JP2005197856A - Document processing apparatus and system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To facilitate setting of each of many document processing modes and to decrease the quantity of whole program groups for setting the processing modes. <P>SOLUTION: A document processing apparatus is disclosed which is provided with a "planning section" in charge of setting of the processing modes, and an "execution section" in charge of the execution wherein each section shares jobs. Concretely, the document processing apparatus is provided with: input means 8, 9, 17, 18, a4 for a user to designate a source (From) and a destination (To) of electronization data of a document; means 1, a1R for determining an execution process (scenario) in the processing mode using a document or electronization data handling function through transfer routes 2, 7, 6 at the designated source, the designated destination and between them; and execution means 1, a1D, a2, a3, a5, b for giving a command to execute the determined process to the source, the destination (To) and the transmission routes. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a document input / output processing application of an apparatus or system for inputting / outputting a document and / or an electronic document (document data, drawing data, computer graphics data, image data, etc.). The apparatus or system communicates, for example, a multi-function image forming apparatus that has an image reading function, an image printing function, a document reception function, and a document transmission function, or that can be combined or exchanged as necessary, or these functional units or apparatuses. An image forming system connected by a network.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-91187 proposes a system for editing, printing, and sorting documents created by a plurality of applications.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-120202 proposes a mechanism for centrally managing documents having different data formats.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-315130 proposes an apparatus capable of combining and outputting information input from a plurality of input sources in a desired order.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-112865 divides an application layer of document processing into an application part that realizes functions such as copy, fax, scanner, and printer and a service part that controls equipment such as a scanning device, a printing device, and a communication device. In addition, a system with excellent extensibility and reusability, in which processing for all documents and processing for each page is separated in the application part, and a function that adds or deletes user pages to a user document for which processing has been requested has been added. Presenting.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-314731 discloses a document processing application layer, an application part that realizes functions such as a copy, a fax, a scanner, and a printer, and a device such as a scanning device, a printing device, and a communication device. It is divided into service parts to be controlled. Furthermore, it describes that documents, pages, owners, and servers are extracted as a common structure in an image input / output device and made into a framework, and the efficiency of document processing application development is improved by selectively incorporating the framework for each application. ing.

  An example of a multifunction image forming apparatus that is one form of a document processing apparatus is shown in FIG. This multi-function image forming apparatus has a built-in CPU 1 as a main part of a microcomputer for centrally controlling each part. The CPU 1 is connected via the image bus 2 to a ROM 3 that stores fixed data such as programs in advance, a RAM 4 that stores various data in a rewritable manner, and an NVRAM 5 that is a nonvolatile RAM that stores the data without erasure. Has been. The image bus 2 includes a communication control unit 7 that is connected to the network 6, an operation panel 9 that has an LCD touch panel that controls an interface with the user via the panel control unit 8, a document image reading mechanism (scan engine), and It is used for storing and storing image data, control programs, etc. via a scanner unit 15 having an engine control unit, a printing mechanism (print engine) for forming an image on a sheet and a printer unit 16 having an engine control unit, and a disk driver 12. A storage device 13 that is an HDD, an image memory MEM (memory module; hereinafter simply described as MEM) 10, an image data processing unit IPP (image processing processor; hereinafter simply referred to as IPP) 11, and a public line, etc. A modem 14 that enables data communication with the device is connected. That. The printer unit 16 is assembled with a stamper 20 that performs stamp printing on the printing paper, a puncher 22 that punches the printing paper, a stapler 24 that binds the printing paper, a stacker 26 that stacks the printing paper, and a sorter 28 that sorts the printing paper. It has been.

  The RGB image data read by the scanner unit 15 is subjected to image processing for correcting reading distortion such as scanner gamma correction and filter processing by the IPP 11 and then stored in the MEM 10. When printing out the image data of the MEM 10, the RGB signal is converted into a YMCK signal in the IPP 11, and when necessary, scaling is performed, and gradation processing such as printer gamma conversion, gradation conversion, and dither processing or error diffusion processing is performed. Perform image quality processing. The image data after the image quality processing is transferred to the printer unit 16 directly from the IPP 11 or via the MEM 10. The printer unit 16 performs laser control on the tone-processed signal by pulse width and power modulation to form a reproduced image on the transfer paper.

  A control program stored in the storage device 13 of the multifunction image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is read from the storage device 13 and expanded in the RAM 4, and the CPU 1 operates based on the control program in the RAM 4. As shown in FIG. 2, the control program has a structure roughly divided into two layers including an application layer a and a hardware control layer b. The application layer a is a layer that forms applications for various functions such as copy, fax, scanner, and printer. This application layer a is composed of functional blocks of a document manager a1, a service manager a2, a device manager a3, an operation manager a4, and a database manager a5.

  The document manager a1 is a functional block serving as the center of an application for handling, ie managing, a document in accordance with a scenario such as copying, faxing, scanner, or printer.

