JP2002199147A - Information processor and information processing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain desired image data from a selected scanner by selecting a scanner having desired setting information among a plurality of scanners. SOLUTION: An information processor for controlling image scanner and inputting image data, outputted from the image scanner performs GUI display including setting information for allowing a user to set operation contents with a plurality of image scanners as objects, receives the setting information set by the user and instruction information of the user, find which of the plurality of image scanners permits this setting information to select it, presents the selected result to the user, receives instruction by the user and instructs the execution of reading to the image scanner selected, based on the received instruction by the user. In this selection and presentation to the user, information registered in advance, containing the device information of the image scanner, is used.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and an information processing method, and more particularly to an information processing apparatus and an information processing method, in which, when a plurality of image scanners can be used in a broad sense, a desired operation is instructed. The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and an information processing method for selecting a suitable image scanner and providing display guidance.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Image scanners that optically manipulate a document, digitize the image, and transfer it to a host computer have become widespread, and have been established as a tool for easily converting documents and photographs into electronic data. I have.

[0003]

However, when a plurality of image scanners having different functions are connected to the host computer, the user must select the type of image (black and white, gray or color) desired on the host computer. ), The resolution, and the size of the document, the user has to select the image scanner himself, which is troublesome. Such problems are not caused by the person who built the system in the personally owned computer environment, but rather by a person other than the person who constituted the computer environment, or by updating the equipment or moving the equipment. It often occurs in offices that are not known to the public.

The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to enable reading from an image type, a resolution, and a document size designated by a user using an image scanner. By providing a means for selecting an image scanner, it is possible for a user to use an optimal image scanner without being aware of differences in available image scanner functions, and as a result, a desired image can be obtained. An object of the present invention is to provide an information processing apparatus and an information processing method which can be easily obtained.

[0005]

According to the present invention, there is provided an information processing apparatus, comprising: a plurality of image scanners for photoelectrically reading a document; In an information processing apparatus for controlling the image scanner operably connected thereto and inputting image data output from the image scanner, the operation contents of the plurality of image scanners being targeted. Including setting information for allowing the user to set G
A setting information receiving unit that displays a UI and receives setting information set by a user based on the GUI display and instruction information of the user; and any of the plurality of image scanners receives the setting information received by the setting information receiving unit. Selecting means for checking and selecting whether setting information is permitted, a result processing means for displaying a result selected by the selecting means and receiving a user instruction, and an image scanner selected by the user instruction from the result processing means In the case of a reading instruction for
The image processing apparatus further includes an execution instruction unit that instructs the scanner to execute reading by using the setting information.

[0006] The invention described in claim 2 is the invention according to claim 1.
Wherein the information to be set by the user in the setting information receiving means includes respective items of an image type, a resolution, and a document size.

[0007] The invention according to claim 3 provides the invention according to claim 1.
In the information processing device according to the above, in the setting information receiving means, the information to be set by the user, the type of image,
It has a predetermined option for each item of resolution and document size, and is displayed on a GUI.

[0008] The invention described in claim 4 is the invention according to claim 3.
, The image type options are three types including binary monochrome, monochrome with gradation, and color.

The invention described in claim 5 is the first invention.
An information processing device according to any one of
The apparatus has information on a pre-registered image scanner including apparatus information of the scanner, wherein the selecting means selects based on the information, and the result processing means displays guidance of the selected result using the information. It is characterized by the following.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing method, wherein a plurality of image scanners for reading a document photoelectrically are made available, and the image scanners operably connected are controlled. Receiving an input from a user in the information processing method for inputting image data output from the image scanner, and operating the plurality of image scanners in response to the input from the user. A setting information receiving step of receiving a setting information set by the user and instruction information of the user based on the GUI display, and receiving the setting information, To determine which of the plurality of image scanners can accept the set information. A determination step, a result processing step of presenting information about the scanner determined in the scanner determination step to the user, and receiving an instruction from the user; and a user instruction received in the result processing step determines whether the determined image scanner has When indicating a reading instruction, an execution instruction step of issuing a reading execution instruction to the determined image scanner using the setting information is provided.

The invention described in claim 7 is the same as the claim 6.
Wherein the information to be set by the user in the setting information receiving step includes items of an image type, a resolution, and a document size.

The invention described in claim 8 is the same as the claim 6.
Wherein the information to be set by the user in the setting information receiving step has predetermined options for respective items of image type, resolution, and document size, and is displayed on a GUI. It is characterized by the following.

