JP2002244912A - Image processing device, method therefor, image processing program, and computer readable recording medium recording the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processing device capable of automatically outputting image data of document if it can not be connected with a Web server when recognizing characters of URL by reading printed matter on a Web page and generating and outputting image data on the Web page by connecting with the Web server. SOLUTION: A digital copying machine 11 reads the document, obtains image data, recognizes characters of URL, and transmits an HTML file transfer demand to the Web server 20 which is URL destination. It generates image data of the Web page from an HTML file and outputs it when receiving the HTML file from the Web server 20. It outputs the image data of the document when receiving no HTML file from the Web server 20.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus for reading a printed matter of a Web page, recognizing a character of the URL, connecting to the Web server, and generating and outputting image data of the Web page.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, with the spread of personal computers, the number of users of the Internet has increased, and opportunities for printing Web pages have increased. In addition, since a considerable amount of information has been propagated on paper media, printed materials of Web pages have been used. The opportunity to copy is also increasing. However, since color images are mainly used for Web pages, when a printed matter of the Web page is copied, deterioration of the image is easily noticeable. Therefore, when copying the printed matter of the Web page, the URL recorded in the footer or the like of the document is recognized as a character and the Web indicated by the URL is recognized.
b. Connect to server to get HTML file,
Many image processing apparatuses have been proposed which generate image data of a page and print it to output a copy without image deterioration (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 10-283313).

However, in such an image processing apparatus, U
It is not assumed that a connection failure due to RL misrecognition, movement or deletion of a Web page, congestion or stoppage of the Web server, and the like, and a connection to the Web server cannot be established.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to read a printed matter of a Web page and read the
Recognize RL characters, connect to the Web server, and
An object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus that generates and outputs image data of a page and that can automatically output image data of a document when a Web server cannot be connected for some reason.

[0005]

The above object of the present invention is achieved by the following means.

(A) document reading means for reading a document obtained by printing a document file published by a server computer on a network to obtain first image data; and Location information extracting means for extracting location information representing the location of a file; document file transfer request transmitting means for transmitting a document file transfer request to the server computer based on the location information; and , A second image data generator for generating second image data from the document file, and a second image data transmitter for transmitting the second image data to another device. The document file receiving means does not receive the document file from the server computer And a first image data transmitting means for transmitting the first image data to another device.

(B) document reading means for reading a document obtained by printing a document file published by a server computer on a network to obtain first image data, and obtaining the document from the first image data Location information extracting means for extracting location information representing the location of a file; document file transfer request transmitting means for transmitting a document file transfer request to the server computer based on the location information; and Document file receiving means, second image data generating means for generating second image data from the document file, and second image forming means for forming an image of the second image data.
Image data forming means for image data, and first image data forming means for image forming the first image data when the document file receiving means does not receive the document file from the server computer, An image processing apparatus comprising:

(C) reading a document obtained by printing a document file published by a server computer on a network to obtain first image data (1); and Extracting location information indicating the location of the document file (2), transmitting the document file transfer request to the server computer based on the location information (3), and transmitting the document file from the server computer. Receiving (4), generating second image data from the document file (5), transmitting the second image data to another device (6), and (4) Transmitting the first image data to another device when the document file is not received from the server computer (7). Image processing method

(D) reading a document obtained by printing a document file published by a server computer on a network to obtain first image data (1); and Extracting location information indicating the location of the document file (2), transmitting the document file transfer request to the server computer based on the location information (3), and transmitting the document file from the server computer. Receiving (4), generating second image data from the document file (5), forming an image of the second image data (6), and in step (4) the server computer (7) forming an image of the first image data when the document file has not been received from the computer. Processing method.

(E) A procedure (1) of reading a document obtained by printing a document file published by a server computer on a network to obtain first image data; Extracting the location information indicating the location of the document file (2), transmitting the document file transfer request to the server computer based on the location information (3), and transmitting the document file from the server computer. The procedure (4) for receiving, the procedure (5) for generating the second image data from the document file, the procedure (6) for transmitting the second image data to another device, and the procedure (4) Transmitting the first image data to another device when the document file is not received from the server computer (7). An image processing program characterized by being executed.

(F) A procedure (1) of reading a document obtained by printing a document file published by a server computer on a network to obtain first image data, and obtaining the first image data from the first image data. Extracting the location information indicating the location of the document file (2), transmitting the document file transfer request to the server computer based on the location information (3), and transmitting the document file from the server computer. A step (4) of receiving, a step (5) of generating second image data from the document file, a step (6) of forming an image of the second image data, and the server computer in the step (4) And (7) forming an image of the first image data when the document file is not received from the image processing apparatus. An image processing program characterized by the following.

