JP2010020614A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To unnecessitate a large scale of change even when the specification of a message to be used for a service is changed in an image forming apparatus. <P>SOLUTION: An image forming apparatus contains: internal devices 12, 13, 14 that have functions of performing a service; a message processing unit 22 that parses a message according to service definition data 15a, the service definition data including syntax definitions of an interface part of the service and designation of a protocol to be used for the service; and a control unit 23 that controls the internal devices 12, 13, 14 according to a request obtained from a result of parsing the message by the message processing unit 22 in order to execute the service. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus.

An instruction in which instructions for executing a plurality of services are described in XML (Extensible Markup Language) is stored in the server device, a desired instruction is selected, and the service described in the instruction is set to 1 or There are systems that are executed by a plurality of job execution apparatuses (see, for example, Patent Documents 1, 2, and 3). Various parameters can be set in the instruction written in XML.
JP 2005-173891 A JP 2005-173892 A JP 2005-173893 A

  However, since instructions are created and stored in advance, when changing the parameter type, number, allowable values, etc. due to changes in the specifications of the job execution device, etc., it is necessary to re-create and store all related instructions. There is.

  In addition, since a predetermined communication procedure and message format for sending and receiving such instructions are used between devices, a large scale is required when changing the communication procedure and message format. A device design change is required.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to obtain an image forming apparatus that does not require a large-scale change even if the specification of a message used for a service is changed.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is configured as follows.

  An image forming apparatus according to the present invention parses a message according to service definition data including an internal device having a function for realizing a service, a syntax definition of a service interface part, and a protocol specification of a message used for the service. A message processing unit to perform, and a control unit that controls the internal device according to a request obtained from the message based on a result of syntax analysis of the message processing unit and executes a service.

  As a result, the message is parsed according to the service definition data, so the message specification can be changed by changing the service definition data. Also, the syntax definition of the service interface part in the service definition data and the service Since the protocol specification of the message to be used is explicitly described separately, the message specification can be changed without changing the interface part used when calling the service. Therefore, even if the specifications of messages used for services are changed, no large-scale change is required.

  In addition to the image forming apparatus described above, the image forming apparatus according to the present invention may be configured as follows. In this case, the image forming apparatus includes a receiving unit that receives a message using a predetermined communication protocol via a computer network. Then, the message processing unit analyzes the syntax of the message received by the receiving unit.

  The image forming apparatus according to the present invention may be configured as follows in addition to any of the image forming apparatuses described above. In this case, the message processing unit generates a message related to the execution result of the service according to the service definition data including the syntax definition of the interface part of the service and the specification of the protocol of the message used for the service.

  As a result, the message is generated according to the service definition data, so the message specification can be changed by changing the service definition data, and the syntax definition of the service interface part in the service definition data and the service Since the specification of the protocol of the message to be used is explicitly divided and described, the message specification can be changed without changing the interface part used when calling the service. Therefore, even if the specifications of messages used for services are changed, no large-scale change is required.

  The image forming apparatus according to the present invention may be configured as follows in addition to any of the image forming apparatuses described above. In this case, the image forming apparatus includes a receiving unit that receives a message using a predetermined communication protocol via a computer network, and a transmission unit that transmits a message using a communication protocol via the computer network. The message processing unit parses the message received by the receiving unit, and the message processing unit generates a message related to the result of the service executed according to the request obtained from the message based on the result of the syntax analysis of the message processing unit. Then, the transmission means transmits a message related to the service result generated by the message processing unit.

  The image forming apparatus according to the present invention may be configured as follows in addition to any of the image forming apparatuses described above. In this case, the protocol specified in the service definition data is SOAP, the reception unit receives a message by HTTP, and the transmission unit transmits a message by HTTP.

  The image forming apparatus according to the present invention may be configured as follows in addition to any of the image forming apparatuses described above. In this case, the service definition data is XML data described in WSDL.

  The image forming apparatus according to the present invention may be configured as follows in addition to any of the image forming apparatuses described above. In this case, the service definition data includes schema data, the schema data includes a message syntax definition, and the message processing unit parses the message according to the service definition data and the schema data.

  Thus, even if the schema data is changed and the syntax definition of the message is changed, it is not necessary to change the interface part used when calling the service.

  The image forming apparatus according to the present invention may be configured as follows in addition to any of the image forming apparatuses described above. In this case, the service definition data includes a reference to the schema data, and the message processing unit reads the schema data based on the reference to the schema data described in the service definition data, and follows the service definition data and the schema data. Parse the message.

  Thus, even if the schema data is changed and the syntax definition of the message is changed, it is not necessary to change the interface part used when calling the service.

