JP2002222127A - Information processing device, image processing device, and storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information processing device capable of reducing communication beyond a network and shortening a data transfer time. SOLUTION: The information processing device capable of communicating with an optional information processing device and the image processing device via a predetermined communication medium is constructed of a storage means storing designated data in a permanent storage medium by a request from application software or the like, a receiving means receiving a request from the image processing device, a transmission means transmitting information by a request received from the receiving means, and a management means managing a list of devices maintaining the same data as those stored in the storage means. To a request for obtaining data obtained by the receiving means, the information processing device selects the designated data or the list of devices managed by the management means to transmit it or them.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information processing system, and more particularly, to an information processing apparatus which stores a compound document or image data including characters, graphics, images, etc., and provides the data in response to a data acquisition request. The present invention relates to an image processing device and a storage medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When a data acquisition request specified by an identifier is received from an information processing apparatus or an image processing apparatus,
The information processing apparatus has transmitted data corresponding to the identifier to the request source.

[0003]

However, in the above prior art, the demands are concentrated on the information processing apparatus, and at the same time,
Large amounts of data could flow between networks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an information processing apparatus, an image processing apparatus and an information processing apparatus capable of suppressing communication over a network and shortening the data transfer time. It is to provide a storage medium.

[0005]

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing apparatus capable of communicating with an arbitrary information processing apparatus and an image processing apparatus via a predetermined communication medium. Storage means for storing specified data in a permanent storage medium in response to a request from software or the like, reception means for receiving a request from the image processing apparatus, and transmission means for transmitting information according to the request received from the reception means. And a management unit for managing a list of devices holding the same data as the data stored in the storage unit, and transmitting specified data in response to a data acquisition request obtained from the reception unit. Or transmitting a device list managed by the management means.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a transmitting means for transmitting a request to an information processing apparatus via a predetermined communication medium, a receiving means for receiving information from the information processing apparatus, and a receiving means for obtaining the information. The image processing apparatus includes a selection unit for selecting an appropriate apparatus from the apparatus list, and acquires data from the information processing apparatus or the image processing apparatus.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing apparatus capable of communicating with an arbitrary information processing apparatus and an image processing apparatus via a predetermined communication medium, wherein the data specified by a request from application software or the like. Storing means for storing the information in the permanent storage medium, receiving means for receiving a request from the image processing apparatus, transmitting means for transmitting information according to the request received from the receiving means, and data stored in the storing means. A management unit for managing a list of devices holding the same data is provided, and in response to a data acquisition request obtained from the reception unit, whether to transmit designated data or to transmit a device list managed by the management unit is determined. It is characterized by selecting.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a transmitting means for transmitting a request to an information processing apparatus via a predetermined communication medium, a receiving means for receiving information from the information processing apparatus, and a receiving means for obtaining the information. The apparatus includes a selection unit for selecting an appropriate device from a device list, and acquires data from an information processing device or an image processing device.

Therefore, according to the present invention, the information processing apparatus manages a device list holding each data,
By returning a device list in response to a data acquisition request from the image processing device, the image processing device can select a nearby device based on the device list and acquire data, thereby suppressing communication over a network and The speed of the communication processing can be increased.

[0010]

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

<First Embodiment> FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an information processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

The CPU 101 executes a program stored in the RAM 102 or the like, or executes a program stored in the floppy disk (FD) 1602 shown in FIG. 16 inserted into the floppy (registered trademark) disk drive 110 or the hard disk (HD) 112 shown in FIG. The stored programs and data are loaded into the RAM 102, and conversely, the contents of the RAM 102 are stored in the FD 1602 and the HD 112.

Reference numeral 103 denotes a video controller, which projects processing information and the like on a connected monitor 104. 1
Reference numeral 06 denotes input devices such as a keyboard and a mouse. Inputs from these devices are input to the controller 105 via the controller 105.
The processing is performed by the program running on the PU 101. A printing device 114 is connected to the port controller 113 or connected to a network by a network connection device 108 such as a hub. Also HD
A compound document, an image, and the like are also stored in 112. This data control program is executed on the floppy disk (F
D) 1602 and its contents are shown in FIG.
Shown in

The print processing control program and related data recorded in the FD 1602 can be loaded into an information processing apparatus through a floppy disk drive (FDD) 1601 as shown in FIG. FD1602 to FDD
1601 and the data control program and related data are stored in the RA under the control of the operating system (OS) 1401 and various drivers 1402 shown in FIG.
It is possible to operate by reading into M102.

