JP2002033865A - Image input device and image output device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image input device (scanner or the like) that brings an image output device (printer or the like) connected to a network to a sleep state or shuts off the image output device and to provide the printer that is controlled so as to omit trouble of movement between user's devices. SOLUTION: The scanner is provided with a power supply control instruction input means that enters an instruction to control a power supply operation of the printer connected to a network, a power supply control command generating means that generates a power supply control command on the basis of an instruction entered by the power supply control instruction input means, and a power supply control command transmission means that transmits the power supply control command to the network. This invention also provides the printer that is controlled.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to an image input device (such as a scanner) and an image output device (such as a printer) capable of remotely controlling the power operation of other devices connected to a network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A network for connecting devices such as a personal computer (hereinafter, referred to as a personal computer) as an information processing device, a server, a printer, and a scanner, and transmitting and receiving data between the devices is increasingly connected physically. There is a tendency to expand the range. Previously, for one user,
What arranged and connected each device only around the desk is a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), the Internet, and other networks, and various communication systems and protocols are used.

[0003] In addition, there is a growing demand for energy saving for various devices placed in offices. For example, most printers enter a power-saving state (sleep) or a power-off state after a certain period of time in a standby state. (Shut-off). However, since sleep or shut-off does not occur until a certain period of time elapses in the standby state, power consumption during the certain period is still wasteful.

In order to eliminate this waste, it is necessary to turn off the power switch of the printer immediately after outputting the image with the printer. If the printer is far away, the movement of the user to shut off the power supply is troublesome. In addition, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 7-2467
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 56-56, even when the power supply operation (switch-on / shut-off) of the printer is performed from the personal computer side, the same user movement problem occurs when the scanner is away from the personal computer. Come. In particular, as described above, this problem becomes remarkable when the range of the network is widened.

[0005] Further, an interface as a network connection means of each device is based on IEEE 1394 (Eye).
Standards such as Triple-E 1394) and USB (Universal Serial Bus) have emerged with a high degree of freedom in connection, and it is thought that the need to operate peripheral devices from peripheral devices without using a personal computer will increase.

As a technique for solving such needs,
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-136410 discloses that a scanner has a role as a subject of information processing, holds read image data, transmits image data to a printer,
There is disclosed a scanner technology that instructs a printer to execute printing with an execution destination, an execution time or a time limit, and executes the operation.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-134132 discloses an invention of an apparatus capable of confirming and displaying the state of another apparatus connected via a network as well as the operation state of the apparatus itself. I have.

[0008] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 5-94239 discloses that
A technique is disclosed in which a server automatically remotely controls a personal computer to execute a power-off program.

However, a scanner (image input device)
A device for controlling a power supply operation of a printer (image output device) has not been known yet, and the above problem has not been solved.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to check the operating state of the printer from the scanner side, such as whether the printer is turned on or in operation, or to check the printer power when the power is not turned on. The present invention provides a scanner (image input device) and a printer (image output device) that can control the power operation of a printer that is turned on, put into a sleep state to save power, or shuts off.

[0011]

The above object of the present invention has been attained by the following constitutions.

1. Image input means of a photoelectric conversion system, network connection means for connecting to a network to which an image output device is connected, image data transmission means for transmitting image data input by the image input means via the network, Power control command input means for inputting a command for controlling the power operation of the image output device; power control command generating means for generating a power control command from the command input by the power control command input means; and An image input device comprising: a power control command transmitting unit that transmits the power control command to the network.

2. The instruction for controlling the power supply operation is shut-off or sleep.
An image input device according to claim 1.

3. 3. The image input device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a collecting unit that collects an operation state of the image output device, and a display unit that displays the operation state collected by the collection unit.

[0015] 4. An image output apparatus comprising: a network connection unit that connects to a network; a power operation command receiving unit that receives a power operation command for controlling a power operation; and a power operation control unit that controls the power operation by the power operation command.

5. 5. The image output device according to 4, wherein the image output device includes a detection unit that detects an operation state of the image output device, and an operation state transmission unit.