(G) A procedure (1) of reading a document obtained by printing a document file published by a server computer on a network to obtain first image data, and obtaining the first image data from the first image data. Extracting the location information indicating the location of the document file (2), transmitting the document file transfer request to the server computer based on the location information (3), and transmitting the document file from the server computer. The procedure (4) for receiving, the procedure (5) for generating the second image data from the document file, the procedure (6) for transmitting the second image data to another device, and the procedure (4) Transmitting the first image data to another device when the document file is not received from the server computer (7). A computer-readable recording medium on which a program to be executed is recorded.

(H) A procedure (1) of reading a document obtained by printing a document file published by a server computer on a network to obtain first image data, and obtaining the first image data from the first image data. Extracting the location information indicating the location of the document file (2), transmitting the document file transfer request to the server computer based on the location information (3), and transmitting the document file from the server computer. A step (4) of receiving, a step (5) of generating second image data from the document file, a step (6) of forming an image of the second image data, and the server computer in the step (4) And (7) forming an image of the first image data when the document file is not received from the image processing apparatus. Computer-readable recording medium on which a program for recording is recorded.

[0014]

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

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of an image processing system including an image processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In this image processing system, a digital copying machine 11 as an image processing apparatus and a Web server 20 are mutually connected via a communication network 30.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the digital copying machine 11 according to the present embodiment. In FIG.
The digital copying machine 11 includes a CPU 111, a ROM 112,
RAM 113, hard disk 114, operation panel unit 1
15, a document reading unit 116, a printing unit 117, and a network interface 118, which are interconnected via a bus 119 for exchanging signals.

The CPU 111 controls the above-described units and performs various arithmetic processes according to a program. RAM11
2 temporarily stores programs and data as a work area. The ROM 113 stores various programs and parameters. The hard disk 114 is used for storing various programs and parameters, or for temporarily storing image data and the like obtained by image processing. In the present embodiment, the digital copying machine 11 performs a predetermined operation described later, and a program for controlling the operation of the digital copying machine 11 for this purpose is stored in the ROM 113 or the hard disk 114.

An operation panel unit 115 includes a liquid crystal touch panel on which various information is displayed, a numeric keypad for setting the number of copies, a start key for instructing start of operation, a stop key for instructing stop of operation, and various setting conditions. Reset key and the like.

The document reading section 116 illuminates a document set at a predetermined reading position with a light source such as a fluorescent lamp,
The reflected light is photoelectrically converted by a light receiving element such as a CCD or CIS, and image data (bitmap data) is generated from the electric signal. The document reading unit 116 includes an automatic document feeder (ADF), which can transport a plurality of documents one by one to a predetermined reading position by the ADF and sequentially read them.

The printing section 117 prints the image data after the image processing according to the set conditions.

The network interface 118 is an interface for connecting to a network and communicating with other devices on the network, and uses standards such as Ethernet (registered trademark), token ring, and FDDI.

The Web server 20 is a computer having a WWW server function. The Web server 20 has a WW
It has a function of opening a document file in HTML format as a W database on a network and transferring the HTML file in response to a request from a client.

The communication network 30 is a telephone network, an ISD
N, public networks such as packet switching networks, and LANs and WAs
N, including computer networks such as the Internet.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a procedure of image processing of the digital copying machine 11 in the present embodiment.
First, the digital copying machine 11 waits for a copy start command from a user (S101). The user is We
The original on page b is set at a predetermined position on the platen, and the number of copies, paper size,
Magnification, density, layout (function of arranging N pages of data in one page of output data (Nin1), etc.), single-sided / double-sided copy, sorting, finishing functions (staple function,
Set copy conditions such as the folding function and punch hole function) and press the start key. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a document on which a Web page is printed. Thus, the Web
The URL of the Web page is printed in a predetermined area, for example, a header or a footer, on the document on which the page is printed.

When receiving a copy start command from the user (YES in S101), the digital copying machine 11 reads the set original to obtain image data (S102).
The obtained image data is stored in the hard disk 114 (S103).

Next, character recognition is performed for a predetermined area of the image data (S104). The original is Web
When the page is printed, a URL exists in a predetermined area of the acquired image data. In such a case, U
Since the area in which the RL is displayed is determined, the target of character recognition can be limited to such an area, and the efficiency of character recognition processing can be increased. As a method of character recognition, for example, a method of determining based on the degree of coincidence between a very small amount of each character image and a dictionary pattern stored in advance can be used.

If the URL is not recognized by the character recognition processing (NO in S105), the image data stored in the hard disk 114 in the procedure of S103 is stored in the RAM1.
13 (S106), and prints and outputs the image data in the printing unit 117 according to the set conditions (S1).
07).

On the other hand, if the URL is recognized by the character recognition processing (YES in S105), the recognized URL is
An HTML file transfer request is transmitted to the Web server 2 indicated by L via the network interface 118 and the communication network (S108).

