JP4032664B2 - Image forming system, host device and image output device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image forming system suitable for being applied when image data transmitted from a host device is output by a plurality of image output devices on a network.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Currently, image output devices such as copiers and printers are often used connected to a network together with personal computers and scanners. In an image forming system using a network, for example, image data of a document read by a scanner can be transferred to an image output device via the network and output onto a sheet or the like.
[0003]
As a prior art related to such an image forming system, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-13580 discloses a list of image output devices that can connect a plurality of image output devices to a network and perform output processing according to conditions set by an operator. Is displayed, and image data is transferred to an image output device selected by the operator from the image data to execute image output processing.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the technique described in the above publication, when the same image data is output by a plurality of image output devices, the operator performs a setting operation for each image output condition, and each time the image data is sent to the image output device. Need to transfer. This complicates operator operations when setting output conditions. Further, even for the same image data, since the image data is transferred for each image output condition, the amount of data flowing on the network increases.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
An image forming system according to the present invention is an image forming system in which a plurality of image output devices having identification information for identifying image output devices and a host device are connected to a network. Setting means for setting an image output condition for each image output device, output conditions for the image set by the setting means, and identification information of the image output device indicating an output destination of the image for which the output conditions are set A transmission unit that adds the image data to be output to the image output device and transmits the image data to the network, and each of the plurality of image output devices adds the image data transmitted to the network by the transmission unit. When the added identification information matches the identification information held by the image output device, an image corresponding to the identification information added to the image data is output. And an output processing means for outputting processing the image data according to the conditions.
[0006]
A host device according to the present invention is a host device connected to a network together with a plurality of image output devices having identification information for identifying image output devices, and sets image output conditions for each of the plurality of image output devices. Add the setting means, the output condition of the image set by the setting means, and the identification information of the image output apparatus indicating the output destination of the image for which the output condition is set to the image data to be output by the image output apparatus And transmitting means for transmitting on the network.
An image output apparatus according to the present invention is an image output apparatus connected to a network together with the host apparatus having the above-described configuration, and the identification information added to the image data transmitted on the network by the transmission means; And output processing means for outputting the image data according to an output condition of an image corresponding to the identification information added to the image data when the identification information included in the image output device matches.
[0007]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0008]
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, the monochrome multifunction device 1, the server 2, the scanner 3, the color multifunction device 4, the monochrome multifunction device 5, and the color multifunction device 6 transmit and receive to / from each other via a communication means using a network 7 such as a LAN (Local Area Network). Connected as possible. The server 2 is connected to a printer 8 via a cable or the like.
[0009]
Each of the monochrome multifunction devices 1 and 5 outputs the image data in black and white to a recording medium such as paper. The server 2 is configured by a computer such as a personal computer or a workstation, and includes a large-capacity data storage unit (such as a hard disk). The scanner 3 optically reads an original image. The color multifunction peripherals 4 and 6 are provided with three functions such as a color multifunction peripheral, a color facsimile, and a color printer, for example. The printer 8 outputs image data to a recording medium in black and white. Among these, the server 2 and the scanner 3 correspond to the host device in the present invention, and the monochrome multifunction devices 1 and 5 and the color multifunction devices 4 and 6 correspond to the image output device in the present invention.
[0010]
Information relating to each image output device (monochrome MFPs 1 and 5 and color MFPs 4 and 6) connected to the network 7 is centrally managed by the server 2. As information about each image output device, function information mainly related to image output processing, for example, the presence / absence of a color image output function, the paper size to be handled, the presence / absence of a double-sided image output function, and the like can be considered as an example. Such function information is managed by the server 2 for each image output apparatus. The function information that is the basis of management may be input on the server 2 by the administrator of the network 7, or a function information notification request is transmitted from the server 2 to the network 7, and each image output corresponding thereto is output. You may acquire by receiving the response from an apparatus.
[0011]
Next, a processing procedure when an image is actually output using the image forming system having the above-described configuration will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Here, an example in which an image of a document read by the scanner 3 is output in black and white and color by the monochrome multifunction device 5 and the color multifunction device 6 will be described as an example.
