JP2001022671A - Image processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processor improved in convenience by exactly calculating the cost. SOLUTION: In this image processor, a CPU 21 acquires the attribute of document data for generating an image, calculates the cost required for generating the image on the basis of the acquired attribute, outputs and displays the cost and generates the image by receiving the input of an instruction to start processing.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus for acquiring document data including texts and images via a network and performing image processing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, computer networks have become widespread in offices and homes, and it has become common practice for a plurality of computers to separately hold various types of data and to exchange data with each other. Specifically, an example of such a computer network includes, as shown in FIG. 11, a plurality of computers 10a, 10b interconnected by a network.
And a printer 11 connected to the network. Further, as illustrated, another network to which the computer 10d and the like are connected may be connected via the gateway 12. Here, more devices are generally connected to such a network, but are omitted here for the sake of explanation.

Hereinafter, a case will be described in which the second computer 10b stores document data, and the printer 11 prints the document data in response to an instruction from the first computer 10a. First, as a procedure for transferring a file, the first computer 10a acquires document data from the second computer 10b using, for example, FTP (File Transfer Protocol).
Then, the first computer 10a transmits the acquired document data to, for example, the LPR protocol (Line Printer D).
The output is transmitted to the printer 12 by an aemon protocol or the like. Then, the printer 12 receives the document data and performs printing. In addition, regarding the LPR protocol, IETF (Internet
This is described in detail in the so-called RFC document (Request for Comments) No. 1179 (hereinafter abbreviated as RFC1179, etc.) published by the Engineering Task Force, and the description here is omitted.

[0004] Here, the document data is once taken into the first computer 10a which makes a print request, and is transmitted and output to the printer 12, so that the document data comes and goes twice on the network, and the load on the network is increased. Increase. Therefore, in the technology disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-282115, "Printer Apparatus and Printing Method", a printer that receives reference information indicating a storage location of document data, acquires corresponding data, and prints the data. Is disclosed. That is, in FIG. 11, the first computer 1
0a prints the document data stored in the second computer 10b with this printer, the first
From the computer 10a to the printer, the URL (Uniform Resource Locators) of document data (RFC1738)
Is output. Then, the printer transmits the first document data designated by the URL to the HTTP protocol (HyperText).
Transfer Protocol) (RFC2069) and print out. Hereinafter, this image processing method is referred to as “reference image processing”.

[0005]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional image processing apparatus, estimation of running cost and charging of the image processing apparatus as a shared object for each user (hereinafter, collectively referred to as "cost") are usually carried out. In the case where reference image processing is performed, the occupation time of the device varies depending on the network load, so this method is suitable for reference image processing. There is a problem that a high cost cannot be calculated.

Further, in the conventional image processing apparatus, since the attribute of the document data on the network is not obtained,
An accurate cost cannot be estimated in advance, and an image of document data that costs more than expected may be generated, resulting in a problem of low convenience.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide an image processing apparatus capable of accurately calculating costs and improving convenience.

[0008]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a storage location of document data to be printed is received, and the document data is acquired from the storage location. The image processing apparatus for generating an image includes means for calculating a cost for generating the image based on the attribute of the document data, and means for performing control in accordance with the cost.

According to a second aspect of the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, when a storage location of document data to be printed is inputted, the document data is obtained from the storage location.
An image processing apparatus for generating an image includes means for calculating a cost for generating the image based on the attribute of the document data, and means for notifying.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an acquiring means for receiving an input of a storage location of document data to be printed and acquiring the document data from the storage location. An image processing apparatus comprising: processing means for processing document data obtained by the means to generate an image; and receiving an input of the storage location and obtaining an attribute of the document data stored in the storage location. An image forming apparatus comprising: an acquiring unit; and a calculating unit configured to calculate a cost for generating an image of the document data based on the attribute acquired by the attribute acquiring unit.

It is preferable that the attribute is a data amount of document data.

[0012] Further, the cost calculated by the calculation means is reported and the apparatus waits, receives an input of an instruction to start processing, outputs an instruction to start acquisition of the document data to the acquisition means, and outputs to the processing means. It is preferable to include control means for outputting an instruction to start image generation.

