JP2007019810A - Image processing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To inform a host of the restart completion of a device via a network without employing broadcasting or polling, by required minimum network data. <P>SOLUTION: The image processing apparatus comprises; a bidirectional network communication means capable of communicating with the host; a power control means capable of safely restarting the device; a device control command IF means which allows the host to perform device control including device restart; and a non-volatile storage means capable of backing up one or more report destination host address information for reporting the restart completion of the apparatus after restart. When a device is restarted by the device control command IF, the restart completion of the device is reported to the report destination host held in the non-volatile storage means. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  Conventionally, image processing apparatuses such as printers, copiers, and scanners often have a network function for the purpose of using functions such as printing, scanning, and FAX from a host. In recent years, however, device status monitoring or maintenance is performed. There is a growing need to use a management server on the network. Especially in large offices and companies, all image processing devices even in cases where several to hundreds or even thousands of printers and copiers are scattered in different buildings, different offices, or different cities. There is a growing demand for managing all of these.

  For this reason, an increasing number of image processing apparatuses having a network function such as a copying machine and a printer are equipped with a function for monitoring the apparatus state or having a device setting change / management function via a network. For example, if you want to change the network settings (eg, DNS server IP address) of all copiers connected to the network in order to change the configuration of the office network itself, The setting value of the local copier can be rewritten, and the time and labor required for device management can be greatly reduced compared to the method in which the administrator changes the setting value from the operation screen of each copier and moves around. .

Depending on the nature of the setting value to be changed, the apparatus may need to be restarted. In such a case, it is more convenient if not only the setting value is changed but also the restart is performed via the network. For this reason, manufacturers of copiers and printers that use device management software to implement a device restart function via a network have been put into practical use. There is a technique in which setting change contents are notified to a device using electronic mail, and the apparatus automatically restarts when the setting contents are items that require the device to be restarted (for example, see Patent Document 1).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-7206

  However, when a remote device is restarted from the host via the network, a series of restart processing is performed on the host side, in which the device performs power-off preparation processing, power-off, power-on, various initializations, and startup completion. I cannot know exactly when to complete. The startup time of a device of the same model can be predicted if certain conditions are met, but the device status, for example, a large amount of temporary data remains on the HDD and needs to be cleared, or at startup It would take longer than usual when backup data inconsistency is detected and it becomes necessary to reconstruct the backup data. As described above, in all cases, it is difficult for the host to know the time until the device restart is completed correctly.

  Therefore, conventionally, after restarting the device via the network, the host polls the device on the network until the device returns a response, or waits for a sufficiently long time for the device to start, and then to the device. The method of accessing is taken. However, since polling confirms the response at regular time intervals, there is an error in the activation detection time for that time interval, and there is a problem that wasteful data increases on the network if the polling time interval is shortened.

  In addition, as a method of notifying completion of activation, there is a method in which the device side notifies the restart of its own device using MIB Trap notification, but since this uses broadcast to the network, the larger the network is, the larger the network is. There is a problem that unnecessary network data increases. In the above-described technology, the configuration change is notified to the device using e-mail, and if the setting content is an item that requires a device restart, the device automatically restarts. The problem that the host cannot know the exact timing when the device has been restarted cannot be solved.

  Furthermore, in recent years, not only is the network bandwidth constrained, but the fact that unnecessary data flows over the network itself has been viewed as a problem from a new point of view of security or appropriate use / operation of network infrastructure. The number of cases is increasing.

  The present invention has been made paying attention to the above points. The host can be notified with the minimum necessary network data without using broadcast or polling, and the restart completion can be immediately notified to the necessary host. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus that minimizes the downtime of the device as viewed from the host.

The first invention for solving this problem is:
Two-way network communication means capable of communicating with the host;
A power control means capable of safely restarting the own device;
Device control command IF means capable of device control including device restart from the host;
Non-volatile storage means capable of backing up one or more notification destination host address information for notifying the completion of the restart of the own device after the restart,
When the device is restarted by the device control command IF means, the image stored in the nonvolatile storage means is notified to the notification destination host of the completion of restart of the own device. It is a processing device.

Similarly, the second invention is
The data of the notification destination host address held in the non-volatile storage means is notified from the host as a parameter of the restart command.

Similarly, the third invention
The image processing apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the notification destination host address data held in the nonvolatile storage means is notified from the host by a command different from the restart command.

