JP2007072758A - Data processor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a data processor excellent in operability and requiring less wait time for outputting even if the number of types of output devices is increased. <P>SOLUTION: This data processor is provided with a data conversion means converting data into output data, a storage means storing the output data converted by the data conversion means, a history storage means storing a history of output of the output data. The history storage means stores a first history, and the data conversion means converts the data based on the first history. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a data processing apparatus.

  In a conventional input / output system, image information is converted into printer data or display data in a specified format only after a desired print format (or display format) such as a user's print request and layout is specified. In this case, the data is output to a printer or displayed on a display device.

  For example, when various types of information are obtained by communication as bit map data from a center that distributes electronic paper information such as newspapers, magazines, and advertisements, stored in a recording medium such as an IC memory card, and requested by the user In addition, an “electronic paper information vending machine” that reads bitmap data from a recording medium and displays it on a display device or outputs it to a printer has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  In this conventional apparatus, first, image information is acquired from the outside. Then, the print format of the image that the user wants to acquire is specified, and then the acquired image information is converted into printer data of the specified print format by the data conversion means. Next, an image is formed from the print data converted by the image forming means, and printed out (or displayed on a display device) in a designated print format.

  Therefore, it takes time to convert the data into printer data of a desired print format such as arranging the layout and printout, and it takes a considerable time to obtain the printed information after the user requests it. was there.

In order to solve such a problem, a method of converting acquired image data into data for a plurality of output devices in advance prior to designation of a desired print format such as a user's print request and layout (for example, patent document) 2) and the like have been proposed.
JP 9-26992 A JP 2001-142664 A

  However, since the method of Patent Document 2 converts data for a plurality of output devices in advance, the time for conversion increases as the number of types of output devices increases. Therefore, when the user specifies the output device and specifies the desired print format such as print request and layout, it has not been converted to the desired data yet, and there is a waiting time for conversion to the data for the output device There is a problem to do.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a data processing device with good operability that has a low waiting time until output even if the number of types of output devices increases.

  The object of the present invention can be achieved by the following constitution.

(1)
Data conversion means for converting data into output data;
Storage means for storing the output data converted by the data conversion means;
History storage means for storing a history of outputting the output data;
In a data processing apparatus comprising:
The history storage means stores a first history;
The data processing device is characterized in that the data conversion means converts data based on the first history.

(2)
The first history is:
The data format of the output data and the history of the number of outputs,
The data conversion means determines a data format based on the number of outputs,
The data processing apparatus according to (1), wherein data is converted into the determined data format.

(3)
The first history is:
The data format of the output data and the history of the output date and time,
The data processing apparatus according to (1) or (2), wherein the data conversion means determines a data format based on the output date and time history, and converts the data into the data format.

(4)
The history storage means includes
Storing a second history of outputting the output data;
The data conversion means, from at least two data formats determined based on the first history,
Determine the data format based on the second history,
The data processing apparatus according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein data is converted into the data format.

(5)
The second history is:
It is a history of the load on the data conversion means at the time of data conversion or the data size after conversion,
The data processing unit according to (4), wherein the data conversion unit determines a data format based on a load on the data conversion unit or a data size after conversion, and converts the data into the data format. apparatus.

(6)
The load on the data conversion means is
The data processing apparatus according to (5), wherein the data conversion means is a data processing time for executing a data conversion process.

(7)
The data conversion means includes
Determining a data format to be converted based on the reversibility of the data format from at least two determined data formats;
5. The data processing apparatus according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein data is converted into the data format.

  According to the present invention, the history of outputting the output data is stored, and the data format is determined based on the history before the data format is specified. It is possible to provide a data processing device with low waiting time and good operability.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  First, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of an input / output system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  The data input device 2 is a personal computer including, for example, a keyboard, a mouse, and a display (not shown). The data input device 2 creates data such as documents, images, and voices. The data created by the data input device 2 is transmitted via a network 5 composed of a router and a hub (not shown) by a communication means (not shown) that communicates with the data input device 2 via, for example, Ethernet (registered trademark) or a telephone line. Is transmitted to the data processing device 1. The network 5 may be a LAN (Local Area Network) or the Internet.