[0012]
First, the operator sets an original on the original setting unit of the scanner 3 and then instructs the start of image reading by a button operation or the like to execute reading of the original image (step S1). At this time, the image data of the document read by the scanner 3 is transferred to the server 2 via the network 7 and stored in data storage means such as a hard disk provided in the server 2. The reason why the image data read by the scanner 3 is transferred and stored in the server 2 is that when the scanner 3 reads a large amount of documents, the scanner 3 itself needs a large-capacity data storage means such as a hard disk. This is because, when a plurality of scanners are connected to 7, if a hard disk or the like is provided for each scanner, the cost of the entire system is increased.
[0013]
Next, an output setting screen is displayed on the operation panel of the scanner 3 (step S2). This output setting screen is displayed on the operation panel of the scanner 3 when the scanner 3 reads out the function information of each image output apparatus that is centrally managed by the server 2 from the server 2. This output setting screen can be displayed on the monitor of the server 2 and an image output condition setting operation described later can be performed on the server 2.
[0014]
FIG. 3 shows a display example of the output setting screen. In this display example, four tabs such as “output setting 1”, “output setting 2”, “output setting 3”, and “output setting 4” are prepared, and an image output condition for each image output apparatus is selected by arbitrarily selecting the tab. It can be set individually. In this case, for example, “output setting 1” is monochrome output and double-sided printing, “output setting 2” is color output and single-sided printing, and so on, corresponding to each image output device connected to the same network 7 There are tabs for settings.
[0015]
The setting items of the output condition on the output setting screen are roughly divided into basic setting, image quality adjustment, and output format. Items relating to basic settings include color mode, double-sided / single-sided setting, magnification selection, and paper selection. Items relating to image quality adjustment include items of document type, copy density, color balance, hue / saturation adjustment. Items relating to the output format include a single item and an image repetition item. Collectively, one sheet is a format in which different images are arranged and output on one sheet, and image repetition is a format in which the same image is arranged and output on one sheet. Each setting item is displayed in a default state when the output setting screen is first displayed, for example. Then, by turning on the selection buttons (inverted triangle display fields) corresponding to the setting items, several selection candidates are displayed in a pull-down menu, and a desired condition can be selected from them. ing. Note that the output condition setting items can be variously changed, and are not limited to the items in the illustrated example.
[0016]
Next, it is applied when an output condition is set by the operator using the output setting screen and output conditions are set when the monochrome multifunction device 5 performs image output processing, and when the color multifunction device 6 performs image output processing. Output conditions are set (steps S3 and S4). For example, when “output setting 1” on the output setting screen corresponds to the monochrome multifunction device 5 and “output setting 2” corresponds to the color multifunction device 6, the tab of “output setting 1” is selected to select monochrome. While setting the output conditions, select the “Output Setting 2” tab to set the output conditions for color. When all the condition settings by “output setting 1” and “output setting 2” are completed, the “setting end” button at the lower right of the screen is turned on.
[0017]
Subsequently, after the output condition setting is completed, an image data transmission instruction is issued from the scanner 3 to the server 2, and the server 2 receives the transmission instruction and transmits the image data to the network 7 in accordance with a data format described later (step S5). , S6).
[0018]
FIG. 4 shows the difference in data format between the prior art and the present invention. Conventionally, color data has a format in which a header is added to RGB image data, and monochrome data has a format in which a header is added to binarized image data. In this conventional data format, since the data format is different for color and monochrome, when outputting the same image in color and monochrome, it is necessary to transfer the image data twice over the network.
[0019]
On the other hand, in the present invention, the data format is unified (commonized) in a format in which a header is added to image data based on L * a * b * in a uniform color space regardless of color or monochrome. . Incidentally, in a uniform color space, L * represents lightness, and a * b * represents chromaticity (hue, saturation). When outputting an image in color, all image data according to L * a * b * is used, and when outputting an image in black and white, only L * image data is used.
[0020]
FIG. 5 shows an example of header information in the data format employed in the present invention. In FIG. 5, as information related to one job number, image data transfer source ID No., image output destination ID No. serving as image output device identification information, color mode, single-sided, double-sided setting, magnification, Output such as paper size, document type, density adjustment, color balance adjustment, N-up function (function to output different images in one sheet), repeat (function to output the same image on one sheet) Condition setting information is added. Incidentally, in the example shown in the figure, the job specified by Job no = 0 is the output job information for the monochrome MFP 5 identified by ID = 6, and the job specified by Job no = 1 is This is output job information (details are omitted) for the color MFP 6.
