JP2006270259A - Image processing unit - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processing unit capable of enhancing availability. <P>SOLUTION: A PC2 executes temporary processing corresponding to processing designated by a user to image data to be processed, shows the temporarily processed image to the user, receives an instruction for executing the processing from the user, and issues at least one command related to the processing and an identifier to each command. A composite machine 1 receives a row of commands and a row of identifiers issued by the PC2, and executes the processing related to the designated processing according to the row of received commands to the image data to be processed. The PC2 stores the row of commands and the row of identifiers issued in the past for performing prescribed processing to the row of commands and the row of identifiers being held. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus including a multifunction peripheral.

  In recent years, image processing apparatuses such as multifunction peripherals have become highly functional and can perform various image processing. However, since a multifunction device is generally a shared item, if one person occupies it for operation, it interferes with the use of other users.

For example, a highly functional image processing apparatus is disclosed in Patent Document 1 and the like.
JP 2004-282717 A

  For this reason, from the aspect of availability, it is necessary to adjust the parameters until the desired result is obtained for setting the image processing. It is not preferable.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides an image processing apparatus that can improve the availability of an image processing apparatus such as a multifunction peripheral.

  The present invention for solving the problems of the above-described conventional example is an image processing apparatus that executes temporary processing corresponding to processing specified by a user on image data to be processed, and In addition to presenting the processing result image to the user and receiving an instruction from the user to execute this processing, at least one command related to this processing and an identifier for each command are issued. The first device and the command sequence and identifier sequence issued by the first device are received, and the processing related to the specified processing is executed according to the received command sequence for the image data to be processed The first device stores a command string and an identifier string issued in the past, and the held command string and identifier string are subjected to a predetermined process. No .

  Further, according to the present invention for solving the problems of the conventional example described above, in the image processing apparatus, temporary processing corresponding to processing designated by the user is performed on the image data to be processed, and the temporary processing is performed. In addition to presenting the processing result image to the user and receiving an instruction from the user to execute this processing, at least one command related to this processing and an identifier for each command are issued. An image processing apparatus that receives the issued command sequence and identifier sequence, and executes the main processing related to the specified processing according to the received command sequence for the image data to be processed. It is connected to two devices, stores a command string and an identifier string issued in the past, and the held command string and identifier string are used for a predetermined process.

  Here, a part of the identifier for each command may include information for specifying the image processing apparatus that has issued the command.

  Further, when a part of the issued command string matches a part of the command string issued in the past, only the identifier corresponding to each command may be transmitted to the second device side for the part. .

  Another embodiment of the present invention is a method for performing a specified process on image data to be processed using a computer system, and the computer system receives a request from a user for the image data. Executes a temporary process corresponding to the specified process, presents the image of the result of the temporary process to the user, and receives an instruction from the user to execute the process, A first device that issues at least one command and an identifier for each command; a command sequence and an identifier sequence issued by the first device; and the reception of the image data to be processed And a second device that executes the processing related to the designated processing according to the command sequence, and the command sequence and identifier sequence received from the first device in the second device The step of holding, the step of holding a command string issued in the past in the first device, and the command string issued this time coincide with a part of the command string issued in the past that is held in the past In addition, for the part, only the identifier corresponding to each command is transmitted to the second device side, and for the part where only the identifier is received in the second device, the command corresponding to the identifier is sent. The command sequence is read from the held command sequence, a command sequence of the main process related to the specified process is generated, and the main process is executed.

  Furthermore, another aspect of the present invention is a program, which executes temporary processing corresponding to processing specified by a user on image data to be processed, and outputs an image as a result of the temporary processing to the user. Issued to the image processing apparatus that issues at least one command and an identifier for each command related to this process in response to an instruction to execute this process from the user. And a procedure for storing the command string and the identifier string, and a procedure for using the held command string and identifier string for a predetermined process.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, a system including an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a multi-function device 1 and a personal computer device (PC) 2. The multifunction device 1 includes a scanner unit 11, a control unit 12, a storage unit 13, a printer unit 14, an operation unit 15, a display unit 16, and a communication unit 17. The PC 2 includes a control unit 21, a storage unit 22, an operation unit 23, a display unit 24, and a communication unit 25. Here, the PC 2 corresponds to the first device of the present invention, and the multifunction device 1 corresponds to the second device of the present invention.