[0013] Further, the apparatus includes setting means for setting an upper limit of the cost as a cost upper limit amount, and determines whether or not to start the processing based on the cost calculated by the calculating means and the cost upper limit amount, and executes the processing. When judging to start, the control means may include a control means for outputting an instruction to start acquisition of the document data to the acquisition means and an instruction to start image generation to the processing means.

Further, when the document data acquired by the acquisition means is analyzed, and information indicating a storage location of another document data is detected in the document data, a detection for outputting the detected storage location to the acquisition means is performed. It is also preferred to include means.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the image processing apparatus of the present invention is an apparatus that renders a two-dimensional or three-dimensional image, for example, and a printer will be specifically described below.

An image processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention calculates a printing cost in URL printing, notifies the user of the cost, receives a print request input from the user, and obtains the acquired document. Print out the data.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a network including a printer as an image processing apparatus according to the present invention. The printer 20 of the present invention, as shown in FIG.
A CPU 21 and a ROM 22 connected to each other by a bus,
RAM 23, page memory 24, NVRAM 25
, Printing unit 26, U / I (user interface) 27
, An I / F (network interface) 28, and a hard disk 29. The client computer 3 is connected via a LAN serving as a network.
0 and the server computer 31. This LAN is specifically a network such as Ethernet or token ring.

The operation of each section will be described below. CPU 21
Is a central processing unit, which controls each unit of the printer 20. The acquisition unit, the processing unit, the attribute acquisition unit, the detection unit, the control unit, and the calculation unit described in the claims are the CPU
21 is realized. The specific processing contents of the CPU 21 will be described later.

The ROM 22 is a read-only memory, and stores a program for performing a basic operation among programs for controlling the printer 20. Specifically, a program for diagnosing each hardware of the printer 20 immediately after the power is turned on, and an initialization program for starting a control program stored in the NVRAM 25 are stored.

The RAM 23 is a readable and writable memory, and is used by the CPU 21 as a work area. The page memory 24 stores image data as a print image obtained by converting document data received from an external device via the I / F 28.

The NVRAM 105 is a nonvolatile RAM, and stores a program to be executed by the CPU 21. The reason why the nonvolatile RAM is used as a place for storing the program here is to keep the program from being erased even after the power is turned off, and also to make it easy to update the program. is there.

The printing section 26 prints on paper based on the image data stored in the page memory 24. Since the printing operation is a known technique, its description is omitted. The U / I 27 notifies the user of information and obtains information from the user. Specifically, a liquid crystal touch panel, a switch, or the like is used. The I / F 28 is a network interface for transmitting and receiving data via the LAN.

The hard disk 29 is connected to the I / F 2
Document data acquired via the printer 8, font data necessary for converting the document data into image data, printer setting information, status information, and the like are stored. Since the cost per unit of the hard disk 29 is lower than that of the RAM or the page memory, the hard disk 29 may be used as an auxiliary storage area of the RAM or the page memory.

Here, the processing performed by the CPU 21 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In the following description, it is assumed that the server computer 31 stores document data to be printed.

The CPU 21 of the printer 20 performs an initialization process (S1) and waits for a print request (S2). Here, when the user transmits a request for reference image processing from the client computer 30 to the printer 20 together with reference information, the I / F 28 of the printer 20 receives these and outputs them to the CPU 21. And C
Upon receiving the print request, the PU 21 proceeds to step S3 and checks whether there is reference information (S3).

If the CPU 21 determines in step S3 that there is no reference information (No), the document data received following the print request is converted into image data by a known method and stored in the page memory 24. When the conversion of the image data is completed, the CPU 21 activates the printing unit 26 and prints out the image data (S4). If it is determined in step S3 that there is reference information (Yes), UR as reference information is determined.
L is analyzed (S5), and the name of the server computer storing the data, the path name as the position of the document data to be printed on the file system, and the like are detected. The data attribute information is acquired from the server computer 31 (S6). This CP
The process of the process S6 of U21 corresponds to an attribute acquisition unit described in claims.

