JP4706591B2 - Image processing device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus that receives and processes image data, such as a multifunction peripheral.

In recent years, image data received by facsimile, image data received as an object to be printed, image data read by a scanner, etc. are stored as logs (history information) in an image processing apparatus such as a multi-function machine to keep it confidential. To prevent leakage of image data, and to specify the leakage source in the case of leakage (Patent Document 1).
JP-A-7-212602

  However, in the conventional image processing apparatus that holds the history information, the image data itself is accumulated, so that the processing load of the image data is large and the required storage capacity is also increased.

  For this purpose, for example, the size of the image data to be stored can be set, and the processing load is reduced and the required storage capacity is reduced by converting the target image data size into image data of a relatively small size and storing the image data. A method for reducing this is also considered.

  However, for example, image data transmitted by facsimile and image data to be printed are different in output results in terms of resolution, presence / absence of color, etc., and these are held in a common size. As a result, the quality of the image data as the history information becomes excessive or insufficient. For example, if the setting is made so as to store at a resolution of 300 dpi (dots par inch), the quality is excessive for facsimile image data transmitted at a resolution of 200 dpi. On the other hand, for image data printed at a resolution of 1200 dpi, in the stored image data, characters originally included may be crushed and readability may be impaired, and the quality will be too low. As described above, when various types of image processing are performed depending on the transmission destination and processing form, the quality of the image data to be stored required for each processing is different. In the above example, this request is satisfied. I can't meet.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an image processing apparatus that can be adjusted so as to reduce the excess or deficiency of the quality of history information and that can optimize the processing load and necessary storage capacity. One of them.

  The present invention for solving the problems of the conventional example is an image processing apparatus that receives an input of a processing instruction and executes the instructed processing on image data to be processed. Means for determining settings relating to generation of an image log based on an input processing instruction; means for generating an image log based on image data subjected to the processing according to the determined settings; Means for outputting the generated image log. The output destination of the image log may be accumulated and held in the image processing apparatus, or may be transmitted and output to a server or the like via a network.

  Here, the means for determining the setting relating to the generation of the image log may determine the setting based on an output destination of the processing result of the image data according to the processing instruction.

  At this time, when there are a plurality of output destinations of the processing result of the image data according to the processing instruction, the means for determining the setting relating to the generation of the image log uses one of them as a representative output destination according to a predetermined criterion. The setting may be determined based on the selected representative output destination.

  Further, the setting relating to the generation of the image log includes at least one generation parameter information of the image log, and the means for determining the setting relating to the generation of the image log is that an output destination of the processing result of the image data according to the processing instruction is If there are a plurality of settings, the setting associated with each output destination is acquired, and a representative parameter is selected according to a predetermined criterion for each of the generated parameter information included in each of the acquired plurality of settings. The settings relating to the generation of the image log may be determined based on the selected combination of representative parameters.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a control method for an image processing apparatus that receives an input of a processing instruction and executes the instructed processing on image data to be processed. A step of determining a setting relating to generation of an image log based on a processing instruction; a step of generating an image log based on the image data subjected to the processing according to the determined setting; and the generated image And a step of outputting a log.

  Furthermore, another aspect of the present invention is a program, which receives an input of a processing instruction and performs a process of the input processing on a computer that executes the instructed processing on image data to be processed. A procedure for determining settings relating to generation of an image log based on an instruction; a procedure for generating an image log based on the image data subjected to the processing according to the determined settings; and the generated image log And a procedure for outputting.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. An image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is, for example, a multifunction machine having a copy function, a facsimile transmission / reception function, a scan function, a print output function, and the like. As shown in FIG. One peripheral device 20. The multi-function device is connected to a personal computer and a server computer via a network, and is connected to a telephone line network. Here, the controller unit 10 includes a control unit 11, a storage unit 12, an operation unit 13, and an interface unit 14. Here, the peripheral device 20 includes a scanner unit 20a, a facsimile communication unit 20b, a network interface (NIC) 20c, and a printer unit 20d.