  The image forming apparatus according to the present invention may be configured as follows in addition to any of the image forming apparatuses described above. In this case, the service definition data is XML data described in WSDL, and the schema data is XML data described in the XML schema.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain an image forming apparatus that does not require a large-scale change even if the specification of a message used for a service is changed.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image forming system including a multifunction machine 1 as an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this system, the multifunction device 1 is connected to a computer network 2 and is used by a user who operates a terminal device 3 connected to the computer network 2 or an operation panel 11 of the multifunction device 1. For this reason, when execution of a service is requested by a user operation, request and response messages are transmitted and received between the terminal device 3 and the multifunction device 1 or inside the multifunction device 1.

  In FIG. 1, the multifunction machine 1 includes an operation panel 11, a printing device 12, an image reading device 13, a facsimile device 14, a data storage device 15, a communication device 16, and a computer 17.

  The operation panel 11 is a user interface device having a display device such as a liquid crystal display and an input device that electrically detects a physical user operation. As the input device, a key switch, a transparent touch panel arranged on the screen of the display device, or the like is used.

  The printing device 12 is an internal device that prints a document image based on document data generated by the image reading device 13, document data stored in a document box (not shown), document data received from the terminal device 3, and the like. . The document data is image data in a predetermined format.

  The image reading device 13 irradiates light on one or both sides of a document fed by an automatic document feeder or a document placed by a user and receives reflected light or the like to read an image of the document. An internal device that outputs document data.

  The facsimile apparatus 14 has a modem, generates a facsimile signal from the document data generated by the image reading apparatus 13 or the document data stored in the document box, transmits the facsimile signal via a telephone line, and transmits the facsimile signal. It is an internal device that receives and generates document data from the received signal.

  The data storage device 15 is a device that stores service definition data 15a, schema data 15b, a program (not shown) executed by the computer 17, document data, and the like. As the data storage device 15, a device that drives a readable / writable recording medium such as a hard disk drive or a nonvolatile memory is used.

  The service definition data 15a is text data including a syntax definition of an interface part that defines a service call, a return value thereof, and the like, and further includes specification of a protocol of a message used for the service. The service definition data 15a is described in XML, for example. Furthermore, the service definition data 15a is described in, for example, WSDL. The service definition data 15a is data including a syntax definition, and is not a message that is actually transmitted / received. The service definition data 15a may be stored as one file or may be stored as a plurality of files. The service definition data 15a uses a schema language for description of syntax definition. In this embodiment, the service definition data 15a uses an XML schema for description of the syntax definition. In the service definition data 15a, the syntax definition is described directly in the XML schema, or an external A reference for reading and indirectly using the schema data 15b is described.

  The schema data 15b is external schema data referred to in the service definition data 15a. The schema data 15b is text data described in a predetermined language. The schema data 15b is stored as one or more data files.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the service definition data 15a described in WSDL. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of schema data 15b referred to by service definition data.

  The service definition data 15 a illustrated in FIG. 2 includes a syntax definition of an image reading service that uses the image reading device 13. The service definition data 15a shown in FIG. 2 includes one WSDL definition element. There is a WSDL types element in the definitions element. In the types element, for example, “scan.xsd” as shown in FIG. 3 which is external schema data 15b is referred to as an include element. Within the definitions element, the definition of the request message and the response message, which are service interface parts, is described in the WSDL message element and portType element. In FIG. 2, “send_request” is defined as the request message, and “send_response” is defined as the response message.

  In the definitions element, the protocol of the message used in the service is specified in the WSDL binding element. In the binding element shown in FIG. 2, SOAP is specified as a protocol used for the message.

  Further, the schema data 15b shown in FIG. 3 describes the syntax definition of the request message and the response message, and the definition of the allowable values of the parameters used in the message. The syntax definition of the message is described as an element element and a complexType element of the XML schema (xsd), and the definition of the allowable value of the parameter is described as a simpleType element of the XML schema (xsd).

  Thus, the service definition data 15a is stored in advance for each service. Further, external schema data 15b is stored in advance as required.

  The communication device 16 is a device connected to the computer network 2 and capable of communicating with other devices (such as the terminal device 3) connected to the computer network 2. A network interface card or the like is used as the communication device 16.

  The computer 17 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and the like (not shown), loads various programs into the RAM, and executes them on the CPU, thereby realizing various processing units. It is a device to do. The computer 17 implements a communication processing unit 21, an XML processing unit 22, a control unit 23, and a driver 24 based on a program (not shown).

