JP2007104535A - Scan file generation system and apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a scan file generating apparatus including a scan file generating function that is effective also for a user who wants to adjust the generation condition of a scan file (image data file generated by scanning an original) into his own favorite conditions. <P>SOLUTION: A scan file generating apparatus is configured as generation (steps S109-S111) of a scan file on a condition indicated by processing condition information for scanner control (step S101) that is managed by a TWAIN enabled scanner driver within a computer designated as a scan file transmission destination by a user. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a scan file generation system and a scan file generation apparatus for generating an image data file of a document.

  In recent years, some commercially available scanners and multi-function printers (multifunction printers) generate an image data file by scanning a document, and are stored in a PC (PC designated by the user) connected to the device itself. There is a process (for example, refer to Non-Patent Document 1) that allows the storage process to be performed by operating the scanner / multifunction machine.

  A scanner / multifunction machine having such a function (hereinafter referred to as a scan file generation function) has been developed only by operating the apparatus (by setting a document on the apparatus and operating the PC, This is because the document can be digitized without the need to control and remove the document from the apparatus. However, this function does not know what type of file was actually generated unless the contents of the file saved on the PC are checked. For users who want to make adjustments, it was a meaningless function.

“LP-A500F / LP-A500 Usage Guide”, Seiko Epson Corporation

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a scan file generation system and a scan file generation device having a scan file generation function that is effective even for a user who wants to adjust the scan file generation conditions to his / her preference.

  In order to solve the above problems, a scan file generation system according to the present invention is a program for operating a scan file generation device as a network scanner, and defines conditions for operating the scan file generation device as a network scanner. A plurality of computers installed with a scanner control program, which is a program capable of setting processing condition information, operating means having an information display function and an information input function, and image data relating to the original by scanning the original By controlling the scan file generation means and the operation means having the function of executing the scan file generation process according to the specified processing conditions for generating a scan file that is a file, a plurality of computers can be controlled. One co Computer designation information input control means for causing a user to input computer designation information for designating a computer, and processing condition information is obtained from the computer designated by the computer designation information input by the computer designation information input control means to the user. The processing condition of the content corresponding to the processed processing condition information is specified, and the scan file generation means is caused to execute the scan file generation processing. As a result, the scan file generated by the scan file generation means is transferred to the computer specified by the computer specification information. A scan file generation device including scan file generation control means for transmitting.

  In other words, the scan file generation device constituting the scan file generation system of the present invention generates a scan file under the conditions indicated by the processing condition information set in the computer designated by the user as the scan file transmission destination. It has a function to generate. In each computer constituting the scan file generation system of the present invention, a scanner control program capable of setting processing condition information for operating the scan file generation apparatus as a network scanner is installed. The scan file generation system is a system having a scan file generation function that is effective for a user who wants to adjust the scan file generation conditions to his / her preference.

  When the scan file generation system according to the present invention is realized, the scan file generation unit of the scan file generation device generates the scan file with the content corresponding to the specified processing condition. It is assumed that a function for executing preview image data generation processing for generating preview image data representing an outline of the scan file is provided, and the computer-designated information input control unit causes the user to input the scan file generation control unit of the scan file generation device. The processing condition information is acquired from the computer specified by the specified computer specification information, the processing condition of the content corresponding to the acquired processing condition information is specified, and the scan file generation means executes the preview image data generation processing, and then the scan Generated by file generation means A function that causes the operation means to display an image according to the review image data, and causes the scan file generation means to start the scan file generation process when an operation for instructing the operation means to start the scan file generation process is performed. And a control process for causing the user to change the contents of the processing condition information acquired from the computer when the operation unit is instructed not to start the scan file generation process. It can be used as a means to do.

  That is, the scan file generation system of the present invention is a system in which the user can confirm whether or not the processing condition information is appropriate in a so-called preview image, and the processing condition information is not appropriate. Can be configured as a system that allows the user to make changes.