  The service manager a2 is a functional block necessary for each function when handling a document, and manages and executes various services, that is, data processing.

  The device manager a3 manages and executes various devices, that is, operation management, and includes a scanner unit 15, IPP11, MEM10, storage device 13, printer unit 16, modem 14, communication control unit 7, image bus 2, and the like. It is a functional block that determines the operation of the device.

  The operation manager a4 is a functional block for controlling the operation panel 9 described above, and performs display of buttons on the LCD touch panel, notification of button operations, notification of alerts, and the like.

  The database manager a5 maintains and manages permanent data such as fonts, fixed form, facsimile reception history, usage history, and stored documents.

  The hardware control layer b is a layer configured by various functional blocks (drivers) for executing drive control of each device that can be controlled by the CPU 1. As controllable devices, scanner unit 15, printer unit 16, stamper 20, puncher 22, stapler 24, stacker 26, sorter 28, image bus 2, ROM 3, RAM 4, NVRAM 5, communication control unit 7, MEM 10, IPP 11, storage device 13, modem 14 etc. exist.

  FIG. 19 shows a management target of the conventional document manager a1. The conventional document manager a1 manages documents and pages according to the classification of applications such as copy, fax, scanner, and printer, that is, the document input / output processing type. Conventionally, a scanner unit 15, a printer unit 16, a communication control unit 7, a modem 14 as input / output devices, and a data processing function or device for inputting document data or outputting document data, an IPP 11, a MEM 10, and a storage device 13 is a block unit that satisfies both the transfer function, the data processing capacity, and the speed of the transfer of document data between the data processing function or device IPP11, MEM10, and storage device 13. Recently, with the addition of electronic data transmission / reception via a communication network, document input / output processing types, document input / output functions and data processing functions and data processing devices related to the execution of such processing have been added. Variety of combination and processing progress There is a wide, document management has become complicated in various applications.

  In a recent multi-function copying machine or system, a plurality of applications have enormous functions, and it is very difficult to understand all the functions. In addition, these functions have similar purposes, and there are many cases in which there are duplications in the functions, and there is an increase in duplicate document management among various applications executed by the document manager a1, and the document manager a1. The programs that run are getting bigger. As a result, there are many situations in which some users do not use the functions provided. Moreover, from the standpoint of the development side, it has fallen into an inefficient situation in which duplicate functions (programs) having similar purposes are individually developed, and development costs only increase.

  The first object of the present invention is to simplify the setting of each mode among many document processing modes, and to reduce the overall size of a program for setting many document processing modes. Second purpose.

  In summary, the document processing apparatus of the present invention includes a “planning unit” responsible for planning or setting a document processing plan, that is, a processing mode, and an “execution unit” responsible for execution. By sharing the work at each location, the complexity of the setting that occurs when setting the document processing mode is distributed. More specifically, the document processing apparatus of the present invention is as follows.

(1) Input means (8, 9, 17, 18, a4) for the user to specify the origin (From) and destination (To) of the digitized data of the document;
Document of the document processing mode using the document or digitized data handling function of the origin (From) and destination (To) designated by the input means and the digitized data transfer route (2, 7, 6) between them Means (1, a1R) for determining an execution process (scenario); and
Execution means (1, a1D, a2, a3, a5, b) for giving a command for executing the determined process to the origin (From), the destination (To) and the transfer route (2, 7, 6);
A document processing apparatus comprising:

  In order to facilitate understanding, the corresponding elements, equivalent elements, symbols of corresponding matters or corresponding matters of the embodiments shown in the drawings and described later are shown in parentheses for reference. The same applies to the following.

  Regarding document processing, creating a “plan” of document processing and “execution” of document processing in accordance with the plan are always present in an application that performs document processing. Therefore, all applications that perform document processing can be realized by these two operations. That is, in any application such as a copy / fax / scanner / printer, the document processing can be divided into the two operations described above, and the document processing can be realized with the same configuration. The transfer route can be determined by the origin (From) and destination (To) of the digitized data, and the image reading and printing can be performed by the processing function of the document or digitized data of each device at the origin (To) and destination (To). , Copying, facsimile transmission, Internet transmission, computerized data storage, that is, a document processing mode is determined, and an execution process of the processing mode is determined by setting processing conditions for a source (From) and a destination (To). As a result, it is possible to efficiently develop a document processing apparatus as compared to developing each application, and it is possible to secure a quality level, reduce the number of developers, and shorten the development period.

