JP2004015326A - Compositing method of print original and scanned image - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a compositing method of a print original and a scanned image wherein a digital copying machine once performs scanning and a client computer designates the remaining scanned images and composites the image. <P>SOLUTION: The digital copying machine related to this invention includes: a means for entering a user ID from a copying machine main body operating panel; a means for attaching an image unique ID together with the user ID to the scanned image and storing the resulting image to an image storage means; a server means for authenticating a user on the basis of the user ID and a password from a client computer and opening the scanned image of the user into public; and a means for composing a document and an image having the image unique ID and outputting the composed result when receiving a document print request having a scanned image compositing instruction from the client computer. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method for synthesizing a printed document and a scanned document in a network printing system to which a digital copying machine is connected.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, in a network print system to which a digital copying machine is connected, when a print document and a scanned document are combined and output, the following configuration has been adopted.
[0003]
1) The user sets an original to be synthesized and output on an original platen of a digital copying machine, instructs a scanner synthesis from a client computer, and executes a scanner image synthesis print.
[0004]
2) The user scans the document to be synthesized and output by the digital copying machine, temporarily stores the image in the image storage device of the digital copying machine, instructs the scanner synthesis from the client computer, and executes the scanner image synthesis print. .
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the above conventional example has the following disadvantages.
[0006]
When combining a printed document and a scanned document, use the document set on the scanner stand of the digital copier or use the document saved once. Users cannot use the digital copier.
[0007]
When a user who does not know that a document is set has opened the scanner cover, the document may be shifted or moved to another location. It is necessary to go back and forth between the copier and the client computer.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, a first invention according to the present application is directed to a digital copying machine, a unit for inputting a user ID from an operation panel of a main body, and a unit for scanning a document set on a document table in response to a user's scan instruction. A storage unit for holding a scanned image, a unit for storing the scanned image in the scanned image storage unit in association with a user ID and an image unique ID, and performing user authentication based on a user ID and a password from the client computer, Server means for publishing the scanned image, means for holding the image unique ID of the image selected by the user from the image viewing software, and upon receiving a document print request with a scan image synthesis instruction from the client computer, Combines the document and the image with the stored image unique ID Having means for force, the printer control software is characterized by having a means for including the scanned image combining instruction to the print request.
[0009]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the digital copying machine, a means for inputting a user ID from a main body operation panel, a means for scanning a document set on a document table in response to a user's scan instruction, Means for transmitting to a server, when a document print request with a scan image synthesis instruction is received from the client computer, the document and the image unique ID included in the document print request are stored in an image server. Means for synthesizing and outputting an image, the image server storing means for holding the scanned image, means for storing the scanned image received from the digital copier in association with the user ID and an image unique ID in the image storing means, Perform user authentication with a user ID and a password from the client computer; Server means for publishing the scanned image of the user, means for transmitting the unique ID of the image designated by the image viewing software to the image viewing software, and the printer control software includes a scan image synthesis instruction, an image viewing A feature is provided that includes means for including the image unique ID selected by the software in the print request.
[0010]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
(Embodiment 1)
FIGS. 1 to 6 show a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 shows a network printing system, 101 is a computer network, 102 and 103 are client computers, and 104 is a digital copying machine connectable to the network. It is.
[0011]
FIG. 2 is an internal block diagram of the digital copier 104, wherein 201 is a system control unit, 202 is a scanner, 203 is a copier operation panel, 204 is a printer, 205 is a scanned image storage device, 206 is a computer network interface, and 207 is A scanner controller 208, a printer controller 208, an HTTP server 209 for publishing an image, a copier operation panel controller 210, and a copier system central controller 211.
[0012]
FIG. 3 shows a scan image data format stored in the scan image storage device. Reference numeral 301 denotes a scan image storage file which is a set of scan images, 302 denotes one scan image data, and 303 Is a user ID, 304 is an image ID, 305 is low-resolution scan image data, and 306 is scanned image data.
[0013]
FIG. 4 shows an authentication user interface of browsing software (a World Wide Web browser in this embodiment) on a client computer, 401 is an application window, 402 is a user ID input box, 403 is a password input box, and 404 is authentication. A request button 405 is an application window close button.
[0014]
FIG. 5 shows an image browsing user interface of browsing software (a World Wide Web browser in this embodiment), 501 is an application window, 502 is an image selection button, and 503 to 508 are low-resolution images sent from an HTTP server. A scan image, 509 to 514 are image selection buttons, 515 is an application window close button, 516 is a scroll area, and 517 is an application window size change area.
