JP2008102634A - Image-processing device, computation device, content-displaying system, control method of image-processing device, control program for operating image-processing device, and computer-readable recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image-processing device which takes out a content in response to a display request from the outside and adequately displays the content on a display part. <P>SOLUTION: The image-processing device 1 includes; a web service part 13 which acquires display request information including resource identifiers; a content acquisition part 121 which is connected to a resource identified by an acquired resource identifier and takes out content from the resource; a web browser part 16 which makes a display part 15 display the content described in a prescribed form; and an XML conversion part 17 which converts the description form of the content to a form which is displayable on the display part 15. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for operating an image processing apparatus, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for transmitting content to a client browser in the image processing apparatus.

  Image processing devices such as printers, copiers, scanners and fax machines have a variety of functions and capabilities to suit a particular application or combination of applications. An image processing apparatus often takes the form of a multifunction peripheral device (MFP), which combines two or more functions that are conventionally separate. The MFP may have an arbitrary number of functions in combination, but generally includes a printer, an image reader, a copier, and a fax function.

  Some image processing devices also include computing resources (eg, processors, hard disk drives, memories, and other devices) for data storage and processing. An image processing apparatus becomes more expensive and more complicated when a special configuration or function is added.

  Some more complex image processing apparatuses are capable of communicating with other arithmetic devices (for example, personal computers, other image processing apparatuses, network servers, and other devices). When communication is possible in this way, the image processing apparatus can use external resources (other arithmetic devices) that can be used on the connected network.

  The image processing apparatus generally includes a user input panel having a plurality of buttons, knobs, and other user input mechanisms. There is also an image processing apparatus provided with a display panel. Some of these display panels are used only for display, and others are touch panel displays that a user can directly input on the display. As described above, the image processing apparatus provided with the touch panel display or the image processing apparatus having the buttons arranged with the display can display the menu data selected by the user input. This menu data is normally driven by a server module mounted on the image processing apparatus.

Here, for example, in Patent Document 1, an advertisement determined using user information acquired from the image processing apparatus is distributed to the image processing apparatus, and print information related to the advertisement selected by the user among the distributed advertisements is provided. An image distribution method for distributing to an image processing apparatus is described.
JP 2004-240752 (released August 26, 2004)

  However, in the prior art, there is no method for extracting content from the outside in response to a display request from the outside and displaying the content appropriately on the display unit.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus or the like that takes out content in response to a display request from the outside and appropriately displays the content on a display unit. It is to provide.

In order to solve the above problem, an image processing apparatus according to the present invention includes a display request information acquisition unit that acquires display request information including a resource identifier in an image processing apparatus having a display unit capable of displaying content. A content acquisition unit that connects to the resource identified by the acquired resource identifier and extracts content from the resource, a content display control unit that displays content described in a predetermined format on the display unit, and the content Is described in a format other than the predetermined format, conversion means for converting the content description format into a format that can be displayed on the display unit,
It is characterized by having.

  In addition, in order to solve the above problem, a control method for an image processing apparatus according to the present invention includes a display request information acquisition step of acquiring display request information including a resource identifier, and a resource identified by the acquired resource identifier. A content acquisition step of connecting to the resource and extracting the content from the resource, a content display control step of displaying the content described in a predetermined format on the display unit, and the content described in a format other than the predetermined format A conversion step of converting the description format of the content into a format that can be displayed on the display unit.

  According to the configuration and the method described above, the image processing apparatus takes out the content in response to a display request from the outside, and converts the content into a format that can be displayed when the content cannot be displayed as it is when the content can be displayed. Display. Therefore, it can display appropriately so that a user can confirm on a display part.

  Even if the content display control means of the image processing apparatus performs other processing, when the display request information acquisition means acquires the resource identifier, the content display control means connects to the resource to retrieve the content and display the image processing apparatus. It can be displayed on the part so that the user can confirm it. Therefore, for example, a warning or the like can be appropriately displayed on the display unit of the image processing apparatus from the outside in an emergency situation or the like.

  In order to solve the above problem, an image processing apparatus according to the present invention includes a display request information acquisition unit that acquires display request information including a resource identifier in an image processing apparatus having a display unit capable of displaying content. A content acquisition unit that connects to the resource identified by the acquired resource identifier and extracts content from the resource; and a content display control unit that displays the content on the display unit, the content acquisition unit including the resource When acquiring the content from the above, content in a format that can be displayed by the content display control means is requested.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a control method for an image processing apparatus that acquires display request information including a resource identifier in the control method for an image processing apparatus having a display unit capable of displaying content. A display request information acquisition step, a content acquisition step of connecting to the resource identified by the acquired resource identifier and extracting the content from the resource, and a content display control step of displaying the content on the display unit In the content acquisition step, when the content is acquired from the resource, a content in a format that can be displayed in the content display control step is requested.