(2) Input means (8, 9, 17, 18, a4) for the user to specify the origin (From) and destination (To) of the digitized data of the document;
A document scanner (15), which is a kind of the source, which reads an image on a document and generates image data which is a kind of the digitized data;
A printer (16) as a kind of destination (To) for forming an image represented by image data as a kind of digitized data on paper;
Document processing mode using the document or digitized data handling function of the source (From) and destination (To) designated by the input means and the transfer route (2, 7, 6) of the digitized data between them Means (1, a1R) for determining an execution process (scenario); and
Execution means (1, a1D, a2, a3, a5, b) for giving a command for executing the determined process to the origin (From), the destination (To) and the transfer route (2, 7, 6);
A document processing apparatus comprising:

  In addition to the effect of (1), the document can be copied by designating the document scanner (15) as the source (From) and the printer (16) as the destination (To). When connected to a communication network, the document scanner (15) is designated as a source (From), another device connected to the communication network is designated as a destination (To), and the document scanner (15 ) Can be transmitted, another device connected to the communication network is designated as the source (From), and the printer (16) is designated as the destination (To). Print data can be received and printed out.

  (3) In the means (1, a1R) for determining the execution process, the processing conditions given by the user in the document processing mode conflict with the document of the source (From) and the destination (To) and the electronic data handling function. When the document is not accepted, the document processing apparatus according to (1) or (2) is notified.

  Although there are many variations in the processing functions of the document or digitized data of each device of the source (From) and the destination (To), there are some functions that cannot be realized simultaneously due to their contents. For example, the functions such as “sort” and “stack” at the destination (To) are both functions for designating the paper arrangement order, and both functions cannot be realized at the same time. In addition, there are combinations in which monochrome output / color output of a document scanner serving as a source (From) and monochrome printing / color printing of a printer serving as a destination (To) cannot be realized simultaneously. The means (1, a1R) for determining the execution process avoids the use setting of such conflicting functions, accepts only the setting without any contradiction, and creates an executable processing mode.

  If you allow inconsistent settings, you can see that the function cannot be realized until you execute it, and the result will be unintended by the user. There are many inconveniences. According to the present embodiment, the operability of the user is improved by suppressing in advance the setting of functions that cannot be realized at the same time.

  (4) The means (1, a1R) for determining the execution process cannot accept the processing condition when the execution consideration amount information in the document processing mode of the processing condition given by the user exceeds use permission amount information for the user. The document processing apparatus according to any one of (1) to (3) above.

  According to this, by giving the usage permission amount information to the user, it is possible to limit the user's use of the device.

  (5) The means (1, a1R) for determining the execution process is configured such that when the use of the origin (From) or the destination (To) specified by the user exceeds the use authority of the user, the origin (From) or destination The document processing apparatus according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein the user is notified of the unusable (To).

  According to this, by giving the user authority to use, the user's access to the document or the digitized data can be restricted, and the security of the document or the digitized data that can be handled by the document processing apparatus, in particular, the communication with this apparatus. When connecting to a network and accessing another device, the security of the digitized data of the other device can be ensured.

(6) Communication network (6: LAN / Internet / facsimile exchange network);
A computer (PC 1 to 3, DS 1) that transmits and receives digitized data to and from the communication network; and
The document processing apparatus according to any one of (1) to (5), wherein electronic data is transmitted to and received from the communication network;
Including document processing system.

  According to this, it is possible to transmit digitized data via a communication network from the computer to the document processing apparatus and from the document processing apparatus to the computer. The effect described in any of (5) can be obtained.

(7) Communication network (6: LAN / Internet / facsimile exchange network);
Input means for the user to specify the origin (From) and destination (To) of the digitized data of the document, the origin (From) and destination (To) designated by the input means, and the digitized data between them Means for determining a document processing mode using a document or digitized data handling function of a transfer route (2, 7, 6) including the communication network, and a command for executing the determined processing mode. Execution means for giving to the source (From) via the computer (PC1 to PC3) for receiving the digitized data from the communication network; and
Document scanners (CS1, BC1, CC1) that read an image on a document in response to the command, generate image data, and transmit the image data to the destination (To) included in the command via the communication network;
Including document processing system.

(8) Communication network (6: LAN / Internet / facsimile exchange network);
Input means for the user to specify the origin (From) and destination (To) of the digitized data of the document, the origin (From) and destination (To) designated by the input means, and the digitized data between them Means for determining a document processing mode that uses a document or digitized data handling function of a transfer route (2, 7, 6) including the communication network, and a command for executing the determined processing mode. A computer (PC1 to PC3) for transmitting computerized data to the communication network;
In response to the command, printers (BP1, CP1, BC1, which receive digitized data from a source included in the command via the communication network and form an image represented by the digitized data on paper. CC1);
Including document processing system.

(9) Communication network (6: LAN / Internet / facsimile exchange network);
Input means for the user to specify the origin (From) and destination (To) of the digitized data of the document, the origin (From) and destination (To) designated by the input means, and the digitized data between them Means for determining a document processing mode using a document or digitized data handling function of a transfer route (2, 7, 6) including the communication network, and a command for executing the determined processing mode. Execution means for giving to the source (From) or the destination (To) via a computer (PCs 1 to 3) for transmitting and receiving digitized data to and from the communication network; and
An original scanner (15) that reads an image on an original and generates image data, a printer (16) that forms an image represented by digitized data on a sheet, and the original when the command instructs image reading An image on a document is read by a scanner, image data is generated and transmitted to a destination (To) included in the command via the communication network, and if the command instructs printing, the communication network A copier (100) comprising communication means (7) and control means (1) for receiving digitized data from a source included in the command and printing it by the printer;
Including document processing system.

