JPH04255165A - Image information network system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To retrieve information independently of location of a file for the information by generating, outputting and printing out an image information request in response to the content of operation and communicating the request to an opposite destination via a communication network. CONSTITUTION:When a personal computer 7 is operated and a retrieval command of image information or an image request command or the like is entered, a communication equipment 5 fetches the command and sends it to a broad area communication network 2 or when the retrieval result or image information is supplied through the network, the equipment 5 fetches it and stores it to a file device 6, and sends it to the computer 7, by which it is displayed or printed out. Moreover, when the result of retrieval or image information is supplied via the communication network 4, the equipment 4 fetches it and it is printed out from a facsimile equipment 8.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[Object of the invention]

0002

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image information network system for searching image information and outputting it from various output devices.

0003

2. Description of the Related Art An electronic filing system is known as one of the systems for handling image information.

[0004] Such an electronic filing system captures image information of documents, books, drawings, etc. using an image scanner or the like, stores this in an optical file, etc., and then searches the optical file as necessary to retrieve the document or other information. Image information from books, drawings, etc. is read out and printed out using a printer or the like.

[0005]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the conventional image information system described above, each user files image information individually, as in an electronic filing system, and the stored image information can be edited as needed. Since the image information is configured to be printed out or displayed, there is a problem in that the content of the image information cannot be known anywhere other than the location where the electronic file is provided.

[0006] In view of the above circumstances, the present invention aims to provide an image information network system that allows image information to be searched and printed out even in a location different from the location where the image information is filed. There is.

[Configuration of the invention]

[0008]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, an image information network system according to the present invention includes a terminal device that generates and outputs an image information request according to operation contents, and a terminal device that corresponds to the terminal device. a printing device that is installed at a location and prints out the contents of the image information when the image information is supplied; and a printer that takes in the image information request and supplies it to the other party when the image information request is output from the terminal device. When an image information request is supplied from this communication network, the contents of the electronic file are searched to retrieve the image information corresponding to the image information request, and then sent to the communication network to display the image. It is characterized by comprising a central device that prints out from a printing device specified by an information request.

[0009]

[Operation] In the above configuration, when the terminal device is operated and an image information request is output from the terminal device and sent out on the communication network, the central device captures the image information request and converts it into an electronic file. After the image information corresponding to the image information request is retrieved, the image information is sent over the communication network and printed out from the printing device specified by the image information request.

0010

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an image information network system according to the present invention.

The image information network system shown in this figure includes a user device 1, a wide area communication network 2, a host computer device 3, and a facsimile communication network 4. Based on a command, an image information request command, etc., the host computer side device 3 searches for image information, etc., and the search results, image information, etc. obtained by this search operation are formatted according to the output device of the user side device 1. The data is converted into data and sent to the user device 1 for display or printout.

The user device 1 includes a communication device 5 that performs communication processing based on a communication program, etc., and this communication device 5.
A laptop personal computer 7 is detachably connected to the communication device 5, and a facsimile 8 is connected to the facsimile communication network 4.
When a command to search for image information, a command to request image information, etc. is input by operating , the communication device 5 captures it and sends it to the wide area communication network 2, and the search results are transmitted via the wide area communication network 2. When image information is supplied, it is captured and stored in the file device 6,
The data is sent to the personal computer 7 and displayed or printed out. Furthermore, when search results and image information are supplied via the facsimile communication network 4, they are taken in and printed out from the facsimile 8.

Further, the wide area communication network 2 is constituted by a wide area communication network such as ISDN, and when a search command, an image information request command, etc. are supplied from the user side device 1,
This is taken in and supplied to the host computer side equipment 3, and when search results and image information are supplied from the host computer side equipment 3, this is taken in and supplied to the user side equipment 1.

The host computer side device 3 includes a host computer 10 that operates based on various programs such as a search program, an image information conversion program, and an image information output program, and an electronic file device 11 in which image information and the like are stored. Image output format information of the user device 1 (for example, information such as resolution, compression method, scanning density, output device number, etc.), title name of image information filed in the electronic file device 11, and the user side When search results and image information are supplied from the information file device 12, which stores information such as the number of the device 1 and the node number up to the user device 1, and the host computer 10, it is sent by facsimile communication. The facsimile control device 13 is equipped with a facsimile control device 13 that sends the data onto the network 4 and sends it to the destination, and when a search command, an image information request command, etc. are supplied via the wide area communication network 2, the host computer 10 After importing the command and accessing the information file device 12 and the electronic file device 11 to search for necessary information and image information, and editing this as necessary, it is transmitted over the wide area communication network 2 or the facsimile communication network 4. and supplies it to the user-side device 1.

When a communication request is received from the facsimile control device 13 of the host computer device 3, the facsimile communication network 4 transmits information output from the facsimile control device 13 to the user device 1 designated as the destination.
facsimile 8.

Next, the search operation and image information output operation of this embodiment will be sequentially explained with reference to FIG.

