JP2000115439A - Network system and client device thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To drastically reduce load on communication to a network and to improve processing efficiency by collectively setting information on various kinds of functions to an image input server device and inputting desired image data at a time, when the image data are obtained. SOLUTION: An image input server device control the operation of image input equipment connected onto a network, converts information of input equipment control into a general purpose network protocol, and provides the network with it. A client device has a client function corresponding to the general purpose network protocol and an interface converting function for converting obtained equipment control information on a server side into a general-purpose image input/output interface. Then, the image input device shared on the network is controlled and is notified of to the image input server device with a specified timing, and data are obtained from the image input device.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a network system and a client device thereof, and more particularly to a network system for reducing a load on a network when a notification accompanying a function change is issued.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional network system composed of an image input server device and a client device on a network, each time various function information is changed by the client device, the change is notified to the image input server device. Occurs. Therefore, the network was overloaded.

[0003]

As described above, in the prior art, every time various function information is changed in the client device, a notification of the change is generated to the image input server device. Therefore, there is a problem that a load is imposed because the network is used each time and traffic increases.

The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and has as its object to reduce the load on a network and improve the processing efficiency.

[0005]

To achieve the above object, the present invention provides an input device control function for controlling the operation of an image input device connected to a network, and information on the input device control function. Image input server device having a network server function of converting the data into a general-purpose network protocol and providing the same on a network, a client function corresponding to the general-purpose network protocol, and obtained server-side device control information And an interface conversion function for converting the image input into a general-purpose image input / output interface, controlling the image input device shared on the network to notify the image input server device at a predetermined timing, and Client device capable of acquiring data from the device. To provide a network system, according to.

According to the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, means for acquiring device control information obtained from an image input server existing on a network, and various functions of the image input server are changed. Means for managing the changed content of the changed function information, and communication means for communicating with the image input server device, wherein the communication means obtains image data from the image input server device. Therefore, the present invention provides a client device which notifies the image input server device only of the change contents of the various function information.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a system block diagram of an image input apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Reference numeral 1 denotes a system bus, and each constituent block to be described below is connected to the system bus. 2 is a CPU (Centrt
al ProcessingUnit). Reference numeral 3 denotes a program memory (referred to as PMEM), which selects / reads a program for this processing from the hard disk 15 as appropriate and executes the program by the CPU 2. Also, the keyboard 12
Data input from PM is also text memory
It is stored as code information in the EM. A communication control unit 4 controls input / output data at a communication port 5. The signal output from the communication port 5 is transmitted via the communication line 6 to the communication device 7 of another device on the network. Communication with a printer or an image input device shared on a network is performed via the communication control unit 4.

In this embodiment, the communication line 6 is
Although described as a network such as a LAN, it goes without saying that the present invention is applicable even if the communication port and the communication line 6 connected to the communication control unit correspond to a general public line.

Reference numeral 8 denotes an external storage device control unit, reference numerals 9 and 10 denote disks for data files, for example, reference numeral 9 denotes a floppy disk (referred to as FD), and reference numeral 10 denotes a hard disk (referred to as HD).

An input control unit 11 is connected to input devices such as a keyboard 12 and a mouse 13. The operator operates the keyboard 11 to issue a system operation command or the like. Reference numeral 13 denotes a pointing device (PD) for instructing processing of image information on 16 CRTs.
In this embodiment, a mouse is used. Thus, the cursor on the CRT 16 is arbitrarily moved in the X and Y directions to select a command icon on the command menu to give a processing instruction, and also gives an instruction on an edit target, a drawing position, and the like. 14 is a video image memory (V
RAM, 15) a display output control unit, 16 a CRT
It is. Data displayed on 16 CRTs is 11 VRs
It is developed as bitmap data on the AM. 1
Reference numeral 7 denotes a printer control unit.
8 is output.

Reference numeral 1A denotes an image input device control section, which controls an image input device 1B such as a connected scanner.

The configuration of the control unit 1A and the input device 1B is essential for the image input server device in the present invention.
As described above, the client-side device can use the same components shared on the server side via the communication control unit 4 and the communication port 5.

Further, the configuration of FIG. 1 is not limited to the case where the image input device 1B and the image input device control unit 1A are physically separate components, but also the image input device 1B is a component of the image input device control unit 1A. It is assumed that a single component including the same has the same function.