[0017]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a scanner which is an image input device of the present invention. In the scanner 10, 11
Denotes a photoelectric conversion type image input unit, and 12 denotes a liquid crystal touch panel display which also serves as a power control instruction input unit and a display unit. This is for inputting an operation state of an image output apparatus such as a printer connected to a network, displaying a print job list waiting for printing, and instructions for controlling operations of the scanner 10 and the image output apparatus.

The image input means 11 is an image original (not shown).
When the document is placed on the upper tray 111a, the automatic document feeder (ADF11
In the process of passing the image document automatically conveyed through the document reading unit 112, light from a light source is applied to the image document, and the reflected light is received by a photoelectric conversion element such as a CCD. It is converted into an electric signal and read into a memory (see FIG. 2) as image data.

The image data stored in the memory is transferred to a personal computer, a facsimile, a printer, or the like via a network, and is appropriately processed. Then, the image document from which the image data has been read is further conveyed and discharged to the lower tray 111b. The conventional scanner has only the above-mentioned image input means, but the scanner of the present invention has a power supply operation (switch-on, sleep, shutdown) of an image output device such as a printer connected to a network to which the scanner is connected. OFF), and displays an operation state such as whether the printer or the like is in operation (print job is being executed), is in a standby state, is in an off state, or the like. A liquid crystal touch panel display 12 is provided as display means. In the operating state of the printer, OFF (operation is shut off) is a state in which all power supply is stopped except for energization of a minimum necessary part for receiving a command signal and the like. The main power switch is turned off. The term “in operation” refers to a state in which printing is being performed, and the term “standby” refers to a state in which the state can be shifted to the operating state at any time. The switch is turned on as a power supply operation for this operation or standby. Further, sleep is a state in which the amount of supplied power is reduced as compared to standby, and it takes more time to move to the operating state than to standby, and it takes less time to turn off the power. Specifically, this is a state in which the power supply to the backlight of the liquid crystal touch panel display is stopped, and the amount of power supply to the fixing device is reduced due to a decrease in the maintenance temperature of the fixing device in an electrophotographic image output device.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a network connecting the scanner of the present invention described in FIG. 1 and a device such as a printer. Reference numeral 10 denotes a scanner,
FIG. 2 shows a functional configuration diagram. Reference numeral 20 denotes a network, 30 denotes a personal computer, 40 denotes a printer, 50 denotes a facsimile, and 51 denotes a telephone line for transmitting a signal from the facsimile 50 to the outside. The scanner 10 is an image input device of the present invention, and the printer 40 or the facsimile 50 is an image output device. A well-known method can be applied to the image output method of the image output device. The image output method may be a hard copy output such as an electrophotographic method or an inkjet method, or may be an output by transmitting electronic data such as a facsimile. Good.

The functional configuration of the scanner 10 includes an ADF
111, document reading unit 112, display unit 121, operation unit 12
2, control unit 130, memory 140, network interface (hereinafter abbreviated as network I / F) 15
0, remote control unit 160; The ADF 111 and the document reading unit 112 are image input units as described with reference to FIG. The display unit 121 as a display unit and the operation unit 122 as a power control instruction input unit are the liquid crystal touch panel display 12 in FIG.

The memory 140 stores image data read by the document reading unit 112. The image data stored in the memory 140 is transmitted from the network I / F 150 to the network 20 in accordance with an instruction from the operation unit 122.
Is transmitted to the printer 40, the personal computer 30 or the facsimile 50 connected to the printer, and is printed, subjected to image processing, and transmitted from the telephone line 51 to the outside. At this time, the network I / F 150 has a function as an image data transmitting unit. Network I /
F150 is USB when connected to PC
(Universal serial bus), IEEE1394, etc.
When connected to a network, a network such as Ethernet (registered trademark) can be used.