  (10) The document processing system according to (9), wherein the copier (100) further includes the document processing device according to (1).

(11) Communication network (6: LAN / Internet / facsimile exchange network);
Input means for the user to specify the origin (From) and destination (To) of the digitized data of the document, the origin (From) and destination (To) designated by the input means, and the digitized data between them Means for determining a document processing mode using a document or digitized data handling function of a transfer route (2, 7, 6) including the communication network, and a command for executing the determined processing mode. Execution means for giving to the source (From) or the destination (To) via a computer (PCs 1 to 3) for transmitting and receiving digitized data to and from the communication network; and
If the command has a function of storing the digitized data, and the command instructs the accumulation, the digitized data is received from the source included in the command via the communication network and accumulated. A document server (DS1) that reads the digitized data stored as an instruction to read and sends it to the destination (To) included in the command via the communication network;
Including document processing system.

  (12) The input means has a function of generating digitized data representing a document, a function of generating a document represented by digitized data, a digitized data processing function, or a digitized data storage function. The device that can be the communication (From) and the device that can be the destination (To), the designated input area as the origin (From) of each device, and the designated input area as the destination (To) Display on the screen (8, 9); and designation to generate the origin data and destination data indicating the designated origin (From) and destination (To) by detecting the designation operation to the input area The document processing apparatus according to any one of (1) to (11), including information generation means (9, 1, a1R); Stem.

  (13) The input means further includes means (17, 18) for inputting user information including user authority; the designation information generating means is a group associated with the user authority included in the input user information. The document processing apparatus or system according to (12) above, which accepts designation of only the device and generates origin data and destination data representing the designated source (From) and destination (To);

  Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments with reference to the drawings.

-1st Example-
FIG. 1 shows an outline of a multifunction image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows an outline of a control program stored in the storage device 13 and read out from the RAM 4. . Since these have already been described, description thereof will be omitted here.

  FIG. 3 shows a software structure (hierarchical structure) of the document manager a1 to which the present invention is applied in a general form. The document manager a1 has a two-layer configuration including a “planning unit” a1R and an “execution unit” a1D.

  The “planning section” a1R reads a user's request, determines a document processing mode such as image reading, printing, copying, facsimile transmission, Internet transmission, and digitized data accumulation, that is, a required application, and an execution process or execution condition thereof. Set. This is a generalization or commonization of “user input reading and execution condition setting” for each application inherent in various conventional applications in a form common to all applications. Correspondingly, the “execution part” a1D is an execution control part in which the “user input reading and setting of execution conditions” of various applications is omitted, and is determined by the user input reading of the “planning part” a1R. The application (designated application) is executed under the execution conditions set by the “planning section” a1R. That is, it manages application-specific document input / output. The “planning section” a1R also notifies the user from the operation panel 9 and responds to it when it becomes necessary or necessary to interact with the user even after the execution of the application, that is, the document processing mode. Manages routines that wait for user input and decode input. Thereby, for example, when a copy or printout is interrupted by a paper jam, a jam notification interaction is executed.

  FIG. 4 shows an outline of “user input reading and execution condition setting” by the “planning section” a1R. The “planning section” a1R is activated (executed by the CPU 1) when the CPU 1 is in an operating state immediately after the power is turned on, reads the status of each section, and can send and receive commands. An initial input screen common to all applications that perform document input / output shown in FIG. 5 is displayed on the liquid crystal display 79 capable of touch input (step s1). In the following description, the word “step” is omitted in parentheses, and step no. Use only symbols.

  The initial input screen is a communication system in which the copying machine 100 (CC1), various devices communicable with it, communication lines, destination facsimile number input blocks, and icons (indicators, marks) representing Internet destination URL input blocks are connected. The configuration diagram is displayed at a low density meaning that access (designation) is impossible, and the left and right scroll bars, “user?”, “Help (H)” indicating the necessity of inserting the user card, and the input screen closing instruction mark “×” Indicates a high concentration.

  Here, the CPU 1 that executes the program of the “planning section” a1R (hereinafter simply referred to as CPU 1) waits for the user to insert a user card into the card reader 18 (s2). When the reader driver 17 reads the user information of the user card inserted into the card reader 18, the CPU 1 writes it into the user property storage area of the RAM 4, and the user group information in the user information, the origin designation request “From?”, Access (Specify) The icons of possible devices, the source designation button, the “cancel” button, and the “clear” button are displayed at a high density (s3).

  6 to 9 show display examples on the liquid crystal display 79. FIG. 6 is a display when the user group information in the user information is the group D, and FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 are displays when the group C, B and A are respectively. “User D”, “User C”, “User B”, and “User A” on each drawing mean that they are members of groups D, C, B, and A, respectively.