After transmitting the transfer request of the HTML file, for some reason, for example, a connection error due to an incorrect character recognition of the URL, deletion or movement of the Web page, down of the Web server, congestion of access to the Web server, etc.
If the HTML file cannot be received from the Web server 2 within the predetermined time (NO in S109), an error message as shown in FIG.
Is read out to the RAM 113 (S
106), the image data is printed and output in the printing unit 117 according to the set conditions (S107).

In the error message display procedure of S110, the buttons of "correct URL and reconnect" and "copy original" are displayed on the screen of the error message displayed on operation panel 115 as shown in FIG. Provided, S1
When the URL cannot be connected to the Web server 2 because the URL was erroneously recognized in the character recognition procedure of 04, the URL
May be modified to allow the user to select whether to reconnect to the Web server 2 or to output a copy of the document. In this case, the user checks the URL displayed on the screen, and if there is an error in the URL, presses a button of “correct URL and reconnect”, and then displays a URL correction screen as shown in FIG. Can modify the URL and instruct reconnection.

If the HTML file is received from the Web server 2 within a predetermined time after the transmission of the HTML file transfer request (YES in S109), the received HTML
The L file is analyzed, and a transfer request for a link file such as an image file is transmitted to the Web server via the network interface 118 and the communication network (S111). After sending the link file transfer request, W
If a link file cannot be received from the Web server 2 within a predetermined time due to congestion of access to the Web server or the like (NO in S112), an error message such as "Link file not found."
(S113), the image data stored in the hard disk 114 in the procedure of S103 is read out to the RAM 113 (S106), and the image data is printed and output by the printing unit 117 in accordance with the set conditions (S107).

If the link file is received from the Web server 2 within a predetermined time after the transmission request of the HTML file is transmitted (YES in S112), the received HTML is transmitted.
The image data of the Web page is generated from the file and the link file (S114), and the image data is printed and output according to the setting conditions in the printing unit 117 (S107).

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the scanner 12 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. 8, a scanner 12 includes a CPU 121, a ROM 122,
RAM 123, hard disk 124, operation panel unit 1
25, a document reading unit 126, a network interface 128, and a bus 129, and these units have the same functions as those of the digital copying machine 11 according to the first embodiment. Further, in the present embodiment, the scanner 12 includes a local interface 127. The local interface 127 is an interface for communicating with other devices such as a printer and a personal computer without passing through a network, and includes a USB, IEEE 139
4, serial interface such as SCSI, parallel interface such as SCSI, Bluetooth (Bluetooth), IEEE802.11, HomeRF, IrDA
Or the like can be used.

In the present embodiment, the scanner 12 is connected to the Web server 20 via the communication network 30 in the same manner as the digital copier 11 in the first embodiment.

FIG. 9 shows a scanner 12 according to this embodiment.
9 is a flowchart showing a procedure of image processing of FIG. The procedure of the image processing of the scanner 12 in the present embodiment is different from the procedure of the image processing of the digital copying machine 11 in the first embodiment.
If RL is not recognized (NO in S105), S1
08 when the HTML file cannot be received from the Web server in the procedure for transmitting the HTML file transfer request (S
If the link file cannot be received from the Web server in the procedure of transmitting the link file transfer request in S111 (NO in S112), the image data stored in the hard disk 114 in
It is read out to the AM 113 (S106), and the image data is output to another device such as a printer via the local interface 127 or the network interface 128 (S115). Further, the scanner 12
In the above procedure, the URL is recognized (YE in S105).
S), and receives the HTML file (YE in S109).
S), and when a link file is received (S11)
(YES in 2), image data of a Web page is generated from the received HTML file and link file (S1).
14), the image data is transferred to the local interface 12
7 or another device via the network interface 128.

An image processing apparatus according to the present invention is a multi-function peripheral (MFP) having an image reading function, such as a facsimile apparatus, in addition to the digital copying machine and scanner described in the above embodiment.
And so on.

Each means and image processing method constituting the image processing apparatus according to the present invention can be realized by a dedicated hardware circuit or by a programmed image processing apparatus. When the present invention is realized by a programmed image processing apparatus, a program for operating the image processing apparatus includes a floppy (registered trademark) disk,
It can be provided by a computer-readable recording medium such as a D-ROM. In this case, the program recorded on the computer-readable recording medium is usually R
The data is transferred to an OM or a hard disk and stored. Also,
This program may be provided, for example, as independent application software, or may be incorporated in software of the image processing apparatus as one function of the apparatus.

