JP2005122448A - Information processor, image forming apparatus, equipment, image processing system, information processing method, image forming method, information processing program and recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information processor for making equipment designated as print destination execute print processing even when any failure is generated in the image processing function of the equipment. <P>SOLUTION: This information processor for executing predetermined image processing to image data designated as an object to be printed, and for making an image forming apparatus, which prints image data to which the predetermined image processing has been executed, print the image data is provided with an image processing specifying means which specifies the predetermined image processing to be executed by the image forming apparatus, a compatible equipment specifying means which specifies compatible equipment which is able to execute at least a part of image processing among the predetermined image processing among equipment connected through a network and a processing control means which makes the compatible equipment execute the image processing to at least a part of the image data, and which the image forming apparatus print the image data to which the image processing has been executed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, an image forming apparatus, an apparatus, an image processing system, an information processing method, an image forming method, an information processing program, and a recording medium. The present invention relates to an apparatus, an image processing system, an information processing method, an image forming method, an information processing program, and a recording medium.

  Image data printing processing in an image forming apparatus such as a printer (hereinafter referred to as “apparatus”) is roughly divided into image processing and output processing for image data. Image processing is processing whose main purpose is to improve the image quality of image data, and includes gamma (γ) correction and the like. The output process is a process mainly for printing the image data corrected by the image process on paper.

  Since image processing and output processing are closely related as a series of processes for realizing one print process, conventionally, the image process and the output process are collectively performed in one device designated as a print destination.

  However, when these processes are executed in one device at a time, if the image processing function fails in the device specified as the print destination, the output function of the device will function normally. Even if it is, there is a problem that the printing process itself cannot be executed.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and is an information processing capable of causing a device to execute print processing even when a failure has occurred in the image processing function of the device designated as the print destination. An image forming apparatus that prints image data obtained by causing the information processing apparatus to perform image processing on another apparatus, and an apparatus that performs image processing on the image data that the information processing apparatus causes the other apparatus to print. For the purpose of provision.

  Accordingly, in order to solve the above-described problem, the present invention executes predetermined image processing on image data designated as a print target and sets the image subjected to the predetermined image processing as described in claim 1. An information processing apparatus that prints image data on an image forming apparatus that prints data, and is connected to an image processing specifying unit that specifies the predetermined image processing executed in the image forming apparatus via a network Among the devices, compatible device specifying means for specifying compatible devices capable of executing at least a part of the predetermined image processing specified by the image processing specifying means, and the compatible device specification Causing the compatible device identified by the means to perform image processing on at least a part of the image data, and performing the image processing on the image data And having a process control means to print the image forming apparatus.

  In such an information processing apparatus, it is possible to cause a device different from the image forming apparatus serving as a printing destination to execute image processing. Therefore, even when a failure occurs in the image processing function of the image forming apparatus serving as a printing destination, The image forming apparatus can execute printing processing.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides, as described in claim 11, image processing means for executing predetermined image processing on image data designated as a print target, and the image processing means. Output means for printing the image data subjected to the predetermined image processing by the information processing apparatus, wherein the output means responds to a request from an information processing apparatus connected via a network. The processing apparatus prints image data obtained by executing at least a part of the predetermined image processing on a device other than the image forming apparatus for at least a part thereof.

  In such an image forming apparatus, it is possible to print image data that has been subjected to image processing in another device.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a device having image processing means for executing image processing on image data, wherein the image processing means is a network. In response to a request from the information processing apparatus connected via the image processing apparatus, the information processing apparatus performs the image processing on at least a part of the image data that causes the image forming apparatus other than the device to execute printing. Features.

  In such a device, image processing can be executed on image data to be printed by another device.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides an information processing method in the information processing apparatus, an information processing program for causing the information processing apparatus to execute the information processing method, or a recording medium on which the information processing program is recorded. It is good.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention may be an image forming method using the image forming apparatus and the apparatus.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention may be an image processing system including the information processing apparatus, the image forming apparatus, and the device.

  According to the present invention, even when a failure has occurred in the image processing function of a device designated as a printing destination, the information processing device capable of causing the device to execute print processing, and the information processing device to another device It is possible to provide an image forming apparatus that prints image data that has been subjected to image processing, and a device that performs image processing on image data that the information processing apparatus causes other devices to print.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of an image data management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, an image data management system 1 according to the present embodiment includes a client device 10 connected via a network 60 such as a LAN or the Internet, an image forming device 20, an image forming device 30, and an image forming device. 40 and the image forming apparatus 50 and the like (hereinafter simply referred to as “device” when referring to a device other than a specific device).