[0015]
FIG. 6 shows a print setting window of the printer control software installed in the client computer, 601 is a print setting window, 602 is a copy number setting box, 603 is a scanner synthesis designation button, 604 is a print attribute setting button, and 605 is a print attribute setting button. A cancel button 606 is used to close the print setting window without any processing, and a print button 606 is used to instruct the start of printing.
[0016]
Next, a procedure in which the user combines and outputs a scanned document and a printed document will be specifically described with reference to FIGS. It is assumed that the image to be synthesized at the time of printing has not been stored in the image data storage device 205 of the digital copying machine 104 yet. In addition, the user ID of the user according to the present embodiment is 1000.
[0017]
First, the user has a document to be combined and goes to the digital copying machine. Next, the original is placed on the scanner 202, and a user ID of 1000 is input to the copier operation panel. At this point, the user ID is sent from the copier panel controller 208 to the copier system central controller 211. Thereafter, the user presses the scan button on the copier operation panel to scan the original. At this point, the scanned image is stored in the image data storage device in the form of an image data format 302 through the copier system central controller 211. It is assumed that the data content of the data format 302 at this time is 1000 for the user ID 303 and 100 for the image ID 304 by the copier system central control unit 211. The low-resolution image data section 305 stores image data having a resolution of 72 dpi, and the image data section 306 stores scanned image data.
[0018]
Next, the user returns to his or her client computer and proceeds to the procedure of composite output. First, the user activates a World Wide Web browser (Web browser) to browse his / her own image, specifies the network address of the digital copier 104, and connects to the HTTP image server 209. When the connection is established, a user ID and a password are input to perform user authentication. Here, 1000 is entered in the user ID input box 402, and the password of this user is entered in the password input box 403. Subsequently, an authentication request button 404 is pressed to perform authentication.
[0019]
Here, when the user is authenticated, the screen of the Web browser switches as shown in FIG. In the scan image display of FIG. 5, it is assumed that the scan images are arranged in the latest order from left to right and from top to bottom, and the image scanned earlier is displayed at 503. The user presses down the selection button 509 because the scan image 503 is synthesized and output. Subsequently, a selection button 502 is pressed to notify the selection.
[0020]
Here, the following operation is performed between the Web browser and the digital copying machine. When the user presses the selection button 502, information that 403 is selected is transmitted to the digital copying machine. In the digital copying machine, the copying machine system central control unit receives this information through the network interface 206 and records that the user having the user ID of 1000 has selected the scanned image having the unique image ID of 100.
[0021]
Next, the user executes document printing by scanner synthesis. First, a print instruction is issued to the application that created the document on the client computer. As a result, a print window 601 is displayed. Here, the user makes the following settings. The number of copies is set to one, and 1 is input to the number-of-prints setting box 602. Next, since this document is to be combined with a scanner, “Yes” is selected in the scanner combination setting. Further, when the user wants to set the print attribute of the document, the user presses the print detailed setting button 604 and sets the print detailed setting window. However, this setting is not essential in the present embodiment, and the description is omitted because it does not affect the subsequent description. . Here, since the print setting is completed, the user presses the print button 606.
[0022]
After the user presses the print button 606, the printer control software and the digital copying machine perform scanner composite output as follows.
[0023]
After the user presses the print button, the printer control software transmits, to the digital copying machine, print data having at least a print attribute of “with scanner composition” and information of the user ID. Next, the central control unit 211 of the digital copying machine that has received this data understands the print attribute of “user's ID of this data is 1000 and“ with scanner combination ””. As a result, the copier system central control unit 211 acquires the scan image with the unique image ID of 100 selected by the user with the user ID of 1000 in the previous procedure from the scan image storage device 205, combines it with the print data, and outputs it. I do.
[0024]
As described above, in a network print system to which a digital copying machine is connected, it is possible to perform composite output of a print document and a scanned document.
[0025]
(Embodiment 2)
FIGS. 6 to 12 are drawings showing a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is the same as the first embodiment, and therefore the description is omitted.
[0026]
FIG. 7 shows a network print system, 701 is a computer network, 702 and 703 are client computers, 704 is a digital copying machine connectable to the network, 705 is a scan image server for storing a scan image, and in this embodiment, a server protocol is used. Is used as HTTP.