[0021]
Further, after the above-described job information, information (Offset L = xx) indicating the start address of the actual data of the image data L *, information (Offset a = yy) indicating the start address of the actual data of the image data a *, and Information (Offset b = zz) indicating the head address of the actual data of the image data b * is added. By adding such address information, it is possible to use image data based on L * a * b * separately when outputting an image in black and white and when outputting an image in color.
[0022]
When data based on such a format is transmitted over the network 7, in the monochrome multifunction device 5 and the color multifunction device 6, the image output destination ID No. included in the header information is identification information (ID number) of the device itself. To see if it matches. If they match, the job information and the image data including the image output destination ID No. are acquired, and the image output conditions included in the job information, that is, the image output conditions corresponding to the identification information of the own device are obtained. Accordingly, the image data is output (printed) (step S7). When the image output process is completed, a notification signal to that effect is transmitted to the server 2 that is the transfer source of the image data. At this time, in the case of a job that requires re-output, the image data is stored (stored) in the server 2. However, in the case of a job that does not require re-output, the server receives the image output end notification signal. The data in 2 is deleted.
[0023]
According to such an image forming system, when the same image data is output by a plurality of image output devices, the image output conditions for each image output device can be set together by a single operation. Further, the image output process can be executed by a plurality of image output devices by only transmitting (transferring) the image data to be output processing once on the network 7.
[0024]
In the above embodiment, the case where the same image data is output by the two image output devices (5, 6) has been described as an example. However, other than this, for example, the image data is output as one image output. The same image data is output by two monochrome multifunction devices 1 and 5 under different output conditions, or the same image data is output by monochrome multifunction devices 1 and 5 and color multifunction devices 4 and 6. Various processing modes can be employed.
[0025]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the image forming system of the present invention, when the same image data is output by a plurality of image output devices, the image output conditions for each image output device are collectively set by one operation. In addition, it is possible to transfer the image data on the network only once. As a result, the operator operation for setting the output condition can be simplified. In addition, high performance can be maintained by reducing the amount of data flowing on the network.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating an image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the image forming system according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a display example of an output setting screen.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a difference in data format between the prior art and the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of header information in a data format employed in the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1,5 ... Monochrome compound machine, 2 ... Server, 3 ... Scanner, 4,6 ... Color compound machine, 7 ... Network, 8 ... Printer

Claims (5)

An image forming system in which a plurality of image output devices having identification information for identifying image output devices and a host device are connected to a network,
The host device indicates a setting unit that sets an image output condition for each of the plurality of image output devices , an output condition of the image set by the setting unit, and an output destination of the image in which the output condition is set Transmission means for adding the identification information of the image output device to the image data to be output to the image output device and transmitting the image data to the network,
Each of the plurality of image output device, when the identification information wherein the identification information added to the transmitted image data on the network and the image output device has to match by said transmitting means, said An image forming system comprising: output processing means for outputting the image data according to an image output condition corresponding to the identification information added to the image data. 2. The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the output condition set by the setting unit includes a color mode setting condition indicating whether to output in a monochrome mode or a color mode . The transmission means uses a uniform color space for the color space of the image data to be subjected to the output process,
When the image data is output in the color mode, the brightness and chromaticity data of the image data is used, and when the image data is output in the monochrome mode, the brightness data of the image data is used. Do
The image forming system according to claim 2. A host device connected to a network together with a plurality of image output devices having identification information for identifying the image output device,
Setting means for setting image output conditions for each of the plurality of image output devices;
The image output condition set by the setting means and the identification information of the image output apparatus indicating the output destination of the image for which the output condition is set are added to the image data to be output processed by the image output apparatus, and the network A transmission means to transmit on and
A host apparatus comprising: An image output device connected to a network together with the host device according to claim 4,
Corresponds to the identification information added to the image data when the identification information added to the image data transmitted on the network by the transmission means matches the identification information held by the image output device. An image output apparatus comprising: output processing means for outputting the image data according to an output condition of the image to be output.

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