  Here, the communication system of the copying machine 100 will be described. The copying machine 100 is displayed as the color copying machine CC1 on the input screen displayed on the liquid crystal display 79 in FIG. The copier 100 (CC1) is connected to the router R. The router R is connected to a LAN (Local Area Network) and further connected to an Internet communication modem. Personal computers (hereinafter referred to as personal computers) PC1 to PC3, document server DS1, monochrome copying machine BC1, color scanner CS1, monochrome printer BP1, and color printer CP1 are connected to the LAN. Although devices similar to the above-described various devices can be further connected to the LAN, it is assumed that only the above-mentioned various devices are connected to simplify the description. The copying machine 100 (CC1) can communicate with various devices connected to a LAN, can perform facsimile communication via a public line, and can perform data communication via the Internet. it can. In FIG. 9, a block FX1 for inputting a facsimile transmission destination number and a block IN1 for inputting a URL of an Internet communication destination are also displayed.

  The storage device 13 stores icons for displaying the above-mentioned various devices connected to the LAN by function classification, a program for incorporating them into the display screens at the respective stages of the display, drivers for various devices connected to the LAN, and device setting input screens. Is stored in the storage device 13, and each time a new device is connected to the LAN, the CPU 1 obtains the device properties from the device by LAN communication and writes the device properties to the storage device 13, and the function of the device The icon corresponding to is incorporated into the display screen at each stage of the display. Then, it is added to the corresponding shared group (classification) of the LAN properties (LAN connection device property group) held in the storage device 13.

In this embodiment, various devices connected to the LAN are classified into the following four sharing groups:
Group D: Monochrome copier BC1, (& user group D)
Group C: Black and white copier BC1, black and white and color scanner CS1,
Monochrome printer BP1, personal computers PC1 to PC3 (& user group C),
Group B: Black and white copier BC1, black and white and color scanner CS1,
Black and white printer BP1, personal computers PC1 to PC3, color copier CC1,
Facsimile FX1, color printer CP1, (& user group B),
Group A: Monochrome copier BC1, black and white and color scanner CS1,
Black and white printer BP1, personal computers PC1 to PC3, color copier CC1,
Facsimile FX1, color printer CP1, document server DS1,
Internet communication IN1, (& user group A);
User groups A, B, C, and D (hereinafter referred to as users A, B, C, and D) are set (assigned) to be accessible to shared groups A, B, C, and D, respectively.

  According to this setting, if the user card information is the user D, the CPU 1 displays only the icon of the device BC1 in the shared group D as an accessible high density display as shown in FIG. Here, since it is the origin designation screen, a button for designating “ADF” of the device BC1 and a button for designating “manual feed” by which the user places an original on the contact glass plate are also displayed (s3 in FIG. 4).

  If the user card information is user C, as shown in FIG. 7, the icons of the device BC1, scanner CS1, monochrome printer BP1, and personal computers PC1 to PC3 in the shared group C are displayed in an accessible high density display. Among these icons, an “ADF” designation button, a “manual feed” designation button, or a “read” designation button is attached to a place that can be a source (From) (s3).

  If the user card information is user B, as shown in FIG. 8, the icons of device BC1, scanner CS1, monochrome printer BP1, personal computer PC1-PC3 color copier CC1, color printer CP1, and facsimile transmission FX1 of shared group B are displayed. High density display that can be accessed. Among these icons, an “ADF” designation button, a “manual feed” designation button, or a “read” designation button is attached to a place that can be a source (From) (s3).

  If the user card information is user A, as shown in FIG. 9, shared group A device (all devices) BC1, scanner CS1, monochrome printer BP1, personal computer PC1-PC3 color copier CC1, color printer CP1, facsimile transmission The icons of FX1, document server DS1, and Internet communication IN1 are set to be accessible high density display. Among these icons, an “ADF” designation button, a “manual feed” designation button, or a “read” designation button is attached to a place that can be a source (From) (s3). In the Internet communication IN1, the ellipse is a source designation button.

  When an input screen (FIGS. 6 to 9) for any user (A to D) is displayed, if there is a user operation (touch: contact) on a designation button at a place that can be a source (From) The CPU 1 saves (writes, memory) the information (source = device touched) in the processing condition storage area of the RAM 4 and switches the input screen of the display 79 to a screen for destination (To) input ( s4, s5).

  FIG. 10 shows an input screen that the CPU 1 displays on the display 79 when the user A operates the “ADF” designation button of the color copying machine CC1 (the apparatus 100). In this input screen, at the beginning of the display, a block “To?” For requesting a destination designation is displayed, and a destination designation button with a double circle is attached to the icon of the device that user A can access (designation = use). It is a thing. FIG. 10 shows a red circle indicating that the user has operated the destination designation button on the sorter of the color copying machine CC1 and the operation board 9 has accessed the inner circle of the destination designation button in response to this operation (illustration is a black circle). ) Shows the switched state. In response to this access, the CPU 1 saves the input information (destination = device touched) in the processing condition storage area of the RAM 4, and displays the display 79 on the designated source and destination processing conditions. Switch to the input processing condition setting screen (s6, s7). Then, the user input is read (s8).

