JP2005244663A - Image reading apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image reading apparatus with which even a user unfamiliar with setting operation about a reading method of the image reading apparatus can easily set a reading method desired by the user. <P>SOLUTION: The image reading apparatus memorizes the place where the image data acquired by reading an original is stored, and a reading method corresponding to the place. The image reading apparatus, when a user designates the place where image data are stored, recognizes the reading method corresponding to the specified place, and reads the original by the reading method which is recognized. So, a user makes the image reading apparatus read the reading method corresponding to the place of storage only by specifying the place of storage without setting a reading method with the image reading apparatus. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus such as a network scanner that transmits or stores image data obtained by reading a document to a terminal via a network. More specifically, the operation for setting a document reading method is simplified. The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus having means for efficiently performing the above.

In recent years, an image reading apparatus capable of transmitting image data obtained by reading a document to a terminal via a network has been introduced in an office or the like. When the user wants to save the image data of his / her original in his / her terminal, the user designates his / her terminal as a storage destination in the image reading apparatus when the original is read.

  In addition, when the user wants to save the image data not in his / her terminal but in an image data storage unit such as a hard disk provided in the image reading apparatus or in his / her folder created in the image data storage unit, Instead, the image data storage means or its own folder is designated as the storage destination in the image reading apparatus.

  When the image reading device reads the document and obtains image data, the image reading device transmits the image data to a terminal input as a storage destination or stores it in an image data storage means or folder input as a storage destination.

  In the field of image reading devices, technological progress has been remarkable, and current image reading devices have various functions, and can perform reading by a reading method in accordance with a user's desire. For example, the image reading apparatus reads a document as a monochrome image, color image, character image, or photographic image, or sets the file format, compression rate, resolution, and enlargement / reduction ratio of the image data obtained by the reading as desired by the user. The document can be read on both sides or on one side.

  Such a reading method is set when an original is read together with an input of a storage destination of image data.

  As the functions of the image reading device increase and the number of reading methods that the image reading device can execute increases, the setting operation of the reading method becomes complicated. For this reason, a reading method setting operation is a troublesome operation for a user who is not familiar with the operation of the image reading apparatus. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 2000-307782 and 2003-18335 describe a technique that facilitates setting operation of a reading method.

In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-307782, a user registers a reading method that he / she thinks to use in an image reading apparatus in advance, and selects a desired reading method from the registered reading methods when reading a document. Thus, a technique capable of setting a desired reading method is disclosed. In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-18335, a reading method once set is stored as a history, and a user can set a desired reading method by selecting a desired reading method from the history when reading a document. Is disclosed.
JP 2000-307782 A JP 2003-18335 A

  However, when the techniques disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 2000-307782 and 2003-18335 are used, the user selects a desired reading method from the reading methods registered or stored as a history when reading the document. There is a need. Since network scanners and the like are shared by many users, a large number of reading methods may be registered in the image reading apparatus or stored as a history. It is difficult to find and select a desired reading method from these reading methods.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides an image reading apparatus in which an operation for setting a reading method is easy.

The image reading apparatus according to the present invention can store the storage destination and each storage so that the user can perform reading by the reading method according to the storage destination only by designating the storage destination without performing the reading method setting operation. A reading method storage unit is provided that stores a reading method corresponding to the destination in association with each other.

  When a storage destination of image data is specified by a user or the like, the image reading apparatus reads a document by a reading method corresponding to the storage destination, and stores the image data obtained by reading the document in a specified storage destination. .

  In the image reading apparatus according to the present invention, reading by a reading method corresponding to a storage destination is performed only by specifying a storage destination. Therefore, since it is not necessary to select the reading method, the user can easily set the reading method even when the setting of the reading method is complicated or the user is not used to the setting operation of the reading method. Can do.

  In many cases, originals having the same image data storage destination are read by the same reading method. For example, when a user reads a document, the storage location and the reading method to be executed are almost the same. Therefore, in such a case, the user can cause the image reading apparatus to perform reading in the same reading method as usual only by specifying the storage destination that the user always specifies when the image reading apparatus reads the document. it can.

(Embodiment 1)
In the present embodiment, the image reading apparatus 100 is connected to a plurality of terminals 131 to 133 installed in the same office via a LAN 121 as shown in FIG. The image reading apparatus 100 includes a document reading unit 102 that can read a document by a plurality of reading methods, and a storage unit 101 that stores image data obtained by the image reading unit 102 reading a document in a storage destination designated by the user. It has.

  The user designates a storage destination using the operation panel 103. On the initial screen of the operation panel, as shown in FIG. 2A, a registration key 201, a storage destination designation key 202, and a reading method designation key 203 are displayed.

  When setting the reading method with a simple operation, the user presses the storage destination designation key 202, and when setting the reading method manually, the user presses the reading method designation key 203.