  The client device 10 is a computer such as a PC (Personal Computer) on which a display function, an editing function, and the like of image data stored in the image forming apparatus 20 are mounted. The image forming apparatus 20 or the like is a so-called multi-function machine or multi-function machine in which a multi-service such as a printer, a copy, a scanner, or a facsimile is mounted. The image forming apparatus 20 or the like can also store information read by the copy function or the scanner function and information received by the facsimile function as image data. Bibliographic information of image data is provided to the client device 10.

  In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the image forming apparatus 20 is a device that is used as a normal printing destination by the user of the client apparatus 10. It is assumed that other devices are not normally used as printing destinations by the user of the client device 10 for reasons such as being installed at a location away from the client device 10.

  Next, details of the client device 10 will be described. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration example of the client device according to the embodiment of the present invention. 2 includes a drive device 100, an auxiliary storage device 102, a memory device 103, an arithmetic processing device 104, and a network I / F (interface) device 105, which are connected to each other via a bus B. The input device 106 and the display device 107 are configured.

  An image data editing program for realizing processing in the client device 10 is provided by a recording medium 101 such as a CD-ROM. When the recording medium 101 in which the image data editing program is recorded is set in the drive device 100, the image data editing program is installed from the recording medium 101 into the auxiliary storage device 102 via the drive device 100. The auxiliary storage device 102 stores the installed image data editing program and also stores necessary files and data.

  The memory device 103 reads the image data editing program from the auxiliary storage device 102 and stores it when there is an instruction to start the image data editing program. The arithmetic processing device 104 executes functions related to the client device 10 in accordance with the image data editing program stored in the memory device 103. The network I / F device 105 includes, for example, a modem and a router, and is used for connecting to the network 30 in FIG.

  The input device 106 includes a keyboard and a mouse, and is used to input various operation instructions. The display device 107 displays a GUI (Graphical User Interface) or the like by an image data editing program.

  Next, the functional configuration of the image data management system 1 will be described. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a functional configuration example of the image data management system in the embodiment of the present invention.

  3, the client apparatus 10 includes a GUI unit 111, a document management unit 112, a document management DB 113, a process control unit 114, a condition management unit 115, which are realized by processing an image data editing program by the arithmetic processing unit 104. The apparatus includes a model information table 116, a device function information management unit 117, a device function information table 118, a device function information collection unit 119, a device control unit 120, and the like.

  The GUI unit 111 is for displaying a screen (GUI) for receiving input from the user. The user can perform operations on image data such as editing and printing instructions via a screen displayed on the display device 107 by the GUI unit 11.

  The document management unit 112 is a module that provides access means (registration, deletion, update, etc.) for image information (image data and bibliographic information of the image data) stored in the document management DB 113. The document management DB 113 is a database that manages image information downloaded from the image forming apparatus 20.

  The processing control unit 114 is a module that controls the entire image data printing process, and based on an instruction from the user detected by the GUI unit 111, a condition management unit 115, a device function information management unit 117, and device function information collection. The image data printing process is executed using the unit 119 and the device control unit 120.

  In response to a request from the processing control unit 114, the condition management unit 115 performs an image processing method (hereinafter referred to as “image”) that is executed in a device designated as a printing destination based on information registered in the model information table 116. This is a module for specifying the “processing method”) and notifying the processing control unit 114 of the image processing method.

  Here, image processing refers to processing performed on image data for the purpose of improving the image quality of the output image when printing the image data. For example, gamma correction and the like are typical examples.

  The model information table 116 is a list in which image processing methods executed in each model are registered for each model of device.

  The device function information management unit 117 is a module that provides an access means for the device function information table 118. The device function information table 118 is a table for managing information (hereinafter referred to as “device function information”) for identifying image processing executable in each device.

  The device function information collection unit 119 is a module for collecting device function information from each device.

  The device control unit 120 is a module for transmitting a request for a device by a SOAP message in response to a request from the processing control unit 114, the device function information collection unit 119, or the like. That is, the device control unit 120 generates method call information in a device corresponding to the request as XML format data (structure) based on a request from the processing control unit 114 and the like, and the XML format data is converted to SOAP. A message (SOAP request) is transmitted to the device. The device control unit 120 also receives a SOAP message (SOAP response) returned from the device as a response to the SOAP request, deserializes return information included in the SOAP response as data in the XML format, and the processing control unit 114 To return.

  On the other hand, the image forming apparatus 20 includes a repository service 21, a document storage unit 22, a device function information storage unit 23, an image processing unit 24, an output processing unit 25, and the like.

