JP2002244754A - Image input/output system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image input/output system capable of providing a device to a customer at a reasonable price to functions to be used and saving a labor required for updating software. SOLUTION: This image input/output system is provided with a plurality of image input/output devices 2, 3, and 4 and a broker controlling the image input/output devices 2 and 3 under a network distributed environment and integrating services and is capable of performing transmission using a service center 10 and network circuits 6-1 and 6-2 and/or a public communication line. The image input/output devices 2, 3, and 4 are equipped with the software for implementing the communication in delivery and a user downloads the desired software for controlling the image input/output devices 2 and 3 from a service center 10 via a communication means including the software provided in the image input/output devices 2, 3, and 4.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a method for purchasing control software for an image input / output device in a network distributed environment including a plurality of image input / output devices and a broker for integrating the management and service of the image input / output device. The present invention relates to an image input / output system that can be installed by installing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, networking in offices has been widespread, and at the same time, networking of image input / output devices has progressed, and it has become a common situation that a plurality of image input / output devices are incorporated in a network system. Was. Further, by enriching the functions of the device, the same function can be achieved even with different devices. For example, the copying function can be achieved by a copier, a combination of a scanner and a printer, or a combination of a multifunction scanner and a printer. Different choices are also possible for achieving the same function in one device. For example, the sort function can be electronically sorted using a memory, or the function can be achieved using a sorter having a plurality of paper discharge bins. Therefore, even if the same device is purchased, unnecessary functions may be included. In general, control software is upgraded by replacing a ROM mounted on a printed circuit board or installing using an IC card.

As a related technique, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open
8-317183 and JP-A-10-28910
The invention disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 7 is known.

[0004]

The image input / output device has many functions that cannot be used by the user due to enormous and complicated functions. However, manufacturers are spending a lot of money on software to build complex functions. From the manufacturer's point of view, it is necessary to set a price that includes software development costs, but for users who do not use much functions, it is preferable to lower the price corresponding to the functions not used.

[0005] Further, when upgrading such control software, it is necessary for the service person to visit the customer without fail to perform the version upgrade work. However, the functions of the control software have become as complicated and large-scale as PC applications, and the working time tends to be long.

The present invention has been made in view of such a situation of the prior art, and an object thereof is to separately purchase mechanical parts (hardware) and software of an image input / output device. Is to do so.

Another object of the present invention is to make it possible to easily install and upgrade control software, and to provide a customer with an apparatus at a price appropriate to the function used by the customer. .

Another object of the present invention is to eliminate the trouble of updating and updating software, and to enable quick processing.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a plurality of image input / output devices composed of a plurality of software components, and management and service of the image input / output devices in a network distributed environment. An image input / output system comprising a broker for integrating the image input / output device and a service center of the image input / output device vendor, and capable of communicating using a network line and a public communication line. Software for performing communication using a communication line is provided at the time of shipment, and a user can access the image input / output device from the service center via communication means including the software provided on the image input / output device side. Download (install and install) the desired software to control Characterized in that it over John up).

In this case, when the image input / output device is shipped, software for controlling the operation panel is further provided, and when downloading, the desired software is downloaded using the operation panel of the image input / output device. It can also be done.

Further, the image input / output device may further include a client PC in which software for managing the image input / output device in the network distributed environment is installed, and desired software can be downloaded from the client PC to the image input / output device.

[0012] Needless to say, the download of these software requires a separate fee, and online payment with a credit card or debit card is also possible. Online payment is set in advance in the software of the communication means or the software to be downloaded.

Further, the communication can be performed, for example, via the Internet.

[0014]

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

1. System Environment FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a system configuration of an image input / output device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, in a user environment 1, a server 2 such as a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile,
3, a scanner 4, a personal computer (PC) 5, and the like are used, and these terminals are operated by software. Here, the image input / output devices 2 to 4 such as a copier, a facsimile, a printer, a scanner, and the PC 5 are sometimes used in a stand-alone or one-to-one connection, but in recent years, they are connected to a network environment 6-2. Usage methods are also increasing. In addition, the vendor also provides a service center 10 and the like having the PC 11 as a core, and the networks 6-1 and 6-2.
, The service about the operation status and the use status of each user's device is provided remotely. Here, a service center 10 that manages user information is provided outside these existing system environments. The server A (2) indicates an image input / output device corresponding to a copying machine, and the server B (3) indicates an image input / output device corresponding to a printer. In the following description, the image output devices 2 and 3 may be used. .