[0027]
FIG. 8 is an internal block diagram of the digital copier 704, 801 is a system control unit, 802 is a scanner, 803 is a copier operation panel, 804 is a printer, 805 is a computer network interface, 806 is a copier system central control unit, Reference numeral 807 denotes a scanner control unit, 808 denotes a copier operation panel control unit, and 809 denotes a printer control unit.
[0028]
FIG. 9 is an internal block diagram of the scan image server 705. Reference numeral 901 denotes an image server that uses HTTP as a protocol, and reference numeral 902 denotes a scan image storage device.
[0029]
FIG. 10 shows a scan image data format stored in the scan image storage device. A scan image storage file 1001 is a set of scan images. A scan image data 1002 is obtained by extracting one scan image data. Is a user ID, 1004 is an image ID, 1005 is a date when this scan image is created, 1006 is low-resolution scan image data, and 1007 is scanned image data.
[0030]
FIG. 11 shows an authentication user interface of browsing software (a World Wide Web browser in the present embodiment) on a client computer. Reference numeral 1101 denotes an application window; 1102, a user ID input box; 1103, a password input box; A period designation box indicating how many days the scanned image is to be displayed from 1 is an authentication request button, and 1106 is an application window close button.
[0031]
FIG. 12 shows an image browsing user interface of the browsing software. Reference numeral 1201 denotes an application window; 1202, an image selection button; 1203 to 1206, a date when a scanned image is stored; 1207 to 1210, a low resolution sent from an HTTP server. A scan image, 1211 to 1214 are image selection buttons, and 1215 is an application window close button.
[0032]
Next, a procedure in which the user combines and outputs a scanned document and a printed document will be specifically described with reference to FIGS. It is assumed that the image to be combined at the time of printing is not yet stored in the scan image storage device 902 of the scan image server 705. In addition, the user ID of the user according to the present embodiment is 1000.
[0033]
First, the user has a document to be combined and goes to the digital copying machine. Next, the original is placed on the scanner 802, and a user ID of 1000 is input to the copier operation panel. At this point, the user ID is sent from the copier panel controller 803 to the copier system central controller 806. Thereafter, the user presses the scan button on the copier operation panel to scan the original. At this point, the scanned image is transmitted to the scanned image server 705 in the image data format 1002 through the copier system central control unit 806 and the network interface 805. This scanned image is stored in the scanned image storage device 902 as a stored image file 1001. It is assumed that the data content of the data format 1002 at this time is 1000 for the user ID 1003 and 100 for the image ID 1004 by the scan image server 901. The date 1005 is stored on December 24, 1998, the low-resolution image data portion 1006 stores image data with a resolution of 72 dpi, and the image data portion 1007 stores scanned image data.
[0034]
Next, the user returns to his or her client computer and proceeds to the procedure of composite output. First, the user activates a World Wide Web browser (Web browser) to browse his or her image, specifies the network address of the scan image server 705, and connects to the scan image server 901. When a connection is established, a user authentication window is displayed to perform user authentication. Here, the user ID and password, and the period of the scanned image to be displayed are input. Here, the term of the scanned image means how many days ago the scanned image is displayed from the present. The unit shall be entered in days. Here, 1000 is entered in the user ID input box 1102, and the password of this user is entered in the password input box 1103. Also, since the period to be displayed is the past 30 days, 30 is input in the period input box 1104. Subsequently, an authentication request button 1105 is pressed to perform authentication.
[0035]
Here, when the user is authenticated, the screen of the Web browser switches as shown in FIG. In the scan image display of FIG. 12, it is assumed that the scan images are arranged in the latest order from left to right and from top to bottom, and the image scanned earlier is displayed in 1207. Since the period of the scan image to be displayed is specified as the past 30 days, six scan images up to November 30, 1998 are displayed here. Here, the user presses down the selection button 1211 to synthesize and output the scan image 1207. Subsequently, a selection button 1202 is pressed to notify the selection. Here, the following operation is executed in the Web browser and the scan image server. When the user presses the selection button 1202, information that 1207 has been selected is transmitted to the scan image server. The scan image server records this information that the user with the user ID of 1000 has selected the scan image with the unique image ID of 100.
[0036]
Next, the user executes document printing by scanner synthesis. First, a print instruction is issued to the application that created the document on the client computer. As a result, a print window 601 is displayed. Here, the user makes the following settings. The number of copies is set to one, and 1 is input to the number-of-prints setting box 602. Next, since this document is to be combined with a scanner, “Yes” is selected in the scanner combination setting. Further, when the user wants to set the print attribute of the document, the user presses the print detailed setting button 604 and sets the print detailed setting window. However, this setting is not essential in the present embodiment, and the description is omitted because it does not affect the subsequent description. . Here, since the print setting is completed, the user presses the print button 606.