  The scanner unit 11 optically reads an image formed on a paper medium and outputs the image data to the control unit 12. The control unit 12 is a CPU or the like, and operates according to a program stored in the storage unit 13. In the present embodiment, the control unit 12 transmits, for example, image data input from the scanner unit 11 to the PC 2 and executes image processing (main processing) regarding the image data according to a command sequence received from the PC 2. Specific contents of processing performed by the control unit 12 will be described in detail later.

  The storage unit 13 is a memory or a hard disk, for example, and holds a program executed by the control unit 12. The storage unit 13 also operates as a work memory for the control unit 12. In the present embodiment, the control unit 12 holds processing commands received from the PC 2 in the past as a history database in the storage unit 13. The contents of this history database will be described in detail later.

  The printer unit 14 forms the image data input from the control unit 12 on a paper medium or the like. The operation unit 15 is a keypad or the like, accepts a user's instruction operation, and outputs the content of the instruction operation to the control unit 12. The display unit 16 is a liquid crystal display panel or the like, and displays information according to instructions input from the control unit 12. The communication unit 17 is a network interface or the like, and transmits various data to, for example, the PC 2 via the network in accordance with an instruction input from the control unit 12. Further, the communication unit 17 receives data coming from, for example, the PC 2 via the network and outputs the data to the control unit 12.

  The control unit 21 of the PC 2 is a CPU or the like, and operates according to a program stored in the storage unit 22. The control unit 21 executes, for example, image processing (temporary processing) designated by the user using the image data acquired from the multifunction device 1 as a processing target, and presents the resulting image to the user. And a command string related to this processing is generated. A specific example of the content of processing performed by the control unit 21 will be described in detail later.

  The storage unit 22 is, for example, a memory or a hard disk and holds a program executed by the control unit 21. The storage unit 22 also operates as a work memory for the control unit 21.

  The operation unit 23 is a keyboard, a mouse, or the like, accepts a user's instruction operation, and outputs the content of the instruction operation to the control unit 21. The display unit 24 is, for example, a liquid crystal display, and displays an image or the like according to an instruction input from the control unit 21. The communication unit 25 is a network interface or the like, and transmits various data to, for example, the multifunction device 1 via the network in accordance with an instruction input from the control unit 21. In addition, the communication unit 25 receives, for example, data coming from the multifunction device 1 via the network and outputs the data to the control unit 21.

  Here, an example of processing contents of the control unit 12 of the multifunction machine 1 and the control unit 21 of the PC 2 will be described. First, the operation of the control unit 21 of the PC 2 will be described. In this embodiment, the PC 2 receives image data to be subjected to image processing from the multifunction device 1 side, issues a command sequence for the image processing, and transmits the command sequence to the multifunction device 1.

  Here, when issuing a command for image processing, the control unit 21 may issue an identifier corresponding to each command. In general, the image processing command sequence generated by the control unit 21 includes a plurality of commands. For each command, the control unit 21 generates an identifier string that is uniquely determined in advance for each command, and transmits the command string and the identifier string to the multifunction device 1.

  As a specific example, in the case of a command sequence for binarizing a partial region of an image, the command sequence includes a command (representing the region) that defines a region to be edited (the partial region). A command including coordinate information) and a command indicating that “binarization processing” should be performed (FIG. 2A).

  In this case, the control unit 21 issues a unique identifier for each of the command that defines the region to be edited and the binarization command. Note that the control unit 21 issues the same identifier for the same command. That is, for the binarization processing command, an identifier IDx unique to the binarization processing command is issued.

  The control unit 21 stores the generated command sequence and identifier sequence in the storage unit 22 and holds them.

  The multifunction device 1 stores the received command sequence and identifier sequence in the storage unit 12. And the control part 11 performs the process with respect to the image data used as the process target based on the received command sequence.