  The communication processing unit 21 is a processing unit that controls the communication device 16 and transmits / receives a message via the computer network 2 using a predetermined communication protocol. In this embodiment, since SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) is used as a message protocol, TCP / IP (Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol) and HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) are used as communication protocols.

  The XML processing unit 22 is a processing unit that reads service definition data 15a described in WSDL (Web Services Description Language) and realizes a message generation unit 22a and a message analysis unit 22b. The message generator 22a generates a message such as a response message or a notification message indicating the service result in accordance with the syntax definition described in the service definition data 15a. The message analysis unit 22b performs syntax analysis of a message such as a request message indicating a service request according to the syntax definition described in the service definition data 15a, and specifies a request described in the message.

  The control unit 23 controls an internal device having a function for realizing a service, such as the printing device 12, the image reading device 13, or the facsimile device 14, according to the request specified by the XML processing unit 22 and executes the service. The processing unit obtains the service result from the internal device and supplies it to the XML processing unit 22.

  The driver 24 is a driver for the operation panel 11, and sends and receives messages to and from the XML processing unit 22 regarding user operation information input to the operation panel 11 and display screen information displayed on the operation panel 11. It is a processing unit.

  In FIG. 1, the terminal device 3 includes a communication device 31, a data storage device 32, and a computer 33. For example, a personal computer is used as the terminal device 3.

  The communication device 31 is a device that is connected to the computer network 2 and can communicate with other devices (such as the multifunction device 1) connected to the computer network 2. As the communication device 31, a network interface card or the like is used.

  The data storage device 32 is a device that stores a program executed by the computer 33. The data storage device 32 stores a driver program 32a. As the data storage device 32, a device that drives a readable / writable recording medium such as a hard disk drive or a nonvolatile memory is used.

  The computer 33 is a device that includes a CPU, RAM, ROM, and the like (not shown), implements various processing units by loading a program into the RAM and executing the program by the CPU. The computer 32 implements the communication processing unit 41 and the driver 42 based on a program such as the driver program 33a.

  The communication processing unit 41 is a processing unit that controls the communication device 31 and transmits and receives messages via the computer network 2 using a predetermined communication protocol. In this embodiment, since a SOAP message is used as a message, TCP / IP and HTTP are used as communication protocols.

  The driver 42 is a driver that controls the MFP 1 via the computer network 2 and is a processing unit that generates and analyzes messages used for services. Further, the driver 42 controls the communication processing unit 41 to acquire all or part of the service definition data 15a and the schema data 15b to specify the message syntax, and tolerable values of parameters used in the message Is identified.

  Next, the operation of each device in the system will be described.

  First, in the multifunction device 1, when the computer 17 is started, a program is executed, and the communication processing unit 21, the XML processing unit 22, the control unit 23, and the driver 24 are realized as appropriate. Then, after being activated, the XML processing unit 22 reads the service definition data 15a, and realizes a message generation unit 22a and a message analysis unit 22b based on the service definition data 15a. At this time, the XML processing unit 22 also reads the schema data 15b referred to from the service definition data 15a.

  On the other hand, in the terminal device 3, the communication processing unit 41 and the driver 42 are realized by the computer 33 executing the driver program 32 a and the like.

  Thereafter, when a predetermined user operation is detected by an input device (not shown) such as a keyboard in the terminal device 3, it is determined that a user has requested a service, and the driver 42 sends a request message to the multifunction device 1. Execute the process to send.

  The driver 42 acquires all or part of the service definition data 15a and schema data 15b for the service that is the target of the user's request from the multi-function device 1. At this time, the driver 42 controls the communication processing unit 41 to transmit an HTTP command to a predetermined URL of the multifunction device 1 and obtains all or part of the service definition data 15a and schema data 15b as a response. . For example, the driver 42 may specify the URL of the data file including the service definition data 15a and the schema data 15b, or the CGI (Common Gate Interface) URL that extracts and returns only the necessary portions of the data 15a and 15b. May be specified. The communication processing unit 21 of the multifunction device 1 has an HTTP server function, receives the HTTP command, and transmits a response to the terminal device 3.

  Based on all or part of the acquired service definition data 15a and schema data 15b, the driver 42 specifies the syntax of the message used for the service and the allowable value of the parameter used in the message. When a service request is made by the user, the driver of the terminal device 3 specifies the name of the message associated with the service, and specifies the message syntax and parameter allowable values corresponding to the name of the message in the service definition data. Based on 15a and schema data 15b.

  Then, the driver 42 displays a list of allowable values of parameters used in the message on a display device (not shown), and then selects a parameter value from the list based on a user operation on an input device (not shown). Generate a request message using the value of the parameter.

