JP2006065549A - Data management device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a data management device capable of improving convenience. <P>SOLUTION: The data management device stores reference information for specifying a data storage destination in a plurality of storage devices, respectively, collects information related to data stored in the storage destination from each storage destination specified by each stored reference information, and presents the collected information. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a data management apparatus that manages data read by a scanner.

  In recent years, with the spread of network environments, scanners are also shared via networks. Such a scanner (network scanner) includes a storage device (storage device) such as a hard disk, and stores scanned image data in the storage device. The user of the network scanner accesses the storage device from his / her personal computer via the network after reading the document, and acquires the image data stored therein.

In many cases, the storage location of the image data is prepared for each user, and is controlled so that it cannot be accessed unless a password or the like is input. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an example of a technique for acquiring management information from a copy system connected via a network.
Japanese Patent No. 3346336

  However, in the conventional data management apparatus and system, when data to be acquired is stored in a plurality of storage devices such as a network scanner, a list of each storage device is displayed. An operation such as obtaining a list of data stored in the storage device must be performed.

  That is, the user must access each individual storage device, and can only obtain a file list for each individual storage device, which is not convenient.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a data management apparatus capable of improving convenience.

  The present invention for solving the problems of the above conventional example is a data management apparatus, each of which stores reference information for specifying data storage destinations in a plurality of storage devices, and the stored reference It is characterized by including means for collecting information relating to data stored in the storage destination from each storage location specified by each piece of information, and means for presenting the collected information.

  Further, the information related to the data is a list of data names, and the means for presenting the collected information presents each data name in association with information for specifying a storage device in which the data is stored. It is good to do.

  The data management method according to one aspect of the present invention includes a step of causing a computer to store reference information for specifying storage destinations of data in a plurality of storage devices, respectively, and specifying each of the stored reference information A process of collecting information relating to data stored in the storage destination and a step of presenting the collected information from each storage destination.

  Furthermore, a data management program according to another aspect of the present invention is specified by a procedure for storing reference information for specifying storage destinations of data in a plurality of storage devices, respectively, and each of the stored reference information. From each storage destination, a procedure for collecting information relating to data stored in the storage destination and a procedure for presenting the collected information are executed.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the data management device 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a control unit 11, a storage unit 12, an operation unit 13, a display unit 14, and a communication unit 15. The data management apparatus 1 is connected to a plurality of network scanners 2 via a network. Here, a network scanner is used as an example of a storage device (an apparatus having the storage device). However, the storage device referred to in the present invention is not limited to a network scanner, and may be a file server or the like.

  The control unit 11 can be realized by a CPU or the like, and operates according to a program stored in the storage unit 12. Specifically, in the present embodiment, the control unit 11 collects information related to data stored in each storage destination from data storage destinations in a plurality of storage devices, and presents the collected information. Processing is being executed. Specific contents of the processing of the control unit 11 will be described in detail later.

  The storage unit 12 includes a storage element such as a RAM (Random Access Memory) and a ROM (Read Only Memory), and a computer-readable recording medium such as a hard disk. The storage unit 12 holds a program executed by the control unit 11. The storage unit 12 also operates as a work memory that holds various data necessary in the process of the control unit 11. Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the storage unit 12 holds reference information that specifies data storage destinations in a plurality of storage devices. Specifically, this reference information may be a URL (Uniform Resource Locators). That is, as shown in FIG. 2, the storage unit 12 holds information specifying a user in association with a list of URLs for specifying data storage destinations in a plurality of storage devices.

  The operation unit 13 is a mouse, a keyboard, or the like, and accepts a user's instruction operation and outputs it to the control unit 11. The display unit 14 is a display or the like, and presents information according to an instruction input from the control unit 11. The communication unit 15 is a network card or the like, and transmits data via the network in accordance with an instruction input from the control unit 11. The communication unit 15 receives data that arrives via the network and outputs the data to the control unit 11.

  When the network scanner 2 operates as a file server and receives a file list request together with reference information from the data management apparatus 1, the network scanner 2 manages the list of files stored in the storage location specified by the reference information. Transmit to device 1. When the network scanner 2 receives a request for a list of file attributes together with reference information from the data management apparatus 1, the network scanner 2 displays a list of file attributes stored in the storage location specified by the reference information. 1 to send. Here, the attribute is information related to the file such as data size, color / monochrome, read paper size, thumbnail image, and the like.

  Here, the operation of the control unit 11 of the data management apparatus 1 will be described. The control unit 11 receives an instruction from the user to display a list of data (image data read by scanning) stored in the network scanner 2 which is a storage device to be processed, and Process. That is, a list of URLs associated with information specifying the user who has given this instruction is read from the storage unit 12.

  The control unit 11 accesses the network scanner 2 specified by each URL while referring to the read URL list, and stores it in the storage destination specified by the URL together with the URL (storage destination reference information). Request a list of files. At this time, the control unit 11 may also send a request for a list of attributes of each file.

  The control unit 11 receives information related to the list from the network scanner 2 in response to the transmitted request, and specifies information (storage device name, network address, etc.) specifying the responding network scanner 2 and the list acquisition source. , The acquired file name (original name), and attribute information are stored in association with each other (FIG. 3). The control unit 11 also associates information identifying the storage device in which the file is stored with the name (original name) of each file to generate a display file name (display name). May be stored in association with the acquired file name shown in FIG. This is to avoid displaying duplicate file names. That is, when each network scanner 2 attaches a serial number to image data obtained by scanning and stores the serial number as a file name (for example, “001.jpg”, “002.jpg”, etc.) ), A plurality of network scanners 2 may store the same file name. In this case, if the file name acquired by the control unit 11 is displayed as it is, a plurality of “001.jpg”, for example, appears. Therefore, here we add information specific to each network scanner 2 (storage device name, etc.), information on the date and time of scanning, etc. An identifiable display name is generated.