[0038]

As described above, according to the image processing apparatus of the present invention, a printed matter of a Web page is read, the URL is recognized, and connected to the Web server to generate and output image data of the Web page. At this time, even if the connection to the Web server cannot be made due to a connection error due to erroneous recognition of the URL, movement or deletion of the Web page, congestion or stoppage of the Web server, image data of the document can be automatically output.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an overall configuration of an image processing system including a digital copying machine 11 according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the digital copying machine 11 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of image processing of the digital copying machine 11 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a document on which a Web page is printed according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of an error message displayed on the operation panel unit 115 when an HTML file cannot be received from the Web server 2 in the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing another example of an error message displayed on the operation panel unit 115 when an HTML file cannot be received from the Web server 2 in the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a URL correction screen displayed on the operation panel unit 115 when correcting a URL error in the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 shows a scanner 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of FIG.

FIG. 9 shows a scanner 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
6 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of image processing 2;

[Explanation of symbols]

 11: Digital copier, 12: Scanner, 20: Web server, 30: Communication network, 111, 121: CPU, 112, 122: ROM, 113, 123: RAM, 114, 124: Hard disk, 115, 125: Operation panel Units, 116, 126: Document reading unit, 117: Printing unit, 127: Local interface, 118, 128: Network interface, 119, 129: Bus.

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A document reading means for reading a document obtained by printing a document file published by a server computer on a network and obtaining first image data, and a document file from the first image data Location information extraction means for extracting location information representing the location of the document file; a document file transfer request transmission means for transmitting a document file transfer request to the server computer based on the location information; and A document file receiving means for receiving, a second image data generating means for generating second image data from the document file
Image data generating means, second image data transmitting means for transmitting the second image data to another device, and when the document file receiving means does not receive the document file from the server computer, An image processing apparatus, comprising: first image data transmission means for transmitting first image data to another device. 2. A document reading means for reading a document obtained by printing a document file published by a server computer on a network to obtain first image data, and the document file from the first image data. Location information extraction means for extracting location information representing the location of the document file; a document file transfer request transmission means for transmitting a document file transfer request to the server computer based on the location information; and A document file receiving means for receiving, a second image data generating means for generating second image data from the document file
Image data generating means for forming an image of the second image data, and image forming means for forming image data for the second image data; and the second means when the document file receiving means does not receive the document file from the server computer. An image processing apparatus, comprising: first image data image forming means for forming one image data image. Reading a document obtained by printing a document file published by a server computer over a network to obtain first image data (1); and reading the document from the first image data. Extracting location information indicating the location of the file (2); transmitting the document file transfer request to the server computer based on the location information (3); receiving the document file from the server computer (4), generating second image data from the document file (5), and transmitting the second image data to another device (6).
And (7) transmitting the first image data to another device when the document file has not been received from the server computer in step (4). . 4. A step (1) of reading a document obtained by printing a document file published by a server computer on a network to obtain first image data; and obtaining the document from the first image data. Extracting location information indicating the location of the file (2); transmitting the document file transfer request to the server computer based on the location information (3); receiving the document file from the server computer (4) generating second image data from the document file (5); forming (2) an image of the second image data (6); And (7) forming an image of the first image data when the document file has not been received. Method. 5. A procedure (1) of reading a document obtained by printing a document file published by a server computer on a network to obtain first image data, and a step of obtaining the document from the first image data. Extracting the location information indicating the location of the file (2), transmitting the document file transfer request to the server computer based on the location information (3), receiving the document file from the server computer (4), generating the second image data from the document file (5), and transmitting the second image data to another device (6).
And transmitting the first image data to another device when the document file is not received from the server computer in step (4). Image processing program. 6. A procedure (1) of reading a document obtained by printing a document file published by a server computer on a network to obtain first image data, and a step of obtaining the document from the first image data. Extracting the location information indicating the location of the file (2), transmitting the document file transfer request to the server computer based on the location information (3), receiving the document file from the server computer (4), a step (5) of generating second image data from the document file, a step (6) of forming an image of the second image data, and a step (4) from the server computer. And (7) forming an image of the first image data when the document file is not received. An image processing program characterized by the following. 7. A procedure (1) of reading a document obtained by printing a document file published by a server computer on a network to obtain first image data, and a step of obtaining the document from the first image data. Extracting the location information indicating the location of the file (2), transmitting the document file transfer request to the server computer based on the location information (3), receiving the document file from the server computer (4), generating the second image data from the document file (5), and transmitting the second image data to another device (6).
And a step (7) of transmitting the first image data to another device when the document file is not received from the server computer in step (4). A computer-readable recording medium on which is recorded. 8. A step (1) of reading a document obtained by printing a document file published by a server computer on a network to obtain first image data, and a step of obtaining the document from the first image data. Extracting the location information indicating the location of the file (2), transmitting the document file transfer request to the server computer based on the location information (3), receiving the document file from the server computer (4), a step (5) of generating second image data from the document file, a step (6) of forming an image of the second image data, and a step (4) from the server computer. And (7) forming an image of the first image data when the document file is not received. Computer-readable recording medium on which the program of the present invention is recorded.