Then, the CPU 21 calculates a cost required for image processing (here, printout) based on the acquired attribute information (S7). Processing S7 of this CPU 21
Corresponds to the calculation means. Here, the attribute information is, for example, the size of the document data. The attribute information is black and white
For example, the number of pages may be different from the color. This processing S7
, The CPU 21 specifically calculates the cost according to the data size, the number of output sheets, and color printing / black and white printing. Note that the cost may be calculated only with the data size, or the cost may be calculated only with the data converted into the number of output sheets. In addition, a page description language (PostScr by Adobe)
The cost may be calculated in consideration of ipt, ART of Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.), the amount of toner used, and the like. More specifically, 10 yen per sheet for color printing, 3 yen per sheet for black-and-white printing, and 1 yen per 100 KB data size for data amount charging. Sometimes
In the process S7, the CPU 21 adds 50 yen for 5 MB and 100 yen for 10 sheets of color to calculate a total cost of 150 yen.

The CPU 21 displays on the U / I 27 an inquiry to the user as to whether or not to execute the image processing (printing) and the cost calculated in this way (S8), and waits for an instruction from the user. (S9). Here, processing S
Specifically, the display output at 8 is as shown in FIG. In FIG. 3, the “print” portion is a pop-up menu, and “print” or “not print” can be selected. According to the display of the inquiry shown in FIG. 3, when the user inputs an instruction,
It is checked whether or not the instruction is to execute printing (S10). If the instruction is not to execute printing (if "stop"), the process proceeds to step S2.
And waits for a print request. In step S10, if the instruction is to execute printing (if "execute"), the server computer accesses the server computer name and path name detected in step S5 to acquire document data (S1).
1) The process proceeds to step S4, where the acquired document data is converted into image data by a known method and stored in the page memory 24. The processing S11 of the CPU 21 corresponds to an acquiring unit, and the processing of converting the image data into image data corresponds to a processing unit. When the conversion of the image data is completed, the CPU 21 activates the printing unit 26 and prints out the image data. In this process, CP
If the acquired document data is a markup document such as an HTML document, the U21 interprets the markup document, adjusts the image according to the tag, and outputs external reference information (information represented by a tag of <IMGSRC = ...>). , Etc.), and when such information is detected, this external information may be further obtained, synthesized, and printed out.

Here, the print request from the user, which is received during the standby in the process S2, is, specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, "POST / prn HT" by the HTTP protocol.
It is transmitted and output as "TP / 1.1". The reference information is, for example, a tag representing a hyperlink including a URL, “<ah
It is transmitted and output as ref = "http: // server1 / data / prn_data1">. Then, the CPU 2 receiving this signal input
1 transmits a signal including a code number and a message such as “200 OK” as an acceptance message to the client computer 30 as a transmission source that has transmitted the print request via the I / F 28. In the following,
Description of this acceptance message is omitted.

The acquisition of the attribute information in step S6 is performed by issuing an attribute acquisition request "GET / info / prn_data1 HTTP / 1.1" as shown in FIG. 5 using the HTTP protocol. In FIG. 5, specifically, the server computer 3
0b is the size of the document data (1500K
6B illustrates a case where the transmission output is performed.

Further, for obtaining the document data in the process S11, for example, the FTP protocol is used. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, the CPU 21 transmits an FTP opening request to the server computer 31, and further,
A user name and a password as account information set in advance are transmitted and output. Here, the user name may be that of the user who has requested the printing, but in general,
Assuming that the printer 20 is a user, a user “printer” is set. Or, as shown, "gues
A general user name "t" may be set. CP
When the connection by the FTP is successful, U21 transmits the path name detected earlier together with the data acquisition request. The server computer 31 searches for the document data matching the requested path name, and when the search is performed,
Output to 0. Thus, the CPU 21 acquires the document data and stores it in the hard disk 29.

Although the calculated cost is displayed on the U / I 27 in step S8, the CPU 2
1 may output an instruction to display the cost to the transmission source of the print request, that is, the client computer 30, via the I / F 28. In this case,
The control program of the printer 20 of the client computer 30 monitors a signal input via the network, receives an instruction to display the cost, and displays and outputs the cost. Further, here, in order to easily display the inquiry, HTML and C
The printer 20 is set in combination with a GI (Common Gateway Interface) application, and
It is also preferable to operate as an HTTP server. In other words, it operates by pressing the OK button,
A CGI application (select.cgi) for making the determination in step S10 by selecting “print” or “not print” is prepared, and the HT application shown in FIG.
The ML document is transmitted and output to the client computer 30. Thereby, the CPU 21 causes the client computer 30 to perform the display shown in FIG.