Similarly, the fourth invention is
The information processing apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein after the restart, the information of the notification destination host held in the nonvolatile storage means is deleted when the notification of the start completion is completed.

Similarly, the fifth invention is
User interface means through which the user can enter host address information;
The notification processing host address data held in the non-volatile storage means can be input from the user interface means.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to notify a host of completion of restart of a device via a network with minimum necessary network data without using broadcast or polling. Furthermore, the device downtime seen from the host is minimized by notifying the necessary host immediately of the completion of the reboot.

  Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to examples.

  The apparatus of the present invention and its operation will be described in detail below.

[hardware]
Overall Configuration The overall configuration diagram is shown in FIG.

  The Controller Unit 2000 is a controller for inputting / outputting image information and device information by connecting to a scanner 2070 as an image input device and a printer 2095 as an image output device while connecting to a LAN 2011 or a public line (WAN) 2051. is there.

  A CPU 2001 is a controller that controls the entire system. A RAM 2002 is a system work memory for the operation of the CPU 2001, and is also an image memory for temporarily storing image data. A ROM 2003 is a boot ROM, and stores a system boot program. An HDD 2004 is a hard disk drive that stores system software and image data.

  An operation unit I / F 2006 is an operation unit (UI) 2012 and an interface unit, and outputs image data to be displayed on the operation unit 2012 to the operation unit 2012. Also, it plays a role of transmitting information input by the user of the system from the operation unit 2012 to the CPU 2001. A network 2010 is connected to the LAN 2011 and inputs / outputs information. A Modem 2050 is connected to the public line 2051 and inputs / outputs information. The above devices are arranged on the system bus 2007.

  An Image Bus I / F 2005 is a bus bridge that connects a system bus 2007 and an image bus 2008 that transfers image data at high speed, and converts a data structure. The image bus 2008 is configured by a PCI bus or IEEE1394. The following devices are arranged on the image bus 2008.

  A raster image processor (RIP) 2060 expands the PDL code into a bitmap image. A device I / F unit 2020 connects an image input / output device such as a scanner 2070 and a printer 2095 to the controller 2000, and performs synchronous / asynchronous conversion of image data. A scanner image processing unit 2080 corrects, processes, and edits input image data. The printer image processing unit performs printer correction, resolution conversion, and the like on the print output image data. The image rotation unit 2030 rotates image data. The image compression unit 2040 performs compression / decompression processing of JPEG for multi-value image data and JBIG, MMR, and MH for binary image data.

  An image input / output device is shown in FIG.

  A scanner unit 2070 serving as an image input device illuminates an image on paper as an original and scans a CCD line sensor (not shown), thereby converting the image into raster signal data 2071 into an electrical signal. The original paper is set on the tray 2073 of the original feeder 2072, and when the apparatus user gives a reading start instruction from the operation unit 2012, the controller CPU 2001 gives an instruction to the scanner 2070 (2071), and the feeder 2072 copies the original paper one by one. Feeds and reads the original image.

  The printer unit 2095, which is an image output device, is a part that converts raster image data 2096 into an image on paper. The method is an electrophotographic method using a photosensitive drum or a photosensitive belt, and ink is ejected from a micro nozzle array. In addition, there is an ink jet method for printing an image directly on a sheet, but any method may be used. The printing operation is started by an instruction 2096 from the controller CPU 2001. The printer unit 2095 has a plurality of paper feed stages so that different paper sizes or different paper orientations can be selected, and there are paper cassettes 2101, 2102, 2103, 2104 corresponding thereto. A paper discharge tray 2111 receives paper that has been printed.

Operation Unit The configuration of the operation unit 2012 is shown in FIG.

  The LCD display unit 2013 has a touch panel sheet pasted on the LCD, displays a system operation screen, and transmits position information to the controller CPU 2001 when a displayed key is pressed. A start key 2014 is used to start a document image reading operation. At the center of the start key 2014, there is a green and red two-color LED 2018, which indicates whether or not the start key 2014 is in a usable state. A stop key 2015 serves to stop an operation in operation. The ID key 2016 is used when inputting the user ID of the user. A reset key 2017 is used when initializing settings from the operation unit.

Scanner Image Processing Unit The configuration of the scanner image processing unit 2080 is shown in FIG.