  FIG. 11 shows a processing condition setting screen when the user A designates the ADF as the origin (From) and the sorter as the destination (To) of the color copying machine CC1. This processing condition setting screen is obtained by adding (changing) default settings (settings as input completed) automatically defined by user input until this screen is displayed. At the top of this screen, there is a title band indicating the user group (A) read from the user card, the source specified by the user (ADF of CC1) and the destination (sorter of CC1).

  The “input setting From” field on the processing condition setting screen is an input screen for inputting information necessary for specifying a document or digitized data in the title band and sending it as digitized data. is there. This is an input screen of the source device in the title band, which is read from the device by the initial setting control of the CPU 1 and stored in the storage device 13 when the device is connected to the LAN. It is.

  The “output setting To” field of the processing condition setting screen is an input screen for inputting information necessary for processing digitized data sent to a destination (To) device in the title band. This is an input screen of the destination (To) device in the title band, which is read from the device by the initial setting control of the CPU 1 and stored in the storage device 13 when the device is connected to the LAN. is there.

  Therefore, even when the source (From) or the destination (To) is not the machine 100 (CC1), the user can input the operation board for use (as in the case of directly using the device specified as the source and destination). Use conditions and processing conditions). If the source (From) or destination (To) belongs to the machine 100 (CC1), the input screen (processing condition setting screen) is originally installed and used regardless of LAN communication. Is stored in the storage device 13 when the operation is started.

  When the user input on the processing condition setting screen conflicts with the user input up to here or the user information on the user card, the CPU 1 does not match, or the source and destination document and the electronic data handling function In case of conflict, the user input is not accepted and an alarm is notified (s8).

  For example, in the case where the destination (To) shown in FIG. 11 is used as the sorter of the color copying machine CC1 and the processing condition setting screen is displayed, when the user touches the “stack” button of “output setting To”, FIG. As shown in the pop-up, "Cannot be changed. Sort is already set." Also, when the execution value for the processing condition input by the user in the document or digitized data processing mode defined by the combination of the source / destination currently set exceeds the balance value included in the user information on the user card As shown in FIG. 13, the message “Cannot be executed. Card balance is insufficient. Color is 20 yen per sheet” is displayed. In the example shown in FIG. 13, when the user sets color copying and inputs the number of copies as 7, the card balance is less than 20 × 7 = 140 yen, so an input error display (alarm) is displayed. It is a thing.

  The CPU 1 erases the input error display described above when the user touches the “OK” button in the pop-up display area. When the input error display disappears, the user can input again. When the start button 80c is operated when there is no input error, the CPU 1 determines the processing mode and processing content of the document and the digitized data based on the input so far (s9). Then, the execution unit a1D is activated (s10). That is, the CPU 1 starts processing of the document and the digitized data based on the program of the execution unit a1D, the processing mode and the processing content previously determined based on the program of the planning unit a1R. Even after the execution unit a1D is started, the planning unit a1R (the program) notifies the user from the operation panel 9 and the user's input in response to the notification from the operation panel 9 when the user needs to interact with the user. The routine for decoding the input is managed (s11). Thereby, for example, when a copy or printout is interrupted by a paper jam, a jam notification interaction is executed. When the execution of the determined processing mode is completed, an initial input screen is displayed on the display 79 (s12-s1).

  The processing condition setting screen shown in FIG. 11 is a copy mode in which the original loaded in the ADF of the scanner 15 of the color copying machine CC1 (this apparatus 100) is copied, and the copy paper is sorted and discharged to the sorter unit. This is for inputting conditions and copy generation conditions. In other words, it is for inputting the reading conditions of the document scanner 15 and the printing conditions of the printer 16. Therefore, in this case, the execution unit a1D drives the document scanner 15 under the designated reading condition, reads and corrects the read image data under the designated reading condition at the IPP 11, and corrects the image data into print data under the designated printing condition, and then performs the designated printing. Processing of documents and digitized data, which is printed out by the printer 16 under conditions and sorted by the sorter 28, is realized by using the service manager a2 and the device manager a3.