  Then, the control unit 11 displays a list of display names on the display unit 14. At this time, the control unit 11 may also display the size as the attribute, color / monochrome, thumbnail information, and the like.

  The control unit 11 acquires the name (original name) of the designated file from the displayed list when the user designates the file by operating the mouse or the like and instructs to download the designated file. To do. Then, the acquired original name is linked to the URL stored in association with the original name to generate a URL for specifying the file.

  The control unit 11 transmits data requesting a file specified by the generated URL via the network. This request is made as a process of a general protocol such as HTTP or FTP. In response to this request, the network scanner 2 managing the storage location specified by the URL responds and sends the data of the requested file. The control unit 11 receives the requested file and stores it in the storage unit 12.

  Next, the operation of the data management apparatus 1 according to this embodiment will be described. Here, two image data named “001.jpg” and “002.jpg” are stored in advance in the first network scanner 2a, and “001.jpg” is stored in the second network scanner 2b. Is stored. The name of the first network scanner 2a is “NS01”, and the name of the second network scanner 2b is “NS02”.

  The storage unit 12 holds the URL of the image data storage destination in the first network scanner 2a and the URL of the image data storage destination in the second network scanner 2b. The control unit 11 refers to these URLs stored in the storage unit 12 and, as shown in FIG. 4, lists the files and file attributes for the first and second network scanners 2a and 2b. (S1), (S2).

  Each of the network scanners 2a and 2b sends out a list of file names of image data stored in designated URLs and a list of attributes thereof (S3) and (S4). Here, the list of file names sent out by the first network scanner 2a includes two names “001.jpg” and “002.jpg”, and a list of file names sent out by the second network scanner 2b. Includes the name “001.jpg”.

  Upon receiving these pieces of information, the control unit 11 associates the information for specifying the network scanner 2 that is the transmission source, the URL from which the list is acquired, the name of the acquired file (original name), and the attribute information, and the storage unit 12. (S5).

  Here, the control unit 11 may display the obtained file name list, that is, “001.jpg, 002.jpg, 001.jpg” on the display unit 14 as the file name list. However, in this example, a display name is generated separately. Specifically, the control unit 11 adds the name of the network scanner 2 as the acquisition source to each file name, and adds “NS01-001.jpg”, “NS01-002.jpg”, and “NS02-001.jpg” A display name is generated (S6). The control unit 11 retains the display name in association with the original name (FIG. 3). Then, the control unit 11 displays these display names on the display unit 14 (S7). At this time, at least a part of the attribute information may be displayed together. For example, when displaying thumbnails in association with color / monochrome, display as shown in FIG. 5 is performed.

  When the user specifies at least one of the displayed files and instructs to download (S8), the control unit 11 joins the original name of the specified file and the URL. Then, a URL (reference information) of the specified file is generated, and a file acquisition request is transmitted to the network scanner 2 specified by the URL (S9). Specifically, when “NS01-001.jpg” is specified, the control unit 11 reads the original name “001.jpg” associated with the display name from the storage unit 12. Similarly, the control unit 11 reads out a URL (URL indicating a storage destination in the first network scanner 2a) associated with the display name. Then, the original name is combined with the URL to generate a URL of the file, and a process for acquiring the file based on the URL (for example, a widely known process such as FTP) is executed to obtain a file acquisition request. Send.

  Upon receiving the acquisition request, the network scanner 2 transmits a file in response to this request (S10). Then, the control unit 11 receives the transmitted file and stores it in the storage unit 12 (S11). This file is subjected to predetermined processing such as printing by a printer (not shown) or displaying on the display unit 14 in accordance with a user instruction.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, files stored in a plurality of storage devices can be obtained as a list, and files can be transferred to a file without being aware of which storage device stores each file. Access is possible. Thereby, the convenience for the user can be improved.

  When each network scanner 2 stores the read image data in a file server on the network, if the reference information of the storage destination of the file server is stored in the storage unit 12, the file processing is performed by the same process. You can get a list.

  In addition, the file server receives data from a plurality of storage devices, generates a unique display name for the data, and attaches the storage device name of the reception source (similar to the above method). It may be generated) and a list of stored data may be provided based on an instruction from the user. In this case, the file server includes means for receiving data from a plurality of storage devices, means for generating and storing unique display names for the data, a list of stored data based on instructions from the user, and the like. It will be provided with means to provide.

It is a block diagram of the configuration of the data management device according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is explanatory drawing showing the example of the list | wrist of the stored reference information. It is explanatory drawing showing the example of a memory | storage of the received list. It is a flowchart showing the example of the flow of operation | movement of the data management apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing showing the example of the information displayed.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Data management apparatus, 2 Network scanner, 11 Control part, 12 Storage part, 13 Operation part, 14 Display part, 15 Communication part.

Claims (4)

Means for storing reference information for specifying data storage destinations in a plurality of storage devices,
Means for collecting information relating to data stored in the storage location from each storage location specified by each of the stored reference information;
Means for presenting the collected information;
A data management device comprising: The data management device according to claim 1,
The information relating to the data is a list of data names,
The means for presenting the collected information presents information specifying the storage device in which the data is stored in association with the name of each data. Storing each of reference information for specifying data storage destinations in a plurality of storage devices;
Collecting information relating to data stored in the storage location from each storage location specified by each of the stored reference information; and
Presenting the collected information;
Data management method characterized by causing a computer to execute On the computer,
A procedure for storing each reference information for specifying a storage destination of data in a plurality of storage devices;
A procedure for collecting information relating to data stored in the storage location from each storage location specified by each of the stored reference information;
A procedure for presenting the collected information;
A data management program characterized in that

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