JP2005080017A - Image processing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processing apparatus with a configuration capable of easily extending functions almost without the need for revising existing applications in the case of extension. <P>SOLUTION: A multiple function peripheral (MFP) is provided with an external API (application program interface) application 36 that has a function of receiving XML data including a processing request related to image processing from an external PC 50, converting the data into a command corresponding to the API of a control layer 20, and giving the command to the control layer 20, the external API application 36 located at a position in the control layer 30 the same layer as those of applications 31 to 35 seeing from the control layer 20. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus.

  Conventionally, in a company office or the like, a scan job for reading an image of a set original, a copy job for printing on a paper based on image data obtained by reading the image of the original, a paper based on a print instruction from an external terminal A so-called digital multifunction peripheral (MFP) having a plurality of functions such as a print job to be printed on a printer and a FAX job for transmitting and receiving an image by communication with an external facsimile apparatus has become widespread. ing.

If such an MFP is used, it is not necessary for a user to separately arrange apparatuses such as a copier and a printer, and a plurality of functions can be executed by one unit, so that the cost is low and the usability is improved.
On the other hand, for MFP developers, it is necessary to develop a plurality of software (applications, hereinafter referred to as “applications”) corresponding to various functions such as a scan function. So development takes a lot of time. For this reason, for example, Patent Document 1 has a configuration in which a common part of each application is bundled with a general-purpose OS (operating system) to form a platform, and a part other than the platform is created at the time of application development. Thus, a technology that enables efficient development is disclosed.
JP 2002-84383 A

  If the configuration described in the above publication is used, efficiency is improved in the development stage, but after delivery to the user, a request from the user to execute a function that is not provided in the existing application (so-called customization request) It is not possible to easily deal with it. For example, if you want to perform a scanning operation in a scanning mode other than the function provided by the current scanning application, you need to change the existing application entirely for the user, It is hard work and it is actually difficult. That is, the configuration is extremely poor in function expandability.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and provides an image processing apparatus that can easily be extended in function, and in that case, requires almost no change to existing applications. Objective.

  In order to achieve the above object, an image processing apparatus according to the present invention includes a hardware resource having at least one of an image forming unit, a reading unit, and a display unit, and a first control program positioned above the hardware resource. And an application that is positioned above the first control program and a second control program, and the first control program uses the predefined function to define the application and the second control program. A first API (application program interface) that accepts a processing request related to image processing from a control program; causes the hardware resource to execute a process based on the accepted processing request; It relates to image processing from the outside by a function disclosed to the outside in advance. A second API that accepts physical request, converts the process request received in command corresponding to the first API, characterized in that passed to the first control program.

In addition, when the processing request from the second control program is for the application, the first control program passes the processing request to the application.
Further, the processing request related to image processing from the outside is expressed in XML, and the second control program accepts the processing request related to image processing from the outside as data in XML format. To do.

  Further, the second control program converts a first conversion unit that extracts information indicating the processing request from the received XML format data, and converts the extracted information into a command corresponding to the first API. And a second conversion unit.

  Since the image processing apparatus according to the present invention has the second control program, for example, even after the apparatus is delivered to the user, the application is executed without changing the existing application. A new function that could not be performed can be executed from the outside using the second control program, the function expandability is improved, and the usability for the user is greatly improved.

  Then, in the conventional configuration in which the hardware resources, the first control program, and the application are systematically organized in this order, the second control program is located at the same layer as the application as viewed from the first control program. Basically, existing applications can be used as they are. As a result, for the developer of the image processing apparatus, when the second control program is arranged, it is not necessary to take steps to change or confirm the application, and the development period can be greatly shortened and the development burden can be reduced. Can be reduced.

Further, when an external processing request is for an application, the processing request is passed to the application.
Thereby, for example, the application can be activated from the outside, and a so-called remote function can be realized.
Furthermore, the processing request regarding the image processing from the outside is configured to be accepted in XML format data.

Thus, an external user can describe a processing request related to image processing of a job desired to be executed by the image processing apparatus using XML, which is very easy to handle.
In addition, the image processing apparatus includes a first conversion unit.
Thus, for example, a well-known SOAP can be used as a communication protocol between the outside and the image processing apparatus, and it is easy and easy to handle by an external user.

Embodiments of an MFP as an image processing apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
(1) Configuration of MFP FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a system configuration of the MFP 1.
As shown in the figure, the MFP 1 has a hierarchical structure of a device (hardware resource) 10 positioned at the lowest layer, a control layer 20 that directly controls the device 10, and an application layer 30 positioned above the control layer 20. It is a digital multi-function peripheral having a plurality of functions that execute an image processing job such as a scan job, a copy job, a print job, and a FAX job. Further, it is connected to an external device, here a PC (personal computer) 50, via a network (not shown) such as a LAN, and exchanges various data with each other using, for example, TCP / IP (Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol). Is possible.