  The repository service 21 manages the image information stored in the document storage unit 22, the device function information stored in the device function information storage unit 23, etc., and the provision of the image information and the device function information and the image information are rewritten. The function is to provide a function such as reception of image information at the time as a Web service, and includes a device I / F unit 211, a data management unit 212, and the like. Here, the Web service refers to a service that executes a process requested in the SOAP message based on a SOAP message transmitted via a network and returns a result of the process as a SOAP message.

  The data management unit 212 is a module in which methods for providing image information and device function information stored in the document storage unit 22 and receiving image information to be written back are mounted. The device I / F unit 211 interprets (deserializes) the method call information included in the SOAP message (SOAP request) transmitted from the client device 10, and corresponds to the call information among the methods of the data management unit 212. This is a module for calling a method. The device I / F unit 211 also serializes return information such as a return value of the called method into XML format data, and transmits the XML format data to the client device 10 as a SOAP message (SOAP response).

  The document storage unit 22 is a storage area for storing image data read by the scanner function of the image forming apparatus 20 and the bibliographic information thereof.

  The device function information storage unit 23 is a storage area in which information (device function information) for identifying image processing executable in the image forming apparatus 20 is stored.

  The image processing unit 24 is a module for executing image processing such as gamma correction on the image data for the purpose of improving the image quality of the output image when printing the image data.

  The output processing unit 25 is a so-called engine unit in which a function for printing the image data subjected to the image processing by the image processing unit 24 on paper is mounted.

  In FIG. 3, the functional configuration example of the image forming apparatus 20 is displayed, but the other devices (devices 30, 40, and 50) in FIG. 1 have the same configuration. However, other devices do not necessarily have all the functions in the image forming apparatus 20. For example, the document storage unit 22 and the output processing unit 25 are not necessarily required in other devices. That is, the other device does not necessarily have to have a printer function, and may be replaced by mounting a program that realizes the function of the image processing unit 24 or the like in an information processing apparatus such as a PC.

  Hereinafter, the processing procedure of the image data management system 1 in FIG. 3 will be described. FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram for explaining image data printing processing in the image data management system.

  The user of the client device 10 edits the image data downloaded from the image forming device 20 and stored in the document management DB 113 on the image data editing screen displayed on the display device 107 by the image data editing program. Assuming that

  When the user instructs accumulation printing of image data to be edited (hereinafter referred to as “current data”) using a menu or the like on the editing screen, the GUI unit 111 detects the instruction from the user, The print destination device is specified and the process control unit 114 is requested to execute accumulated printing (S101).

  Here, the accumulation printing is a process of re-accumulating (writing back) the edited current data to the download source device and executing printing. In the present embodiment, since the current data to be printed is downloaded from the image forming apparatus 20, the write-back destination (print destination) is the image forming apparatus 20.

  Progressing to step S102 following step S101, when the processing control unit 114 inquires of the condition management unit 115 about the image processing method of the image forming apparatus 20 that is the printing destination, the condition management unit 115 stores the model information table 116. The image processing method of the image forming apparatus 20 is specified with reference (S103), and the specified image processing method is notified to the processing control unit 114 (S104).

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the model information table. The model information table 116 shown in FIG. 5 includes a model name and an image processing method as items. The model name is a name for identifying the model of the device. The image processing method is an image processing method for each model, but the value is specified by a number (image processing number) for identifying image processing. That is, in the present embodiment, “1” means gamma correction, and “2” means filtering. Therefore, it can be seen from the model information table 116 that gamma correction and filtering are performed for model A, filtering is performed for model B, and gamma correction is performed for model C.

  In the present embodiment, the model of the image forming apparatus 20 is model A. Accordingly, in step S103, the condition management unit 115 specifies that the image processing method of the image forming apparatus 20 is “1” and “2”.

  In this embodiment, gamma correction is performed based on a gamma table stored in the device. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a gamma table.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the gamma table 241 is a table that manages pixel values (correction values) obtained as a result of performing gamma correction on pixel values (column direction) from 0 to 255. . However, the correction value differs depending on a parameter (row direction) called notch. The notch is a parameter that defines the darkness of the output image when performing a document copying operation. The notch changes when the user changes the density at the time of copying from the operation panel of the device. Therefore, in the gamma table 241, the correction value is managed for each notch value.

  That is, the image processing unit 24 obtains a correction value after gamma correction from the pixel value and the notch value for each pixel of the image data to be printed, thereby performing gamma correction. Obtained image data is obtained. By using the gamma table 241, there is no need to calculate a correction value every time printing is performed, and the printing process can be speeded up.