  The image bus I / F controller 2081 is connected to the image bus 2008 and controls the bus access sequence and generates control and timing of each device in the scanner image processing unit 2080. The filter processing unit 2082 performs a convolution operation with a spatial filter. For example, the editing unit 2083 recognizes a closed area surrounded by a marker pen from the input image data, and performs image processing such as shading, shading, and negative / positive inversion on the image data in the closed area.

  A scaling unit 2084 performs enlargement and reduction by performing an interpolation operation in the main scanning direction of the raster image when changing the resolution of the read image. The scaling in the sub-scanning direction is performed by changing the scanning speed of an image reading line sensor (not shown). A table 2085 is table conversion performed to convert image data, which is read luminance data, into density data. Binarization 2086 binarizes multi-value grayscale image data by error diffusion processing or screen processing.

  The processed image data is transferred to the image bus via the image bus controller 2081 again.

Printer Image Processing Unit The configuration of the printer image processing unit 2090 is shown in FIG.

  The image bus I / F controller 2091 is connected to the image bus 2008, and controls the bus access sequence and generates control and timing of each device in the scanner image processing unit 2090. A resolution conversion unit 2092 performs resolution conversion for converting image data from the network 2011 or the public line 2051 into the resolution of the printer 2095. The smoothing processing unit 2093 performs processing to smooth out jaggies of the image data after resolution conversion (roughness of an image appearing at a black and white border such as an oblique line).

Image Compression Unit The configuration of the image compression unit 2040 is shown in FIG.

  The image bus I / F controller 2041 is connected to the image bus 2008 to control the bus access sequence, timing control for exchanging data with the input buffer 2042 and the output buffer 2045, and an image compression unit 2043. Control mode setting. The processing procedure of the image compression processing unit is shown below.

  Settings for image compression control are performed from the CPU 2001 to the image bus I / F controller 2041 via the image bus 2008. With this setting, the image bus I / F controller 2041 performs settings necessary for image compression (for example, MMR compression and JBIG expansion) for the image compression unit 2043. After performing the necessary settings, the CPU 2001 again permits image data transfer to the image bus I / F controller 2041. In accordance with this permission, the image bus I / F controller 2041 starts transferring image data from each device on the RAM 2002 or the image bus 2008.

  The received image data is temporarily stored in the input buffer 2042, and the image is transferred at a constant speed in response to an image data request from the image compression unit 2043. At this time, the input buffer determines whether image data can be transferred between the image bus I / F controller 2041 and the image compression unit 2043, reads the image data from the image bus 2008, and reads the image compression unit 2043. When it is impossible to write an image on the screen, control is performed so as not to transfer data (hereinafter, such control is referred to as handshaking). The image compression unit 2043 temporarily stores the received image data in the RAM 2044. This is because several lines of data are required depending on the type of image compression processing to be performed, and several lines of image data are prepared in order to compress the first one line. This is because the image cannot be compressed unless it is empty.

  The image data subjected to the image compression is immediately sent to the output buffer 2045. The output buffer 2045 performs handshaking with the image bus I / F controller 2041 and the image compression unit 2043 and transfers the image data to the image bus I / F controller 2041. The image bus I / F controller 2041 transfers the transferred compressed (or expanded) image data to each device on the RAM 2002 or the image bus 2008. Such a series of processing is repeated until there is no processing request from the CPU 2001 (when processing of the required number of pages is completed) or until a stop request is issued from this image compression unit (when an error occurs during compression and expansion). It is.

Image Rotation Unit The configuration of the image rotation unit 2030 is shown in FIG.

  The image bus I / F controller 2031 is connected to the image bus 2008 to control the bus sequence, control to set a mode or the like in the image rotation unit 2032, and timing to transfer image data to the image rotation unit 2032 Take control.

  The processing procedure of the image rotation unit is shown below.

  Settings for image rotation control are performed from the CPU 2001 to the image bus I / F controller 2031 via the image bus 2008. With this setting, the image bus I / F controller 2041 makes settings necessary for image rotation (for example, image size, rotation direction / angle, etc.) to the image rotation unit 2032. After performing the necessary settings, the CPU 2001 again permits image data transfer to the image bus I / F controller 2041. In accordance with this permission, the image bus I / F controller 2031 starts transferring image data from each device on the RAM 2002 or the image bus 2008. Here, the size is 32 bits and the image size to be rotated is 32 × 32 (bits), and when transferring image data on the image bus 2008, image transfer is performed in units of 32 bits ( The image to be handled is assumed to be binary).