The device 10 includes a printer 11 as an image forming unit, a scanner 12 as a reading unit, an operation panel 13 and an I / O 14.
Here, the printer 11 prints an image on paper based on image data by a known electrophotographic method. The scanner 12 is a known device that obtains image data by reading an image of a set original with a photoelectric conversion element such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device). The operation panel 13 includes an input key, a display as a display unit, and the like. The operation panel 13 receives key inputs from the operator and displays various messages on the display. The I / O 14 includes a CPU, a RAM, a ROM, a hard disk, an interface device (for example, NIC: Network Interface Card) with an external device, and the like.

  The control layer 20 includes a kernel 21, a module (IJC: Image Job Controller) 22 for controlling the operation of each device, and an interface module (IO: Input-Output) 23 for executing communication control with an external device. And an IO API, IJC API (hereinafter collectively referred to as “IO / IJC API”) 24, and functions as an OS (Operating System).

  Here, the IO / IJC API 24 is an API (application program interface) for providing the functions 31 to 36 of the application layer 30 with the functions of the IJC 22 and the IO 23 (that is, the function of the control layer 20). A collection of functions to be called when an application uses this function. That is, it has a function of accepting a processing request regarding image processing from each application by using these predefined functions.

The application layer 30 has access to the IO / IJC API 24 (calls (calls) any of the predefined functions as necessary) and operates a plurality of devices for actually operating the device. Application is included.
For example, the panel application 31 is an application for controlling the display display of the operation panel 13. Specifically, when key input information from the operation panel 13 is received via the control layer 20, a message or the like based on the input information is displayed on the display of the operation panel 13. For example, when information indicating that the copy start key has been pressed is received, a message “Copying” is displayed.

When the print application 32 is activated when a print job is executed, the print application 32 converts print data in PDL (Page Description Language) format from an external device into image data in bitmap format, and performs print processing based on the image data in the printer. 11 is executed.
When the scan application 33 is activated when a scan job is executed, the scanner application 12 causes the scanner 12 to read a document image (perform a scan operation) to obtain image data.

When the copy application 34 is activated when a copy job is executed, the copy application 34 causes the scanner 12 to read an original image and causes the printer 11 to execute print processing based on the obtained image data.
When the FAX application 35 is activated when a FAX job is executed, for example, at the time of FAX transmission, for example, the scanner 12 reads a document image, converts the obtained image data into facsimile data, and transmits the data to a designated destination. At the time of FAX reception, for example, the printer 11 is caused to execute print processing based on image data received from the outside.

The external API application 36 is a program that controls the operation of the device based on a processing request related to image processing from an external device, and includes an external API 361, an XML conversion unit 362, and an API conversion unit 363.
The external API 361 is an API for providing the function of the control layer 20 to the outside, and is a collection of functions that the PC 50 calls when using the function of the control layer 20. That is, it has a function of accepting a processing request related to image processing from an external device by using these predefined functions.

The external API 361 is disclosed in advance to general external users (for example, software developers), and the external user uses functions of the control layer 20 based on the published API. Software can be developed.
More specifically, the external user can use the public API to control what kind of command and parameters (for example, a command indicating a job to be executed, a job start instruction, etc., scan) To know what syntax should be used to describe the command, etc. (reading size and resolution in the case of a job, parameters indicating job execution conditions such as the number of copies in the case of a copy job). Can do.

  The external user transmits data describing the command or the like based on the syntax (here, data in XML (Extensible Markup Language) format, see FIG. 2) to the MFP 1 as data including a processing request related to image processing. By developing software and transmitting the XML data to the MFP 1 using the software, it is possible to cause a desired device to perform a desired operation.

  The external API 361 is a form in which a predetermined plurality of functions defined in the IO / IJC API 24 are combined into one, for example, an operation of a device is a function A, B, C in the IO / IJC API 24. Is defined by a function D in which the functions A, B, and C are combined (that is, the function D is a function for executing the functions A, B, and C).

  By expressing a certain operation as a single function in this way, for example, when the external user wants the device to execute the certain operation, if the function D is called from the PC 50, the functions A, B , C is called, and it is not necessary to use a plurality of commands, so that it is easy to handle and the software is easily developed. It should be noted that the function is used for one operation represented by one function.