The control unit 130 controls each function of the scanner 10. The remote control unit 160 is a power control command generation unit that generates a power control command to remotely control the power operation of the printer 40 or the facsimile 50 connected to the network 20 according to an instruction input by the user from the operation unit 122. . The power control command is an instruction for changing the power operation of the controlled printer or the like, and specifically, is a specific coded signal. As the power operation, as described above, there are switch-on for turning on the power, sleep for saving the power, shut-off for turning off the power, and the like. The network interface (I / F) 150 functions as a power control command transmitting unit that transmits a power control command generated by the remote controller 160 to the printer 40 or the like via the network 20. Further, the remote controller 160 also serves as a collecting unit for collecting the operation state of the printer 40, the personal computer 30, or the facsimile 50 connected to the network 20. The operating state includes, in the printer 40, an active state in which a job is being executed, an execution job name in operation, a standby state of a job waiting state, a sleep state for saving power when a standby time exceeds a certain time, This refers to the off state where the power is not turned on, or the degree of consumption of consumables such as toner, ink, and recording paper. Then, the operation state of the device collected by the collection unit is determined by the scanner 1.
0 is displayed on the display unit 121 (display means). The user can confirm the operation state of the devices connected to the network 20 on the display unit 121 and perform an operation for controlling the power operation.

On the other hand, the printer 40 or the facsimile 5
The image output side 0 has a memory for receiving the image data or the power control command transmitted through the network 20 described above. When receiving a power control command, this memory functions as power control command receiving means. In addition, the printer 40 and the like
It has detection means such as a CPU for detecting the operation state of the printer 40 and the like. The operation state of the apparatus detected by the detection unit is transmitted from the network I / F (operation state transmission unit) to the scanner 10 in response to a request from the scanner 10.
Will be sent to

FIG. 3 is a network diagram for explaining an example of the operation of the image input device and the image output device of the present invention. 〜 In the figure indicates the direction of the following operation. Acquisition of Operation Status of Other Devices The scanner 10 transmits the operation status data of each printer directly from the first printer 40 or indirectly from the second printer 60 via the personal computer 30 via the network I / F. Receive.

If a server or the like which collects the operation status of the printer and the personal computer is prepared in advance, the scanner 10 requests the server to output the operation status data, and the server transmits the operation status data. Transmit to scanner 10.

The scanner 10 displays the operation status on the display unit (the liquid crystal touch panel display 12) based on the received operation status data. If all devices cannot be displayed on one screen, page turning is performed.

When the number of devices connected to the network 20 is large, the devices are displayed for each work group, or devices to be displayed are registered in advance. Generation of Power Control Command An instruction to shut off / sleep the power to the device displayed on the display unit of the scanner 10 is performed according to the display on the display unit. Transmission of power control command When a power supply shutoff / sleep is instructed on the display unit, a power supply shutoff / sleep control command (power control command) is transmitted to the target device. Execution of power supply operation command The device that has received the power supply control command executes power supply shutoff / sleep.

If the apparatus cannot execute power shut-off / sleep for the reason that another apparatus is executing, etc., data to that effect is returned from the apparatus and the fact is displayed on the display unit of the scanner 10. .

In the above description, the power supply operation is controlled by a wired network. However, a signal transmitting unit and a signal receiving unit may be provided in each device to perform wireless remote control. A wireless remote control is a signal that enables communication without going through a physical connection, and specifically includes known signals such as pulsed infrared light, visible light, frequency-modulated radio waves, and ultrasonic waves. Wireless communication methods are available.

FIG. 4 shows an example of a display screen on the liquid crystal touch panel display of the image input device of the present invention.

The screen (a) displays the operation status of an image output device such as a printer, an information processing device such as a personal computer, and other devices connected to a network to which the image input device is connected. is there. Here, the printer 1
3 are displayed as touch keys, and the other connected devices are grouped by “other” touch keys (touch key 104). The printer 1 is “operating” during printing (touch key 101), the power of the printer 2 is “on” (touch key 102), and the printer 3 is “power on”. Standby "(touch key 103).

The screen (b) is a lower layer screen when the "other" touch key 104 on the screen (a) is pressed. The personal computers 1 to 6 connected to the network to which the scanner is connected are touch keys 201 to 206, and the operation states of the respective power supplies are set to ON / Sleep /
Displayed either off.

