodiment, when an image acquisition is instructed from the scanning application, the resource confirmation unit makes an inquiry to the USB device server in order to grasp the connection state of the connection destination scanner. Based on this result, it is determined whether or not the connection between the PC and the scanner is executed. Hereinafter, the flow of processing of the virtual DS in the second embodiment will be described using the flowchart shown in FIG.

  The virtual DS processing flowchart in the second embodiment shown in FIG. 9 shows the virtual DS processing in step S611 and subsequent steps in the automatic connection sequence diagram of the first embodiment shown in FIG. That is, it is processing after the connection destination information is read from the setting holding unit in response to the command processing unit receiving the OPEN command from the DMS.

The processing flow of the virtual DS in the second embodiment will be described below.
(1) First, the resource confirmation unit makes an inquiry to the corresponding USB device server as to whether or not a desired scanner can be used under the connection destination information (S901).
(2) As a result of the received response (S902), if it can be used, this processing ends, and the processing from step S612 shown in FIG. 6 is continued. On the other hand, if it is not available, such as another PC is connected, the resource confirmation unit displays a message indicating that it is in use on the message display unit (S903).
(3) Next, the command processing unit returns a response to the OPEN command stored in step S610 shown in FIG. 6 (S904). This response includes that the OPEN has failed.
(4) In step S905, the message display unit displays a message as to whether or not to monitor the connection status of the connection destination scanner, and branches subsequent processing based on the obtained user's judgment (S905). If it is not monitored, this process ends, and a state of waiting for an operation from the scanning application, that is, a state of waiting for an operation from the user is entered. When monitoring, the resource confirmation unit repeatedly confirms the connection status of the corresponding scanner until it becomes available as shown in steps S906 and S907.
(5) As a result, when it is detected that it can be used, the message display unit displays that it can be used (S908), and this processing ends.

According to the second embodiment, when an image is acquired from a certain PC, even if another PC is already using this scanner, the scanning application of the PC that has performed the image acquisition performs an undesirable process such as a timeout. It can be prevented from executing.
In addition, the status of use by other PCs is monitored, and when a resource becomes available, this fact is notified by a message, so the user may encounter error processing such as timeouts many times, or manually connect There is no need to check repeatedly.

Next, as a third embodiment, an embodiment in which a time lag can be provided from when a scan instruction is issued to when scanning is actually started will be described. FIG. 10 shows a functional block diagram of the virtual DS in the third embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 10, in the third embodiment, a timer unit is added to the virtual DS as compared with the first embodiment. Hereinafter, the flow of processing of the virtual DS in the third embodiment will be described using the flowchart shown in FIG.

  The processing flowchart of the virtual DS in the third embodiment shown in FIG. 11 is a part corresponding to step S621 in the automatic connection sequence diagram of the first embodiment shown in FIG. That is, the automatic connection sequence diagram of the third embodiment is the same as that of FIG. 6 except that the step S621 in the sequence diagram of FIG. 6 is replaced with the flow shown in FIG.

The processing flow of the virtual DS in the third embodiment will be described below.
(1) First, when the virtual DS receives an image acquisition command from the DSM, the command processing unit detects the image acquisition command (S1101).
(2) When an image acquisition command is detected, the command is stored in the command buffer unit (S1102), and the timer unit is started (S1103).
(3) The timer unit holds a predetermined time, and the determination until this time is reached is repeatedly executed (S1104).
(4) When the predetermined time is reached, the command processing unit reads the image acquisition command stored in step S1102, and sends this command to the DS (S1105).
(5) Next, the command processing unit resets the timer of the timer unit to the initial value “0” (S1106). The predetermined time set in the timer unit can be set to an arbitrary value by means such as a setting application.

  As is clear from the above processes (1) to (5), the timer unit of the third embodiment can be added to the second embodiment as well as the first embodiment.

According to the third embodiment, the user can arbitrarily set the time lag from when the scan instruction is issued until the actual scan is started. The USB device server is used in a network, and a scanner connected to the USB device server is often located away from the PC.
In the case of a scanner, it is necessary to first set the scan target (paper, etc.) on the scanner body, but the user sets it in advance, returns to the PC and executes the scan. Collect the subject. In this case, the user must make two reciprocations between the PC and the scanner body. In the present embodiment, since the image acquisition command is held for a preset time, the actual scanning operation is started after a predetermined time lag after the user instructs the execution of scanning.
That is, the user instructs scanning on the PC, sets the scanner target on the scanner body, starts the actual scanning, and when this is finished, the user only needs to take out the scanning target and return to the PC.
In addition, since the user can arbitrarily set the time for holding the command, for example, it is possible to flexibly cope with a time-out time that differs for each scanning application.

  The scanner automatic connection program of the present invention can be used in a system that shares a scanner on a network.

System diagram of USB device server Functional block diagram inside the PC when the USB device server system is not used Functional block diagram inside PC in USB device server system not using virtual DS of the present invention Functional block diagram inside a PC incorporating the virtual DS of the present invention Functional block diagram of the virtual DS of the first embodiment Automatic connection sequence diagram in the first embodiment Automatic cutting sequence diagram in the first embodiment Functional block diagram of the virtual DS of the second embodiment Process flow of virtual DS in the second embodiment Functional block diagram of the virtual DS of the third embodiment Process flow of virtual DS in the third embodiment An example of the information table held by the setting holding unit An example of a screen for selecting a DS corresponding to the scanner that the user wants to automatically connect Example of DS selection screen Process flowchart of USB device server system not using the present invention

Explanation of symbols

101a, 101b, 101c PC
102 Network 103 USB Device Server 104 USB Device

Claims (4)

In a system in which one or more client PCs and a USB device server to which a scanner is connected are connected via a network,
A function to save the scanner selection information specified for automatic connection in the setting holding unit;
A function of receiving a scan start command from the data source manager (DSM);
When the processing target of the scan start command is a scanner designated for automatic connection, the network information of the USB device server to which the scanner is connected and information that can identify the scanner are read from the setting holding unit. Function and
A function of transmitting the read network information of the USB device server and information on the scanner to a virtual USB port driver;
A function of receiving an image acquisition command from a data source (DS) and transparently transmitting the command to the virtual USB port driver;
Is realized by the client PC. The scanner automatic connection program according to claim 1,
A function of transmitting a request to instruct the virtual USB port driver to disconnect the client PC and the scanner upon receiving a close command from the DSM;
Is further realized by the client PC. The scanner automatic connection program according to claim 1, further comprising:
A function for monitoring whether the scanner designated for the automatic connection is being used by another client PC;
A function for displaying a message on the screen when the scanner determines that the scanner is being used by another client PC, or when the scanner determines that the scanner is released from use by another client PC;
A scanner automatic connection program which is implemented in the client PC. In the scanner automatic connection program according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
It has a timer function,
A function of interrupting subsequent processing until a predetermined time set by the timer function elapses when a scan start command is received from the DSM for a scanner designated for automatic connection;
Further, a scanner automatic connection program which is implemented in the client PC.