FIG. 2 schematically shows the configuration of each function in the image input server device of the present embodiment.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 21 denotes a network server module. In this module, data obtained from the server extension function described below is converted into a data format that can be exchanged on a network corresponding to a general-purpose network protocol.

On the other hand, the module 21 converts network data sent from the client side into an internal data format that can be interpreted by the server extension module.

The server extension module 22 analyzes the data passed from the server, selects a designated one from a plurality of image service modules under the control of this module, and provides the service. Alternatively, data is transferred from one service module to another service module (for example, an image input / output control module is called from an OCR module).

Common interface conversion module 23
When the server extension module requests the provision of a service of any of the image input devices, the request data at that time is converted into a control command corresponding to the specified input device control module 26. . Conversely, it also has a function of converting the control information unique to the device sent from the input device control module into a general interface that can be passed to the server extension module. Specifically, one of them is image reading parameter setting information from a client, and the other is image information obtained as a result of a reading instruction and its accompanying information.

The OCR module 24 is called from the server extension module 22 when a client requests to convert image data read by an image input device into document data.

Image data format conversion module 25
Is a module for converting the format of the image data obtained from the image input device into the image data format specified by the client.

The input / output device control module 26 controls the image input device 27 in response to input / output of (specialized) control commands / information corresponding to each device.

FIG. 3 shows a configuration example of each function in the image input client device of the present embodiment.

In FIG. 2, an image input device connection information generating module 36 is required to realize the function of claim 2.

Each of the modules 31 to 34 shown in FIG. 1 is necessary for a general application to access an image input device locally connected to a client device. Reference numeral 31 denotes a general application having an image input function. , 32 are image input / output device managers that provide a general-purpose image input / output interface to the application. The manager exchanges information with the designated image input / output device control module under the control of the input / output interface in response to the instruction from the input / output interface. Reference numeral 33 denotes an image input device control module having a general-purpose i / o. This module is for controlling image input devices individually connected by a general-purpose interface negotiated with the image input manager 32. This module, unlike the image input device control module 26 described above, provides a general-purpose interface. That is, functionally, the image input device control module 26, the common interface conversion module 23, and the general-purpose image input / output interface conversion module 37 are combined. That is, 32 is, for example, TWAIN (Technology Withou).
t Any Intersted Name) manager 33 corresponds to a TWAIN driver corresponding to each device. 34 is
Each image input device is locally connected to the apparatus.

The client function control module 35
It performs overall management of modules constituting individual client extended functions described below. The image input device connection information generation module 36 obtains attribute information of the image input / output device connected to the server device obtained by using the network client module 38 and information necessary for network connection, and obtains each image. This is a module for generating the input device information 3A. At this time, the virtual image input device control module 39 is automatically generated at the same time. The generation of this module allows the image input device manager 32 to handle devices on the network as if they were virtually connected.

The general-purpose image input / output interface conversion module 37 is a network client module 3
6 for converting the control information for the image input device on the server side obtained by using the image input device 6 into a general-purpose interface corresponding to the image input manager 32. This module does not directly provide functions having these interfaces to the image input manager 32,
It is provided via individual virtual image input device control modules as described below.

Network client module 38
Converts the data into a data format that can be exchanged on a network compatible with a general-purpose network protocol so that these modules and the server-side module can communicate with each other.

The virtual image input device control module 39 includes:
One-to-one with image input devices on the set network
Is generated. This module basically returns the information of the corresponding image input device connection information 3A, or returns the information to the general-purpose image input / output interface providing module 37.
, And passes only the intermediate processing such as passing the result to the image input manager 32. As described above, since the general-purpose image input / output interface providing module performs most of the actual processing, the module can be small, and even if modules for image input devices on a plurality of networks are created, the overhead is reduced. Less is needed.

FIG. 4 shows an example of the data structure of the image input device connection information shown in FIG. In the figure,
Reference numerals 401 to 404 indicate network connection information to the image input device.

First, in 401, information for identifying a server to be connected on the network, that is, a machine name or a network address on the network is set. Reference numeral 402 denotes a network name of the device for identifying an image input device set to be shared on the network. 403 stores security permission information for requesting use permission when security restrictions are set when using the device. Such information is, for example, a password for requesting use permission. Reference numeral 404 indicates information necessary for network connection other than the above.