  Filtering is a process for removing noise and the like from image data by applying a predetermined matrix to the image data, and is a concept including MTF correction and smoothing process.

  Progressing to step S105 following step S104, the process control unit 114 causes the device function information collection unit 117 to receive each device function information (what image processing is possible from each device connected to the network 60). ) Request to be collected.

  Progressing to step S106 following step S105, the device function information collection unit 119 issues a broadcast on the network 60, and receives a response from each device to the broadcast, whereby a device connected to the network 60 (hereinafter, referred to as a broadcast). , Referred to as “connected device”) (S107).

  Progressing to step S108 following step S107, the device function information collection unit 119 sends the device control unit 120 the device function of the device from one of the connected devices (hereinafter referred to as “current device”). Request to get information.

  Progressing to step S109 following step S108, the device control unit 120 serializes the call information for the device function information acquisition method of the data management unit 212 of the current device into XML format data (XML data), and includes the XML data. By sending a SOAP message (SOAP request) to the current device, the current device is requested to provide device function information.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a SOAP message for requesting provision of device function information. In the SOAP message 610 of FIG. 7, device function information acquisition method call information is described in a Body element 611 surrounded by <s: Body> tags. That is, “GetCapability” which is the tag name of the tag 612 is the method name of the device function information acquisition method. An Id element 613 surrounded by <Id> tags is an argument for the device function information acquisition method and indicates a session ID for identifying a session with the current device.

  Progressing to step S110 following step S109, when the device I / F unit 211 of the current device that has received the SOAP request calls the device function information acquisition method of the data management unit 212 based on the information included in the SOAP request. The data management unit 212 acquires device function information from the device function information storage unit 23 and outputs information including the acquired device function information to the device I / F unit 211 as return information of the device function information acquisition method. .

  Progressing to step S111 following step S110, the device I / F unit 211 serializes the return information output from the data management unit 212 into the XML format, and uses the SOAP message including the return information in the XML format as a SOAP response. 10 is transmitted.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a SOAP message including device function information. In the SOAP message 620 of FIG. 8, the Body element 621 describes various pieces of information constituting the return information of the device function information acquisition method as item elements surrounded by <item> tags. Each item element is composed of a PropName element surrounded by <PropName> tags and a PropVal element surrounded by <PropVal> tags. The PropName element is an element indicating the meaning of the information corresponding to the item element, and the PropVal element is an element indicating the value.

  For example, the item element 622 indicates that the device number of the current device is “ab-cd-ef-gh”. The item element 623 indicates that the current device can execute two types of image processing. The item element 624 and the item element 625 show the breakdown of the two types of image processing, respectively. That is, the item element 624 indicates that one of them is gamma correction, and the item element 625 indicates that the other is filtering.

  Progressing to step S112 following step S111, the device control unit 120 that has received the SOAP response extracts the device function information from the SOAP response, and outputs the extracted device function information to the device function information collection unit 119.

  Note that the processing from step S108 to step S112 is repeated for all connected devices (S113). Therefore, the device function information collection unit 119 collects device function information of each connected device.

  When the collection of the device function information of all the connected devices is completed, the process proceeds to step S114, and the device function information collection unit 119 requests the device function information management unit 117 to save the device function information. Progressing to step S115 following step S114, the device function information management unit 117 stores the device function information in the device function information table 118, and notifies the device function information collection unit 119 that the device function information has been stored normally (S116). ).

  Progressing to step S117 following step S116, the device function information collection unit 119 notifies the processing control unit 114 of the completion of collection of device function information.

  Proceeding to step S118 following step S117, the processing control unit 114 can perform at least a part of the image processing executed in the image forming apparatus 20 that is the printing destination with respect to the device function information management unit 117. The device function information management unit 117 is requested to provide device function information of a device (hereinafter referred to as “applicable device”). In step S104, the processing control unit 114 obtains that the image processing method of the image forming apparatus 20 is “1” and “2”, that is, gamma correction and filtering. A device capable of one or a device capable of both comma correction and filtering corresponds to a compatible device.

  Progressing to step S119 following step S118, the device function information management unit 117 refers to the device function information table 118 in which the function information of each device is stored, determines a compatible device, and uses the device function information table 118. Extract device function information of compatible devices.