  As described above, in order to obtain a 32 × 32 (bit) image, it is necessary to perform the above unit data transfer 32 times, and it is necessary to transfer image data from discontinuous addresses.

  The image data transferred by the discontinuous addressing is written in the RAM 2033 so that it is rotated at a desired angle at the time of reading. For example, if the rotation is 90 degrees counterclockwise, the 32-bit image data transferred first is written in the Y direction. By reading in the X direction at the time of reading, the image is rotated.

  After the 32 × 32 (bit) image rotation (writing to the RAM 2033) is completed, the image rotation unit 2032 reads the image data from the RAM 2033 by the above-described reading method, and transfers the image to the image bus I / F controller 2031.

  The image bus I / F controller 2031 that has received the rotated image data transfers the data to each device on the RAM 2002 or the image bus 2008 by continuous addressing.

  Such a series of processing is repeated until there is no processing request from the CPU 2001 (when processing of the necessary number of pages is completed).

Device I / F Unit FIG. 13 shows the configuration of the device I / F unit 2020.

  The image bus I / F controller 2021 is connected to the image bus 2008, and controls the bus access sequence and generates control and timing of each device in the device I / F unit 2020. In addition, control signals to the external scanner 2070 and printer 2095 are generated. The scan buffer 2022 temporarily stores the image data sent from the scanner 2070 and outputs the image data in synchronization with the image bus 2008.

  The serial-parallel / parallel-serial conversion 2023 arranges the image data stored in the scan buffer 2022 in order or decomposes and converts the image data into a data width that can be transferred to the image bus 2008. The parallel-serial / serial-parallel conversion 2024 decomposes the image data transferred from the image bus 2008 or arranges the image data in order, and converts the image data into a data width that can be stored in the print buffer 2025. A print buffer 2025 temporarily stores image data sent from the image bus 2008 and outputs the image data in synchronization with the printer 2095.

  The processing procedure at the time of image scanning is shown below.

  The image data sent from the scanner 2070 is stored in the scan buffer 2022 in synchronization with the timing signal sent from the scanner 2070. When the image bus 2008 is a PCI bus, when the image data is 32 bits or more in the buffer, the image data is sent from the buffer to the serial-parallel / parallel-serial conversion 2023 in the first-in first-out manner. Is transferred to the image bus 2008 through the image bus I / F controller 2021. When the image bus 2008 is IEEE1394, the image data in the buffer is first-in-first-out, sent from the buffer to the serial-parallel / parallel-serial conversion 2023, converted into serial image data, and then converted into serial image data through the image bus I / F controller 2021. Transfer on 2008.

  The processing procedure at the time of image printing is shown below.

  When the image bus 2008 is a PCI bus, 32-bit image data sent from the image bus is received by the image bus I / F controller, sent to the parallel-serial / serial-parallel conversion 2024, and the number of input data bits of the printer 2095 Are stored in the print buffer 2025. When the image bus 2008 is IEEE1394, the serial image data sent from the image bus is received by the image bus I / F controller, sent to the parallel serial / serial / parallel conversion 2024, and the number of input data bits of the printer 2095 is determined. It is converted into image data and stored in the print buffer 2025. Then, in synchronization with the timing signal sent from the printer 2095, the image data in the buffer is sent to the printer 2095 in a first-in first-out manner.

[software]
Entire System FIG. 4 shows a configuration diagram of the entire network system of the present invention.

  An apparatus 1001 according to the present invention includes a scanner and a printer, which will be described later. An image read from the scanner can be sent to a local area network 1010 (hereinafter referred to as LAN), and an image received from the LAN can be printed out by the printer. Further, the image read from the scanner can be transmitted to the PSTN or ISDN 1030 by a FAX transmission means (not shown), and the image received from the PSTN or ISDN can be printed out by the printer.

  Reference numeral 1002 denotes a database server that manages binary images and multi-valued images read by the apparatus 1001 of the present invention as a database. Reference numeral 1003 denotes a database client of the database server 1002 that can browse / search image data stored in the database 1002. An e-mail server 1004 can receive an image read by the apparatus 1001 of the present invention as an e-mail attachment. Reference numeral 1005 denotes an e-mail client that can receive and browse e-mail received by the e-mail server 1004 and send e-mail. Reference numeral 1006 denotes a WWW server that provides an HTML document to the LAN, and the apparatus 1001 of the present invention can print out the HTML document provided by the WWW server. Reference numeral 1007 denotes a router that connects the LAN 1010 to the Internet / intranet 1012.