  Further, the control unit 21 displays a list of command strings and identifier columns generated in the past stored in the storage unit 22 on the display unit 24 based on an instruction from the user. When the user performs an instruction operation to select one of the command strings (or identifier strings) in the list as a retransmission target, the selected command string and the corresponding identifier string are combined. Transmit to machine 1. The multifunction device 1 stores the received command sequence and identifier sequence in the storage unit 12. And the control part 11 performs the process with respect to the image data used as the process target based on the received command sequence.

  The control unit 21 of the PC 2 may further cause the user to edit a part of commands transmitted in the past, and re-transmit the edited command sequence to the multifunction device 1. In this case, the control unit 21 displays on the display unit 24 the command sequence selected as the editing target by the user. Then, an instruction operation for changing the content of the command is accepted, and a part of the command included in the command sequence is corrected.

  For example, as in the above-described example, when an instruction to change the editing range is received for image processing in which the editing range is defined and binarization processing is performed on the editing range, the control unit 21 defines the region. A new command for defining a region to be edited is generated with different coordinate information, and a new identifier for the command is issued. For the binarization processing command, the same identifier as the identifier corresponding to the previously issued binarization processing command is issued.

  As described above, when a part of the commands included in the command string is the same as that transmitted in the past, the control unit 21 does not transmit the part of the same command and responds. Only the identifier column portion to be transmitted may be transmitted. That is, in this case, a command that defines the editing range and its identifier are transmitted, and an identifier corresponding to the command for binarization processing is transmitted (FIG. 2B).

  The multifunction device 1 receives these command strings and identifier strings, and if there is a corresponding command in the command string received in the past among the identifiers included in the identifier string, reads the command. In this example, since the identifier corresponding to the binarization processing command is received, the binarization processing command is read out.

  For a command corresponding to an identifier not stored in the storage unit 12, it is checked whether or not the current command is received for the identifier. Here, since the command corresponding to the identifier has not been received in the past for the identifier corresponding to the command that defines the editing range, the command corresponding to the identifier (the editing range is defined) from the command sequence received this time. Command). When an identifier that is not stored in the storage unit 12 and does not have a command corresponding to the command sequence received this time is included in the identifier sequence, the identifier is identified and an error is notified to the PC 2. It is good to do. In this case, the control unit 21 may transmit a command corresponding to the identifier specified in the error, or may transmit the entire command string (the entire command string not omitted).

  On the multifunction device 1 side, the entire command string is reproduced from the identifier string, and image processing is performed on the image data to be processed in accordance with the reproduced command string.

  When the control unit 21 of the PC 2 transmits a command, the control unit 21 stores a difference (similar to the diff command in UNIX (registered trademark)) from each command sequence stored in the storage unit 22 in the past. An operation is performed to search for the shortest difference data (longest matching command string). Then, the identifier string corresponding to the longest matching command string is read. Then, the part corresponding to the difference part of the command string is replaced with the identifier string issued corresponding to the current command.

  The control unit 21 sends information including the identifier string after the replacement and the command string of the difference part to the multifunction device 1 side. On the MFP 1 side, based on the identifier string, the information of the command string and the identifier string received in the past, and the information of the command string received this time (difference part command string), as in the above example. The current command sequence is reproduced, and image processing is performed on the image data to be processed in accordance with the reproduced command sequence.

  The multi-function device 1 may be capable of receiving command strings and identifier strings from a plurality of PCs 2 (not shown). In this case, the identifier may include information specifying the PC 2 that generated the command string so that the MFP 1 can identify the command string / identifier string received from which PC 2. Here, the information specifying the PC 2 may be a MAC address (unique network address) or the like.

  The control unit 21 of the PC 2 acquires the MAC address assigned to the communication unit 25 and includes the MAC address in the identifier. As a result, the multifunction device 1 can identify the PC 2 from which the command string is received. Further, instead of being included in the identifier corresponding to each command, at least one MAC address may be included in the transmitted identifier string.

  In this way, for example, when the command corresponding to the identifier cannot be found in the process of reproducing the above-described command sequence, the control unit 21 specifies the PC 2 using the MAC address included in the identifier, and An error can be notified to the PC 2 side.