The invention according to claim 9 is the invention according to claim 8
Wherein the image type options are three types including binary monochrome, monochrome with gradation, and color.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the information processing method according to the sixth aspect, the selecting step relates to a pre-registered image scanner including device information of an available image scanner. A selection is made based on the information, and the result processing means displays guidance of the selected result using the information.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a storage medium readable by a computer, wherein a plurality of image scanners for photoelectrically reading an original can be used.
In an information processing method for controlling the image scanner connected to be able to use and inputting image data output from the image scanner, receiving an input from a user, and in response to the input from the user,
A GUI including setting information for allowing a user to set operation contents for the plurality of image scanners
A setting information receiving step of receiving setting information set by the user based on the GUI display and instruction information of the user, and setting information received in the setting information receiving step, by using any of the plurality of image scanners. A scanner determining step of determining whether or not to accept, presenting information about the scanner determined in the scanner determining step to the user, a result processing step of receiving an instruction from the user, and a user instruction received in the result processing step When indicating a reading instruction to the determined image scanner, a program for executing, for the determined image scanner, a reading instruction using the setting information to execute a reading execution instruction is stored. I do.

According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, in the storage medium according to the eleventh aspect, in the setting information receiving step, the information to be set by the user includes an image type, a resolution, and a document size. Is included.

According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, in the storage medium according to the eleventh aspect, in the setting information receiving step, information to be set by the user includes an image type, a resolution, and a document size. Has predetermined options and is displayed on a GUI.

According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, in the storage medium according to the thirteenth aspect, the choices of the image type include binary monochrome, monochrome having gradation, and color. It is characterized by being a kind.

The invention according to claim 15 is the storage medium according to claim 11, wherein the selecting step includes:
A selection is made on the basis of pre-registered information on the image scanner including available image scanner device information, and the result processing means displays guidance on the selected result using the information.

According to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention, in the storage medium according to any one of the eleventh to fifteenth aspects, a program readable by a server computer and a client computer is stored as the storage medium. It is characterized by using a floppy disk, hard disk, magneto-optical disk, optical disk, CD-ROM, CD-R, magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory card, and ROM.

According to a seventeenth aspect of the present invention, in the storage medium according to any one of the eleventh to fifteenth aspects, the storage medium is detachable from a server computer and a client computer. I do.

[0022]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a computer system as an information processing apparatus to which the present invention can be applied. The host computer has, for example, a CPU 1 (central processing unit) of a microprocessor type and a RAM.
By controlling the contents of the programs and data stored in the ROM 3 and the ROM 4, each device connected through the bus line 8 is controlled. First image scanner 1
0, the second image scanner 11 and the third image scanner 12 are connected to the host computer through a host adapter, and receive instructions from a program on the host computer to transfer the captured image data to the host computer. I do.

FIG. 2 is an example of a processing block diagram of a program according to the present invention. The user interface 21 is a program that receives an instruction from a user, sends the instruction to the driver manager 22, and displays the read image and various information on the display 7. The driver manager 22 is a program that manages each of the scanner drivers 24 to 26, transmits instructions from the user interface 21, receives various information, and performs processing according to the information. The scanner selection routine 23 is a program called by the driver manager 22 to select an optimal image scanner for reading based on a user's instruction and to transmit the selected image scanner to the driver manager 22. The driver manager 22 calls the image scanner driver determined by the scanner selection routine 23 and transmits a reading instruction.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of an outline of a reading procedure according to the present invention in the host computer. First, the user enters the user interface 21
In step 1, reading conditions are set using a keyboard or a mouse in step 1, and a reading start instruction is operated in step 2. At this time, the user interface 21 inputs a command representing an instruction from the user, displays a display screen for setting reading conditions on a GUI or the like in accordance with the command, and performs an operation input or input according to the display screen. The received data will be accepted.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the functions of each scanner regarding the type of image, the resolution, and the document size that can be read by the scanner.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the screen display at the time of step 7 in the reading processing procedure (FIG. 3) according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 6, as one example, the reading conditions set by the user include at least black and white (binary), gray (gradation, multi-level) and color There are three types. An absolute condition from the viewpoint of a user is a readable original size. When the case of FIG. 5 is applied to this document size, one of A3 to A5, B4, and B5 is selected. The readable resolution may vary depending on the specifications required by the user. For example, there are a case where it is desired to reduce the data amount after reading the original, and a case where only the image quality is requested regardless of the data amount. If the original is limited, the data amount is proportional to the numerical value of the resolution. FIG. 6 shows a case in which a preset numerical value like the image quality type and the document size is selected by operating the selection button on the right side of the box.