  According to the above configuration and the above method, the image processing apparatus takes out the content in response to a display request from the outside and displays it on the display unit. When retrieving this content, it requests content in a format that can be displayed by its own image processing apparatus. Therefore, when content in a format that can be displayed by this image processing apparatus is taken out, it can be appropriately displayed on the display unit so that the user can confirm it. Further, since the image processing apparatus can request a format that can be displayed by itself, the content providing side can transmit a display request to the image processing apparatus without being aware of the function of the image processing apparatus.

  The content acquired from the resource by the image processing apparatus according to the present invention may be described in the XML format or the HTML format.

  When the content is described in the XML format, the content can be displayed by an image processing apparatus that can convert the XML format into a user interface template. When the content is described in the HTML format, the content can be displayed as it is as long as it is an image processing apparatus having a high expression capability of the content display control means.

  In the image processing apparatus of the present invention, in addition to the above configuration, the content display control means may display the content acquired from the resource so that the content can be switched between the XML format and the HTML format.

  According to the above configuration, it is possible to display content while switching, such as alternately displaying two displays, a template display and a Web format display. In addition, when the content to be acquired can be switched by the image processing apparatus, the apparatus that transmits the content can transmit the image to the image forming apparatus without being aware of the file format, so that it is easy to create a program for the apparatus that transmits the content.

  In order to solve the above problem, the arithmetic device according to the present invention stores content and transmits the content to the image processing device. In the arithmetic processing device, the content description format is set in the image processing device. It is characterized by having switching means for switching to a displayable format.

  According to the above configuration, the content description format is switched to a format that can be displayed by the destination image processing device in the arithmetic device, so that the image processing device that receives the content does not need to have a switching logic. Therefore, the image processing apparatus can be configured at low cost, and the display of content can be freely controlled by the arithmetic apparatus.

  In order to solve the above problem, the content display system according to the present invention includes any one of the image processing devices, a first arithmetic device that transmits display request information including the resource identifier to the image processing device, And a second arithmetic device that stores the content and transmits the content to the image processing device.

  According to the above system, the display request information including the resource identifier is transmitted from the first arithmetic device to the image processing device, and the image processing device can retrieve the content from the second arithmetic device and display it appropriately based on the resource identifier. it can. The first arithmetic device and the second arithmetic device may be a single device.

  In the content display system according to the present invention, the second arithmetic device may be provided with security countermeasure means for ensuring security.

  In the above system, security measures are implemented and maintained on multiple computer terminals, but it is a difficult task, but it is easy to be at risk of storing content to be sent to the image processing device (easy to be targeted) By taking security measures only on the device, the maximum effect can be achieved with a minimum amount of security.

  By the way, the image processing apparatus may be realized by hardware or may be realized by causing a computer to execute a program. Specifically, the program according to the present invention is a program that causes a computer to operate as each unit of the image processing apparatus having any one of the above configurations, and the program is recorded on a computer-readable recording medium according to the present invention. Has been.

  When this program is executed by a computer, the computer operates as the image processing apparatus. Accordingly, in the same manner as the image processing apparatus, the content described in the XML format or the HTML format can be taken out and displayed on the display unit in response to a display request from the outside. .

  As described above, the image processing apparatus according to the present invention connects the display request information acquisition unit that acquires the display request information including the resource identifier, and the resource identified by the acquired resource identifier, and transmits the content from the resource. Content acquisition means for fetching content, content display control means for displaying content described in a predetermined format on the display unit, and description of the content when the content is described in a format other than the predetermined format Conversion means for converting the format into a format that can be displayed on the display unit.

  In addition, as described above, the image processing apparatus according to the present invention connects the display request information acquisition unit that acquires the display request information including the resource identifier, and the resource identified by the acquired resource identifier, Content acquisition means for taking out the content from the content and content display control means for displaying the content on the display unit, the content acquisition means can be displayed by the content display control means when acquiring the content from the resource Request format content.

  Therefore, in response to a display request from the outside, the content can be taken out and displayed appropriately on the display unit.