  Further, the PC 2 can check whether or not the command string is already held on the multifunction device 1 side by transmitting the identifier string before transmitting the command.

  Furthermore, in the above description, an example has been described in which the command sequence transmitted in the past is managed on the PC 2 side and at least a part of the command sequence transmitted in the past is retransmitted by an operation on the PC 2 side. The form is not limited to this.

  In other words, the user operates the MFP 1 to search for a command string or identifier string transmitted in the past, which is held on the PC 2 side, and is stored in the storage unit 22 on the PC 2 side from the MFP 1. The command sequence (or identifier sequence) being acquired may be acquired, and processing relating to the acquired command sequence (or command sequence reproduced from the identifier sequence) may be executed. In this way, the user can re-execute processing related to image processing performed in the past by only the operation on the multifunction device 1 side without reciprocating between the multifunction device 1 and the PC 2. Become.

  Further, here, the transmission history of the command string and the identifier string is held on the PC 2 side, but this transmission history may be held in another server device on the network. Also, it is transmitted to a computer-readable recording medium capable of recording CD-R, DVD-R, and the like at a predetermined timing such as by a user's instruction operation or when the storage unit 22 reaches a predetermined capacity. History information may be recorded.

1 is a configuration block diagram illustrating an example of an image processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is explanatory drawing showing an example of the command sequence etc. which the apparatus of the image processing which concerns on embodiment of this invention transmits.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Multifunction machine, 2 Personal computer, 11 Scanner part, 12, 21 Control part, 13, 22 Storage part, 14 Printer part, 15, 23 Operation part, 16, 24 Display part, 17, 25 Communication part.

Claims (6)

A temporary process corresponding to the process specified by the user is executed on the image data to be processed, and the image of the result of the temporary process is presented to the user, and the process is executed by the user. A first device that issues at least one command and an identifier for each command in response to an instruction to the effect,
A second device that receives the command sequence and the identifier sequence issued by the first device, and executes the processing related to the specified processing according to the received command sequence for the image data to be processed; Including,
The first apparatus stores a command string and an identifier string issued in the past, and the held command string and identifier string are used for a predetermined process. A temporary process corresponding to the process specified by the user is executed on the image data to be processed, and the image of the result of the temporary process is presented to the user, and the process is executed by the user. In response to an instruction to do so, an image processing apparatus that issues at least one command and an identifier for each command according to this process,
The issued command sequence and identifier sequence are received and connected to a second device that executes the processing related to the specified processing according to the received command sequence for the image data to be processed,
An image processing apparatus that stores a command string and an identifier string issued in the past, and the held command string and identifier string are subjected to predetermined processing. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2,
An image processing apparatus characterized in that a part of the identifier for each command includes information for specifying the image processing apparatus that issued the command. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2 or 3,
An image characterized by transmitting only an identifier corresponding to each command to the second device side when the issued command sequence and a part of the previously issued command sequence match. Processing equipment. A method of performing specified processing on image data to be processed using a computer system,
The computer system includes
A provisional process corresponding to the process designated by the user is performed on the image data, and an image as a result of the provisional process is presented to the user, and the process is performed by the user. A first device that issues at least one command and an identifier for each command according to the processing,
A second device that receives the command sequence and the identifier sequence issued by the first device, and executes the processing related to the specified processing according to the received command sequence for the image data to be processed; Including,
In the second device, holding the command string and the identifier string received from the first device;
In the first device, when the command sequence issued in the past, the command sequence issued this time, and the held command sequence issued in the past match, the part For, only the identifier corresponding to each command is transmitted to the second device side, and
In the second device, for the part in which only the identifier is received, a command corresponding to the identifier is read from the held command sequence, and a command sequence of this processing relating to the specified processing is generated, An image processing method characterized by executing the main processing. A temporary process corresponding to the process specified by the user is executed on the image data to be processed, and the image of the result of the temporary process is presented to the user, and the process is executed by the user. In response to an instruction to do so, to the image processing apparatus that issues at least one command and an identifier for each command related to this processing,
A procedure for storing a command string and an identifier string issued in the past;
A procedure for subjecting the held command string and identifier string to predetermined processing;
A program characterized by having executed.

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