  The control unit 11 of the controller unit 10 is a program control device such as a CPU, and operates according to a program stored in the storage unit 12. In the present embodiment, the control unit 11 executes processing for saving the received image data as an image log (history information), processing for displaying the saved image log, and the like. The processing of the control unit 11 will be described in detail later.

  The storage unit 12 includes a storage element such as a random access memory (RAM) or a read only memory (ROM) and a storage device such as a hard disk. The storage unit 12 stores a program executed by the control unit 11. The storage unit 12 also operates as a work memory for the control unit 11. The storage unit 12 implements the storage means of the present invention, and stores and records received image data as an image log. Further, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the storage unit 12 holds settings relating to image log generation in association with each output destination and image processing type. Here, the output destination is, for example, the facsimile communication unit 20b, the NIC 20c, the printer unit 20d, or the like. Here, the setting relating to the generation of the image log is setting information regarding image data to be recorded as an image log, for example, a plurality of pages. In the case of image data consisting of the above, page specifying information indicating which page is to be saved, such as “all pages” or “first five pages” is included. This setting may include resolution, color / monochrome, and the like. In addition, this setting is information related to the order of image processing and image log generation (whether or not it is a “log generation guarantee mode” in which image processing is performed after generating an image log, for example, image processing and image For example, processing of executing log generation asynchronously).

  The operation unit 13 includes a liquid crystal touch panel, a keypad such as a numeric keypad, and the like. The operation unit 13 can input instructions such as copying, scanning, and facsimile transmission. The operation unit 13 outputs the content of the input instruction to the control unit 11. The scan instruction is an instruction for processing to transmit image data read by the scanner unit 20a to a personal computer or the like designated via a network or the like.

  The interface unit 14 is connected to the peripheral device 20. The interface unit 14 outputs data designated as a designated destination in accordance with an instruction inputted from the control unit 11. Further, the interface unit 14 outputs data input from the peripheral device 20 to the control unit 11. At this time, the interface unit 14 outputs information specifying the peripheral device 20 that is the data input source to the control unit 11.

  The scanner unit 20a as one of the peripheral devices 20 is a flatbed scanner, for example, and optically reads a document placed on a document reading surface, and controls image data obtained as a result via the interface unit 14. To the unit 11.

  The facsimile communication unit 20b is connected to a telephone line network. The facsimile communication unit 20b calls a designated telephone number in accordance with an instruction input from the control unit 11 via the interface unit 14, and transmits image data using a facsimile protocol. When the facsimile communication unit 20b receives a call via the telephone line network, the facsimile communication unit 20b receives the call and receives image data using a facsimile protocol. The received image data is output to the control unit 11 via the interface unit 14.

  The NIC 20c is connected to the network. The NIC 20c transmits the specified data to the specified destination in accordance with an instruction input from the control unit 11 via the interface unit 14. Further, the NIC 20c outputs the image data received via the network to the control unit 11 via the interface unit 14. The printer unit 20d forms an image on a recording medium such as paper based on image data input from the control unit 11 via the interface unit.

  Here, a process of recording and using an image log by the control unit 11 will be described. The control unit 11 according to the present embodiment determines settings relating to the generation of the image log based on the input processing instruction, and in accordance with the determined settings, based on the image data subjected to processing, the image log Is generated. Here, the setting is determined based on the output destination of the processing result in the processing instruction. That is, the control unit 11 receives the input of the content of the instruction operation in the operation unit 13 or the input of the image data or the processing instruction via the interface unit 14, and starts the processing shown in FIG. Based on the operation or processing instruction, the output destination of the processing result of the image data is determined (S1).

  Then, the control unit 11 reads the setting relating to the generation of the image log stored in association with the output destination of the processing result (S2).

  The control unit 11 checks whether or not a mode in which image processing is performed after generating a log, that is, a “log generation guarantee mode” is set in the setting read in step S2 (S3). "Is set, it is checked whether the image data to be processed has already been received (S4). Here, if the image data to be processed has not been received, the image data is received based on the process designated by the instruction operation or the process instruction (S5). For example, when a copy instruction operation is performed, the scanner unit 20a reads the original, and receives the image data obtained thereby.