FIG. 14 shows that the data control program is RAM
10 shows a memory map when loaded into the memory 102 and becomes executable. Further, the data control program and the related data are once stored in the HD 112 from the FD 1602, and the RAM 102 is used when the data control program is used.
May be loaded. Note that the medium for recording the data control program and related data is C
A D-ROM, a memory card, or the like may be used.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a network configuration for realizing the present invention.

In FIG. 2, reference numerals 201, 203, 206, and 207 denote image processing apparatuses.
1, DP2, DP3, and DP4. Reference numeral 202 denotes an information processing apparatus that manages a composite document or image data and simultaneously performs a process in response to a request from the image processing apparatus.
Reference numerals 208 and 209 denote communication media such as Ethernet (registered trademark), which can communicate with each other by a connection device 204 called a router.

FIG. 6 shows a document list held by the information processing apparatus 202 of FIG. 2 and indicating information on data such as compound documents and images managed by the information processing apparatus 202. Name, a file path indicating the location where the data is stored, and a link pointer pointing to the memory address of the device information holding the data. Information about the specified data is added to the list, deleted or updated.

FIG. 7 shows device link information (right in the figure) and device link management information (left in the figure) indicating an apparatus holding data. The device link management information is referred to from the link pointer in the document list shown in FIG.
It is configured from a memory address 701 at the head of the device link, a memory address 702 at the end, and the number of device links 703. The device link information includes a next device link (704) and a previous device link (70).
5) A memory address, a device name 706, and a data location 707 indicating the position of data in the device. If the next device link or the previous device link is NULL, it indicates that the next or previous device link does not exist and is the head or end of the device link.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure in the image processing apparatus.

In step S301, an information processing device for managing a document list is selected. In step S302, selection is made from a data list as shown in FIG. 10 acquired by the data list request, or a data acquisition request for known data is transmitted to the information processing apparatus.
In 03, if there is no reply from the information processing apparatus within a certain period of time after the request transmission, a timeout is set.

If there is a reply from the information processing apparatus before timeout in step S305, and if there is no data as shown in FIG. 9 in step S306, error processing is performed in step S304 and the processing is terminated. If the reply is no data, it is determined in step S307 whether the reply is data. If not, a device list is returned, and a nearby device is designated from the device list returned in step S308. Then, the process returns to step S302, transmits a data acquisition request, and repeats the above processing.

If the reply is data in step S307, data is obtained in step S309, and
If data can be held in the device in 310, a device addition request as shown in FIG. 12 is transmitted to the information processing device in step S311.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are flowcharts showing an example of processing in the information processing apparatus for realizing the present invention.

In the network configuration shown in FIG. 2, the information processing device 202 shown in FIG. 2 has the document list shown in FIG. 6, the device link management information and the device link shown in FIG. 8, and acquires the data DOC1 from the DP4 (207). The case will be described as an example.

When a data acquisition request is received from the DP 4 in FIG. 2 in step S401, the data acquisition process shown in FIG. 5 is called in step S402. Step 50 in FIG.
In step S1, it is determined whether or not the data requested from the document list in FIG. 6 exists in the HD 112 of the information processing apparatus shown in FIG.
Is returned to the image processing apparatus.

If the data exists, step S50
In 3, it is determined whether the number of devices in the device link management information of FIG. 8 indicated by the list pointer is 0 by the information (601) for DOC 1 in FIG. 6, and if 0, the device holding the designated data Does not exist, step S
The data designated in step 504 is transmitted to the image processing apparatus, and the number of links is 3 and not 0 in FIG.
At 505, the device link next to the device link of FIG.
By tracing to UL and extracting the data location in each data link, the device list shown in FIG. 11 is generated and transmitted to the image processing apparatus, and the process returns to the flow of FIG. Upon receiving this device list, DP4 can select the neighboring device DP3 in the list and acquire data.

When a device addition request as shown in FIG. 12 is received from the image processing device in step S403 in FIG. 4, information on the designated device is added to a device link as shown in FIG. 8 in step S404. When the device deletion request as shown in FIG. 13 is received in step S405, the information of the specified device is deleted from the device link as shown in FIG. 8 in step S406.