Please refer to FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 again. User A can implement the following various processing modes in addition to document copying using the color copier CC1 described above:
The original image is read by the original scanner or original scanner CS1 of the copying machine CC1 or BC1, and the image data is transmitted to the personal computers PC1 to PC3, stored or registered in the document server DS1, transmitted by the facsimile FX1, and transmitted by the Internet IN1. Printing with a monochrome copier BC1, printing with a monochrome printer BP1, or printing with a color printer CP1;
Electronic data of personal computers PC1 to PC3 are transmitted to other personal computers, stored or registered in document server DS1, transmitted by facsimile FX1, transmitted by Internet IN1, and printed by color copier CC1 or black and white copier BC1. , Print with the monochrome printer BP1 or print with the color printer CP1;
The computerized data of the document server DS1 is transmitted to the personal computers PC1 to PC3, transmitted by the facsimile FX1, transmitted by the Internet IN1, printed by the color copying machine CC1 or the monochrome copying machine BC1, printed by the monochrome printer BP1, or Printing with the color printer CP1;
Electronic data received by facsimile by the color copier CC1 is transmitted to the personal computers PC1 to PC3, stored or registered in the document server DS1, transmitted via the Internet IN1, printed by the color copier CC1 or the black and white copier BC1, black and white Printing with printer BP1 or printing with color printer CP1;
Receive electronic data on the Internet IN1 and send it to the personal computers PC1 to PC3, store or register it in the document server DS1, print on the color copier CC1 or black and white copier BC1, print on black and white printer BP1, or Printing is performed by the color printer CP1.

  When the personal computers PC1 to PC3 or the document server DS1 is the source (From) or the destination (To), the screen of the “input setting From” or “output setting To” (FIG. 11) is displayed on the personal computers PC1 to PC3 and the document server DS1. This is a directory specification screen that identifies files to be sent and received internally. When the facsimile FX1 is designated as a destination (To), "Destination setting To" is a so-called facsimile transmission input operation screen in which a destination number for facsimile transmission is input and a transmission mode is designated. When the Internet IN1 is designated as a destination (To), the “destination setting To” is a file transfer input operation screen for inputting a destination URL for internet transmission and designating file transmission. When specifying Internet IN1 as the source (From), “Input Settings From” is input (receive from the provider's server), and the mail or file received from the provider is specified for forwarding (to the destination) It becomes the input operation screen of reception.

  Each of the personal computers PC1 to PC3 stores a document processing application (program) that uses the document processing system shown in FIG. 4 and is similar to the input / output using the liquid crystal display of the copying machine 100 described above. Can be performed using a personal computer display and keyboard and mouse. That is, each of the personal computers PC1 to PC3 has input means for the user to specify the source (From) and destination (To) of the digitized data of the document, the source (From) and destination (To) specified by the input means. And means for determining the document processing mode using the electronic data handling function of the transfer route (2, 7, 6) including the communication network of the electronic data between them and the communication network, and the determined Execution means for giving a command for executing the processing mode to the origin via the communication network, and transmitting and receiving digitized data to and from the communication network.

-Second Example-
The hardware of the second embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment, but the input operation screen and the input reading control (program) of the planning unit a1R are different from the first embodiment. In the first embodiment, the origin input screen and the destination (To) input screen are made separate, and each of them is set as individual display contents corresponding to the user groups A to D. However, in the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 15, the origin (From) and the destination (To) are designated on the same screen.

  FIG. 14 shows an outline of “user input reading and execution condition setting” by the “planning section” a1R of the second embodiment. The “planning section” a1R of the second embodiment is activated (executed by the CPU 1) when the CPU 1 is in an operating state immediately after the power is turned on, reads the status of each section, and becomes able to send and receive commands. ), An initial input screen common to all applications that perform document input / output shown in FIG. 15 is displayed on the liquid crystal display 79 capable of touch input on the operation panel 9 (step s21). On this initial input screen, “user?” Prompting insertion of a user card, “From?” Prompting designation of the source, and “To?” Prompting designation of the destination are displayed, and the copying machine 100 (CC1), Various communication devices, communication lines, transmission destination facsimile number input blocks, and Internet transmission destination URL input blocks representing icons (indicators, marks) representing the communication system configuration diagram are all displayed at a high concentration. A left / right scroll bar, “user?”, “Help (H)” indicating the necessity of inserting a user card, and an input screen closing instruction mark “×” are also displayed. Each displayed device has an origin designation button (“ADF”, “manual feed”, “read”, “Internet” (oval)) and a destination designation button (double circle).

  When a user card is inserted into the card reader 18 while the initial input screen is displayed, the CPU 1 reads user information on the card via the reader driver 17. If the user origin designation button is touched before this card reading, the CPU 1 pops up “Please insert the user card” requesting insertion of the user card as shown in FIG. 16, and the user origin designation is read. Absent. Similarly, when the user touches the destination designation button before reading the card, the message “Please insert the user card.” Is displayed asking for insertion of the user card, and the destination designation of the user is not read.

When the card reading is finished and the user information is held (for example, when the user is B), if the source designation button (for example, “read” of the document server DS1) of the device outside the user use authority is touched, A pop-up display (for example, FIG. 17) for notifying that there is no user authority is displayed. That is, warn. The user's source specification is not read.
FIG. 17 shows an alarm when the user B tries to designate the document server DS1 without use authority as “read” (source).

  When the input for specifying the device that the user has authority to use as the source and destination is completed, the CPU 1 notifies that the processing mode determined by the combination of the specified source and destination is executed as shown in FIG. The “execute” button is displayed (the above is s22 to s28).