First, when the personal computer 7 of the user side device 1 is operated and a search command for image information is input, the command is captured by the communication device 5 and sent out over the wide area communication network 2 to the host computer side device 3. is supplied to

As a result, the host computer 10 of the host computer side device 3 accesses the information file device 12 based on the search content, reads out the title name, etc. of the image information stored in the electronic file device 11, and After editing this as necessary to create a search result, if the output device specified by the search content is a personal computer 7 or a file device 6, the search result is sent onto the wide area communication network 2. The information is received by the communication device 5 and displayed on the display device of the personal computer 7, printed out from the printer of the personal computer 7, or stored in the file device 6.

Further, when the personal computer 7 is operated and an image information request command is input,
When the title name, output destination name, etc. of necessary image information are input, the communication device 5 captures the information, sends it out over the wide area communication network 2, and supplies it to the host computer side equipment 3.

[0020] With this, the host computer 10 of the host computer side device 3 can access the electronic file device 1.
1 to read the image information corresponding to the title name, and access the information file device 12 to read the format information of the image data registered in advance as the output format of the device to which the image information is output. etc. and converts the image information read out from the electronic file device 11 based on this format information etc. into image information according to the resolution, compression format, display device specifications, etc. compatible with the output destination device. ,
If the output destination is the personal computer 7 of the user device 1 or the file device 6, the image information is sent onto the wide area communication network 2 and supplied to the communication device 5, and the file device 6
, display it on the personal computer 7, or print it out.

At this time, if the facsimile 8 is designated as the output destination of the image information, the host computer 10 converts the image information read from the electronic file device 11 into image information in facsimile format (for example, G3 standard). After the conversion, the data is supplied to the facsimile control device 13 to be sent out on the facsimile communication network 4, and printed out from the facsimile 8 designated as the output destination.

As described above, in this embodiment, when a command or the like requesting image information is output from the user side device 1 side, the host computer 10 of the host computer side device 3 transmits the above information via the wide area communication network 2. Upon receiving a command, the electronic file device 11 is accessed, the image information is read out, and the image information is converted into image information according to the output format of the requested output destination and sent to the user's device such as a personal computer 7 or facsimile 8. Since the image information can be supplied, displayed, or printed out, it is possible to search for image information or print it out even at a location far from where the image information is stored.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the image information network system according to the present invention.

The image information network system shown in this figure is different from the system shown in FIG. to LAN
A personal computer 7 is connected to the LAN bus 15, and a local cable 16 is connected to the local station control section.
A workstation 17 and a laser printer 18 are connected to the host computer 6, and a LAN communication section is provided in the host computer 10 of the host computer side equipment 3.
Connect the LAN bus 19 to the N communication section to connect this LAN bus 1.
9 is connected to the electronic file device 11.

As described above, in this embodiment, the LAN bus 15 and the local cable 16 are connected to the communication device 5, and the personal computer 7, workstation 17, and laser printer 18 are connected to the LAN bus 15 and the local cable 16. At the same time, since the LAN bus 19 is connected to the host computer 10 and the electronic file device 11 is connected to this LAN bus 19, the electronic file device 11 can be used commonly by each device on the host computer 1 side. In addition, the image information can be printed out using various output devices on the user's side.

Furthermore, in each of the embodiments described above, a search program or an image information request program set in the personal computer 7 or workstation 17 is operated to output a search command or an image information request command. However, personal computers 7 and workstations 17 are equipped with famous word processing software (
For example, you can use these word processing software to create commands, title information, search item names, input conditions, etc. necessary for searching.
The image information output from the host computer-side device 3 may be cut out using an image cutter function such as warp software and imported into the personal computer 7 or workstation 17.

By doing this, necessary documents and drawings can be sent from the printing device, laser printer 18, or facsimile machine 8 of the personal computer 7 or workstation 17 while performing normal office processing on the personal computer 7 or workstation 17. It can be printed out.

[0028]

As described above, according to the present invention, image information can be searched for and printed out even in a location different from the location where the image information is filed.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an image information network system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the image information network system according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

2 Communication network (wide area communication network) 7 Terminal device, printing device (personal computer)
8 Printing device (facsimile) 10 Central device (host computer) 11 Electronic file device 12 Information file device 13 Facsimile control device

Claims (2)

[Claims] Claim 1: A terminal device that generates and outputs an image information request according to operation content, and a terminal device that is installed at a location corresponding to the terminal device and prints out the contents of the image information when the image information is supplied. a printing device that
When an image information request is output from the terminal device,
A communication network that takes in this image information request and supplies it to the other party, and when an image information request is supplied from this communication network, searches the electronic file contents and retrieves the image information corresponding to the image information request. After
An image information network system comprising: a central device that sends images onto a communication network and prints them out from a printing device specified by an image information request. 2. The central device converts the image information obtained by searching the contents of the electronic file into image information in a printing format suitable for a specified printing device, and then transmits the image information on the communication network to print the image information as specified. The image information network system according to claim 1, wherein the image information network system is printed out from a printing device.