  One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. The following embodiments are examples embodying the present invention, and do not limit the technical scope of the present invention. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the image processing apparatus is a multi-function copying machine (MFP). Further, management for managing the image processing apparatus is assumed to be a PC (personal computer). FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the main configuration of the image processing device 1, the first arithmetic device 3, and the second arithmetic device 2 of the present embodiment. In the present embodiment, a device that transmits display request information to the image processing device 1 is a first arithmetic device, and a device that transmits content to the image processing device 1 is a second arithmetic device. However, for example, the first arithmetic device and the second arithmetic device may be in one form. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the image processing apparatuses 1 and 110 form a content display system 4. The image processing device 1, the first arithmetic device 3, and the second arithmetic device 2 are configured to be communicably connected to each other via a network. In FIG. 1, only one image processing device 1, first arithmetic device 3, and second arithmetic device 2 are shown, but a plurality of image processing devices and a plurality of arithmetic devices may be connected via a network. Good. This connection form may be any form, may be wired connection or wireless connection, and may be connected by a dedicated line communicating with each other. The network can be wide or narrow.

  The image processing apparatus 1 includes an image reading unit 11, a control unit 12, a Web service unit (display request information acquisition unit) 13, a network interface (network I / F) unit 14, a display unit 15, a Web browser unit (content display control). Means) 16 and an XML conversion unit (language conversion means) 17.

  The image reading unit 11 is a block that generates image data by reading a document in response to a user input or an image reading request from a computing device connected to a network.

  The control unit 12 is a block that comprehensively controls operations of various components in the image processing apparatus 1 in accordance with a computer program. The control unit 12 includes a content acquisition unit (content acquisition unit) 121. The content acquisition unit 121 connects to the resource identified by the resource identifier acquired by the Web service unit 13, and the content is acquired from the resource. It is a block to take out.

  The Web service unit 13 is a block that obtains display request information including a resource identifier from the outside. The display request information is information for requesting the image processing apparatus 1 to perform display. The resource identifier is information for identifying a resource from which content to be displayed on the display unit 15 is extracted.

  The network I / F unit 14 is a block that communicates with the outside via a network.

  The display unit 15 provides a user interface (UI) to the user, and displays various screens including content. Further, the display unit 15 may be realized as a touch panel. In this case, various operation buttons and the like are displayed in addition to various screen displays, and image processing is input from the user via the displayed various operation buttons. An operation input signal corresponding to the setting or operation instruction of the device 1 may be transmitted to the control unit 12. Of course, an operation unit for performing operation input may be provided separately from the display unit.

  The web browser unit 16 is a block that displays the content acquired by the content acquisition unit 121 on the display unit 15. The XML conversion unit 17 is a block that converts the acquired content into a user interface template to be displayed on the display unit 15 when it is described in the XML format. That is, here, the Web browser unit 16 displays content described in a predetermined format (for example, HTML format) on the display unit 15, and the content is described in a format other than the predetermined format. The XML conversion unit 17 converts the content description format into a format (user interface template) that can be displayed on the display unit.

  The first arithmetic device 3 includes a network I / F unit 31 and an application unit 32 that can communicate with the outside via a network, and sends a UI display request, an image reading instruction, and the like to the image processing device 1. Do.

  The second arithmetic device 2 stores a network I / F unit 21 that can communicate with the outside via a network, a Web server unit 23 that manages the image processing device 1, and content to be displayed on the image processing device 1. A content storage unit 24 and a security unit (security countermeasure means) 22 are provided. The content is assumed to be described in XML format or HTML format. The content may be any information as long as it is information to be displayed on the display unit 15 of the image processing apparatus 1.

  When the image processing device 1 identifies the second processing device 2 by the resource identifier, the second processing device 2 sends the content stored in the content storage unit 24 to the image processing device 1 in response to a request from the image processing device 1. . For example, the second arithmetic device 2 may have a content storage unit for each of a plurality of contents, and the resource identifier may be identified as the content storage unit resource.

  In addition, since the second computing device 2 has the Web server unit 23 and is highly likely to be attacked from the outside by malicious intent, the security unit 22 is provided to enhance security such as security hole countermeasures and firewall countermeasures. Is provided. The security unit 22 is a block that performs security measures so as to ensure security against external attacks.