  And the control part 11 starts the production | generation process of the log based on the setting read by process S2 (S6). This generation process will be described in detail later.

  The control unit 11 outputs the image data (printing output, facsimile transmission, etc.) for the image data to be processed in accordance with the instruction operation or the processing instruction (S7), and ends the processing. If image data to be processed has already been received in step S4, the process proceeds to step S6 to continue the process.

  On the other hand, in step S3, if the log generation mode included in the setting acquired in step S2 is not “log generation guarantee mode”, the image data that is the target of processing is first designated by an instruction operation, a processing instruction, or the like. The generated process is executed (S8), and a log generation process based on the setting acquired in process S2 is started (S9). The generation process of the process S9 is the same as that in the process S6.

  In the generation processes in these processes S6 and S9, the control unit 11 generates an image log for storage according to the settings relating to the generation of the image log, based on the image data to be processed.

  For example, if “Generation target page is all pages, resolution is 200 dpi, color” is set as the setting related to the generation of the image log, the control unit 11 sets all pages of image data to be processed. Is converted into a color image having a resolution of 200 dpi to obtain an image log. The control unit 11 acquires date / time information from a clock unit (not shown) (operated by a battery and counts the date / time regardless of the power state of the image processing apparatus). The information is included in the image log and stored in the storage device of the storage unit 12. When information specifying a user is input, information specifying the user may be included in the image log and stored.

  By these processes, for example, when a copy instruction operation is performed on the operation unit 13, the image processing apparatus holds an image associated with the output destination (the printer 20d in the case of copying) related to the instruction operation. Get settings related to log generation.

  If the settings acquired here are “all pages to be generated, resolution is 200 dpi, color” and “log generation guarantee mode”, the control unit 11 first scans the original with the scanner unit 20a. The image data is read and held in the storage unit 12 and, at the same time, image data for storage with a resolution of 200 dpi and color is generated for all pages of the document, and the image data for storage is stored in the storage unit 12 in association with date / time information. Store on the device. Then, the image data received from the scanner unit 20a held in the storage unit 12 is output to the printer 20d and printed out.

  When the NIC 20c receives image data and a facsimile transmission instruction via the network, the image data and the facsimile transmission instruction are output to the control unit 11. Based on the instruction for facsimile transmission, the control unit 11 determines that the output destination is the facsimile communication unit 20b, and acquires the setting relating to the generation of the image log associated with the facsimile communication unit 20b.

  Here, as described above, for the output destination of “facsimile communication unit 20b”, “the generation target page is only the first page, the resolution is 75 dpi, color” is set as the setting relating to the generation of the image log. It is assumed that “generation guarantee mode” is not set.

  In accordance with this setting, the control unit 11 outputs the image data of each page received from the NIC 20c to the facsimile communication unit 20b together with the destination number included in the received instruction. Then, the facsimile communication unit 20b calls the instructed destination number, and when the other party receives an incoming call, the image data of each page is transmitted using a facsimile protocol. Further, image data corresponding to the first page is extracted from the received image data, a color image log with a resolution of 75 dpi is generated, and the date and time information is stored in the storage device of the storage unit 12.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to adjust so as to reduce the excess or deficiency of the quality of the image log as the history information according to the output destination of the processing result, and it is possible to optimize the processing load and the necessary storage capacity.

  Furthermore, even when the output destination is the same, the settings relating to the generation of the image log may be changed according to the content of the user's instruction operation, the setting of the image processing, and the like. That is, instead of the setting relating to the generation of the image log shown in FIG. 2, as shown in FIG. 4, for example, in facsimile communication, the image is determined depending on whether the telephone book function is used or not when the destination is designated. It may be possible to specify whether or not to change the settings related to log generation. If it is specified that the setting is different depending on whether or not the telephone book function is used, different settings are used depending on whether or not the telephone book function is used (A). Since the telephone directory function in facsimile communication is widely known, detailed description thereof is omitted here.