  The database server 1002, the WWW server 1006, the e-mail server 1004, and devices similar to the device 1001 of the present invention are connected to the Internet / intranet as 1020, 1021, 1022, and 1023, respectively. A history information collection host 1050 is connected so that various history information recorded in various devices including the apparatus of the present invention can be collected from the network.

  On the other hand, the apparatus 1001 of the present invention can transmit and receive with the FAX apparatus 1031 via the PSTN or ISDN 1030. A printer 1040 is also connected on the LAN, and is configured to print out an image read by the apparatus 1001 of the present invention.

Overall Configuration of Software Block FIG. 5 is a software block diagram of a multifunction machine that implements the present invention.

  Reference numeral 1501 denotes a UI, that is, a user interface, which is a module that mediates with the device when the operator performs various operations and settings of the multifunction peripheral. This module transfers input information to various modules, which will be described later, and requests processing or sets data in accordance with the operation of the operator.

  Reference numeral 1502 denotes an address-book, that is, a database module that manages a data transmission destination, a communication destination, and the like. The contents of the Address-Book are used to add, delete, and acquire data by an operation from the UI 1501 and to provide data sending / communication destination information to each module described later by the operation of the operator.

  Reference numeral 1503 denotes a Web-Server module, which is used for notifying management information of the multifunction peripheral in response to a request from a Web client (not shown). The management information is read via a later-described Control-API 1518 and notified to a Web client via an HTTP 1512, a TCP / IP 1516, and a Network-Driver 1517 which will be described later.

  Reference numeral 1504 denotes a universal-send, that is, a data distribution module, which distributes data instructed to the operator by the UI 1501 to a communication (output) destination similarly designated. When the operator uses the scanner function of this device to instruct the generation of distribution data, the device is operated via the below-described Control-API 1518 to generate data.

  Reference numeral 1505 denotes a module that is executed when a printer is designated as an output destination in the Universal-Send 1504.

  A module 1506 is executed when an E-mail address is designated as a communication destination in the Universal-Send 1504.

  A module 1507 is executed when a database is specified as an output destination in the Universal-Send 1504.

  Reference numeral 1508 denotes a module that is executed when a multifunction device similar to this device is designated as an output destination in the Universal-Send 1504.

  Reference numeral 1509 denotes a Remote-Copy-Scan module, which uses the scanner function of this multifunction device, and is equivalent to the Copy function realized by this multifunction device alone, using another multifunction device connected via a network as an output destination. This module performs processing.

  Reference numeral 1510 denotes a Remote-Copy-Print module, which uses the printer function of this multifunction device, and is equivalent to the Copy function realized by this multifunction device alone with another multifunction device connected via a network or the like as an input destination. This module performs processing.

  Reference numeral 1511 denotes a module for reading out and printing Web-Pull-Print, that is, information on various home pages on the Internet or an intranet.

  Reference numeral 1512 denotes a module used when the multi-function peripheral communicates using HTTP, and provides communication to the Web-Server 1503 and Web-Pull-Print 1511 modules described above using a TCP / IP 1516 module described later.

  An lpr module 1513 provides communication to the printer module 1505 in the above-described Universal-Send 1504 by a TCP / IP 1516 module described later.

  An SMTP module 1514 provides communication to the E-mail module 1506 in the above-described Universal-Send 1504 by a TCP / IP 1516 module described later.

  Reference numeral 1515 denotes an SLM, that is, a Salutation-Manager module, which communicates to the database module 1507, DP module 1508, Remote-Copy-Scan 1509 module, and Remote-Copy-Print 1510 module in the above-mentioned Universal-Send 1504 by the TCP / IP 1516 module described later. It is to provide.

  Reference numeral 1516 denotes a TCP / IP communication module, which provides network communication to the various modules described above using a network-driver described later.

  Reference numeral 1517 denotes a network driver that controls a portion physically connected to the network.

  1518 is a Control-API, which provides an interface with a downstream module such as Job-Manager 1519 described later for an upstream module such as Universal-Send 1504, and reduces dependency between upstream and downstream modules. It enhances the applicability of each.

  Reference numeral 1519 denotes a job manager, which interprets processing instructed from the various modules described above via the control-API 1518 and gives instructions to each module described later. In addition, this module centrally manages hardware processing executed in the multifunction peripheral.