  When the save destination designation key 202 is pressed, the designation means 104 provided in the image reading apparatus 100 refers to the reading method table stored in the reading method storage means 105 provided in the image reading apparatus 100 and stores the saving destination. Is recognized. As shown in FIG. 3, the reading method table 300 registers a storage destination candidate 301 that can be specified as a storage destination and a corresponding reading method 302 that is associated with each storage destination candidate 301.

  For example, the user registers the storage destination candidate 301 and the corresponding reading method 302 in the reading method table 300 using the operation panel 103 of the image reading apparatus 100. When registering in the reading method table 300, the user presses the registration key 201 displayed on the initial screen of the operation panel 103. When the registration key 201 is pressed, the changing unit 106 provided in the image reading apparatus 100 searches for a terminal connected to the image reading apparatus 100 so as to be communicable. The change means 106 includes a storage destination candidate display area 400 for displaying the searched terminal and the image data storage means 107 provided in the image reading apparatus 100, cursor keys 401 and 402, an enter key 403, and a cancel key 404 in FIG. It is displayed on the operation panel 103 as shown.

  When the screen shown in FIG. 4 is displayed on the operation panel 103, the user selects from the terminal or the image data storage unit 107 what to register in the storage destination candidate 301 with the cursor keys 401 and 402 and presses the enter key 403. To do. When the determination key 403 is pressed, the changing unit 106 displays a screen for selecting a reading method that can be executed by the document reading unit 102 on the operation panel 103 as shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 5, on this screen, selection of whether the document is read as color or monochrome is selected, and whether the file format of the image data is formed according to JPEG (Joint Photographic Expect Group) or TIFF format Selection and enlargement / reduction ratio can be input. Selection of color, monochrome, JPEG, or TIFF can be recognized by the change means 106 by, for example, pressing a portion where an item to be selected is displayed. Further, the input of the enlargement / reduction ratio can be input to the change means 106 by using the numeric keypad 511 shown in FIG.

  When the user selects color or monochrome and JPEG or TIFF and inputs an enlargement / reduction ratio, the user presses the enter key 512 shown in FIG. When the enter key 512 is pressed, the changing unit 106 registers the terminal or image data storage unit 107 selected by the user in the storage destination 301 of the reading method table 300 and stores the registered terminal or image data storage. The selected reading method is associated with the means 107 and registered in the corresponding reading method 302.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the terminals 131 to 133 connected via the LAN 121 and the image data storage unit 107 are registered in the storage destination 301, and the reading associated with each storage destination 301 is performed. Assume that the method 312 is associated with a reading method as shown in FIG.

  When the designation unit 104 refers to the reading method table 300 and recognizes a storage destination candidate, the storage unit candidate display area for displaying the terminals 131 to 133 and the image data storage unit 107 registered in the storage destination candidate 301. 211, a screen on which cursor keys 212 and 213 for selecting one of the storage destination candidates displayed in the storage destination candidate display area 211, an enter key 214, and a cancel key 215 are displayed on the operation panel 103.

  When the screen shown in FIG. 2B is displayed, the user selects one of the storage destinations displayed in the storage destination candidate display area 211 using the cursor keys 212 and 213 as the storage destination, and then determines the key 214. Press. When the determination key 214 is pressed, the specifying unit 104 refers to the reading method table 300 and specifies the corresponding reading method 312 associated with the storage destination candidate selected by the user.

  When the user presses the cancel key 215 shown in FIG. 2B, the designation unit 104 returns the operation panel 103 to the initial screen shown in FIG.

  When specifying the reading method 312, the specifying unit 104 displays the specified corresponding reading method, the start key 221, and the re-specifying key 222 on the operation panel 103 as shown in FIG.

  The user confirms the specified reading method 312, and if the displayed reading method 312 is the desired reading method 312, the user presses the start key 221, and if not, the user presses the redesignation key 222. . When the re-designation key 222 is pressed, the designation unit 104 returns the operation panel 103 to the screen shown in FIG.

  When the start key 221 is pressed, the specifying unit 104 specifies the storage destination candidate selected by the user on the screen shown in FIG. 2B as the storage destination of the image data obtained by the current reading. The corresponding reading method 302 registered in the reading method table 300 in association with the storage destination candidate is determined as a reading method to be used for reading the current document.

  When the designation unit 104 determines the reading method, the document reading unit 102 reads the document using the determined reading method. The document reading unit 102 inputs image data obtained by reading the document to the storage unit 101.

  When the image data is input, the storage unit 101 transfers the image data to the storage destination specified by the specifying unit 104 and stores it.

  As described above, since the document is read by the reading method associated with the designated saving destination, the reading method table 300 includes the saving destination candidates 301 and the corresponding reading methods 302 corresponding to the respective saving destination candidates. If registered in association with each other, the user can cause the image reading apparatus 100 to read a document of a reading method corresponding to the storage destination only by specifying the storage destination.