  The scan file generation apparatus according to the present invention scans files under the conditions indicated by the scanner control processing condition information managed by the TWAIN compatible scanner driver in the computer designated by the user as the scan file transmission destination. Therefore, the scan file generation apparatus of the present invention is an apparatus having a scan file generation function effective for a user who wants to adjust the scan file generation condition to his / her preference. It will be.

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

  First, an outline of a scan file generation system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the scan file generation system according to the present embodiment includes several PCs (personal computers) 40 and a scan file generation apparatus in which a scanner control program 41 and a scan file reception program 42 are installed. 10.

  The scan file generation device 10 includes a CPU 11, a RAM 12, a memory control ASIC 13, a scanner ASIC 14, a scanner 15, an image processing ASIC 16, a print engine 17, a ROM 18, an IO control ASIC 19, an operation panel 20, a network interface circuit (NW-I / F) 21. It is an apparatus provided with.

  The scanner 15 included in the scan file generation apparatus 10 is a unit that generates image data related to a document by scanning the document set on the scan file generation device 10. The print engine 17 is a unit for printing on paper. The memory control ASIC 13, the scanner ASIC 14, the image processing ASIC 16, and the IO control ASIC 19 are ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits) developed and manufactured for the scan file generation device 10 and other types of multifunction devices. The network interface circuit 21 is a circuit for performing communication with each PC 40 connected to the network.

  The image processing ASIC 16 and the print engine 17 are units provided because the scan file generation device 10 is a device (so-called multifunction device) that also functions as a copier or a network printer. The scan file generation apparatus 10 is an apparatus configured to be able to be locally connected to the PC 40 (an apparatus including a parallel interface circuit not shown in FIG. 1).

  The ROM 18 is a nonvolatile memory that stores firmware of the scan file generation device 10. The RAM 12 is a memory from which firmware on the ROM 18 is read, and is a memory used for temporarily storing various data. The CPU 11 is a semiconductor integrated circuit that controls each unit in an integrated manner in accordance with the firmware read out on the RAM 12.

  The operation panel 20 is a unit (man / machine interface unit) for exchanging information with the user. As shown in FIG. 2, the operation panel 20 included in the scan file generation device 10 includes various push button switches such as a scanner switch 23, a pre-scan switch 24, a start switch 25, and a cancel switch 26, an LCD 22 (in this embodiment). , Color LCD).

  Based on the above, the configuration and operation of the scan file generation system according to the present embodiment will be described more specifically below.

  The original function of the scan file generation device 10 is to scan an original set on the scanner 15 to generate an image data file (hereinafter referred to as a scan file) related to the original, and the generated scan file is generated by the user. And the like (hereinafter referred to as a scan file generation function).

  However, the scan file generation device 10 is a device that also functions as a network scanner.

  The scanner control program 41 installed in each PC 40 is a program (so-called TWAIN driver) for using the scan file generation device 10 as a network scanner. The scanner control program 41 allows the user to set default processing conditions (capture range, image type, image quality, etc.) in the same manner as a general TWAIN driver (for a scanner). The default processing condition is a processing condition used when the setting is not changed. Hereinafter, information indicating default processing conditions set by the user (information for changing the contents of the scanner control program 41 according to a user instruction) will be referred to as processing condition information.

  The scan file reception program 42 receives the scan file transmitted from the scan file generation device 10 and saves it in a folder designated in advance by the user, and a processing condition information request having a predetermined content is received by the scan file generation device 10. Is a program that can cause the PC 40 to execute processing for transmitting processing condition information to the scan file generation device 10. Further, the scan file reception program 42 is normally used as a resident program (a program activated when the PC 40 is powered on).

  The scan file generation function of the scan data generation apparatus 10 can be used by pressing the scanner switch 23 (FIG. 2), and the CPU 11 performs the processing of the procedure shown in FIG. It is a function realized by.