  The data processing device 1 has a function of storing data input from the data input device 2, converting the data into output data in a predetermined format, and outputting the data. The data processing device 1 will be described in detail later.

  The first data output device 6 and the second data output device 7 are printers such as LBP (Laser Beam Printer) and MFP (Multi Function Peripheral). The first output device control device 3 and the second output device control device 4 are personal computers including, for example, a keyboard, a mouse, and a display (not shown). For example, communication is performed using Ethernet (registered trademark) or the like. Unit transmits and receives data via the network 5. The first output device control device 3 and the second output device control device 4 communicate with the first data output device 6 and the second data output device 7 by, for example, Ethernet (registered trademark), respectively. The first data output device 6 and the second data output device 7 are controlled.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of the data processing apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  The data processing device 1 is a data server including an input unit such as a keyboard and a mouse (not shown) and a display unit such as a display. The data processing device 1 and the data processing device 10 communicate with each other using Ethernet (registered trademark) or the like. 1 is provided with a CPU 11 that controls the entire system 1 and a storage unit 13 that includes a RAM, ROM, HDD (Hard Disk Drive), and the like (not shown). The storage unit 13 is a storage unit of the present embodiment. The storage unit 13 stores, for example, an OS (operating system), a program for recording printer data, an application, a printer driver, and the like, and the CPU 11 executes these programs.

  The data conversion unit 12 of the CPU 11 is a data conversion unit of the present embodiment that converts input data into a predetermined processing format as output data. The history storage unit 14 of the CPU 11 is a history storage unit of the present embodiment having a function of counting and storing the number of times the converted output data is output.

  Note that if the data processing device 1 is virtually configured, the functions of the data conversion unit 12, the history storage unit 14, and the data storage unit 15 that configure the data processing device 1 may exist on the network. For example, if the function of the data processing device 1 is included in the data input device 2 of FIG. 1, it is not necessary to provide the data processing device 1 separately. Alternatively, for example, only the functions of the data conversion unit 12 and the history storage unit 14 may be provided in the data input device 2, and the data storage unit 15 may be provided in a separately provided data server. The data input device 2 is not limited to a general-purpose personal computer, and may be a dedicated input device such as a scanner.

  Next, the flow of data processing in this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. In the present embodiment, data is converted based on the history of outputting data, and therefore, the contents of processing differ between when there is no history of outputting data and when there is history.

  First, a case where there is no history of data output in the past will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the procedure of the input processing routine A executed when there is no history of outputting data in the embodiment of the present invention.

  When a data transmission request is sent from the data input device 2 to the data processing device 1, the CPU 11 of the data processing device 1 searches the data in the history storage unit 14 and activates the input processing routine A when there is no data.

  When the input processing routine A is activated, data transmitted from the data input device 2 is acquired (step S101), and the data is stored in the data storage unit 15 (step S102). The input processing routine A ends here and waits for an output request.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the procedure of the output processing routine A that is executed when there is no history of outputting data in the embodiment of the present invention.

  For example, when a data output request is sent from the first data output device 6 to the data processing device 1, the CPU 11 of the data processing device 1 stores the designated data format in the history storage unit 14 (step S201). In response to a command from the CPU 11, the data conversion unit 12 converts the requested data into a specified data format (step S202), and the CPU 11 stores the converted data in the data storage unit 15 as output data (step S203). The CPU 11 stores the processing time required for the data conversion by the data conversion unit 12 in step S202 in the history storage unit 14 as the information on the converted data format and the load on the data conversion unit 12, and sets the output data size. Store in the history storage unit 14 (step S204). For example, the CPU 11 outputs output data to the first data output device 6 and stores the output date and time in the history storage unit 14 (step S205).

  The output processing routine A ends here.

  Next, a case where there is a history of outputting data in the past will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining the procedure of the input processing routine B executed when there is a history of outputting data in the embodiment of the present invention.