In the manner described above, the user interface 21 displays the reading condition setting screen and accepts the reading condition set by the user.

If there is a reading start instruction in the received operation input, the user interface 21 transmits information (including default setting information) according to the contents of the input to the driver manager 22. Then, in step 3, the driver manager 2
2. From step 2, the scanner selection routine is called, and the process of selecting an optimum image scanner is started in order to read under the conditions set by the user.

This selection processing is performed by inquiring of a connected image scanner in the case of a local network, or by inquiring of an image scanner server in the case of a network, to obtain usable image scanner apparatus information. Thus, it can be executed by comparing with the setting conditions of the user. Also, do this operation in advance,
It is also possible to store device information of an available image scanner in an information processing device to which the present invention is applied. In this case, even if the power of the image scanner is turned off, the available image and
There is an advantage that information including the scanner can be presented to the user.

Further, by adding information about an image scanner which is not actually connected but is located in the company, it becomes possible to present to the user information about an image scanner which can be used in a broad sense for the user. . And how can it be used when recognizing a specific image scanner to the user, including its model name, photographic image, etc., or if it is not actually connected? It is also possible to provide guidance display to a user such as. The information of the image scanner is, for example, TW
It can be obtained using the AIN interface. The scanner on the network can be obtained by making an inquiry to the scanner server.

In this scanner selection routine, if there is no scanner that allows the user to set the conditions, the scanner selection routine notifies the driver manager 22 to that effect. Upon receiving this, the driver manager 22 transmits the message to the user interface 21, and the user interface 21 displays a message indicating that, for example, a "scan not possible" message as shown in step 6 on the display device. On the other hand, if there is a scanner that allows the user's setting conditions, the scanner selection routine notifies the driver manager 22 of that. Upon receiving this, the driver manager 22
It is transmitted to the user interface 21 and the user
The interface 21 displays a message to that effect on the display device, for example, a “scannable” message as shown in step 5.

After displaying the above-mentioned "scannable" message, the user interface 21
A screen for inputting a subsequent instruction from the user is set, and an instruction waiting state is set. During this instruction waiting state, there is a case where this series of processing is canceled, and in that case, the above processing ends. However, if an instruction from the user is received and the content is a read execution instruction for the selected scanner, the process proceeds to step 8, where the driver manager 22 sends a command to the scanner driver that controls the selected image scanner. Issues a read execution instruction. After the reading is performed, the image data is received in step 8 and the reading process ends.

In FIG. 3, if there is no image scanner that can be read under the conditions set by the user, the process is terminated without reading, but the process returns to step 1 in order to reset the reading settings. You may do it.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an outline of the processing of the scanner selection routine 23 for executing the scanner selection in step 3 of FIG. The scanner selection routine 23 receives information on the image type, resolution, and document size set by the user from the user interface 21 via the driver manager 22.
With reference to the image scanner information table as shown in (1), an image scanner that allows this setting information is selected.

In step 11 of FIG. 4, all the scanners are checked to determine whether the setting data representing the type of image is permitted from among the received setting information. Next, in step 12, all the scanners are checked to see if the setting data representing the resolution is acceptable from the received setting information. Next, in step 13,
From the received setting information, it is checked whether or not setting data indicating the document size is permitted for all scanners, and a list is made.

In step 14, steps 11-1
The scanners listed in all of the items 2 are specified. Next, in step 15, "presence" of the corresponding scanner is determined. If "no" is determined, step 1
Proceed to step 8 to inform the driver manager 22 of the fact.

If "Yes" is determined in step 15, the number of the scanners is determined. If the number of applicable scanners is one, the process proceeds to step 18; if there is more than one, the process proceeds to step 17 to select a corresponding scanner having a smaller entry in the information table.

At step 18, upon receiving the information on the selection result, the driver manager is notified that the processing of the selection routine has been completed, including the case without the selected scanner.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the screen display at the time of step 7 in FIG. 3 showing the reading processing procedure according to the present invention, as described above. In the figure, as the setting information, the image type is “black and white” and the resolution is “300 dp”.
i "and the document size is" A3 ". Therefore, when the image scanner selection routine 23 refers to the image scanner information table shown in FIG. 5 and performs the processing in the procedure shown in FIG. 4, as a result, the second image scanner is selected. This is notified to the user and the second
This is a display content at a stage where a query is made as to whether or not to perform reading with the scanner, and the content determined by the user is accepted.