[0037]
After the user presses the print button 606, the printer control software, the scanned image server, and the digital copying machine perform scanner composite output as follows.
[0038]
After the user presses the print button, the printer control software transmits, to the digital copying machine, print data having at least a print attribute of “with scanner composition” and information of the user ID. Next, the central control unit 806 of the digital copying machine that has received this data understands the print attribute of “user's ID of this data is 1000 and“ combined with scanner ””. As a result, the copier system central control unit 806 requests the scanner image server 705 for the image selected by the user with the user ID of 1000. In response to this request, the scan image server knows that the user with the user ID of 1000 has selected the image with the unique image ID of 100, and transmits this image to the copier system central control unit 806. I do.
The copier system central controller combines the received data with the print data and outputs the combined data.
[0039]
As described above, in a network print system in which a digital copying machine and a scanned image server are connected, it is possible to perform composite output of a printed document and a scanned document.
[0040]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the invention of the present application, when a print document and a scanned document are combined and output, the scanned document is stored together with the user ID and the unique image ID in a server of a digital copying machine or an image server connected to a network. Since the user views and selects the image to be synthesized and output from the client computer, when scanning the original, the time occupying the digital copying machine is minimized, and since the user does not leave the digital copying machine with the original set, A digital copier is used when other users do not touch the original set on the scanner base and the scanned image can be registered in the server, eliminating the need to scan the same original many times. You can register with the server at once without leaving Compliant to be reciprocally disappears between the computer, there is an effect that.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a network print system.
FIG. 2 is an internal block diagram of the digital copying machine.
FIG. 3 is a scan image data format.
FIG. 4 is a user authentication user interface.
FIG. 5 is an image browsing user interface.
FIG. 6 is a print setting window.
FIG. 7 is a network print system.
FIG. 8 is an internal block diagram of the digital copying machine.
FIG. 9 is an internal block diagram of a scan image server.
FIG. 10 is a scan image data format.
FIG. 11 is a user authentication user interface.
FIG. 12 is an image browsing user interface.
[Explanation of symbols]
101 Computer Network 102 and 103 Client Computer 104 Digital Copier 201 System Control Unit 202 Scanner 203 Copier Operation Panel 204 Printer 205 Scanned Image Storage 206 Computer Network Interface 207 Scanner Control Unit 208 Printer Control Unit 209 HTTP Server 210 Copier Operation Panel Control unit 211 Copier system central control unit 301 Scan image storage file 302 Scan image data 303 User ID area 304 Image ID area 305 Low resolution scan image data area 306 Scan image data area 401 Application window 402 User ID input box 403 Password input box 404 Authentication request button 405 Application window black Close button 501 Application window 502 Image selection buttons 503 to 508 Low resolution scan images 509 to 514 Image selection button 515 Application window close button 516 Scroll area 517 Application window size change area 601 Print setting window 602 Copies setting box 603 Scanner synthesis designation button 604 Printing Attribute setting button 605 Cancel button 606 Print button 701 Computer network 702 and 703 Client computer 704 Digital copier 705 Scanned image server 801 System control unit 802 Scanner 803 Copier operation panel 804 Printer 805 Computer network interface 806 Copier system central control unit 807 Scanner Control unit 808 copier operation panel control unit 809 printer control unit 901 image server 902 scan image storage device 1001 scan image storage file 1002 scan image data 1003 user ID area 1004 image ID area 1005 date area 1006 low resolution scan image data 1007 scan image Data 1101 Application window 1102 User ID input box 1103 Password input box 1104 Period designation box 1105 Authentication request button 1106 Application window close button 1201 Application window 1202 Image selection button 1203 to 1208 Date 1209 to 1214 Low resolution scan image 1215 to 1220 Image selection button 1216 Application window black Button

Claims (26)

In a network print system including a computer network, a client computer, and a digital copying machine connectable to the network,
The client computer has printer control software for printing a document created by a user on a digital copying machine, and software for browsing an image published by a server.