  Similarly, when sending via the NIC 20c, depending on whether or not the destination list function (a function for registering addresses in advance and enabling selection from those registered at the time of destination designation) is used. It may be possible to specify whether or not to change the settings related to image log generation. If the setting is made different depending on whether or not the destination list function is used, the setting is different depending on whether or not the destination list function is used (B). In addition, settings related to image log generation may be different for each destination (for example, for each domain) (C).

  These settings relating to image log generation may be changed by the user. In other words, the control unit 11 authenticates the user in response to an instruction to change the setting related to the generation of the image log. Here, for example, it is requested to input a preset user name and password for the administrator, and it is checked whether or not the input user name and password match the preset one. Authentication can be performed.

  When the user authentication is successful, the control unit 11 displays a list of output destinations to be set as shown in FIG. In this example, “printer”, “FAX”, and “network” are displayed as output destinations.

  Further, the contents set at the time of processing are displayed in association with each output destination. Here, the user selects an output destination whose setting is to be changed, and the desired settings such as resolution, generation range, color / monochrome, log generation guarantee mode on / off, etc. Change to state. Thereby, the quality of the image log for each output destination can be optimized with the contents desired by the user.

  Furthermore, depending on the content of the processing instruction, the processing result may be output to a plurality of output destinations. For example, when the destination X is instructed to transmit image data by facsimile communication and the destination Y is instructed to transmit image data via the network, the processed image data is transmitted to the facsimile communication unit 20b and the NIC 20c. Will be output to both.

  In this case, the control unit 11 acquires settings relating to image log generation associated with each output destination, and selects representative parameters according to a predetermined criterion for the generation parameter information included in each acquired setting. To do. Here, the generation parameter information is individual settings such as a resolution and a generation range, and a standard is determined for each of the generation parameter information. For example, a higher resolution is selected, and a larger generation range (a larger number of pages) is selected.

  Then, for each of the settings related to the generation of the image log, which are associated with each of the plurality of output destinations, the generation parameter information included therein is referred to and the generation parameter information is determined in advance. Either one is selected as a representative according to the standard.

  As a specific example, when the printer unit 20d is an output destination, “generation target pages are all pages, resolution is 200 dpi, monochrome, log generation guarantee mode”, and the NIC 20c is an output destination. In this case, when “the generation target is all pages, the resolution is 400 dpi, and color”, when receiving an instruction to output the processing result to both the printer unit 20d and the NIC 20c, the control unit 11 For each setting associated with the output destination, the representative is determined with reference to the generation parameter information included therein.

  Therefore, for example, the control unit 11 determines a setting “generation target is all pages, resolution is 400 dpi, color, log generation guarantee mode”, and image log generation processing is performed with this setting.

  In addition, instead of selecting a representative for each of the generation parameter information included in the settings relating to image log generation, one of the output destinations is selected as a representative output destination according to a predetermined criterion, and the selected An image log may be generated using a setting associated with a representative output destination.

  The reference here is, for example, set as NIC 20c, printer 20d, facsimile communication unit 20b in descending order (in descending order of priority) as the priority order, and among the plurality of output destinations, the priority level is set. May be selected as the representative output destination.

  In determining the priority order, the generation parameter information included in each of the settings related to the generation of each image log associated with each of a plurality of output destinations may be referred to. For example, when the printer unit 20d is an output destination, “generation target pages are all pages, resolution is 200 dpi, monochrome, log generation guarantee mode” is set, and when the NIC 20c is an output destination, “generation” When the target is all pages and the resolution is 400 dpi and color, the representative output destination may be a side with a large number of generation parameters selected according to a criterion predetermined for each generation parameter information.

  In this case, if the generation parameters are selected for all pages for the generation target, 400 dpi for the resolution (corresponding to the NIC 20c), color (corresponding to the NIC 20c), and log generation guarantee mode (corresponding to the printer unit 20d), The NIC 20c is selected as the representative output destination.