According to the image processing apparatus of the present embodiment, the attribute of the document data to be printed is obtained, the cost required for printing is calculated and displayed based on the attribute, and the user's permission is obtained. Since printing is performed after the printing, the cost can be accurately calculated in advance, unexpected cost excess can be prevented, and convenience can be improved.

Next, an image processing apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The image processing apparatus according to the second embodiment holds an upper limit (cost upper limit amount) of a cost set in advance by a user, compares the calculated cost with the upper limit amount of cost, and determines whether to perform image processing. Judge.

Specifically, the printer 20 as the image processing apparatus of the present embodiment is different from the printer 20 of the first embodiment.
, But the operation of the CPU 21 is different. Therefore, only the operation of the CPU 21 will be described below with reference to FIG.

In the present embodiment, the CPU 21 performs an initialization process (S21) and checks whether a print request has been received (S22). If a print request has not been received (No), it is checked whether or not an instruction to set a cost upper limit has been received (S23). The cost upper limit amount thus set is stored in the hard disk 29 (S24), and the process returns to step S22. If the instruction to set the upper limit of the cost has not been received in step S23 (if No), the process returns to step S22 to continue the processing. This CPU2
The first process S24 corresponds to a setting unit described in the claims.

On the other hand, in step S22, if a print request has been received (Yes), the process proceeds to step S25 to check whether or not there is reference information (S25). Here, when it is determined that there is no reference information (No),
The CPU 21 converts the document data received following the print request into image data by a known method, and stores the image data in the page memory 24. When the conversion of the image data is completed, the CPU 21 activates the printing unit 26 and prints out the image data (S31).

In step S25, if there is reference information (if Yes), the URL as reference information is analyzed (S26), and the name of the server computer storing the data and the name of the document data to be printed are stored. The path name and the like are detected, and the attribute information of the document data is acquired from the server computer 31 by the detected name and path name (S2).
7). Then, based on the information of the attribute, the cost required for image processing (here, printout) is calculated by calculation processing (S28), and the hard disk 2 is processed in processing S24.
9 is checked to see if it is less than or equal to the cost upper limit amount (S
29). The process S29 of the CPU 21 corresponds to a control means described in claims.

Here, if the cost calculated in the processing S28 is equal to or less than the upper limit of the cost (if Yes), the processing S
Document data is obtained from the server computer name and the path name detected in 26 (S30), and the process proceeds to step S31, where the document data is converted into image data by a known method, and stored in the page memory 24. The printing unit 26 is activated to print out the image data. Processing S
At 30, if the cost is not equal to or less than the cost upper limit amount (No), the process ends.

In the process S24, the NVRAM 25 may be used as a place for storing the upper limit of the cost in addition to the hard disk 29.

Further, the login account (user name and password) to the FTP server used when the printer 20 as the image processing apparatus according to the first and second embodiments of the present invention acquires the document data has already been set. As explained, printer and guest etc. may be set in advance,
The user who made the print request may be asked for the user name and password. In this case, the control program of the printer 20 of the client computer 30 monitors the signal input via the network, receives the instruction to display the screen for inquiring the account information, and displays the account information input screen. I do.

Here, in order to easily display an inquiry, the printer 20 is set by combining HTML and a CGI application.
Preferably operate as an HTTP server. That is, the CPU 21 of the printer 20
Is transmitted to the client computer 30 as shown in FIG.
Is displayed on the client computer 30 as shown in FIG. The CPU 21 outputs a request to open an FTP to the server computer 31 using the user name and the password input on the screen shown in FIG.

Note that the account information once input is
It is also preferable to store the data on the hard disk 29 in order to reduce the burden on subsequent user operations.

According to the image processing apparatus of the present embodiment, the attribute of the document data to be printed is acquired and the cost for printing is calculated based on the attribute, so that the cost can be accurately calculated in advance. If the calculated cost is within the range of the preset cost upper limit amount, printing is performed, so that unexpected cost excess can be prevented and convenience can be improved.

Further, the attribute of the document data received by the printer 20 as the image processing apparatus according to the first and second embodiments of the present invention may be the information of the billing amount itself. In this case, when the document data is stored in the server computer 31, the cost for image processing of the document data is stored together with the document data as a billing amount.