As will be described later, the XML conversion unit 362 extracts a command or the like as information indicating a processing request from the XML data sent from the PC 50.
The API conversion unit 363 converts the command or the like extracted from the XML conversion unit 362 (processing request regarding image processing from the PC 50) into a predetermined data format that can be executed by the control layer 20, and passes the converted data to the control layer 20. Here, a well-known SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) is used as a communication protocol for XML data between the PC 50 and the external API application 36.

On the other hand, the PC 50 includes a PC main body, a display, a keyboard, a network interface, an SDK (Software Development Kit) 51, and the like (not shown). The SDK 51 is used by an external user for creating the software.
The “external API (XML)” indicated by a broken line at the boundary position between the host PC side and the MFP side indicates that the external API used by the PC 50 is handled by data described in XML. is there.

With the configuration including the external API application 36 as described above, even functions that cannot be performed by each application of the MFP 1 can be executed from the outside.
For example, the scanner 12 itself has the ability to read a document image at any of a plurality of reading resolutions, for example, 1200, 600, and 400 dpi (dot per inch). In the case of a configuration that does not have a function of accepting a selection input (for example, the minimum is fixed at 400 dpi), if the contents necessary for execution of a scan job specifying a reading resolution are disclosed as an external API 361, The external user can externally create software for performing processing for sending XML data including commands necessary for executing the scan job to the MFP 1, and can execute the scan job from the outside.

Hereinafter, a specific example of executing the scan job will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 2 shows that XML data created by an external user based on the published API and including a command for executing the scan job is transferred from the PC 50 to the control layer 20 via the external API application 36 of the MFP 1. It is the schematic diagram which illustrated a mode that it is converted until it is done.

  Here, the number of documents “1”, document size “A4”, document setting direction “portrait (vertical length)”, “color document”, reading resolution “600 (dpi)”, “Jpeg high compression”, An example in which a job having a file name “testfile” and a transmission destination (PC 50) of the read image data as “abc@minolta.co.jp” is executed is shown. The figure is an example in which only the portions necessary for the explanation are simplified so that the structure of the XML data can be easily understood. In practice, the number of commands and the like necessary for executing one job, There are more types than this, and various information such as a header is added as communication data.

As shown in block 1 of the figure, the PC 50 outputs XML data described with the contents of each item such as the document size of the scan job sandwiched between predetermined tags. Here, “scan” sandwiched between “message ID” tags corresponds to a command, and “destination” or the like sandwiched between “parameter” tags is a parameter corresponding to the command.
The XML data is sent to the XML conversion unit 362 of the external API application 36 via the IO 23 of the MFP 1 and converted into data shown in the block 2.

Specifically, the XML conversion unit 362 extracts a portion corresponding to a command or the like from the input XML data and a parameter corresponding thereto as information indicating a processing request. In this sense, the data shown in the block 2 is a data configuration example when the function “scan” disclosed as the external API 361 is called by the PC 50.
The data in block 2 is sent to the API conversion unit 363 and converted into a form (that is, a command corresponding to the IO / IJC API 24) that can be directly executed by the control layer 20 (block 3).

“Do_scan” and “scan_destination” in the data of the block 3 indicate functions for actually executing the scanning operation in the control layer 20, and the parameters in parentheses after that are the arguments of the functions.
In the control layer 20, when the above functions are called, they are executed. Specifically, the scanner 11 is caused to perform a document image reading operation based on the set reading conditions (document A4 size, reading resolution 600 dpi, etc.), and the read image data is used as a PC 50 as a set transmission destination. (Abc@minolta.co.jp).

  FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a data flow between the PC 50 and the MFP 1 when the scan job is executed. Here, of the arrows in the figure, the thin line indicates the operation executed when the IO / IJC API 24 is called, and the thick line indicates the operation executed when the external API 361 is called. The double line indicates image data. This also applies to FIGS.

When the external API application 36 receives an external API call for starting scanning from the PC 50 (S1), the external API application 36 transmits and receives XML data (data including the reading resolution shown in block 1 of FIG. 2) to and from the PC 50 (S2).
The external API application 36 issues a scanning operation instruction to the control layer 20 (S3), and when receiving a result of the instruction, for example, consent to start scanning (S4), notifies the PC 50 (S5). When the control layer 20 accepts that the job can be started (S6), it notifies the PC 50 (S7), and notifies the control layer 20 of reading conditions such as reading resolution, document size, and transmission destination. Etc. are notified (S8).