  Progressing to step S120 following step S119, the device function information management unit 117 sends a list of device function information (device function information list) of compatible devices extracted from the device function information table 118 to the process control unit 114. Notice.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a device function information list of compatible devices. As shown in FIG. 9, the device function information list 1181 includes information such as a device name, a device ID, and an image processing function for each target device. The device name is a name given to each device to uniquely identify each device, and the device ID is an ID for uniquely identifying each device. In the present embodiment, the device ID is indicated by a character string in which the IP address of the device and the model name are connected by “_” (under bar). The image processing function indicates image processing that can be executed by each device by the image processing number described in FIG.

  It can be seen from the device function information list 1181 that the image forming apparatus 50 can perform gamma correction and filtering in the same manner as the image forming apparatus 20. Further, it can be seen that the image forming apparatus 30 can only perform gamma correction, and the image forming apparatus 40 can only perform filtering.

  Progressing to step S121 following step S120, the processing control unit 114 determines the allocation of each page to each device in order to cause each compatible device to share image processing for each page of the current data. This allocation may be performed according to the definition of an allocation method defined in a predetermined file (hereinafter referred to as “allocation method definition file”), for example.

  In sharing image processing among the devices, it is desirable that image processing similar to the image processing executed at the printing destination is performed on all pages. For example, in the present embodiment, the image forming apparatus 20 is a printing destination, but it is considered that the user expects the current data to be printed with the image quality obtained by the image processing in the image forming apparatus 20. Because it is.

  Therefore, for a device that can execute only a part of the required image processing (in this embodiment, gamma correction and filtering), a pair is formed between devices that are complementary to each other. A series of image processing may be executed. However, it is highly possible that the processing efficiency of the entire system can be improved by reducing the number of pages allocated to such a set.

  Considering the transfer of image data, etc., it is expected that the processing will be completed in a shorter time if more pages are processed by a device having a high degree of executable image processing than the required image processing. Because it is done.

  In the present embodiment, the image forming apparatus 30 and the image forming apparatus 40 can make one set. Assuming that the assignment to this set is half that of other devices, the assignment by the image forming apparatus 20, the image forming apparatus 30 and the image forming apparatus 40 to the image forming apparatus 50 is 2: 1: 2. It becomes. When the current data consists of 10 pages, it is divided into 4 pages, 2 pages, and 4 pages. In the set, after the gamma correction for 2 pages is executed by the image forming apparatus 30, the image forming apparatus 40 performs 2 Filtering is performed on the page.

  In this case, the assignment method definition file indicates that the image forming apparatus 30 and the image forming apparatus 40 form a pair, the ratio of assignment to each device or pair, and an image after processing by the image forming apparatus 30. It may be defined that processing is performed in the forming apparatus 40.

  If the order of image processing does not affect the print image, weighting may be performed according to the number of image processing that can be performed on the required image processing. In this case, the assignment to the image forming apparatuses 20, 30, 40, and 50 is 2: 1: 1: 2. When the current data consists of 12 pages, it is divided into 4 pages, 2 pages, 2 pages, 4 pages, and after image processing is executed in parallel in the image forming apparatus 30 and the image forming apparatus 40, respectively. Then, the image data is replaced, and the remaining image processing is further executed in each.

  In this case, the allocation method definition file may define the ratio of allocation to each device and the fact that the image data of the image forming apparatus 30 and the image forming apparatus 40 are replaced after each processing.

  Further, various allocation methods such as weighting considering the load of each image processing, and excluding a device in which a failure has occurred in the image processing unit 24 are considered. That is, image processing may be shared by a method optimum for the system in consideration of the system configuration and the nature of the image processing.

  Proceeding to step S122 following step S121, the process control unit 114 assigns the device control unit 120 to one device among the compatible devices (hereinafter referred to as “current device”). To request the execution of image processing of a new page (hereinafter referred to as “assignment page”).

  Progressing to step S123 following step S122, the device control unit 120 serializes the call information and the allocation page for the image processing method of the data management unit 212 of the current device into XML format data (XML data), and the XML data. Is sent to the current device to request the current device to execute image processing on the assigned page.

  When the device I / F unit 211 of the current device that has received the SOAP request calls the image processing method of the data management unit 212 based on the information included in the SOAP request, the process proceeds to step S124 following step S123. The management unit 212 causes the image processing unit 24 to perform image processing on the allocation page, and the device I / F unit 211 uses the allocated page that has been subjected to image processing (hereinafter referred to as “processed page”) as return information of the image processing method. Output for.

  Progressing to step S125 following step S124, the device I / F unit 211 serializes the processed page output from the data management unit 212 to the XML format, and uses a SOAP message including the processed page in the XML format as a SOAP response. It transmits to the client device 10.