The digital copier includes a unit for inputting a user ID from a main body operation panel, a unit for scanning a document set on a platen in response to a user's scan instruction, a storage unit for holding a scanned image, Means for associating an image unique ID in the scan image storage means, server means for performing user authentication from the client computer with a user ID and a password, and publishing a scan image of the user; Means for holding the image unique ID of the selected image, when receiving a document print request with a scan image synthesis instruction from the client computer, synthesizes and outputs the document and the image having the held image unique ID With means,
A method for synthesizing a printed document and a scanned image, wherein the printer control software includes means for including a scan image synthesizing instruction in a print request. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the server means for publishing the scanned image of the user uses Hyper \ Text \ Transfer \ Protocol when publishing the image, and the image browsing software installed on the client computer is a World Wide Web browser. How to combine printed and scanned documents. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the user can select a plurality of images from the client computer, the means for holding the image unique ID holds a plurality of IDs, and when the user instructs to combine the scanner originals, the plurality of scanned images are stored in one page. A method of combining a print original and a scan original, wherein the composite output is performed. 2. A digital copying machine according to claim 1, wherein a common ID that can be used in common by all users is used as a user ID of the digital copying machine, and a scanned image designated with the common ID when scanning is made public to all users. How to combine print and scan documents. 2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of designating an output position of the scan image by a user. 6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the output position designation unit uses a graphical user interface by a user. 6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the output position designation unit designates a relative distance between a reference point of the scan image and a reference point of the output sheet by a user. 2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: means for deleting a user's scan image in response to a user instruction from a client computer. In claim 1, when saving a scanned image, save a low-resolution image in addition to a normal scanned image, publish a low-resolution image when publishing on a server, and A method for synthesizing a printed document and a scanned document, characterized by using a normal scanned image. 2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of adding information on the date and time when the image was scanned when the image is made public on the server. 11. The method according to claim 10, wherein when the image is made public on the server, only the image scanned within a past specified period from the time of publication is made public. 2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of inputting a user ID and inputting character information when scanning the scanned document. 13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising: means for searching for an image based on input character information when the image is made public on the server. In a network print system including a computer network, a client computer, a digital copying machine connectable to the network, and a scan image server,
The client computer is equipped with printer control software for printing a document created by a user on a digital copying machine, and software for viewing images published by the server.
Means for inputting a user ID from a main body operation panel, means for scanning a document set on a document table in response to a user's scan instruction, means for transmitting a scanned image together with a user ID to the image server, Upon receiving a document print request with a scan image synthesis instruction from a client computer, a means for synthesizing and outputting the document and an image stored in an image server having an image unique ID included in the document print request. Prepare,
The image server includes a storage unit for holding the scanned image, a unit for storing the scanned image received from the digital copying machine in the image storage unit in association with a user ID and an image unique ID, and a user ID and a password from the client computer. Server means for performing user authentication by a symbol and publishing a scanned image of the user, means for transmitting a unique ID of an image designated from the image viewing software to the image viewing software,
The printer control software further comprises means for including a scan image synthesizing instruction and an image unique ID selected by the image viewing software in a print request. 15. The server according to claim 14, wherein the server means for publishing the scanned image of the user uses Hyper \ Text \ Transfer \ Protocol (HTTP) when publishing the image, and the image browsing software installed on the client computer is a World Wide Web browser. A method for synthesizing a printed document and a scanned document. 15. The image processing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the user can select a plurality of images from the client computer, the means for holding the image unique ID holds the plurality of IDs, and when the user instructs to combine the scanner originals, the plurality of scanned images are stored in one page. A method of combining a print original and a scan original, wherein the composite output is performed. 14. The digital copying machine according to claim 14, wherein a common image that can be commonly used by all users is used as a user ID of the digital copying machine, and a scanned image specified with the common ID when scanning is made public to all users. How to combine print and scan documents. 15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising a step of designating an output position of the scan image by a user. 19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the output position specifying means uses a graphical user interface by a user. 19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the output position specifying means specifies a relative distance between a reference point of the scanned image and a reference point of the output sheet by the user. 15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the image server includes means for deleting a user's scan image in response to a user instruction from a client computer. 15. The scan according to claim 14, wherein when storing the scanned image, a low-resolution image is also stored in addition to a normal scanned image, and when the image is published on an image server, the low-resolution image is published and transmitted to a digital copying machine. A method for synthesizing a printed document and a scanned document, wherein a normal scanned image is used as the image. 15. The method according to claim 14, wherein when the image server publishes the scanned image, information on the date and time when the image was scanned is added. 24. The method according to claim 23, wherein when the server publishes the image, only the image scanned within a past specified period from the publishing time is disclosed. 15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising a step of inputting character information in addition to inputting a user ID when scanning the scanned document. 26. The method according to claim 25, further comprising: means for searching for an image based on input character information when the image is made public on the server.

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