  For example, when a request for the image reading service occurs, when the driver 42 acquires part or all of the service definition data 15a and the schema data 15b illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the parameter “file_format” is included in the message “send_request”. (File_format element) and parameter "file_name" (file_name element) are used, and the allowable values for the parameter "file_format" are "PDF", "JPEG" and "BMP" . In this case, the driver 42 displays a list of allowable values “PDF”, “JPEG”, and “BMP” of the parameter “file_format” for specifying the file format and text for prompting selection on a display device (not shown). Thereafter, for example, when a user operation for selecting “PDF” is detected, the driver 42 sets the value of the parameter “file_format” to “PDF”. Further, the driver 42 displays an input field for inputting a parameter “file_name” for designating a file name and a text prompting the input on a display device (not shown). After that, for example, when a text input user operation “scan001” is detected, the driver 42 sets the value of the parameter “file_name” to “scan001”. Thereafter, the driver 42 generates a request message as shown in FIG. 4 according to the acquired service definition data 15a and schema data 15b and using the value of the selected parameter. In this case, the generated message is a SOAP message. FIG. 4 shows only the SOAP envelope part of the SOAP message.

  Thus, since the terminal device 3 acquires the service definition data 15a and the like from the multi-function device 1 that executes the service, it is not necessary to store these data in the terminal device 3 in advance. For example, even if the message syntax differs depending on the model of the multifunction device 1, it is not necessary to store the service definition data 15a or the like in the terminal device 3 for each model of the multifunction device 1, and therefore management of the service definition data 15a or the like is performed. It only needs to be performed for the multifunction device 1.

  Then, the driver 42 causes the communication processing unit 41 to transmit the generated request message to the multifunction device 1. At this time, the communication processing unit 41 controls the communication device 31 to transmit the message to the computer network 2 by HTTP. The transmitted message is received by the communication processing unit 21 of the multifunction device 1 from the computer network 2 via the communication device 16. When receiving the message, the communication processing unit 21 supplies the message to the XML processing unit 22.

  The message analysis unit 22b of the XML processing unit 22 performs syntax analysis of the message in accordance with the service definition data 15a and the schema data 15b, specifies a service using the message, and sends a request and parameter value based on the message to the control unit 23. Notice. For example, when the message analysis unit 22b is supplied with the message shown in FIG. 4, the message analysis unit 22b specifies that the message is a send_request message of the image reading service, and specifies the value of the parameter specified in the message. Then, the message analysis unit 22b receives the send_request message of the image reading service and notifies the control unit 23 of the parameter value specified in the message.

  Upon receiving the notification, the control unit 23 controls the internal device to execute the requested service. For example, when receiving the send_request message of the image reading service and the notification of the parameter value specified in the message, the control unit 23 controls the image reading device 13 to execute image reading. Then, the image reading device 13 generates a file including the read image data with the file name and file format specified by the parameters.

  When the control unit 23 detects that the execution of the service by the internal device is completed, the control unit 23 notifies the message generation unit 22a of the XML processing unit 22 of the service result.

  When the notification of the service result is received from the control unit 23, the message generation unit 22a generates a response message according to the service definition data 15a and the schema data 15b.

  For example, when the message generation unit 22a receives a transmission request for a send_response message (that is, a response message) of the image reading service in the service definition data 15a illustrated in FIG. 2 as a notification of the result of the image reading service, FIG. 2 and FIG. The syntax of the response SOAP message is specified on the basis of the service definition data 15a and the schema data 15b, and the allowable value of the parameter “result” (result element) in the message is specified. At this time, from the service definition data 15a and the schema data 15b shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the result element exists in the send_response message, and the allowable values of the result element are “SUCCESS”, “JOB_CANCELED_ERROR”, and “INTERNAL_ERROR”. Things are identified. Then, the message generation unit 22a selects a value of the result element corresponding to the notification from the control unit 23 from “SUCCESS”, “JOB_CANCELED_ERROR”, and “INTERNAL_ERROR”, and generates a SOAP message using the value of the result element To do. For example, when the control unit 23 notifies that the requested image reading service is successful, a SOAP message as shown in FIG. 5 is generated, for example. FIG. 5 shows only the SOAP envelope part of the SOAP message.