Reference numerals 405 to 408 denote virtual device information for providing the above-mentioned image input device manager with virtual device information.
This is device identification information. The information read from the server device side is stored in this area. First 40
Reference numeral 5 denotes device name information. Reference numeral 406 denotes module version information. Reference numeral 407 denotes information on the creator of the module. 408 is other identification information.
Reference numerals 409 to 414 indicate function information of the image input device. Among them, this example shows a case where n pieces of function information exist, and 409 to 411 and 412 to 41
4 indicate that each is a set of function information. The function information referred to here indicates, for example, the capability of the device, such as information on a corresponding size of a reading area and a list of readable resolutions. 409
Is an identifier indicating the content of the function. Reference numeral 410 denotes an identifier indicating a format of data indicating the function. This is information for identifying, for example, that the format of the function information is one value, a value in a certain range, or an enumeration format (1, 5, 10, 15). In 411, actual function information is set according to the data format described above. 412
414 sets the n-th function information in the same format as 409-411.

FIG. 5 shows how a virtual image input device control module and a general-purpose image input / output interface conversion module change function information or request access to an image input device on a network. 5 shows a flowchart of an internal process on the client side, which is to be processed. Here, the procedure of this flowchart is realized by the CPU 2 executing a program stored in the PMEM 3.

First, in step S51, it is determined whether or not the image input device connection information has been obtained from the image input server device. If it is determined that the image input device connection information has been acquired, the process branches to step S53, and if it is not, it branches to step S52.

In step S52, device information is acquired from the image input server device, and the image input device connection information is recorded.

In step S53, a request process is sent from the image input manager to the virtual image input device control module using a general-purpose interface. Next, in step S54, it is determined whether or not the request can be processed by the general-purpose image input / output interface conversion module. This is, for example, with respect to changes in device function information,
Processing can be performed by this module, and actual image data acquisition and the like cannot be processed.

In this step, if it is determined that the processing can be performed in this module, the flow branches to step S55, and if not, the flow branches to step S56. In step S55, the data requested by the general-purpose image input / output interface conversion module is processed. This means that, for example, a change in the function information occurs, and the corresponding portion of the image input device connection information is changed using the virtual image input device control module.

In step S56, the image input device connection information including the function information changed in step S55 is sent to the server device on the network to which the image input device is connected, and "reading start" for the server device is performed. Request.

(Other Embodiments) FIG. 6 shows an example of a data structure of image input device connection information shown in another embodiment. In the figure, reference numerals 601 to 604 denote network connection information to the image input device.

First, 601 sets information for identifying a server to be connected on the network, that is, a machine name or a network address on the network. Reference numeral 602 denotes a network name of the device for identifying an image input device that is set to be shared on the network. 603 stores security permission information for requesting use permission when security restrictions are set when using the same device. Such information is, for example, a password for requesting use permission. Reference numeral 604 indicates information necessary for network connection other than the above.

Reference numerals 605 to 608 denote virtual device information for providing the above-described image input device manager with virtual device information.
This is device identification information. The information read from the server device side is stored in this area. First 60
Reference numeral 5 denotes device name information. Reference numeral 606 denotes version information of the module. Reference numeral 607 denotes information of a creator of the module. 608 is other identification information.
Reference numerals 609 to 616 indicate function information of the image input device. Among them, this example shows a case where n pieces of function information exist, and 609-612 and 613-61.
6 indicates that each is a set of function information. The function information referred to here indicates, for example, the capability of the device, such as information on a corresponding size of a reading area and a list of readable resolutions. 609
Is an identifier indicating the content of the function. Reference numeral 610 denotes an identifier indicating a format of data indicating the function. This is information for identifying, for example, that the format of the function information is one value, a value in a certain range, or an enumeration format (1, 5, 10, 15). In 611, actual function information is set according to the data format described above. 612
Is an update flag for determining whether information 609 to 611 has been changed.

In 613 to 616, the n-th function information is set in the same format as in 609 to 612.