The screen (c) is a lower screen when the touch key 102 of the printer 2 on the screen (a) is pressed. The user can select whether to shut off the power (touch key 301) or cancel the operation (touch key 302).

The screen (d) is a lower screen when the touch key 203 of the personal computer 3 on the screen (b) is pressed. The user can select whether to turn on the power (touch key 401), perform another operation other than power control (touch key 402), or cancel the operation itself (touch key 403).

The display screen of the display unit of the scanner is not limited to this, and can be designed as appropriate.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the image input device and the image output device of the present invention.

The flow of the scanner as the image input device is shown on the left, and the flow of the printer as the image output device is shown on the right.

After START, the user first selects one of the printers connected to the network whose power supply operation is to be controlled from the operation unit (liquid crystal touch panel display or the like) of the scanner (S501). Next, an instruction is input from the operation unit to control the power operation of the selected printer (S5).
02). The options for the power operation at this time are switch-on, sleep, shut-off, and the like.

The instruction input from the scanner is transmitted as a power control command to the controlled printer via the network.

The printer that has received the power control command determines whether it can be changed to the specified power operation (S503). That is, if the job is being executed (operating), it is checked whether or not a trouble such as the shut-off is not possible.

If the change is not possible (NO), the operation status of the printer (change not possible) is transmitted to the scanner (S50).
5). If the change is possible (YES), the power control command is executed as it is (S504), and the changed operation state is transmitted to the scanner (S505).

On the other hand, the scanner that has received the data on the operation state from the printer determines whether or not the power control of the printer has been executed based on the contents (S506). If the execution failed (NO), a message such as "Remote control could not be performed" is displayed on the display unit of the scanner (S507). If the power control can be executed (YE
S), the operation state of the printer is changed on the display unit (S).
508).

[0045]

From the image input device side (scanner or the like), it is possible to check the operation state of the image output device (printer or the like) connected to the network whether the power is on or in operation, or to turn on the power. If not, provide a scanner and a controlled printer that can control the power operation of the printer to be turned on, put into a sleep state to save power, or shut off, and move the user between the devices. Has been saved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a scanner which is an image input device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a network connecting the scanner of the present invention described in FIG. 1 and a device such as a printer.

FIG. 3 is a network diagram for explaining an example of the operation of the image input device and the image output device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows an example of a display screen on a liquid crystal touch panel display of the image input device of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the image input device and the image output device of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 scanner 11 image input means 12 liquid crystal touch panel display 20 network 30 personal computer 40 printer (first) 50 facsimile 60 printer (second) 111 ADF 112 document reading unit 121 display unit 122 operation unit 130 control unit 140 memory 150 network interface 160 remote control Department

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI theme coat ゛ (reference) G06F 3/12 G06F 1/00 332E 334R F-term (reference) 2C061 AP01 AP03 AP04 AQ05 AQ06 HH11 HK05 HN05 HN15 HN22 HT04 HT07 5B011 EB08 FF04 LL14 MA05 MA15 5B021 AA01 AA05 BB01 MM01 5C062 AA05 AA35 AB20 AB23 AB38 AB49 AC05 AC34

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An image input unit of a photoelectric conversion system, a network connection unit for connecting to a network to which an image output device is connected, and image data for transmitting image data input by the image input unit via the network. Transmitting means, power control instruction input means for inputting an instruction for controlling the power operation of the image output device, power control command generating means for generating a power control command from the instruction input by the power control instruction input means, A power control command transmitting unit configured to transmit the power control command to the network. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the instruction for controlling the power supply operation is shut-off or sleep.
An image input device according to claim 1. 3. The image input device according to claim 1, further comprising a collecting unit that collects an operation state of the image output device, and a display unit that displays the operation state collected by the collection unit. 4. A power supply operation command receiving means for receiving a power supply operation command for controlling a power supply operation, and a power supply operation control means for controlling the power supply operation by the power supply operation command. Image output device. 5. The image output device according to claim 4, further comprising a detection unit that detects an operation state of the image output device, and an operation state transmission unit.