  In step S126 following step S125, the device control unit 120 that has received the SOAP response extracts the processed page from the SOAP response and outputs the extracted processed page to the processing control unit 114.

  Progressing to step S127 following step S126, the process control unit 114 stores the acquired processed page in a predetermined position of the auxiliary storage device 102.

  Note that the processing from step S122 to step S126 is repeated for at least all compatible devices (S128). However, for processed data processed by a device that can execute only a part of the required image processing, image processing by a device complementary to the device is further executed. For example, in the present embodiment, the processed data that has been processed (gamma correction) by the image forming apparatus 30 is further subjected to image processing (filtering) by the image forming apparatus 40.

  When the image processing for all pages is completed, the process proceeds to step S129, and the processing control unit 114 requests the device control unit 120 to execute storage printing of current data to the printing destination device (image forming apparatus 20). Instruct them to do so. At this time, the current data is used as data for writing back, and the data (hereinafter referred to as “processed data”) in which all pages are image-processed and stored in a predetermined position in the auxiliary storage device 102 is used for printing. The data is delivered to the device control unit 120 as data.

  In step S130 following step S129, the device control unit 120 serializes the call information, current data, and processed data for the storage print method of the data management unit 212 of the image forming apparatus 20 into XML data, and converts the XML data into the XML data. A SOAP message including the SOAP request is transmitted to the image forming apparatus 20 to request the image forming apparatus 20 to execute accumulated printing.

  Progressing to step S131 following step S130, when the device I / F unit 211 of the image forming apparatus 20 that has received the SOAP request calls the accumulated print method of the data management unit 212 based on the information included in the SOAP request. The data management unit 212 writes the current data back to the document storage unit 22 and causes the output processing unit 25 to print the processed data, thereby indicating information indicating the result of printing (success / failure) (hereinafter, “print result”). Is output to the device I / F unit 211.

  Progressing to step S132 following step S131, the device I / F unit 211 serializes the print result output from the data management unit 212 into the XML format, and uses a SOAP message including the print result in the XML format as a SOAP response. 10 is transmitted.

  In step S133 following step S132, the device control unit 120 that has received the SOAP response extracts the print result from the SOAP response, and outputs the extracted print result to the processing control unit 114.

  Progressing to step S134 following step S133, when the processing control unit 114 notifies the GUI unit 111 of the acquired print result, the GUI unit 111 displays, for example, a dialog for notifying the user of the print result. The user can confirm the success or failure of the print result by referring to the dialog.

  As described above, according to the image data management system 1 of the present embodiment, devices other than the image forming apparatus 20 that is the printing destination share image processing equivalent to the image processing executed by the image forming apparatus 20. Therefore, even when a failure has occurred in the image processing unit 24 of the image forming apparatus 20 that is the printing destination, the image forming apparatus 20 has the same image quality as when the image forming apparatus 20 executes image processing. Can execute the printing process.

  Further, even when there is no failure in the image forming unit 20 and the image processing unit 24, if the number of pages of image data to be printed is large, etc. It is possible to reduce the time required for the entire processing.

  In FIG. 4, the process for collecting device function information (device function information collection process) does not necessarily have to be executed at the timing in S105 to S117, and the process for identifying a compatible device (S118 to S120). ) Any time before that. Therefore, the device function information collection process may be performed periodically regardless of the print instruction from the user. FIG. 10 shows a flowchart extracted from the device function information collection processing from FIG.

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart for explaining the device function information collection processing.

  In step S201, processing for confirming the connected device is executed. This processing corresponds to the processing from step S105 to step S107 in FIG.

  Progressing to step S203 following step S202, device function information is acquired from each connected device. This processing corresponds to the processing from step S108 to step S113 in FIG.

  Progressing to step S204 following step S203, a list of device function information collected from each connected device is stored in the device function information table, and the device function information collection process ends. This processing corresponds to the processing from step S114 to step S117 in FIG.

  The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, but the present invention is not limited to such specific embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the gist of the present invention described in the claims.・ Change is possible.