  In some cases, even if the image data storage destination is the same, the image reading apparatus 100 may want to read the document using an exceptionally different reading method. When the reading method designation key 203 shown in FIG. 2A is pressed so that reading can be performed with a different reading method even when the storage destination is the same, the image reading apparatus 100 selects the reading method selected by the user. adopt.

  When the reading method designation key 203 is pressed, the designation unit 104 recognizes the storage destination candidate 301 with reference to the reading method table 300 in the same manner as when the saving destination designation key 202 is pressed. The screen shown in FIG. 2B is displayed. When this screen is displayed, the user selects a storage destination from the displayed storage destination candidates and presses the enter key 214.

  When the determination unit 105 is pressed, the designation unit 105 displays the same screen on the operation panel 103 as the screen shown in FIG. When the display screen shown in FIG. 5 is displayed, the user selects color or monochrome, JPEG or TIFF, inputs a scaling factor as described above, selects a reading method, and presses the enter key 512. To do. When the enter key 512 is pressed, the designation unit, when the storage destination and the reading method are selected, designates the selected storage destination as the storage destination of the image data obtained by the current reading, and the selected reading Specify the method as the reading method to be used for reading the current document.

  As described above, even when the user manually designates the storage destination and the reading method, the document reading unit 102 reads the document by the reading method specified by the specifying unit 104, and the storing unit 101 is used by the specifying unit 104. Save the original to the specified destination.

When the user manually selects the storage destination and the reading method, the specifying unit 104 may change the corresponding reading method 312 of the storage destination candidate 301 selected as the storage destination to the reading method selected by the user.
(Embodiment 2)
In the first embodiment, the case has been described where, when a storage destination is specified, the corresponding reading method 312 registered in association with the specified storage destination is read. However, due to changes in the usage environment of the image reading apparatus, the required reading method may change even if the storage destination is the same. In the present embodiment, a case will be described in which the corresponding reading method 302 changes following a change in the required reading method.

  The reading table 300 can register the reading method 303 specified in the specifying unit 104 when reading the past N times of documents in which each storage destination candidate 301 is specified as a storage destination. (FIG. 3B). Each time the designation unit 104 designates a storage destination and a reading method as in the first embodiment, the designation unit 104 registers the reading method 303 designated in association with the storage destination candidate 301 designated as the saving destination in the reading table 300. .

  Each time the designation unit 104 registers the designated reading method 303 in the reading method table 300, the designation unit 104 notifies the change unit 106 of the storage destination candidate 301 in which the reading method is registered.

  When the storage unit candidate 301 is notified, the changing unit 106 identifies the reading method that has been used most frequently in the past N readings of the notified storage destination candidate 301 and supports the specified reading method. The reading method 302 is changed.

  Thus, by adopting the corresponding reading method 312 as the reading method that has been adopted most frequently in the past N document readings, for example, a certain time monochrome, 100% enlargement / reduction ratio, JPEG reading method is adopted. However, if the usage environment changes and the JPEG scanning method is adopted after that, the color and enlargement / reduction ratio will be 100%. If the JPEG reading method is manually set to 100%, the corresponding reading method will be replaced with the color, enlargement / reduction ratio 100%, JPEG reading method thereafter. Therefore, even if the usage environment changes, if the user designates a storage destination without manually specifying the reading method thereafter, the user reads the original with the color, the enlargement / reduction ratio of 100%, and the JPEG reading method. Can be made.

  In Embodiments 1 and 2, the document has been described with respect to the original as a monochrome image or color image, JPEG or TIFF, and enlargement / reduction magnification. However, the reading method is not limited to these. For example, the reading method is to read a document as a character image or a photographic image, to make the compression rate and resolution of the image data obtained by the reading desired by the user, or to perform double-sided scanning or single-sided scanning of the document. May be.

1 is a functional block diagram of an image reading apparatus. The schematic diagram of the operation panel until a storage destination and a reading system are determined. The schematic diagram of a reading system table. The schematic diagram of the operation panel at the time of determining a preservation | save destination. The schematic diagram of the operation panel at the time of determining a reading system.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Image processing apparatus 101 Storage means 102 Original reading means 103 Operation panel 104 Specification means 105 Reading method storage means 106 Change means 107 Image data storage means 300 Reading method table

Claims (4)

In an image reading apparatus for storing image data of a document obtained by reading with a specified reading method,
A reading method storage means for storing the image data storage destination and the reading method in association with each other;
A designation means for designating the save destination;
A document reading means for reading the document by the reading method stored in association with the designated storage destination and obtaining image data;
An image reading apparatus comprising: a storage unit that stores the obtained image data in a specified storage destination. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a changing unit that changes a reading method stored in association with the storage destination. The image reading apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the changing unit changes a reading method stored in association with the storage destination to a reading method adopted in a recent document reading. The image reading apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the changing unit changes the reading method stored in association with the storage destination to a reading method having the highest frequency of adoption.

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