  When the user touches the “execute” button, the CPU 1 switches the display on the display 79 to a processing condition setting screen for inputting the processing conditions of the designated source and destination (s29). Then, the user input is read (s30). The processing (s29 to s34) following the switching display of the processing condition setting screen is the same as in the first embodiment (s7 to s12).

  Each of the personal computers PC1 to PC3 of the document processing system of the second embodiment stores the document processing application (program) that uses the above-described document processing system of the second embodiment, and is a copy of the second embodiment. Input / output similar to the input / output using the liquid crystal display of the apparatus 100 can be executed using the display of the personal computer, the keyboard and the mouse. That is, each of the personal computers PC1 to PC3 has input means for the user to specify the source (From) and destination (To) of the digitized data of the document, the source (From) and destination (To) specified by the input means. And means for determining the document processing mode using the electronic data handling function of the transfer route (2, 7, 6) including the communication network of the electronic data between them and the communication network, and the determined Execution means for giving a command for executing a processing mode to the source (From) via the communication network, and transmitting and receiving digitized data to and from the communication network.

1 is a block diagram showing an outline of the configuration of a color copying machine 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a block diagram which shows the outline | summary of the control program stored in the memory | storage device 13 shown in FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the hierarchical structure of the software of the document manager a1 shown in FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the outline | summary of the "user input reading and the setting of an execution condition" which CPU1 shown in FIG. 1 performs based on the program of the plan part a1R shown in FIG. It is a top view which shows the initial input screen of the liquid crystal display 79 of the operation panel 9 shown in FIG. FIG. 8 is a plan view showing an input screen displayed on the liquid crystal display 79 when the user information read by the card reader 18 shown in FIG. FIG. 8 is a plan view showing an input screen displayed on the liquid crystal display 79 when the user information read by the card reader 18 shown in FIG. FIG. 8 is a plan view showing an input screen displayed on the liquid crystal display 79 when the user information read by the card reader 18 shown in FIG. FIG. 8 is a plan view showing an input screen displayed on a liquid crystal display 79 when the user information read by the card reader 18 shown in FIG. The user touches the source “ADF” button of the color copier CC1 on the input screen shown in FIG. 9 to display a double circle destination button, and further, one of the sorter sections of the color copier CC1 as one of them. It is a top view which shows the input screen of the liquid crystal display 79 immediately after a user touches a destination button. It is a top view which shows the process condition setting screen displayed on the liquid crystal display 79 after designation | designated of an origin and a destination. It is a top view which shows one of the input error alarms on the process condition setting screen displayed on the liquid crystal display. It is a top view which shows another one of the input error warnings on the process condition setting screen displayed on the liquid crystal display 79. It is a flowchart which shows the outline | summary of the "user input reading and the setting of an execution condition" which CPU1 of 2nd Example performs based on the program of the plan part a1R of 2nd Example of this invention. It is a top view which shows the initial stage input screen displayed on the liquid crystal display 79 of 2nd Example. It is a top view which shows the notification displayed on the liquid crystal display 79 of 2nd Example. It is a top view which shows one of the user input error warnings displayed on the liquid crystal display 79 of 2nd Example. It is a top view which shows the processing mode alert | report displayed on the liquid crystal display. It is a block diagram which shows the management object of the conventional document manager a1p.

Explanation of symbols

10: Image memory 11: Image data processing unit

Claims (6)

Input means for the user to specify the source and destination of the digitized data of the document;
Means for determining the execution process of the document processing mode using the document or electronic data handling function of the source and destination designated by the input means and the transfer route of the electronic data between them; and
Execution means for providing a command for performing the determined process to the source, destination and transfer route;
A document processing apparatus comprising: Input means for the user to specify the source and destination of the digitized data of the document;
A document scanner that is a kind of the source that reads an image on a document and generates image data that is a kind of the digitized data;
A printer that is a type of the destination that forms an image represented by image data that is a type of the digitized data on paper;
Means for determining a document processing mode execution process using a document or electronic data handling function of the source and destination designated by the input means and the transfer route of the electronic data between them; and
Execution means for providing a command for performing the determined process to the source, destination and transfer route;
A document processing apparatus comprising:   The means for determining the execution process notifies the user that the document is not accepted when the processing conditions given by the user in the document processing mode conflict with the source and destination documents and the electronic data handling function; Or the document processing apparatus according to 2.   The means for determining the execution process notifies the user that the processing condition cannot be accepted when the execution consideration amount information in the document processing mode of the processing condition given by the user exceeds use permission amount information for the user; The document processing apparatus according to any one of 1 to 3.   The means for determining the execution process notifies the user of the unavailability of the source or destination when the use of the source or destination specified by the user exceeds the use authority of the user; The document processing apparatus according to one. Communication network;
A computer that transmits and receives digitized data to and from the communication network; and
The document processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein electronic data is transmitted to and received from the communication network.
Including document processing system.

Images