  That is, the CPU 11 that has detected that the use of the scan file generation function has been instructed (the scanner switch 23 has been pressed), first, the PC 40 as the scan file transmission destination, the file format of the scan file to be generated Processing for causing the user to specify (PDF, TIFF, etc.) (processing for displaying a screen for selecting the PC 40 on the LCD 22) is performed (step S100).

  Next, the CPU 11 transmits the processing condition information request to the PC 40 designated by the user as the transmission destination of the scan file, thereby obtaining the processing condition information from the PC 40 (from the scan file reception program 42 executed on the PC 40). If the prescan is to be performed (step S101) and the prescan switch 24 is pressed, a message to the effect that the start switch 25 should be pressed is displayed on the LCD 22 if prescan is not to be performed. Processing (step S102) is performed.

  Thereafter, the CPU 11 is in a state of monitoring whether the pre-scan switch 24 or the start switch 25 is pressed (step S103).

  When the pre-scan switch 24 is pressed (step S103; pre-scan), the CPU 11 performs control for performing pre-scan of contents corresponding to a part of the processing condition information (capture range, etc.). Control for outputting image data having a lower resolution than that during normal scanning with the contents corresponding to the section is performed on the scanner 15 (step S104).

  Thereafter, the CPU 11 performs image processing with contents according to the processing condition information on the image data from the scanner 15 to generate RGB format image data (format data that can be supplied to the LCD 22). (Step S105) is performed. Next, the CPU 11 presses the cancel switch 26 if the image display based on the generated image data and the processing conditions are changed, and presses the start switch 25 if the scan file is generated under the current processing conditions. A process (step S106) is performed for causing the LCD 22 to display a simple guidance message display (with a small number of characters).

  Thereafter, the CPU 11 is in a state of monitoring whether the cancel switch 26 or the start switch 25 is pressed (step S107), and when the cancel switch 26 is pressed (step S107; scan cell), FIG. A processing condition information setting process (step S108), which is a process for setting (changing) the processing condition information by the user by displaying the screens as shown in A) to FIG. 4C on the LCD 22, is performed.

  Then, when the setting of the processing condition information by the user is completed (when the processing condition information setting process is completed), the CPU 11 performs the processing from step S102.

  If it is detected in step S103 or S107 that the start switch 25 has been pressed (step S103 / S107; start), the CPU 11 first performs a normal scan of contents corresponding to a part of the processing condition information. For controlling the scanner 15 (step S109). Next, the CPU 11 designates the processing condition information (processing condition information acquired from the PC 40 or processing condition information whose contents have been changed by the processing condition information setting process) at that point in time with respect to the image data from the scanner 15 and the user. By performing image processing with the contents corresponding to the file format, a scan file having a file format designated by the user is generated (step S110).

  Then, the CPU 11 transmits the generated scan file to the PC 40 designated as the transmission destination by the user (step S111), and then ends the processing in this figure.

  As described above, the scan file generation device 10 included in the scan file generation system according to the present embodiment has the conditions indicated by the processing condition information set in the PC 40 designated as the scan file transmission destination. This is a device that can generate a scan file. In addition, since the scanner control program 41 capable of changing the processing condition information is installed in the PC 40, this scan file generation system uses the scan file generation condition (processing condition information) of its own preference. It can be said that it has an effective scan file generation function even for a user who wants to make adjustments.

<Deformation>
The scan file generation system described above can be variously modified. For example, if the scan file generation device 10 is a device that always performs pre-scanning (for example, it does not have the pre-scan switch 24 and the pressing of the start switch 25 is detected in step S103, the processing after step S104 is started. Device). Further, the scan file generation device 10 does not display a pre-scan image on the LCD 22 and cannot change the processing condition information by operating the operation panel 20 (for example, the scan file generation device 10 does not have the pre-scan switch 24 and does not have the pre-scan switch 24). Thus, it is possible to change to a device in which the processing after step S109 is started) when pressing of the start switch 25 is detected.