In this embodiment, storage devices 1-1 and 12 are provided in the user environment 1 and the service center 10, respectively.
It stores user registration information and device information.

2. Hardware Configuration FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the system. The configuration of the image input / output devices 2 to 4 on the user environment 1 side will be described with reference to FIG. The hardware of this system is an image input / output device 20 (reference numeral 2
0 indicates an image input / output device. ), Network 6
It is basically composed of a broker 40 and a PC 5 connected via the PC 2.

In the image input / output device 20, a processor (CPU) 21 executes overall control of each of the image input / output devices 2 to 4, and under the control of the ROM 22, R
The AM 23, NVRAM 24, operation panel 25 and panel control unit 26, scan / print engine 27 and engine control unit 28, storage device 29 and disk driver 30, communication control unit 31, and modem 32 are connected.

The ROM 22 stores in advance program codes, fonts, and other static data.
The RAM 23 is used for temporarily storing data, and the NVRAM 24 is used for storing data in a nonvolatile manner. Operation panel 25 and panel control unit 26
The scanner / print engine 27 and the engine control unit 28 read and print a paper document and print on a transfer paper as an image data input / output device. Storage device 29 and disk driver 30
Is used to store a large amount of image data and the like and to store a database. The communication control unit 31 is an Ethernet (registered trademark) for performing communication with an external device.
The modem 32 is used to communicate with an external device via a public line.

The broker 40 maintains function information and management information necessary for the image input / output devices 2 to 4 connected to the network 6-2, and a client (here, the PC 5).
And a server (in this case, the image input / output devices 2, 3, and 4). The broker 40 includes a CPU 41, a ROM 42, an RA
M43, a communication control unit 44, and a database 45 are provided. The broker 40 may be located on either side of the PC 5 or the image input / output devices 2 to 4. The database 45 of the broker 40 stores various data for user registration.

3. Software Configuration FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the software structure of the image input / output device. Referring to FIG.
Software structures of Nos. To 4 will be described. This structure is roughly divided into an application layer 50 and a kernel layer 6.
0, a driver layer 70, and a hardware layer 80. The application layer 50 is a layer for forming applications such as copy, fax, and printer, and has an operation manager 51, a document manager 52, a service manager 53, a device manager 54, a database manager 55, a program factory 56, and an installer 57.

The document manager 52 is a central function as an application for handling documents according to scenarios such as copying, facsimile, and printer, and the service manager 53 is a function commonly required for document handling. Manage and execute services. The device manager 54 includes the scanner 27a and the plotter 27 of the hardware unit 80.
b, a function for determining the operation of a physical device such as the image bus 86, and manages and executes various services. The operation manager 51 operates the operation panel 25 shown in FIG.
This function displays a button, notifies a button operation, notifies an alert, and the like. The database manager 55 has fonts, fixed forms,
It maintains and manages permanent data such as fax reception history, device use history, and billing data, and also maintains and manages software components and their billing information and stacking fees.

The program factory 56 performs initialization for executing a program from a software component. That is, a software component that exists statically is developed on the RAM 23 (generation of an instance in object-oriented programming), and a message is received (method call in object-oriented programming) to make the program component operable. Has functions.

The kernel layer 60 is usually incorporated as an OS kernel, and includes a virtual memory 61 and an execution process 6.
2, file system 63, socket 64, execution management 6
Various devices of the virtual machine 65 having the 5a and the mode management 65b are abstracted to provide services to the application 50. The application layer 50 operates by making a system call to the kernel layer 60.

The driver layer 70 is a memory management driver 7
1. A group of functions for executing control for driving various types of hardware such as a process management driver 72, a file management driver 73, a network driver 74, an integrated copy driver 75, a blocking device driver 76, and a page device driver 77.

The hardware layer 80 includes a ROM 22 and a RAM
23, NVRAM 24, network interface 8
4, a set of controllable resources existing in the apparatus such as the scanner 27a, the image bus 86, and the plotter 27b.
Actuators and sensors such as rollers and motors of the paper transport device correspond to this layer.