  In the above description, the image log has been described as being stored in the storage device of the storage unit 12, but instead is stored in a server (for example, a file server) connected via a network. Also good. In this case, the control unit 11 stores the generated storage image data in the storage device instead of or in the storage device, and transmits the stored image data to a server connected via the network.

  In this case, after sending the log to the server and holding it, the "transfer guarantee mode" for performing the output processing of the image data and the "transfer non-guaranteed mode" for sending the log to the server after performing the output processing of the image data "Is set, the control unit 11 transmits an image log to the server at a timing corresponding to the set mode.

  As described above, when a plurality of modes (transfer modes) can be set with respect to the timing of transmitting the image log to the server, this transfer mode may be included in the setting for generating the image log. For example, for “copy” or the like, the image data to be copied may be printed out after the image log is held in the server in the “transfer guarantee mode”. For “facsimile transmission” or the like, “transmission non-guaranteed mode” may be used, and after the facsimile communication unit 20b starts transmitting image data, the image log may be transmitted and output to the server.

1 is a configuration block diagram of an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is explanatory drawing showing the example of the setting which concerns on the production | generation of the image log in the image processing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart figure showing the example of operation of the image processing device concerning an embodiment of the invention. It is explanatory drawing showing the example according to the setting which concerns on the production | generation of the image log in the image processing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing showing the example of a screen at the time of changing the setting which concerns on the production | generation of the image log in the image processing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

  10 controller unit, 11 control unit, 12 storage unit, 13 operation unit, 14 interface unit, 20 peripheral device.

Claims (3)

An image processing apparatus that receives an input of a processing instruction and executes the instructed processing on image data to be processed.
Means for determining a setting relating to generation of an image log based on the input processing instruction;
Means for generating an image log based on the image data subjected to the processing according to the determined setting;
Means for outputting the generated image log;
Only including,
The setting relating to the generation of the image log includes at least one generation parameter information of the image log,
The means for determining the setting relating to the generation of the image log is a means for determining the setting based on the output destination of the processing result of the image data by the processing instruction, and outputs the processing result of the image data by the processing instruction. If there are a plurality of destinations, the setting associated with each output destination is acquired, and the representative parameter is set according to a predetermined criterion for each of the generated parameter information included in each of the acquired plurality of settings. An image processing apparatus comprising : selecting and determining settings relating to image log generation based on the selected combination of representative parameters . A control method for an image processing apparatus that receives an input of a processing instruction and executes the instructed processing on image data to be processed.
A step of determining a setting related to generation of an image log based on the input processing instruction;
Generating an image log based on the image data subjected to the processing according to the determined setting;
Outputting the generated image log; and
Only including,
The setting relating to the generation of the image log includes at least one generation parameter information of the image log,
The step of determining the setting relating to the generation of the image log is a step of determining the setting based on an output destination of the processing result of the image data by the processing instruction, and outputting the processing result of the image data by the processing instruction If there are a plurality of destinations, the setting associated with each output destination is acquired, and the representative parameter is set according to a predetermined criterion for each of the generated parameter information included in each of the acquired plurality of settings. A method for controlling an image processing apparatus, comprising : selecting and setting a setting related to image log generation based on the selected combination of representative parameters . A computer that receives an input of a processing instruction and executes the instructed processing on image data to be processed ;
Based on the input processing indication, and hand stage defining a setting according to generation of the image log,
In accordance with the defined set, based on the image data as a target of the processing, and means to generate an image log,
And it means to output the image log thus generated,
Function as
The setting relating to the generation of the image log includes at least one generation parameter information of the image log,
The means for determining the setting relating to the generation of the image log is a means for determining the setting based on the output destination of the processing result of the image data by the processing instruction, and outputs the processing result of the image data by the processing instruction. If there are a plurality of destinations, the setting associated with each output destination is acquired, and the representative parameter is set according to a predetermined criterion for each of the generated parameter information included in each of the acquired plurality of settings. A program which is means for selecting and determining a setting relating to generation of an image log based on a combination of the selected representative parameters .

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