Further, the printer 20 as the image processing apparatus according to the first and second embodiments of the present invention accumulates the charge amount for each attribute of the transmission source of the print request and stores it in the hard disk 29. It is also preferred. Here, the attributes include, for example, the name and department of the user, the department of the client computer 30 as the source of the print request, and the like.

Further, the printer 20 as the image processing apparatus according to the first and second embodiments of the present invention acquires the document data first and detects the attribute without acquiring the attribute of the document data. Alternatively, the cost may be calculated based on the detected attribute. Here, it is preferable that the document data acquired for the cost calculation is a part such as only a header part.

[0048]

According to the present invention, upon receiving input of reference information indicating a storage location of document data for generating an image, an attribute of the document data is acquired, and a cost for generating the image based on the attribute is reduced. Because it is an image processing device that calculates
Cost can be accurately calculated.

Further, according to the present invention, by setting the attribute to the data amount of the document data, an accurate cost can be calculated in consideration of the occupation time of the device according to the network load.

Further, according to the present invention, since the cost calculated based on the attribute is reported, the acquisition of the document data is started in response to the input of the processing start instruction, and the image processing apparatus starts the image generation. Therefore, image processing exceeding expected costs is not performed, and convenience can be improved.

According to the present invention, the upper limit of the cost is set in advance as the upper limit of the cost, and if the cost calculated based on the attribute is equal to or less than the upper limit of the cost, the acquisition of the document data is started and the image generation is started. Since the image processing apparatus is started, image processing exceeding expected costs is not performed, and convenience can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration block diagram illustrating an example of a network including a printer as an image processing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the image processing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a display performed by the image processing device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an operation of the image processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an operation of the image processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an operation of the image processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of an HTML document transmitted and output by the image processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the image processing apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of an HTML document transmitted and output by the image processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a display performed by the image processing device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a configuration block diagram illustrating an outline of a general computer network.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Computer, 11, 20 Printer, 12 Gateway, 21 CPU, 22 ROM, 23 RA
M, 24 page memory, 25 NVRAM, 26 printing unit, 27 U / I, 28 I / F, 29 hard disk, 30 client computer, 31 server computer.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Susumu Otake 2274 Hongo, Ebina-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. In-house (72) Inventor Masaki Satake 2274 Hongo, Ebina-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. KC52 LB12 LB14 LB23 9A001 CC02 CC08 HH23 JJ12 JJ27 KK42 LL03 LL09

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An image processing apparatus that receives reference information indicating a storage location of document data for generating an image, acquires document data from the storage location, and generates an image. An image processing apparatus comprising: means for calculating a cost for generating an image based on the cost; and means for performing control according to the cost. 2. An image processing apparatus which receives reference information indicating a storage location of document data for generating an image, acquires document data from the storage location, and generates an image. An image processing apparatus comprising: means for calculating a cost for generating an image based on the information; and means for notifying. 3. An acquisition unit for receiving reference information indicating a storage location of document data for generating an image, acquiring document data from the storage location, and processing the document data acquired by the acquisition unit to generate an image. Receiving the input of the storage location, and acquiring the attribute of the document data stored in the storage location; and acquiring the attribute by the attribute acquisition unit. An image processing apparatus comprising: calculation means for calculating a cost required to generate an image of the document data based on the attribute. 4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the attribute is a data amount of document data. 5. The image processing device according to claim 3, wherein the cost calculated by the calculation unit is notified, the process waits, an instruction to start processing is input, and the acquisition unit receives the document data. An image processing apparatus comprising: a control unit that outputs an instruction to start acquisition of an image and outputs an instruction to start generation of an image to the processing unit. 6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a setting unit that sets an upper limit of cost as a cost upper limit amount, based on the cost calculated by the calculating unit and the cost upper limit amount. Determining whether or not to start the processing, and when determining to start the processing, outputs an instruction to start the acquisition of the document data to the obtaining means, and outputs an instruction to start generation of an image to the processing means. An image processing apparatus comprising a control unit. 7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the document data acquired by the acquisition unit is analyzed, and reference information indicating a storage location of another document data in the document data. An image processing apparatus, comprising: a detection unit that outputs the detected reference information to the acquisition unit when the detection is performed.