  Then, the XML processing unit 22 causes the communication processing unit 21 to transmit the generated response message to the terminal device 3. At this time, the communication processing unit 21 controls the communication device 16 to transmit the message to the computer network 2 using HTTP. The transmitted message is received by the communication processing unit 41 of the terminal device 3 from the computer network 2 via the communication device 31. When receiving the message, the communication processing unit 41 supplies the message to the driver 42. The driver 42 detects the result for the requested service from the response message. The driver 42 executes processing according to the result. For example, the driver 42 displays the service result on a display device (not shown). Further, for example, in the case of an image reading service, the multifunction device 1 includes an image data file encoded in text data in the response message, and the driver 42 of the terminal device 3 decodes the text data included in the message and The image data file may be restored.

  In this way, service requests and responses are sent and received. When a service request is made by the user to the operation panel 11, the driver 24 transmits and receives a request message and a response message to and from the XML processing unit 22 in the same manner as the driver 42. Can be executed.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a hierarchical structure of message communication processing in the embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 6, in this system, since the program interface part for message transmission and the implementation part for message communication are defined separately, the implementation part for message communication (that is, defined by the above binding element). The program interface part (that is, the part defined by the above message element) is not changed even if the part is changed), so it is necessary to change the drivers 24 and 42 and the control unit 23 used for service execution. There is no. Further, when changing the implementation part of the message communication, it is only necessary to edit the service definition data 15a and / or schema data 15b which are text data. Therefore, even if the specification of the message used for the service is changed, no large-scale change is required.

  The above-described embodiments are preferred examples of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to these, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. is there.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, a multifunction peripheral is described as an example of an image forming apparatus, but a printer, a facsimile machine, a scanner, or the like may be used.

  In the above embodiment, the service definition data 15a may be created for each use case composed of a series of services.

  In the above-described embodiment, the service definition data 15a is described in WSDL, but may be described in another language in which similar description is possible. The schema description in the schema data 15b and the service definition data 15a may be described in a language other than the XML schema. However, even in that case, the service definition data 15a and the schema data 15b are text data that can be easily edited.

  In the above embodiment, the service definition data 15a and / or the schema data 15b are stored in a server device that can be accessed via the computer network 2, and the multifunction device 1 receives the service definition data 15a and the schema data 15a from the server device. Alternatively, the schema data 15b may be downloaded and used.

  The present invention is applicable to, for example, a multifunction machine.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image forming system including a multifunction peripheral as an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the service definition data described by WSDL. It is a figure which shows an example of the schema data referred with service definition data. It is a figure which shows an example of the message of the request | requirement in embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the message of the response in embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the hierarchical structure of a message communication process in embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 MFP (an example of an image forming apparatus)
2 Computer network (an example of a computer network)
3 Terminal device (an example of a terminal device)
12 Printing device (an example of internal device)
13 Image reader (an example of internal device)
14 Facsimile device (an example of internal device)
15a Service definition data 15b Schema data 21 Communication processing unit (an example of receiving means, an example of transmitting means)
22 XML processing unit (an example of a message processing unit)
23 Control unit (an example of a control unit)

Claims (9)

In an image forming apparatus that executes one or more services in response to a request,
An internal device having a function of realizing the service;
A message processing unit that parses the message according to service definition data including a syntax definition of an interface part of the service and specification of a protocol of a message used for the service;
A control unit that controls the internal device according to a request obtained from the message according to a result of parsing by the message processing unit and executes the service;
An image forming apparatus comprising: Receiving means for receiving the message by a predetermined communication protocol via a computer network;
The message processing unit is configured to parse the message received by the receiving unit;
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.   The message processing unit generates the message related to the execution result of the service according to service definition data including a syntax definition of an interface part of the service and specification of a protocol of a message used for the service. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1. Receiving means for receiving the message with a predetermined communication protocol via a computer network; and transmission means for transmitting the message with the communication protocol via the computer network;
The message processing unit parses the message received by the receiving unit;
The message processing unit generates the message related to a result of the service executed according to a request obtained from the message according to a result of parsing of the message processing unit;
The transmission means transmits the message generated by the message processing unit and related to the result of the service;
The image forming apparatus according to claim 3. The protocol specified in the service definition data is SOAP,
The receiving means receives the message by HTTP,
The transmission means transmits the message by HTTP;
The image forming apparatus according to claim 4.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the service definition data is XML data described in WSDL. The service definition data includes schema data;
The schema data includes a syntax definition of the message;
The message processing unit parses the message according to the service definition data and the schema data;
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1. The service definition data includes a reference to schema data;
The message processing unit reads schema data based on a reference to the schema data described in the service definition data, and parses the message according to the service definition data and the schema data;
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1. The service definition data is XML data described in WSDL,
The schema data is XML data described in an XML schema;
9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the image forming apparatus is an image forming apparatus.

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