  Reference numeral 1520 denotes a CODEC-Manager that manages and controls various compression / decompression of data in the process instructed by the Job-Manager 1519.

  Reference numeral 1521 denotes an FBE-Encoder which compresses data read by a scan process executed by the Job-Manager 1519 and Scan-Manager 1524 according to the FBE format.

  Reference numeral 1522 denotes a JPEG-CODEC, which performs JPEG compression of read data and JPEG expansion processing of print data in scan processing executed by the Job-Manager 1519 and Scan-Manager 1524 and print processing executed by the Print-Manager 1526. Is.

  Reference numeral 1523 denotes an MMR-CODEC, which performs MMR compression of read data and MMR expansion processing of print data in scan processing executed by the job manager 1519 and scan manager 1524 and print processing executed by the print manager 1526. Is.

  Reference numeral 1524 denotes a scan manager, which manages and controls scan processing instructed by the job manager 1519.

  Reference numeral 1525 denotes a SCSI driver, which communicates with the Scan-Manager 1524 and the scanner unit to which the multifunction peripheral is internally connected.

  Reference numeral 1526 denotes a print manager, which manages and controls print processing instructed by the job manager 1519.

  Reference numeral 1527 denotes an engine-I / F driver, which provides an interface between the print-manager 1526 and the printing unit.

  Reference numeral 1528 denotes a log manager that records various events generated in the apparatus in a backup memory. The LogManager 1528 records the history of the type of operation of the device and the history of the operation, or the history of the paper jam, the failure of the device or the error every time the event occurs, and manages the history backup data or the control of reading and writing I do.

Overview of Operation Unit FIG. 14 shows the configuration of the operation unit.

  The LCD display unit 3001 has a touch panel sheet pasted on the LCD, displays a system operation screen, and transmits position information to the controller CPU when a displayed key is pressed. A start key 3002 is used to start a document image reading operation. There is a green and red two-color LED in the center of the start key, and the color indicates whether the start key is ready for use. A stop key 3003 serves to stop an operation in operation. An ID key 3004 is used when inputting the user ID of the user. A reset key 3005 is used to initialize settings from the operation unit.

  Hereinafter, each screen of the operation unit will be described in detail.

Operation Screen FIG. 15 is a diagram showing an operation screen.

  The functions provided by the apparatus of the present invention are divided into six major categories: Copy / Send / Retrieve / Tasks / Management / Configuration, which are the six main tabs (COPY / SEND / RETREIVE / TASKS / MGMT / CONFIG) (3011-1016). By pressing these main tabs, switching to the screen of each category is performed. If switching to another category is not permitted, the display color of the main tab will change, and pressing the main tab will not respond.

  Copy includes a function for performing normal document copying using its own scanner and printer, and a function for performing document copying (remote copying) using a scanner connected to its own scanner via a network. . Send is a function for transferring a document placed on a scanner of the own apparatus to an e-mail, a remote printer, a fax, a file transfer (FTP), and a database, and a plurality of destinations can be designated. Retrieve is a function for acquiring an external document and printing it with a printer included in the own apparatus. WWW, e-mail, file transfer and fax can be used as document acquisition means. Tasks automatically processes a document sent from the outside such as a fax or an Internet print, and generates and manages a task for periodically performing a retrieve. Management manages jobs, address books, bookmarks, documents, account information, and the like. In the configuration, settings (network, clock, etc.) regarding the own device are performed.

  Hereinafter, a method for setting these functions will be described using an example of an LCD screen display.

COPY screen When the start button is pressed while the COPY screen is displayed, the scanner operates and a copy corresponding to each setting parameter displayed on the screen is output from the selected printer. Since the details of the copy function are not related to the present invention, the description is omitted.

SEND Screen FIGS. 16 and 17 are diagrams showing the Send screen.

  When the start button is pressed when the Send screen is displayed, the scanner operates, and processing for transmitting the read image data by the transmission method specified for the set destination is started.

  The SEND main screen 3200 includes a destination display area 3202, a detailed destination number display area 3203, a destination scroll button 3204, an address book button 3208, a New button 3209, an Edit button 3210, a Delete button 3211, a Subject input area 3205, a Message input area 3206, A File Name input area 3207, a Cover page check button 3212, a Put In HD check button 3213, a Print Out check button 3214, and a Scan Setting button 3215. At initialization including reset, as indicated by reference numeral 3201, no destination is displayed in the destination display area, and an operation explanation screen is displayed.