The control layer 20 starts a scanning operation based on reading conditions such as reading resolution, and sends image data to the external API application 36 via the IJC 22 (S9).
When the external API application 36 acquires image data from the control layer 20 (IJC 22), the external API application 36 transmits the image data to the PC 50 as a transmission destination via the IO 23 (S10).
When the external API application 36 subsequently accepts job termination (S11), it notifies the PC 50 to that effect (S12) and terminates the processing.

In this way, by transmitting commands and parameters necessary for the scan job from the PC 50 based on the published API, functions that cannot be executed by the scan application 33 without starting the scan application 33 can be executed from the outside. It becomes possible.
In the above, an example in which the scan application 33 is not activated has been described. However, if the scan application 33 is activated and the content necessary for executing a scan job for performing a scan operation is disclosed as an external API 361, the scan application 33 is externally scanned. It is also possible to execute a job. Hereinafter, an example in which the scan job is executed will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a data flow when the scan application 33 is activated to execute a scan job.
When the external API application 36 receives an external API call for starting scanning from the PC 50 via the IO 23 (when receiving a predetermined command for starting the scanning application 33 and executing a scanning operation) (S21), the PC 50 XML data (data indicating the document size and other reading conditions and transmission destination) is transmitted / received (S22), and the scan application 33 is requested to confirm the connection (S23). When the connection confirmation is made between the scan application 33 and the IO 23 (S24) and the connection confirmation result is notified (S25), the external API application 36 acquires the notification from the control layer 20 (S26).

  The external API application 36 issues a scanning operation instruction to the control layer 20 (S27), and upon receiving a result of the instruction, for example, consent to start scanning (S28), notifies the PC 50 (S29). When it is accepted that the job can be started (S30), the PC 50 is notified (S31), and the scanning application 33 is notified of the reading conditions such as the document size and the transmission destination (S32).

The scan application 33 starts a scanning operation based on a reading condition such as a document size and requests image data acquisition (S33). When the scan application 33 acquires image data from the control layer 20 (IJC22) (S34), The image data is subjected to processing such as predetermined compression, and the image data is transmitted to the transmission destination via the IO 23 (S35).
The external API application 36 receives information about the job execution status, for example, file conversion for transmission, transmission in progress, etc. (S36), and then accepts the end of the job (S37), and notifies the PC 50 (S38). The process is terminated.

  When the scan application 33 is activated and the scan operation is executed as described above, the scan application 23 controls the scanner 12 and executes the scan operation if an application activation command is transmitted from the outside. From the viewpoint of an external user, it is not necessary to instruct a series of operations from the start of reading a document image to transmitting the read image data to a set transmission destination using predetermined commands, etc. This makes it possible to easily execute a scan job from the outside.

Next, an example in which a print job is executed from the outside without starting the print application 32 will be described with reference to FIG. Also in this case, as described above, contents necessary for executing the print job when the print job is executed without starting the print application 32 are disclosed as the external API 361 in advance.
As shown in FIG. 5, when the external API application 36 receives an external API call for starting printing from the PC 50 (when receiving a predetermined command for executing a print operation without starting the print application 32) ( S41), image data is acquired from the PC 50 (S42). Then, XML data (for example, data indicating the paper size, the number of prints, etc. as print conditions) is transmitted / received to / from the PC 50 (S43).

The external API application 36 notifies the IJC 22 of the control layer 20 of a print instruction, print conditions such as paper size as necessary setting information (S44), and transmits image data (S45).
The control layer 20 controls the printer 11 to start a printing operation based on the received printing conditions and image data. In addition, the job execution status, for example, information such as printing or termination is sent to the external API application 36 (S46).

When the external API application 36 receives information indicating that printing is in progress from the control layer 20 and then receives information indicating the end of printing (S47), the external API application 36 notifies the PC 50 that the job has ended (S48) and ends the processing. .
In this way, if a command or the like for causing the printer 11 to execute printing is transmitted from the PC 50, data that cannot be handled by the print application 32 without starting the print application 32, for example, data in a bitmap format, is converted into image data. Can be directly transmitted from the PC 50 to the MFP 1 to execute printing, and data that can be handled on the PC 50 side is not limited by the print application 32, and in this sense, the function expandability is improved.

  In FIG. 2, the data configuration example in the case of the scan job has been described. Similarly, in the case of other print jobs, copy jobs, and the like, the XML format that includes commands, parameters, and the like for executing the job is similarly used. The data is sent from the PC 50 to the MFP 1 as data including a processing request related to image processing, converted into a command corresponding to the control layer 20 in the external API application 36, and passed to the control layer 20.

