JPH06152892A - Picture reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To share a picture reader by means of respective servers by transmit ting picture information to another servers through LAN. CONSTITUTION:The transfer destination of the read picture is specified in a transmission destination reading part 8 by a user identification number, etc. A reading data transferring part 7 transfers the read picture to the prescribed document storing area of a specified transmission destination server, etc. When the server, etc., to which picture information is transferred is under communication, picture information is transmitted to a file server 2n connected to LAN 5, stored and re-transmitted at the time of transmission possible. The reading data transferring part 7 executes facsimile-transmission to another facsimile equipment 18 which is connected with a public line. Unless the public line can be used, the reading data transferring part 7 facsimile-transmits picture information to another facsimile equipment 4a by way of LAN 5.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

This invention relates to a LAN (Local Area N
etwork) connected to the image reading device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, word processors and facsimile machines have become widespread. Many word processors have advanced functions and can handle image information. Further, filing systems for accumulating and managing image information have become popular. By connecting these devices and a personal computer to a LAN, the efficiency of information transmission is improved. And, as shown in JP-A-1-236761,
The memory is effectively used by sharing the storage device such as each facsimile device connected to the LAN.

[0003]

However, although the storage device of each server connected to the LAN is shared as described above, the image information used by each server is read for each server and stored in the storage device. There is a need. For this reason,
A scanner was required for each server, and the utilization efficiency of image information was not very good.

The present invention has been made in order to eliminate such disadvantages, and an object thereof is to obtain an image reading apparatus which can be shared by each server connected to a LAN.

[0005]

An image reading apparatus according to the present invention is an image reading apparatus having a read data transfer section and connected to another server via a LAN, and the read data transfer section reads an image. Information is transmitted to the document storage area of another server via LAN.

The image reading device has a destination reading unit for reading a list of user identification numbers or telephone numbers for specifying destinations, and a destination selecting unit for selecting a specific server according to the read destinations.

Further, it is desirable to have a storage area determining unit for reading the information of the document storage area of the specified server for storing the read image information and designating the area for storing the image information.

Further, the read data transfer section sends the read image information by facsimile via a public line.

Further, a line connection determination unit for confirming connection to the public line is provided, and when the line connection determination unit determines that the connection with the public line is not made, or an image is transmitted on the connected public line. When the medium is being received or is being received, the read data transfer means transmits the image information by facsimile to another facsimile apparatus via the LAN. When the server that transfers the image data or the connected facsimile device is in communication, the image information is sent to the file server and stored, and when the transmission becomes possible, the image information is sent again.

[0010]

According to the present invention, the image read by the image reading device is sent from the read data transfer unit to another server via the LAN to share the image reading device.

When sending to another server, the transmission destination is specified by the user identification number read by the transmission destination reading unit and stored in a predetermined document storage area of the specified server.

Further, the read data transfer section sends a facsimile to another facsimile apparatus via the public line, and when the public line is unavailable, the read data transfer section sends image information to the other facsimile apparatus via the LAN. Send by fax.

When the server for transferring the image information or the connected facsimile apparatus is in communication, LA
The image information is sent to and stored in the file server connected to N, and is sent again when transmission becomes possible.

[0014]

1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the image reading apparatus 1 is connected to a plurality of servers 2a to 2n, a word processor 3 and facsimile apparatuses 4a and 4b via a LAN 5.

The image reading apparatus 1 includes a main control unit 6, a read data transfer unit 7, a transmission destination reading unit 8, a transmission destination selecting unit 9, a storage area determining unit 10, an operation display unit 11, a scanner 12, an image compression unit 13, and It has a LAN control unit 14.

The main controller 6 controls the entire system.
The read data transfer unit 7 transmits the image information read by the scanner 12 to another server or the like via the LAN 5. The transmission destination reading unit 8 is composed of, for example, an IC card reader or the like, and reads a list defining a user number or a telephone number that identifies the transmission destination. The transmission destination selection unit 9 selects a server to which image information is transmitted from the transmission destination list read by the instruction from the operation display unit 11. The storage area determination unit 10 reads the document storage area information sent from the destination server,
Determine the area for storing image information. Operation display unit 11
Displays the user identification number list read from the transmission destination reading unit 8 or the storage area information of the transmission destination server, or selects the storage area. The scanner 12 reads image information. The image compression unit 13 encodes and compresses image information. The LAN control unit 14 controls transmission on the LAN 5.

Next, the operation of sending image information from the image reading apparatus 1 to the storage area 16a of the server 2a will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

The destination reading unit 8 reads the user identification number list and the telephone number list from the IC card or the like and displays them on the operation display unit 11 (step S1). The operator confirms the user identification number list and the like displayed on the operation display unit 11 and instructs the destination server 2a. In response to this instruction, the destination selection unit 9 selects the destination server 2a (step S
2). Server 2 corresponding to the selected user identification number
If a is communicating or is selected by mistake, the operation display unit 11
Is displayed on the screen (step S8). The destination server may be selected by directly keying in the operation display unit 11.