When the user confirms the display contents shown in FIG. 6, the user recognizes the scanner on which the original is to be set, that is, knows which scanner can obtain the desired read data. Will be. Then, the user sets an original on the scanner and clicks the “OK” button in the foreground window with a mouse to start reading by the scanner. As a result,
Desired read data can be obtained for the set document.

Here, the display of the completion of the scanner selection shown in FIG. 6 indicates that the image scanner which is locally connected to the information processing apparatus to which the present invention is applied or which is connected to the network and powered on is connected. Is determined as the image scanner desired by the user. However, if there is an image scanner that is not immediately available or has not been turned on at this time, or is available in a broad sense, it is a registered image scanner If there is an image scanner, the user will be notified to that effect. For example, at this time, while presenting a photo of the scanner, "XXX scanner is available but not connected.
Please execute the ZZ and then press the OK button. " In this way, even for a scanner that is not normally used and therefore turned off, that is, at that time,
For guidance for scanners whose presence is not electrically detected from the information processing device to which the present invention is applied,
Can be given to users. In such a case, T
An inquiry is made to the scanner through the WAIN interface to confirm that the scanner is in operation, and that fact is displayed.

In step 16 of FIG. 4 described above,
If the number of identified scanners is more than one, step 17
In the above, one entry having a younger entry is selected, but in the case of a plurality of entries, it is also possible to present that there are a plurality of entries and let the user select it.

As described above, the present invention has been described using the present embodiment, but it is easy to change to the following form without departing from the gist of the present invention.

In the above embodiment, the description has been given on the assumption that three image scanners are connected to a stand-alone host computer via a host adapter.
Similar effects can be obtained when an image scanner connected to a LAN is used.

In the above embodiment, the host
The processing in the situation where three image scanners can be used from the computer has been described, but the same effect can be obtained in the situation where two or four or more image scanners can be used.

The host computer and the image scanner need not necessarily be connected to a bus. For example, a situation where a plurality of image scanners are available through a network may be used. In this case, the server of the image scanner and the information processing apparatus to which the present invention is applied are connected via a network.

The number of scanner drivers is not necessarily the same as the number of image scanners, and one scanner driver for a plurality of image scanners may be used.

According to the present invention, a storage medium storing software program codes for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to a system or an apparatus, and a computer (or CPU or MPU) of the system or the apparatus is provided. Can also be achieved by reading and executing the program code stored in the storage medium.

In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the novel function of the present invention, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.

As a storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a floppy disk, hard disk, magneto-optical disk, optical disk, CD-RO
M, CD-R, magnetic tape nonvolatile memory card, R
OM or the like can be used.

The functions of the above-described embodiment are implemented when the computer executes the readout program code. In addition, an OS or the like running on the computer operates based on the instructions of the program code. Some or all of the actual processing is performed, and the functions of the above-described embodiments can also be realized by the processing.

Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written into a memory provided on a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, the program code is used in accordance with the instruction of the program code. Based on this, a CPU or the like provided in the function expansion board or function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing, and the functions of the above-described embodiments can also be realized by the processing.

The present invention is applicable to a case where the program is delivered from a storage medium storing a program code of software for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments to a requester via a communication line such as a personal computer communication. Needless to say, this can also be applied.

[0056]

As described above, according to the present invention, a readable image scanner is automatically selected from the image type, resolution and document size specified by the user. A scanner capable of obtaining a desired image can be selected or used without being aware of the difference in the functions of the scanner. Therefore, it is possible to obtain image data of a desired quality for the document.

Further, since the scanner to be selected is registered in advance, a selection is made based on the registered information, and guidance on the result of the selection is made using the registered information. The selection can be made for a scanner which is turned off or not connected at that time. In such a case, it is possible to give appropriate guidance to the user and obtain image data of a desired quality from the original using the selected scanner.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a system configuration to which the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a block diagram of a program according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of an outline of a reading procedure in a host computer according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an outline of processing of a scanner selection routine 23 according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of an image scanner information table.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a screen display at the time of step 7 in the reading processing procedure.