FIG. 7 shows how the virtual image input device control module and the general-purpose image input / output interface conversion module change function information or request access to an image input device on a network. 9 shows a flowchart of an internal process on the client side to determine whether the process is performed. Here, the procedure of this flowchart is realized by the CPU 2 executing a program stored in the PMEM 3.

First, in step S71, it is determined whether or not the image input device connection information has been obtained from the image input server device. If it is determined that the image input device connection information has been acquired, the flow branches to step S74; otherwise, the flow branches to step S72.

In step S72, device information is obtained from the image input server device, and the image input device connection information is recorded. In step S73, the update flags of all the function information of the device in the image input device connection information are set to OFF.

In step S74, a request process is sent from the image input manager to the virtual image input device control module using a general-purpose interface. Next, in step S75, it is determined whether or not the request can be processed by the general-purpose image input / output interface conversion module. This is, for example, with respect to changes in device function information,
Processing can be performed by this module, and actual image data acquisition and the like cannot be processed.

In this step, if it is determined that the processing can be performed in this module, the flow branches to step S76. If it is determined that the processing cannot be performed, the flow branches to step S78.

In step S76, the data requested by the general-purpose image input / output interface conversion module is processed. This means that, for example, a change in the function information occurs, and the corresponding portion of the image input device connection information is changed using the virtual image input device control module. Next, in step S77, the update flag corresponding to the function information changed in step S76 is changed to ON.

In step S78, the function information for which the update flag is ON in step S77 is listed in the server device on the network to which the image input device is connected, and the listed function information and , Requesting the server device to start reading.
Next, in step S79, all the update flags of the image input device information are set to OFF.

[0050]

As described above, in a network system including an image input server device and a client device on a network, the client device acquires the device control information obtained from the image input server device to the client device. / Recording, only the change of various function information in the client device does not notify the server of the change, but only records the change content in the client device, and sends the read (execute reading) to the image input server device. Means for collectively setting various types of functional information in the image input server device at the time of acquiring image data and inputting desired image data, thereby greatly reducing the communication load on the network. As a result, the processing efficiency can be improved.

Further, information for determining whether or not the information has been updated is added to the function information stored in the client device, and only the updated function information is added when a request is made to the server. Means for inputting desired image data by setting it on the input server device,
Further, the load on the network can be reduced, and the processing efficiency can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system block diagram of an image input apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of each function in the image input server device according to the embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a view showing a setting screen of an image input device in the client-side device according to the embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data structure of image input device connection information according to the embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a processing example when a request for access to an image input device on a network is issued to a virtual image input device control module;

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data structure of image input device connection information according to another embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a processing example in a case where an access request to an image input device on a network is issued to a virtual image input device control module in another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 System bus 2 CPU 3 Program memory 4 Communication control unit 5 Communication port 6 Communication line 7 Other device on network 8 External storage device control unit 9, Disk for data file 11 Input control unit 12 Keyboard 13 Mouse, etc. Input device 14 video image memory 15 display output control unit 16 CRT 17 printer control unit 18 printer 19 external device control unit 1A image input device control unit 1B image input device

Claims (4)

[Claims] An input device control function for controlling the operation of an image input device connected to a network, and a network for converting information of the input device control function into a general-purpose network protocol and providing the information on the network An image input server device having a server function, and a client function corresponding to the general-purpose network protocol, and an interface conversion function of converting the obtained server-side device control information into a general-purpose image input / output interface. A client device capable of controlling the image input device shared on the network and notifying the image input server device at a predetermined timing, and acquiring data from the image input device;
A network system comprising: 2. The image input / output interface is TWAI.
2. The network system according to claim 1, wherein N (TechnologyWithoutAnyInterstedName). 3. A function of acquiring / recording device control information obtained from an image input server device existing in the network in a client device, and a function of receiving from the client device an image input server device existing in the network. Instead of notifying the image input server device each time the various function information is changed, the client device notifies the image input server device when the image data is acquired, and collects the various function information to the image input server device. 2. The network system according to claim 1, further comprising setting means / functions. 4. A means for acquiring device control information obtained from an image input server device existing in the network; a means for changing various functions for the image input server device; and a change in changed function information. Management means for managing the contents; and communication means for communicating with the image input server device, wherein the communication means only obtains the changed contents of the various function information at the time of acquiring the image data from the image input server device. A client device for notifying an input server device.