  Next, processing in the content display system 4 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  First, the application unit 32 of the first arithmetic device 3 transmits display request information to the image processing device 1 via the network I / F unit 31 in order to request the image processing device 1 to display a UI (S301). . When the image processing apparatus 1 acquires display request information in the Web service unit 13 via the network I / F unit 14, the content acquisition unit 121 of the control unit 12 requests content from the second arithmetic device 2. Therefore, the content request information is transmitted to the second arithmetic device 2 via the network I / F unit 14 (S302). In response to the content request information received by the Web server unit 23 via the network I / F unit 21, the second arithmetic device 2 reads the content from the content storage unit 24 and transmits it to the image processing device 1 (S303). .

  Next, in the image processing apparatus 1, the content acquisition unit 121 of the control unit 12 acquires via the network I / F unit 14. Then, the web browser unit 16 displays the acquired content on the display unit 15. The control unit 12 determines whether the content data format is the XML format or the HTML format (S304). If the result of the determination is the XML format, the XML conversion unit 17 converts the XML format data into the browser display language (S305), and if the HTML format, the content is transmitted to the Web browser unit as it is. Receiving the content, the Web browser unit 16 displays the content on the display unit (S306).

  The content may be only XML format data, or may be only HTML format data. It is also possible to switch between XML format data and HTML format data each time a display request is made from the first arithmetic unit 3. As a method of switching, a method of transmitting a display format of content that can be displayed by the image processing apparatus 1 to the second arithmetic device 2 may be used. Alternatively, the image processing apparatus 1 may be converted into a format that can be displayed by itself. Alternatively, a method may be used in which the first arithmetic device 3 requests the image forming apparatus 1 for a format acquired by the image forming apparatus 1.

  Next, a case where a UI display request is made by a trigger from the image processing apparatus 1 will be described using the flowchart shown in FIG. When a normal operation from the user or the like is performed, or when an error occurs in the image processing apparatus 1 such as a paper jam, the image processing apparatus 1 notifies the first processing unit 3 of the status information of the image processing apparatus (S401). The first arithmetic unit 3 that has received the notification of the status information determines whether it is a notification of status information due to a normal operation or a notification of status information due to the occurrence of an error (S402). If it is determined that the status information notification is a normal operation. In order to display the normal operation UI on the image processing apparatus 1, a normal operation UI display request is transmitted to the image processing apparatus 1 (S403). When it is determined that the notification is status information due to the occurrence of an error, an error generation UI display request is transmitted to the image processing apparatus 1 in order to display the error generation UI on the image processing apparatus 1 (S404). The subsequent steps are the same as those after S302 in FIG.

  Note that the UI for which display is requested in the case of a normal operation and an error occurrence may be a reserved standard UI corresponding to one to one, or a custom UI. The UI format may be different between the XML format and the HTML format for normal operation and when an error occurs, or may be a combined format.

  In the image processing device 1 described above, in response to a display request from the first arithmetic device 3, content is extracted from the second arithmetic device identified as a resource. Then, the content description format is converted into a description format of a language that can be displayed on the display unit 15 in the case of the XML format as it is in the HTML format that the Web browser unit 16 can display on the display unit 15. Display. Therefore, the image processing apparatus 1 can take out the content in response to an external request and appropriately display it on the display unit 15 so that the user can confirm it.

  Even if the web browser unit 16 performs other processing, when the resource identifier is transferred from the web service unit 13 of the image processing apparatus 1, the web browser unit 16 is connected to the second arithmetic unit 2 identified as a resource. The content can be taken out and displayed on the display unit 15 of the image processing apparatus 1 so that the user can confirm it. Therefore, for example, when an error occurs, a warning or the like can be externally displayed on the display unit 15 of the image processing apparatus 1 in an emergency situation.

  The above-described processing described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 is processing in the entire content display system 4. Here, S301 and S402 to S404 are processes performed by the first arithmetic unit, S302, S304 to S306, and S401 are processes performed by the image processing apparatus 1, and S303 is a second arithmetic unit.

  Each block of the image processing apparatus 1 may be configured by hardware logic, or may be realized by software using a CPU as follows.

  That is, the image processing apparatus 1 includes a CPU (central processing unit) that executes instructions of a control program that realizes each function, a ROM (read only memory) that stores the program, and a RAM (random access memory) that expands the program. And a storage device (recording medium) such as a memory for storing the program and various data. An object of the present invention is a recording medium on which a program code (execution format program, intermediate code program, source program) of a control program of the image processing apparatus 1 which is software that realizes the above-described functions is recorded so as to be readable by a computer. This can also be achieved by supplying the image processing apparatus 1 and reading and executing the program code recorded on the recording medium by the computer (or CPU or MPU).