Each device can be used when the holding area is full,
The data held when a certain period has elapsed is deleted, and a device deletion request is transmitted. Upon receiving from the application program or the like in step S407 a data registration notification indicating that a compound document, image data, or the like has been stored in the HD 101, in step S408, information about the specified data is added to the document list as shown in FIG. When the data deletion / change notification is received in step S409, the information of the specified data is deleted or changed in the document list in step S410, and the device link indicated by the specified data list pointer in the document list of FIG. The search is performed, and a request to delete the specified data is transmitted to the device described in the device name.

The device that has received the deletion request deletes the specified data, thereby maintaining the consistency between the data stored in the information processing device and the data stored in each device. When the data list request is received in step S412, a data list as shown in FIG. 10 is generated from the document list in FIG. 6 and transmitted to the image processing apparatus in step S413.

If a termination request is received in step S414, the process is terminated; otherwise, the processes in steps S401 to S414 are repeated.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the information processing device that stores data such as compound documents and images manages the device list that holds each data, and receives the data from the image processing device. In response to a data acquisition request, by transmitting a list of devices holding designated data to the image processing device, it becomes possible for the image processing device to acquire data from a nearby device, and accordingly, the data crosses the network. Communication can be suppressed, and the data transfer time can be reduced.

<Embodiment 2> FIG.
The file path of the document list managed by the information processing apparatus 202 is not limited to the data stored in the information processing apparatus as shown by 602 in FIG. 6, but can be connected via a communication medium as shown in FIG. The data may be data stored in the information processing device or the image processing device 205.

According to the present embodiment, the present invention can be applied to distributed data without having a plurality of devices for managing a document list.

[0035]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, the information processing apparatus manages the apparatus list holding each data, and responds to the data acquisition request from the image processing apparatus. By returning the list, the image processing device can select a nearby device from the device list and acquire data, thereby suppressing communication over the network and increasing the speed of communication processing. Is obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an information processing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a network configuration.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of the image processing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the information processing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a process for a data acquisition request in the information processing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a document list.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing device link management information and device link information.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of device link management information and device link information.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a notification example returned from the information processing apparatus when data does not exist.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a document list returned from the information processing apparatus at the time of a data list request.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a device list returned from the information processing apparatus at the time of a data acquisition request.

FIG. 12 illustrates an example of a device addition request.

FIG. 13 illustrates an example of a device deletion request.

FIG. 14 is a memory map when a program is loaded into a memory.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a configuration in a floppy disk used when installing a program file and a data file.

FIG. 16 is a conceptual diagram illustrating installation of a program file and a data file.

[Explanation of symbols]

 107 Network Controller 109 Floppy Disk Controller 111 Hard Disk Controller 115 I / O Bus

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An information processing apparatus capable of communicating with an arbitrary information processing apparatus and an image processing apparatus via a predetermined communication medium, wherein specified data is stored in a permanent storage medium in response to a request from application software or the like. Storage means for performing, a receiving means for receiving a request from the image processing apparatus,
Transmitting means for transmitting information in response to a request received from the receiving means, and managing means for managing a list of devices holding the same data as the data stored in the storing means; An information processing apparatus for selecting, in response to an acquisition request, transmission of designated data or transmission of a device list managed by a management unit. 2. A transmitting means for transmitting a request to an information processing device via a predetermined communication medium, a receiving means for receiving information from the information processing device, and an appropriate device based on a device list obtained by the receiving means. An image processing apparatus comprising: a selection unit for selecting a data item; and acquiring data from an information processing apparatus or an image processing apparatus. 3. An information processing device capable of communicating with an arbitrary information processing device and an image processing device via a predetermined communication medium, wherein specified data is stored in a permanent storage medium in response to a request from application software or the like. Storage means for performing, a receiving means for receiving a request from the image processing apparatus,
Transmitting means for transmitting information in response to a request received from the receiving means, and managing means for managing a list of devices holding the same data as the data stored in the storing means; A storage medium for selecting, in response to a request, transmission of designated data or transmission of a device list managed by management means. 4. A transmitting means for transmitting a request to an information processing device via a predetermined communication medium, a receiving means for receiving information from the information processing device, and an appropriate device based on a device list obtained by the receiving means. A storage medium comprising a selection unit for selecting a data item and acquiring data from an information processing device or an image processing device.