  When a data transmission request is sent from the data input device 2 to the data processing device 1, the CPU 11 of the data processing device 1 searches the data in the history storage unit 14 and activates the input processing routine B if there is data.

  When the input processing routine B is activated, data transmitted from the data input device 2 is acquired (step S301), and the data is stored in the data storage unit 15 (step S302). Next, the output format determination processing routine is activated, and the output format is determined from the output history (step S303). For example, if there is a history of data output by the first data output device 6 and there is no history of data output once even by the second data output device 7, in step S303, the first data output device 6 The output format is determined. Details of the output format determination processing routine will be described later.

  The data conversion unit 12 converts the data acquired in step S301 into the output format determined in advance in step S303 (step S304). For example, it is converted into the output format of the first data output device 6 determined in step S303. Next, the CPU 11 stores the output data converted in step S304 in the data storage unit 15 (step S305).

  The CPU 11 stores, in the history storage unit 14, the processing time required for the data conversion by the CPU 11 in step S 202 as information on the converted data format and the load on the data processing device 1, and the output data size in the history storage unit 14. (Step S306).

  The input processing routine B ends here and waits for an output request.

  Next, the procedure of the output format determination process will be described.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the procedure of an output format determination processing routine A that is an output format determination processing according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  When the output format determination processing routine A is started, the CPU 11 acquires history data from the history storage unit 14, and selects up to 10 latest history data from the output date and time history data stored in step S201. (Step S501). Next, it is determined whether or not there are a plurality of data formats with the highest output count (step S502). If there is only one data format with the highest output count (step S502; No), the output format has the highest output count. The data format is determined (step S505), and the process returns to the original routine.

  When there are a plurality of data formats with the largest number of outputs (step S502; Yes), the load on the data processing apparatus 1 required for conversion and the data size after conversion are compared from the history data of the candidate data format. To do. In the comparison method, for example, an evaluation value obtained by multiplying the value obtained by normalizing the processing time required for data conversion by the input data size and the value obtained by normalizing the converted data size by the input data size is obtained (step S503). From the evaluation value obtained in step S503, a data format is determined that has a small load on the data processing apparatus 1 required for conversion and a small data size after conversion (step S504), and returns to the original routine.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating the procedure of an output format determination processing routine B that is an output format determination processing according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

  When the output format determination processing routine B is started, the CPU 11 acquires history data from the history storage unit 14, and stores the history data of up to the latest 10 items from the history data at the date and time when the output request is stored in step S201. Select (step S601). Next, it is determined whether there are a plurality of data formats with the highest output count (step S602). If there is only one data format with the highest output count (step S602; No), the output format has the highest output count. The data format is determined (step S605), and the process returns to the original routine.

  If there are a plurality of data formats with the highest number of outputs (step S602; Yes), can the candidate output data format be reversibly converted to the original input data or intermediate data such as XML (extensible Markup Language)? Are compared (step S603).

  As a comparison method, for example, the priority order is compared using Table 1. The highest priority is the data format that can be converted to input data and intermediate data, even if the requested output data format is different from the data converted based on historical data, This is because the data can be converted into the requested data. The next priority is a file format that can convert only intermediate data for the same reason.

  The data format of priority order 1 in Table 1 is, for example, METRO developed by Microsoft Corporation, and can be reversibly converted to XML of intermediate data or original input data. The data format of the priority order 2 is, for example, Postscript developed by Adobe Systems, and can be reversibly converted to an extended metafile (EMF) that is intermediate data. The data format of the priority order 3 is, for example, CMYK depending on the printer device specifications, that is, bitmap data of four colors of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black, and cannot be converted into original input data or intermediate data.

  In step S603, for example, the data format for output having the highest priority is determined from the output data format given priority based on Table 1 (step S604), and the process returns to the original routine.

  Next, output processing when there is an output history will be described.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining the procedure of the output processing routine B executed when there is a history of outputting data in the embodiment of the present invention.