It is a figure which shows the structural example of the image data management system in embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the hardware structural example of the client apparatus in embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the function structural example of the image data management system in embodiment of this invention. FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram for explaining image data printing processing in the image data management system. It is a figure which shows the structural example of a model information table. It is a figure which shows the example of a gamma table. It is a figure which shows the example of the SOAP message for requesting provision of apparatus function information. It is a figure which shows the example of the SOAP message containing apparatus function information. It is a figure which shows the example of the apparatus function information list of the apparatus which can respond. It is a flowchart for demonstrating an apparatus function information collection process.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image data management system 10 Client apparatus 20, 30, 40, 50 Image forming apparatus 21 Repository service 22 Document storage part 23 Device function information storage part 24 Image processing part 25 Output processing part 60 Network 100 Drive apparatus 101 Recording medium 102 Auxiliary storage Device 103 Memory device 104 Arithmetic processing device 105 Network I / F device 106 Input device 107 Display device 111 GUI unit 112 Document management unit 113 Document management DB
114 Processing control unit 114
115 Condition Management Unit 116 Model Information Table 117 Device Function Information Management Unit 118 Device Function Information Table 119 Device Function Information Collection Unit 120 Device Control Unit 211 Device I / F Unit 212 Data Management Unit B Bus

Claims (28)