  Also, the scan file generation system can be modified to a system that does not require installation of the scan program reception program 42 on each PC 40. Note that such a scan file generation system uses, for example, a folder in the PC 40 in which processing condition information is stored as a shared folder, prepares a shared folder for storing the scan file in the PC 40, and sets the scan file generation apparatus 10. It can be configured by storing the scan file in a shared folder in the PC 40.

1 is a configuration diagram of a scan file generation system according to an embodiment. Explanatory drawing of the operation panel with which the scan file production | generation apparatus which concerns on embodiment is provided. The flowchart for demonstrating the scan file production | generation function which a scan file production | generation apparatus has. The figure for demonstrating the content of the processing condition information setting process.

Explanation of symbols

10 Scan file generator, 11 CPU, 12 RAM
13 Memory Control ASIC, 14 Scanner ASIC, 15 Scanner 16 Image Processing ASIC, 17 Print Engine, 18 ROM
19 IO control ASIC, 20 Operation panel,
21 Network interface circuit, 22 LCD, 23 Scanner switch, 24 Pre-scan switch, 25 Start switch,
26 cancel switch, 40 PC (personal computer)
41 Scanner control program, 42 Scan file reception program

Claims (3)

A scan file generation system including a plurality of computers and a scan file generation device having a function as a network scanner,
For each of the plurality of computers,
A scanner control program that is a program for operating the scan file generation device as a network scanner and that is capable of setting processing condition information that defines conditions for operating the scan file generation device as a network scanner. Installed,
The scan file generation device
An operating means having an information display function and an information input function;
A scan file generating means having a function of executing a scan file generating process of contents according to a specified processing condition for generating a scan file which is an image data file related to the original by scanning the original;
Computer designation information input control means for allowing a user to input computer designation information for designating one of the plurality of computers by controlling the operation means;
The computer designation information input control means acquires the processing condition information from a computer designated by the computer designation information input by the user, specifies the processing conditions having contents according to the obtained processing condition information, and generates the scan file. A scan file generation control unit that causes the scan file generation process to be executed by the unit and transmits the scan file generated by the scan file generation unit as a result to the computer specified by the computer designation information. A scan file generation system characterized by The scan file generation means of the scan file generation device comprises:
Means having a function of executing a preview image data generation process for generating preview image data representing an outline of a scan file to be generated when the scan file generation process having a content corresponding to a specified processing condition is executed And
The scan file generation control means of the scan file generation device,
The computer designation information input control means acquires the processing condition information from a computer designated by the computer designation information input by the user, specifies the processing conditions having contents according to the obtained processing condition information, and generates the scan file. And causing the operation means to display an image according to the preview image data generated by the scan file generation means, and causing the operation means to start the scan file generation process. An operation for instructing the operation unit not to start the scan file generation process, and having a function of causing the scan file generation unit to start the scan file generation process. Obtained from the computer when Scan file generation system of claim 1, wherein the control process is a means to be performed on the operating unit for changing the contents of the processing condition information to a user has. A scan file generation device having a function as a TWAIN compatible network scanner,
An operation means having an information display function and an information input function;
A scan file generating unit having a function of executing a scan file generating process of contents according to a specified processing condition for generating a scan file which is an image data file related to the original by scanning the original;
Computer designation information input control means for allowing the user to input computer designation information for designating one of the plurality of computers by controlling the operation means;
The processing condition information for scanner control managed by the TWAIN compatible scanner driver in the computer is obtained from the computer designated by the computer designation information input by the user by the computer designation information input control means, and obtained. The processing condition information corresponding to the processing condition information is specified and the scan file generation means is caused to execute the scan file generation processing. As a result, the scan file generated by the scan file generation means is specified by the computer designation information. A scan file generation apparatus comprising: a scan file generation control means for transmitting to a computer.