  Examples of the recording medium include tapes such as magnetic tapes and cassette tapes, magnetic disks such as floppy (registered trademark) disks / hard disks, and disks including optical disks such as CD-ROM / MO / MD / DVD / CD-R. Card system such as IC card, IC card (including memory card) / optical card, or semiconductor memory system such as mask ROM / EPROM / EEPROM / flash ROM.

  Further, the image processing apparatus 1 may be configured to be connectable to a communication network, and the program code may be supplied via the communication network. The communication network is not particularly limited. For example, the Internet, intranet, extranet, LAN, ISDN, VAN, CATV communication network, virtual private network, telephone line network, mobile communication network, satellite communication. A net or the like is available. Also, the transmission medium constituting the communication network is not particularly limited. For example, even in the case of wired such as IEEE 1394, USB, power line carrier, cable TV line, telephone line, ADSL line, etc., infrared rays such as IrDA and remote control, Bluetooth ( (Registered trademark), 802.11 wireless, HDR, mobile phone network, satellite line, terrestrial digital network, and the like can also be used. The present invention can also be realized in the form of a computer data signal embedded in a carrier wave in which the program code is embodied by electronic transmission.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope shown in the claims, and embodiments obtained by appropriately combining technical means disclosed in different embodiments. Is also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

  The present invention can be applied to, for example, an apparatus or system including a printer, a copier, a scanner, a fax machine, and the like having a communication function.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the content display system containing the image processing apparatus of one Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the basic process in the said content display system. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of a display request transmission process in the said content display system.

  FIG. 3 illustrates components of an embodiment of the present invention that includes multiple remote computing devices and linked resources.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image processing apparatus 2 Arithmetic apparatus 3 Arithmetic apparatus 4 Content display system 11 Image reading part 12 Control part 13 Web service part (display request information acquisition means)
15 Display Unit 16 Web Browser Unit (Content Display Control Unit)
17 XML converter (language converter)
22 Security Department (Security measures)
24 content storage unit 121 content acquisition unit

Claims (11)

In an image processing apparatus having a display unit capable of displaying content,
Display request information acquisition means for acquiring display request information including a resource identifier;
A content acquisition unit that connects to the resource identified by the acquired resource identifier and extracts content from the resource;
Content display control means for displaying content described in a predetermined format on the display unit;
Conversion means for converting the description format of the content into a format that can be displayed on the display unit when the content is described in a format other than the predetermined format;
An image processing apparatus comprising: In an image processing apparatus having a display unit capable of displaying content,
Display request information acquisition means for acquiring display request information including a resource identifier;
A content acquisition unit that connects to the resource identified by the acquired resource identifier and extracts content from the resource;
Content display control means for displaying content on the display unit,
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the content acquisition unit requests content in a format that can be displayed by the content display control unit when acquiring the content from the resource.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the content acquired from the resource is described in an XML format or an HTML format.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the content display control unit displays the content acquired from the resource so as to be switchable between an XML format and an HTML format. In an arithmetic device that stores content and transmits the content to the image processing device according to claim 2,
An arithmetic unit comprising switching means for switching the content description format to a format that can be displayed by the image processing device. The image processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
A first arithmetic device that transmits display request information including the resource identifier to the image processing device;
A second meter computing device for storing content and transmitting the content to the image processing device;
A content display system comprising:   7. The content display system according to claim 6, wherein the second arithmetic device is provided with security countermeasure means for ensuring security. In a control method of an image processing apparatus having a display unit capable of displaying content,
A display request information acquisition step for acquiring display request information including a resource identifier;
A content acquisition step of connecting to the resource identified by the acquired resource identifier and retrieving the content from the resource;
A content display control step for displaying content described in a predetermined format on the display unit;
When the content is described in a format other than the predetermined format, a conversion step of converting the description format of the content into a format that can be displayed on the display unit;
A control method for an image processing apparatus. In a control method of an image processing apparatus having a display unit capable of displaying content,
A display request information acquisition step for acquiring display request information including a resource identifier;
A content acquisition step of connecting to the resource identified by the acquired resource identifier and retrieving the content from the resource;
A content display control step for displaying the content on the display unit,
In the content acquisition step, when the content is acquired from the resource, a content in a format that can be displayed in the content display control step is requested.   The program for functioning a computer as said each means of the image processing apparatus of any one of Claims 1-4.   A computer-readable recording medium on which the control program according to claim 10 is recorded.

Images