An information processing apparatus that executes predetermined image processing on image data designated as a printing target and causes the image forming apparatus that prints the image data subjected to the predetermined image processing to print the image data.
Image processing specifying means for specifying the predetermined image processing executed in the image forming apparatus;
Corresponding device identification that identifies devices that can execute at least a part of the predetermined image processing identified by the image processing identification unit among devices connected via a network Means,
Processing control means for causing the compatible device specified by the compatible device specifying means to execute image processing on at least a part of the image data, and causing the image forming apparatus to print the image data subjected to the image processing; An information processing apparatus comprising: The processing control means includes all the image processing executed in the image forming apparatus in the compatible device capable of executing all of the predetermined image processing executed in the image forming apparatus. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The processing control unit causes the compatible device that can execute only a part of the predetermined image processing executed in the image forming apparatus to execute the part of the image processing. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2. The processing control unit causes the corresponding device that can execute only a part of the predetermined image processing executed in the image forming apparatus to execute the part of the image processing. 4. The compatible device other than the capable device is caused to execute the remaining image processing excluding the partial image processing from the predetermined image processing executed in the image forming apparatus. The information processing apparatus described. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing control unit causes the compatible device to execute image processing on at least a part of the pages of the image data. The processing control unit determines the number of pages to be executed by the compatible device according to the degree of image processing that can be executed by the compatible device for the predetermined image processing executed by the image forming apparatus. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein: For each model of the image forming apparatus, there is a model-specific image processing method management means for managing image processing identification information for identifying image processing executed in the model,
The image processing specifying means performs the predetermined image processing executed in the image forming apparatus based on the image processing identification information managed by the model of the image forming apparatus and the model-specific image processing method management means. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information processing apparatus is specified. From the image forming apparatus and the device, there is provided device function information collecting means for collecting device function information for identifying image processing executable in the image forming device and the device,
The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the compatible device specifying unit specifies the compatible device based on the device function information collected by the device function information collecting unit. . Based on the request from the device function information collecting unit, the image formation is performed by transmitting a first structure in which a transmission request for the device function information is described as an element to each of the image forming apparatus and the device. 9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a device control unit that receives the device function information from the device and the device. The information processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the device control unit receives a second structure in which the device function information is described as an element as a response to the first structure. An image forming apparatus comprising: an image processing unit that executes predetermined image processing on image data designated as a print target; and an output unit that prints the image data subjected to the predetermined image processing by the image processing unit. There,
In response to a request from an information processing apparatus connected via a network, the output unit sends at least one part of the predetermined image processing to another device other than the image forming apparatus for at least part of the information processing apparatus. An image forming apparatus that prints image data that has been executed by a copy unit. The device function information is transmitted from the information processing device based on a first structure in which a device function information transmission request for identifying image processing executable in the image forming apparatus is described as an element. 12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising a device function information providing unit that transmits a second structure described as an element to the information processing apparatus. A device having image processing means for performing image processing on image data;
In response to a request from an information processing apparatus connected via a network, the image processing unit is configured to perform processing on at least a part of image data that causes the image processing apparatus to execute printing on another image forming apparatus other than the apparatus. A device that performs image processing. Based on the first structure in which the transmission request of the device function information for identifying the image processing executable in the device that is transmitted from the information processing apparatus is described as the element, the device function information is used as the element. 14. The device according to claim 13, further comprising device function information providing means for transmitting the described second structure to the information processing apparatus. An image forming apparatus that executes predetermined image processing on image data designated as a print target, prints the image data subjected to the predetermined image processing, and information processing that causes the image forming apparatus to print the image data An image processing system having an apparatus and a device connected to the information processing apparatus via a network,
The information processing apparatus includes:
Image processing specifying means for specifying the predetermined image processing executed in the image forming apparatus;
Among the devices, compatible device specifying means for specifying compatible devices capable of executing at least a part of the predetermined image processing specified by the image processing specifying means;
Processing control means for causing the compatible device specified by the compatible device specifying means to execute image processing on at least a part of the image data, and causing the image forming apparatus to print the image data subjected to the image processing; An image processing system comprising: An information processing method in an information processing apparatus that executes predetermined image processing on image data designated as a print target and causes the image forming apparatus that prints the image data subjected to the predetermined image processing to print the image data. And
An image processing specifying procedure for specifying the predetermined image processing executed in the image forming apparatus;
Corresponding device identification that identifies devices that can execute at least a part of the predetermined image processing identified in the image processing identification procedure among devices connected via a network Procedure and
An image processing instruction procedure for causing the compatible device identified in the compatible device identification procedure to perform image processing on at least a part of the image data;
An information processing method comprising: a print instruction procedure for causing the image forming apparatus to print the image data subjected to the image processing in the image processing instruction procedure. The image processing instruction procedure includes all the images executed in the image forming apparatus in the compatible device capable of executing all of the predetermined image processes executed in the image forming apparatus. The information processing method according to claim 16, wherein processing is executed. In the image processing instruction procedure, the corresponding device that can execute only a part of the predetermined image processing executed in the image forming apparatus is caused to execute the part of the image processing. The information processing method according to claim 16 or 17. The image processing instruction procedure is performed when the corresponding device that can execute only a part of the predetermined image processing executed in the image forming apparatus performs the part of the image processing. The remaining devices other than the corresponding devices are caused to execute the remaining image processing excluding the partial image processing from the predetermined image processing executed in the image forming apparatus. 18. The information processing method according to 18. 20. The information processing method according to claim 16, wherein the image processing instruction procedure causes the compatible device to execute image processing on at least some pages of the image data. In the image processing instruction procedure, the number of pages that cause the compatible device to execute image processing is determined according to the degree of image processing that can be executed in the compatible device for the predetermined image processing executed in the image forming apparatus. 21. The information processing method according to claim 20, wherein the information is determined. The information processing according to any one of claims 16 to 21, wherein the image processing specifying procedure specifies the predetermined image processing executed in the image forming apparatus based on a model of the image forming apparatus. Method. Further comprising a device function information collection procedure for collecting device function information for identifying image processing executable in each of the image forming device and the device from the image forming device and the device;
The information processing method according to any one of claims 16 to 22, wherein the compatible device specifying procedure specifies the compatible device based on the device function information collected in the device function information collection procedure. Method. The device function information collection procedure includes a device function information request procedure for transmitting a first structure in which a transmission request for the device function information is described as an element to each of the image forming apparatus and the device;
24. The information processing method according to claim 23, further comprising: a device function information reception procedure for receiving the device function information from the image forming apparatus and the device as a response to the first structure. The information processing method according to claim 24, wherein the device function information reception procedure receives a second structure in which the device function information is described as an element as a response to the first structure. An image forming method using a plurality of devices,
In response to a request from an information processing apparatus connected to the plurality of devices via a network, one device of the plurality of devices performs image processing on at least a part of the image data specified in the request. Image processing procedure to be executed;
An image forming method, comprising: a printing procedure in which another device different from the one device prints image data subjected to image processing in the image processing procedure in response to a request from the information processing apparatus. . An information processing apparatus that executes predetermined image processing on image data designated as a print target and causes the image forming apparatus that prints the image data subjected to the predetermined image processing to print the image data.
An image processing specifying procedure for specifying the predetermined image processing executed in the image forming apparatus;
Corresponding device identification that identifies devices that can execute at least a part of the predetermined image processing identified in the image processing identification procedure among devices connected via a network Procedure and
An image processing instruction procedure for causing the compatible device identified in the compatible device identification procedure to perform image processing on at least a part of the image data;
An information processing program for executing a print instruction procedure for causing the image forming apparatus to print the image data subjected to the image processing in the image processing instruction procedure. An information processing apparatus that executes predetermined image processing on image data designated as a print target and causes the image forming apparatus that prints the image data subjected to the predetermined image processing to print the image data.
An image processing specifying procedure for specifying the predetermined image processing executed in the image forming apparatus;
Corresponding device identification that identifies devices that can execute at least a part of the predetermined image processing identified in the image processing identification procedure among devices connected via a network Procedure and
An image processing instruction procedure for causing the compatible device identified in the compatible device identification procedure to perform image processing on at least a part of the image data;
A computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon an information processing program for executing a printing instruction procedure for causing the image forming apparatus to print image data subjected to the image processing in the image processing instruction procedure.

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