  The destination display area 3202 displays a list of input destinations. Input is appended to the end sequentially. The detailed destination number display area 3203 displays the number of destinations currently set.

  When a delete button 3211 is pressed after selecting a destination from the destination display area, the selected destination is deleted.

  When a subject input area 3205, a message input area 3206, and a file name input area 3207 are pressed, a full keyboard is displayed, and each input becomes possible.

Address Book Sub Screen FIG. 18 is a diagram showing the address book sub screen.

  When the Address Book button 3208 is pressed, an address book sub-screen (3220) is displayed. The destination to which the selection mark (3232) is attached in the address book display area (3221) is added to the destination display area (3202) of the SEND main screen by pressing an OK button (3231). The display of the address book is sorted by class, name ascending order, name descending order by pressing a sort item setting button (3224-3226). In the item selection number display area (3227), the number of items with selection marks is displayed.

  When the OK button (3231) or the cancel button (3230) is pressed, the address book sub-screen is closed and the SEND main screen is displayed.

  When the Detail button (3229) is pressed with one item in the address book selected, a Detail sub-screen (not shown) is displayed. On the Detail sub-screen, all information obtained from the address book is displayed as information on the selected item.

  Next, a detailed example of an operation for restarting the image processing apparatus of the present invention connected to the network from the host on the network and notifying the host after starting is described.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a basic configuration of a restart / startup completion notification between an image processing apparatus of the present invention and a host. When the administrator on the host restarts the image processing apparatus of the present invention, the processing is executed according to the following flow.

  In FIG. 1- [1], the device management server issues a shutdown command defined in the device control command IF to the device. The data structure of this shutdown command is shown in FIG. This shutdown command is defined as one command in the command IF system for device control, and its software processing is realized by the controller software section of the apparatus of the present invention shown in FIG. This command IF system is defined and constructed so that it can be used via the network as well as on the 1518 control API (Application Program Interface) as in this embodiment.

  201 is designated in order to designate / interpret that the data received from the network by the apparatus of the present invention is a control command designated by the device control command IF. Reference numeral 202 denotes version information of the command IF, which is hint information provided when the interpretation / meaning of the command is changed when the command IF system / specification itself is changed. Reference numeral 203 denotes a field defined in the command IF system for indicating a command type and designating a specific operation for a device that has received the command data. In FIG. 2, a command type (Reboot & Notify) for performing restart and host notification after restart to the image processing apparatus is designated.

  These fields 201, 202, and 203 are fields 220 common to all command data, and the following 204, 205, 206, 207, and 208 are data fields 221 that are necessary and unique to the Reboot & Notify command.

  204 designates whether to actually restart the apparatus. When restarting, 205 is a field for starting restart processing, that is, a field for designating the time until the power of the device is turned off next, and 206 is a device for the specified host after the device is restarted. This field specifies whether to notify that the restart has been performed. Reference numeral 207 denotes a field of a notification destination host address when notification of restart is performed. Reference numeral 208 denotes a field in which further option setting information of the Reboot & Notify command can be set. When there is no option information, the size is indicated by 0 as shown in FIG.

  On the device side that has received the command data transmitted from the host in FIG. 1- [1], a confirmation that the command has been received is sent back to the host in FIG. 1- [2]. This command reception confirmation notification itself can be omitted in the operation of the device restart and the start notification. However, on the host side that issued the restart command, the printer including the device of the present invention connected to the network, the copy In many cases, the status of the machine is monitored, and the state is displayed so that the administrator can grasp it visually or by text information. When such status monitoring / display is performed, it is desirable to make the device status displayed on the host more detailed and accurate.

  After issuing the command shown in FIG. 1- [1], if the device status is changed to "Restarting" on the host, if the command data is lost on the network, the device has not received the command. Nevertheless, the status hiding on the host remains "Restarting". Rather than falling into such a situation, it is desirable to check whether the notification of the restart command itself has succeeded and to detect that there is a problem in communication with the device at the command issue stage, The command reception confirmation notification from the device shown in FIG.

After confirming command reception to the host in FIG. 1- [2], the controller software unit (FIG. 5) of the apparatus of the present invention performs the following processing in FIG. 1- [3]. First, the unique data part of this command (Reboot & Notify) is analyzed, and the data 204, 205, 206, 207, 208 are extracted. As shown in FIG. 2, the meaning of the command specified in this embodiment is as follows.
-Immediate restart (205)
-After rebooting, notify the host (206)
-The address of the host to be notified is 192.168.0.100 (207)
・ No option information (208)
It is.