  As described above, the MFP 1 according to the present embodiment accepts XML data including a processing request related to image processing from the outside, and converts it into a command corresponding to the API of the control layer 20 (first control program). Since the external API application 36 (second control program) having a function of converting and passing to the control layer 20 is provided, the existing application is not changed even after the MFP 1 is delivered to the user. New functions that could not be executed by these applications, for example, a function for executing a scan job by specifying a reading resolution from the outside as described above, and executing a print job by transmitting data that cannot be handled by the print application 32 as image data The function to be executed can be executed, the function expandability is improved, and the usability for the user is greatly improved.

  In addition, in the conventional configuration in which the hardware resource 10, the control layer 20, and the application layer 30 are systematically organized in this order, an external API is located at the same layer as each of the applications 31 to 35 when viewed from the control layer 20. The application 36 may be added, and the existing application can be basically used as it is (no change is required). As a result, it is not necessary for the MFP developer to change the program of the application, check work, etc., so that the development period can be greatly shortened and the development burden can be reduced.

Furthermore, by adopting a configuration in which commands and the like can be described using XML, it is very easy for an external software developer to handle. Further, for the developer of the MFP 1, by using XML, it is possible to uniquely define the logical structure of data that should be accepted as a processing request from the outside, and there is an effect that the degree of freedom of design is widened.
The present invention is not limited to an image processing apparatus such as an MFP, and may be a program for causing a computer to execute the above-described processing. The program according to the present invention includes, for example, a magnetic disk such as a magnetic tape and a flexible disk, an optical recording medium such as a DVD, a CD-ROM, a CD-R, an MO, and a PD, Smart Media (registered trademark), COMPACTFLASH (registered trademark). ), Etc., can be recorded on various computer-readable recording media, and may be produced, transferred, etc. in the form of the recording medium, or in the form of a program on the Internet. May be transmitted and supplied via various wired and wireless networks, broadcasting, telecommunications lines, satellite communications, and the like.

(Modification)
As described above, the present invention has been described based on the embodiment. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and the following modifications may be considered.
(1) In the above embodiment, the processing request related to image processing is expressed using XML. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) or the like can be used. In this case, the data indicating the processing request regarding the image processing sent from the PC 50 to the MFP 1 is data described in the language, so that the external API application 36 can convert the data into data understandable by the control layer. Will be configured.

(2) In the above embodiment, the control layer 20 and the external API application 36 are handled as separate ones. However, for example, the external API application 36 may be handled as a part of the control layer 20.
(3) In the above embodiment, the MFP 1 and the PC 50 are connected via a network. However, the connection method is not limited as long as data such as the processing request can be communicated. It can also be.

  Further, although an example in which the present invention is applied to a digital copying machine has been described, the present invention can be applied to general image processing apparatuses that execute image processing jobs, such as scanners, printers, and facsimile machines.

  The image processing apparatus according to the present invention can execute an image processing function that cannot be executed by an application included in the image processing apparatus according to an instruction from the outside, and can be used for a copying machine, a scanner, a printer, and the like.

1 is a diagram illustrating a system configuration of an MFP 1. FIG. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating a state in which XML data including a command for executing a scan job specifying a reading resolution is converted from the PC 50 to the control layer 20 via the external API application 36 of the MFP 1. is there. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating a data flow between a PC and an MFP when executing the scan job. It is the schematic which showed the data flow in the case of starting the scan application 33 and performing a scan job. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a data flow when MFP 1 executes a print job for performing printing based on image data sent from PC 50. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

1 MFP
11 Printer 12 Scanner 13 Operation Unit 20 Control Layer 21 Kernel 22 IJC
23 IO
24 IO / IJC API
30 Application layer 32 Print application 33 Scan application 36 External API application 50 PC
361 External API
362 XML converter 363 API converter

Claims (4)

Hardware resources having at least one of an image forming unit, a reading unit, and a display unit;
A first control program located above the hardware resources;
An architecture comprising an application and a second control program positioned above the first control program;
The first control program is:
A first API (application program interface) that receives a processing request related to image processing from the application and the second control program by a predefined function, and performs processing based on the received processing request in the hardware Let the resource execute,
The second control program is:
The first control program has a second API for accepting a processing request related to image processing from the outside by a function disclosed in advance to the outside, and converts the accepted processing request into a command corresponding to the first API. An image processing apparatus. The first control program is:
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the processing request from the second control program is for the application, the processing request is passed to the application. The processing request related to image processing from the outside is expressed in XML,
The second control program is:
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a processing request related to image processing from the outside is received as data in XML format. The second control program is:
A first conversion unit for extracting information indicating the processing request from the received XML format data;
A second conversion unit that converts the extracted information into a command corresponding to the first API;
The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

Images