The storage area decision unit 10 reads the storage area information from the server 2a selected by the transmission destination selection unit 9,
It is displayed on the operation display unit 11. The operator operates the operation display unit 1
When the storage area information displayed in 1 does not include the storage area information to be stored, the operation display unit 11 is operated to display the information of the next storage area. Each time this operation is performed, the storage area determination unit 10 sequentially reads the next storage area information from the server 2a and displays it on the operation display unit 11. The operator confirms the display of the operation display unit 11 and selects the storage area 16a (step S
4).

After selecting the storage area 16a, the image information is read by the scanner 12, and the read image information is sent to the image compression unit 13 to be encoded and compressed to be read data transfer unit 7.
To (step S5). The read data transfer unit 7 transfers the compressed image information to the storage area 16a of the server 2a (step S6). When all the image information has been read and transferred, the process ends (step S7).

In the above embodiment, when the server 2a selected for image information is communicating and cannot transmit image information,
Although the error is displayed and the transmission is stopped, the image information is temporarily stored in the file server 2n, and when the communication of the server 2a is completed, the stored image information is read from the file server 2n and stored in the storage area 16a of the server 2a. It may be stored. By doing this, the server 2
The image information can be transmitted when the communication of a becomes possible.

Next, an example in which the image reading device 1 is a facsimile device will be described. Facsimile device 1
As shown in FIG. 3, a is connected to the facsimile device 18 via the public line, and the network control unit 15 and the line connection determination unit 17 are connected.
Have.

The network controller 15 controls the connection with the public line. The line connection determination unit 17 detects the current of the public line when it goes off hook and determines whether or not the public line is connected.

As shown in the flow chart of FIG. 4, when a facsimile transmission request is made from the facsimile device 1a to another facsimile device 18 connected to the public line (step S11), the line connection determination unit 17 causes the facsimile device 1a to be public. It is determined whether or not the line is connected and whether or not the image information is being transmitted or received on the connected public line (step S12).

When it is determined that the public line is connected by the line connection determination unit 17 and the transmission is not in progress, the read data transfer unit 7 transfers the image information read by the scanner 12 to another facsimile apparatus via the public line. 18 (step S13). When the public line is not connected or during communication, the read data transfer unit 7 is a LAN.
A transmission request is sent to the facsimile device 4a on the communication device 5 to inquire whether the transmission from the facsimile device 4a is possible (step S14). When the transmission enable response is returned, the image information read by the scanner 12 is transferred to the facsimile apparatus 4a (step S15). When a non-transmission response is returned, the above operation is performed for the other facsimile device 4b connected on the LAN 5. In this way, when transmission cannot be made to the facsimile device 18 connected to the public line, another facsimile device on the LAN 5 can perform proxy transmission.

If there is no transmittable facsimile device on the LAN 5, the read data transfer section 7 temporarily stores the image information in the file server 2n on the LAN 5, and when any of the facsimile devices on the LAN 5 becomes transmittable. , The image information is read from the file server 2n, and the image information is facsimile-transmitted via the facsimile apparatus which becomes ready for transmission.

[0027]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the image information read by the image reading device is sent to the document storage area of another server, one image reading device can be shared by a plurality of servers. The device configuration of each server can be simplified.

Further, by inputting a user identification number or the like using an IC card or the like, selecting a server for transmitting image information, and designating a specific document storage area of the server,
Image information can be managed for each individual information.

Further, by directly transmitting the read information by facsimile via the LAN, the image information can be transmitted without being printed on the recording paper.

Further, when the facsimile transmission cannot be performed via the public line, another facsimile apparatus connected on the LAN can perform the proxy transmission, so that the user does not have to go to another facsimile apparatus to perform the transmission operation again, and the operability is improved. Increase.

If the server or the facsimile machine for transferring the image information is in communication and the image information cannot be transmitted, the image information is temporarily stored in the file server on the LAN and is transmitted again when the transmission becomes possible. Due to
The user can perform the transfer process regardless of the state of the server or the facsimile device that transfers the image information.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the above embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing another embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Image Reading Device 1a Facsimile Device 2a to 2n Server 3 Word Processor 4a, 4b Facsimile Device 5 LAN 6 Main Control Section 7 Read Data Transfer Section 8 Destination Reading Section 9 Destination Selection Section 10 Storage Area Determining Section 12 Scanner 17 Line Connection Judgment Part 18 Facsimile machine

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. An image reading apparatus having a read data transfer section and connected to another server via a LAN, wherein the read data transfer section transfers the read image information to a document storage area of another server via the LAN. An image reading apparatus, which transmits by transmitting. 2. A transmission destination reading unit for reading a list of user identification numbers or telephone numbers for specifying transmission destinations, and a transmission destination selection unit for selecting a specific server according to the read transmission destinations. Image reading device. 3. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a storage area determining unit that reads information in a document storage area of a specified server that stores the read image information and specifies an area in which the image information is stored. . 4. The read data transfer section sends the read image information by facsimile via a public line.
Or the image reading device described in item 3. 5. A line connection determination unit for confirming connection to a public line is provided, and when the line connection determination unit determines that the connection with the public line is not made or an image is transmitted on the connected public line. When receiving or receiving, the read data transfer means is
The image reading apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the image information is transmitted by facsimile to another facsimile apparatus via the AN. 6. The image information is sent to a file server for storage when the server for transferring the image information or the connected facsimile apparatus is in communication, and the image information is sent again when transmission becomes possible. , 3, 4 or 5 image reading device.