  Subsequently, the address information of the host that performs post-restart notification is recorded in the 2004 HDD device. This is because, in a normal memory, data is lost when restarted, and thus it is necessary to hold a notification destination address in a nonvolatile storage device. In this embodiment, the HDD device is used to hold the address information. However, any device other than the HDD, such as SRAM, EEPROM, external storage medium, etc., may affect the configuration of the present invention. do not do.

  Since it is necessary to determine the presence / absence of the information itself after the restart, the notification destination address information is generated and written in a predetermined specific location, for example, a special directory on the HDD and a file name. After the startup notification host address is written in the HDD of 2004, the power supply Off / On of the controller unit 2000 is executed in FIG. In this case, it is not always necessary to restart the printer engine 2095 and the scanner engine 2070 connected to the controller unit 2000, for example, when reflecting network setting values.

  Subsequently, when the restart is completed in FIG. 1- [5], the controller software section searches for a specific directory and a specific file in which the host address data for notifying the completion of the start on the HDD is written. If the corresponding data does not exist here, the activation completion notification is not performed. When the corresponding data exists, the host address information of the notification destination is read from the data, and the activation completion command shown in FIG. 3 is notified to the host address.

  Reference numerals 301, 302, and 303 denote command IF common units described with reference to FIG. 2, and a command indicating a startup completion notification (Notify BootCompleted) is set in 303. Reference numerals 304 and 305 denote data fields specific to the start completion notification command. In 304, identification information of the apparatus itself that has been started is set. This device identification information may be an address value on the network as shown at 304, or may be a serial number assigned to the device by the administrator, or a machine name.

  Reference numeral 305 denotes an option information field which is not specified in FIG. The host receives the activation completion command shown in FIG. 3 and performs necessary processing such as switching the device status from “Restarting” to “Available” in the device status monitoring screen display. Then, the restart of the apparatus of the present invention and the start completion notification are completed.

  As described above, the time lag from the restart of the device is minimized, and the completion of the restart of the device can be detected on the host side by the minimum network communication.

It is a typical figure of the apparatus of this invention. It is a figure which shows the data structure of the notification command after restart in the apparatus of this invention, and starting. It is a figure which shows the data structure of the start completion notification command in the apparatus of this invention. It is a figure which shows a network. It is a whole software block diagram of this system. It is a whole block diagram of this system. FIG. 3 is an external view of a scanner unit, a printer unit, and an operation unit. It is a figure which shows an operation part. It is a block diagram of a scanner image processing unit. It is a block diagram of a printer image processing unit. It is a block diagram of an image compression process part. It is a block diagram of an image rotation part. It is a block diagram of a device I / F part. It is a figure which shows an operation part. It is a figure which shows the screen of an operation part. It is a figure which shows the screen of an operation part. It is a figure which shows the screen of an operation part. It is a figure which shows the screen of an operation part.

Explanation of symbols

2000 Controller Unit
2001 CPU
2002 RAM
2003 ROM
2004 HDD
2005 Image Bus I / F
2006 Operation unit I / F
2007 System bus 2008 Image bus 2010 Network
2011 LAN
2012 Operation unit 2020 Device I / F
2030 Image rotation 2040 Image compression 2050 MODEM
2051 WAN
2060 RIP
2070 scanner 2072 sheet information reader 2080 scanner image processing 2090 printer image processing 2095 printer 2097 sheet information writer

Claims (5)

Two-way network communication means capable of communicating with the host;
A power control means capable of safely restarting the own device;
Device control command IF means capable of device control including device restart from the host;
Non-volatile storage means capable of backing up one or more notification destination host address information for notifying the completion of the restart of the own device after the restart,
When the device is restarted by the device control command IF means, the image stored in the nonvolatile storage means is notified to the notification destination host of the completion of restart of the own device. Processing equipment.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein data of a notification destination host address held in the nonvolatile storage unit is notified from a host as a parameter of the restart command.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the notification destination host address data held in the nonvolatile storage unit is notified from the host by a command different from the restart command.   2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein after the restart, when the notification of the start completion is completed, the information on the notification destination host held in the nonvolatile storage unit is deleted. User interface means through which the user can enter host address information;
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein data of a notification destination host address held in the nonvolatile storage unit can be input from the user interface unit.