4. Operation FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a sequence of an operation of the image input / output system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The user selects a function to be used using the operation panel 25 and requests the start of installation. The operation manager 51 requests the installer 57 to install, using the plurality of functions selected by the user as arguments (401). The installer 57 connects to the service center 10 using a communication driver such as the network driver 74, and downloads software components (402). The service center 10 transmits the software of the execution format of the requested software component to the image input / output device (403). This step 4
In the procedure of 03, the service center 10 transmits, but the image input / output apparatus 1 may acquire the information. Upon receiving the control software, the installer 57 expands the file, expands the file in a non-volatile storage device (such as a hard disk) 1-1 of the image input / output device, and installs it (404). When the installation is completed, the kernel 60 is booted again (405). When it starts up, the normal screen of the installed application is displayed.

In the above example, the user selects a function to be used from the operation panel 25 and installs the function. In addition, for example, from a PC in which image input / output device management software is installed, It is also possible to select a function to be used and to install the function on the image input / output device. This example is shown in the sequence diagram of FIG.

In this example, the user requests the installer of the image input / output device from the PC 5 in which the image input / output device management software is installed (501). The installer 57 connects to the service center 10 using a communication driver such as the network driver 74, and downloads software components (502). The service center 10 transmits software of the execution format of the requested software component to the image input / output device (503). In this sequence 503, the service center 10 transmits data, but the image input / output device 1 may acquire the data. Upon receiving the control software, the installer 57 expands the file, expands the file in a nonvolatile storage device (such as a hard disk) 1-1 of the image input / output device, and installs the file (504). When the installation is completed, the kernel 60
Is restarted (505). When it starts up, the normal screen of the installed application is displayed.

In both the case shown in FIG. 4 and the case shown in FIG. 5, a fee is required for downloading the software. For this payment, the service center 10 inquires of the image input / output device 1 whether or not to pay online before downloading, and when paying online, paying online is required. After the above procedure is completed, the processing shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is executed.

[0032]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the user can install only necessary software, the usability of an ordinary device is improved. That is,
Since there is no software that is not used, only the functions that are normally used are displayed on the panel, and the display screen is not complicated when used, and the operation is simplified.

In addition, since it is possible to introduce and update the built-in control software without disassembling the apparatus or removing the casing such as ROM replacement, labor costs for support are not required.

Further, by recording what functions are installed and records of installations and updates, it becomes possible for the vendor to check what functions are required in the market. It can be used as a reference for product planning.

Further, according to the present invention, by using the operation panel of the image input / output device, installation and updating can be easily performed without the necessity of another environment setting.

According to the present invention, a client PC
By performing the installation and update operations from the PC, the installation and update of the control software to be incorporated into the image input / output device can be performed in a familiar environment as if installing or updating the PC software.

Further, according to the present invention, since only the necessary functions are paid, there is no unnecessary expenditure, and the payment can be made online, so that there is no trouble.

Further, according to the present invention, since communication is performed via the Internet, it is possible to install and update control software without having to set up a special network.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a system configuration of an image input / output system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram mainly showing a configuration of the image input / output device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a software structure of the image input / output device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a sequence for making a download request from the image input / output device to the service center and downloading desired software from the service center.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a sequence of selecting a function to be used from a PC and installing general affairs software from a service center to an image input / output device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 user environment 2, 3 server (image input / output device) 4 scanner (image input / output device) 5 personal computer 6-1 or 6-2 network 10 service center 20 image input / output device 40 broker 50 application layer 60 kernel layer 70 driver Layer 80 Hardware Layer

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An image input / output device comprising: a plurality of image input / output devices constituted by a plurality of software components; and a broker for integrating management and services of the image input / output devices in a network distributed environment. In an image input / output system capable of communicating with a service center using a network line and a public communication line, software for performing communication using a network line and a public communication line is shipped to the image input / output device. Sometimes, the user downloads desired software for controlling the image input / output device from the service center via communication means including the software provided on the image input / output device side. Image input and output system. 2. An image input / output device is further provided with software for controlling an operation panel at the time of shipment, and at the time of downloading, a desired software is downloaded using the operation panel of the image input / output device. 2. The image input / output system according to claim 1, wherein: 3. A client PC in which software for managing the image input / output device in the network distributed environment is further provided, and a function to be used by the image input / output device is selected from the client PC.
2. The image input / output system according to claim 1, wherein desired software is downloaded to the image input / output device. 4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the price for downloading the software is set to software of communication means or software to be downloaded so that payment can be made online using a credit card or a debit card. Item 4. The image input / output system according to any one of Items 1 to 3. 5. The image input / output system according to claim 1, wherein said communication is performed via the Internet.