[Description of Signs] 1 CPU 2 external storage device 3 RAM 4 ROM 5 keyboard 6 mouse 7 display 8 bus line 10 first image scanner 11 second image scanner 21 third image scanner 21 user interface 22 driver Manager 23-Scanner selection routine 24 First scanner driver 25 Second scanner driver 26 Third scanner driver

Claims (17)

[Claims] 1. An information processing apparatus for making available a plurality of image scanners for photoelectrically reading an original, controlling the operably connected image scanners, and inputting image data output from the image scanners. A GUI including setting information for allowing a user to set an operation content for the plurality of image scanners;
Setting information receiving means for displaying, and receiving setting information set by a user based on the GUI display and user's instruction information, the setting information received by the setting information receiving means which one of the plurality of image scanners; Selecting means for checking whether or not to allow the information, selecting the result, displaying the result selected by the selecting means, receiving a user instruction, and receiving a user instruction; and receiving a user instruction from the result processing means for the selected image scanner. An information processing apparatus comprising: an execution instruction unit that issues a read execution instruction to the image scanner selected by the selection unit using the setting information in the case of a read instruction. 2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in the setting information receiving means, the information to be set by the user includes items of an image type, a resolution, and a document size. 3. The setting information receiving means, wherein the information to be set by the user has predetermined options for respective items of image type, resolution, and document size, and is displayed on a GUI. The information processing device according to claim 1. 4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the image type options include three types including a monochrome monochrome, a monochrome having a gradation, and a color. 5. An image scanner having information on pre-registered image scanners including device information of available image scanners, wherein said selecting means selects based on said information, and said result processing means uses said information for said information. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein guidance of a result of the selection is displayed. 6. An information processing apparatus for making available a plurality of image scanners for photoelectrically reading an original, controlling the operably connected image scanners, and inputting image data output from the image scanners. In the method, accepting an input from a user, and displaying a GUI including setting information for allowing the user to set an operation content for the plurality of image scanners in response to the input from the user A setting information receiving step of receiving setting information set by a user based on the GUI display and user instruction information; and any of the plurality of image scanners accepting the setting information received in the setting information receiving step. A scanner determining step of determining whether A result processing step of presenting information about the scanned scanner to the user and receiving an instruction from the user; and when the user instruction received in the result processing step indicates a reading instruction to the determined image scanner, the determined image An information processing method, comprising: an execution instruction step of instructing a scanner to execute reading by using the setting information. 7. The setting information receiving step, information for setting the user information processing method according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises the image type, each item of the resolution, and document size. 8. The setting information receiving step, wherein the information to be set by the user has predetermined options for respective items of image type, resolution, and document size, and is displayed on a GUI. The information processing method according to claim 6. 9. The information processing method according to claim 8, wherein the image type options include three types including a monochrome monochrome, a monochrome having a gradation, and a color. 10. The selecting step selects based on pre-registered information relating to the image scanner including device information of an available image scanner, and the result processing means selects the result of the selection using the information. The information processing method according to claim 6, wherein guidance is displayed. 11. An information processing apparatus for making available a plurality of image scanners for photoelectrically reading an original, controlling the operably connected image scanners, and inputting image data output from the image scanners. In the method, accepting an input from a user, and displaying a GUI including setting information for allowing the user to set an operation content for the plurality of image scanners in response to the input from the user A setting information receiving step of receiving setting information set by a user based on the GUI display and user instruction information; and any of the plurality of image scanners accepting the setting information received in the setting information receiving step. Determining a scanner, and determining the scanner Boss was information about the scanner was presented to the user, indicating the result processing step of accepting an instruction from the user, a read instruction to the image scanner in which the user instruction is the determined received in the result processing step, the determined image A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for executing an execution instruction step of instructing a scanner to execute reading by using the setting information; 12. In the setting information receiving step,
The storage medium according to claim 11, wherein the information to be set by the user includes items of an image type, a resolution, and a document size. 13. In the setting information receiving step,
12. The storage medium according to claim 11, wherein the information to be set by the user has predetermined options for respective items of image type, resolution, and document size, and is displayed on a GUI. 14. The image type options include binary monochrome, monochrome with gradation, and color.
14. The storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the storage medium is of a type. 15. The selecting step selects based on pre-registered information on an image scanner including device information of an available image scanner, and the result processing means selects the result of the selection using the information. The storage medium according to claim 11, wherein guidance is displayed. 16. The storage medium according to claim 11, wherein the storage medium stores a program readable by a server computer and a client computer, a hard disk, a magneto-optical disk, A storage medium using an optical disk, a CD-ROM, a CD-R, a magnetic tape, a nonvolatile memory card, and a ROM. 17. The storage medium according to claim 11, wherein the storage medium is detachable from a server computer and a client computer.