  For example, when a data output request is sent from the first data output device 6 to the data processing device 1, the CPU 11 of the data processing device 1 stores the output requested data format and the date and time when the output request was made in the history storage unit 14. (Step S401). The CPU 11 determines whether or not output data that has been converted to the specified data format of the data requested to be output is stored in the data storage unit 15 (step S402).

  If there is requested data (step S402; Yes), the CPU 11 stores the processing time required for the data conversion by the CPU 11 in step S202 as information on the converted data format and the load on the data processing device 1. The output data size is stored in the history storage unit 14 while being stored in the unit 14 (step S410). The data processing device 1 outputs the converted output data stored in the data storage unit 15 in the input processing routine B, and stores the output date and time in the history storage unit 14 (step S411). For example, the converted data is in the output format of the first data output device 6 and is converted in advance before the data output request from the first data output device 6, so that it can be output immediately.

  If there is no requested data (step S402; No), the data conversion unit 12 converts the requested data into a specified data format (step S403), and stores it in the data storage unit 15 as output data (step S403). S405). Next, as the information on the converted data format and the load on the data processing device 1, the processing time required for the data conversion by the CPU 11 in step S403 is stored in the history storage unit 14, and the output data size is set in the history storage unit 14. (Step S405). The CPU 11 outputs the output data, and stores the output date and time in the history storage unit 14 (step S406). For example, when there is an output request from the second data output device 7 for the first time, since the output data that has been converted is not stored in the data storage unit 15, it is converted into the designated data format in step S403, and the second To the data output device 7.

  The output processing routine B ends here.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, data is converted in advance based on a history of data formats output in the past at the time of data input. Therefore, when data output is requested, the requested output data is processed by data processing. Even if the number of types of output devices increases, the data processing device can be realized that has a low waiting time until output and good operability.

  Although the document data is mainly described in the present embodiment, the data is not limited to the document data, but may be audio data or image data.

1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of an overall configuration of an image processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a block diagram which shows an example of an internal structure of the data processor 1 concerning embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart explaining the procedure of the input process routine A performed when there is no log | history which output data in embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart explaining the procedure of the output process routine A performed when there is no log | history which output data in embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart explaining the procedure of the input process routine B performed when there exists the log | history which output data in embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart explaining the procedure of the output format determination process routine A which is the output format determination process of 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart explaining the procedure of the output format determination process routine B which is the output format determination process of 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart explaining the procedure of the output process routine B performed when there exists the log | history which output data in embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 Data processing device 2 Data input device 3 Output device control device 1
4 Output device controller 2
5 Network 6 Data output measure 1
7 Data output measure 2
10 communication unit 12 data conversion unit 14 history storage unit 15 data storage unit

Claims (7)

Data conversion means for converting data into output data;
Storage means for storing the output data converted by the data conversion means;
History storage means for storing a history of outputting the output data;
In a data processing apparatus comprising:
The history storage means stores a first history;
The data processing device is characterized in that the data conversion means converts data based on the first history. The first history is:
The data format of the output data and the history of the number of outputs,
The data conversion means determines a data format based on the number of outputs,
The data processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein data is converted into the determined data format. The first history is:
The data format of the output data and the history of the output date and time,
3. The data processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the data conversion unit determines a data format based on the output date and time history, and converts the data into the data format. The history storage means includes
Storing a second history of outputting the output data;
The data conversion means, from at least two data formats determined based on the first history,
Determine the data format based on the second history,
4. The data processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein data is converted into the data format. The second history is:
It is a history of the load on the data conversion means at the time of data conversion or the data size after conversion,
5. The data processing according to claim 4, wherein the data conversion unit determines a data format based on a load on the data conversion unit or a data size after conversion, and converts the data into the data format. apparatus. The load on the data conversion means is
6. The data processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the data conversion unit is a data processing time for executing a data conversion process. The data conversion means includes
Determining a data format to be converted based on the reversibility of the data format from at least two determined data formats;
5. The data processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein data is converted into the data format.

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