JP2009188582A - Image-forming device having extension operation panel and original scan method thereof, and image-forming system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a user to effectively utilize both of a continuation mode and a discontinuation mode without changing a scan mode with a simple configuration even if an extension UI device has only a scan mode without continuation for a UI screen. <P>SOLUTION: The extension UI device 60 responds to a touch of a scan button to transmit a scan request to an image-forming device 50. The image-forming device 50 responds to the scan request or each subsequent touch of a continuation scan button on the operation panel of the image-forming device 50 to read an original image by a scanner for generating image data, and transmits the scan completion information of the image data to the extension UI device 60 in response to the touch of a scan end button on the operation panel. The extension UI device 60 responds to the reception of the scan completion information to set image data from the scan request to the reception of the scan completion information to be image data of one scan job. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus with an extended operation panel, a document scanning method thereof, and an image forming system.

  In order to unify the UI screens of a plurality of image forming apparatuses of different manufacturers and models (models), an extended UI apparatus having a touch panel type liquid crystal display device is externally attached to each image forming apparatus, and these are connected via a communication medium. A method is used in which a LAN is configured by combining with a server, and a Web browser of an extended UI device acquires an HTML file from the server and displays a UI screen on the touch panel (Patent Documents 1 and 2 below).

  According to this method, since the UI screens of a plurality of image forming apparatuses are unified, user operability is improved.

On the other hand, the image forming apparatus includes a continuous no-scan mode (normal mode) that determines that one scan job is completed when all of a bundle of originals placed on the auto sheet feeder are sent from the feeder, and a plurality of documents. Some have a continuous scan mode that determines scanning of a bundle of documents as one scan job.
JP 2004-536513 A JP 2006-127503 A

  Since the extended UI device displays an average UI screen of a plurality of image forming apparatuses, only the continuous no-scan mode is provided as the UI screen, and even if the image forming apparatus has both the above-described scan modes, The image forming apparatus was adapted to this mode and the continuous scan mode was not used.

  In view of such a problem, the object of the present invention is to provide a simple configuration that allows the user to continue and not continue without switching the scan mode even if the extended UI device includes only the continuous scan mode for the UI screen. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus with an extended operation panel capable of effectively using both scan modes, a document scanning method thereof, and an image forming system.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an original scanning method for an image forming apparatus with an extended operation panel in which an extended UI apparatus having an extended operation panel is coupled to an image forming apparatus having an scanner with an auto sheet feeder and an operation panel. ,
In response to an instruction from the extended operation panel, the extended UI apparatus transmits a scan request to the image forming apparatus.
In response to the scan request or the first instruction from the operation panel thereafter, the image forming apparatus reads an original image with the scanner to generate image data, and the image data is transmitted from the operation panel. In response to the second instruction, scan end information is transmitted to the extended UI device,
In response to the reception of the scan end information, the extended UI apparatus sets the image data from the scan request to the reception of the scan end information as image data of one scan job.

In a second aspect of the document scanning method according to the present invention, in the first aspect, the image forming apparatus further comprises:
When the use of the extended UI device is valid, setting information indicating whether the scan mode is the continuous scan mode or the continuous no scan mode is stored in the storage unit;
Referring to the stored scan mode in response to a first instruction from the operation panel;
If the scan mode is a continuous scan mode, the process that responds to each first instruction from the operation panel and the process that responds to the second instruction from the operation panel are enabled,
If the scan mode is a continuous no-scan mode, in response to the scan request, image data is generated by driving the auto sheet feeder and causing the scanner to read a document image, and the image data is Sending to the second control means via the first and second communication means, and when the auto sheet feeder runs out of the original image, sends scan end information to the second control means via the first and second communication means. .

In a third aspect of the document scanning method according to the present invention, in the second aspect, the storage means further stores a workflow indicating a processing procedure,
If the scan completion information has been received in response to the second instruction from the extended operation panel, the extended UI device executes the next process on the workflow.

  According to the configuration of the first aspect, even if the extended UI apparatus has only the continuous no-scan mode with respect to the UI screen, if the image forming apparatus has the continuous scan mode, 1 is specified by an instruction from the extended UI apparatus. After scanning a bundle of documents, the user scans a subsequent bundle of documents according to an instruction from the operation panel of the image forming apparatus, and then instructs the end of the scan job from the operation panel of the image forming apparatus. There is an effect that the continuous scan mode can be effectively used as appropriate without switching.

  According to the configuration of the second aspect, when the use of the extended UI device is effective, the setting information indicating that the scan mode is the continuous scan mode is stored in the storage unit of the image forming device, The stored scan mode is referred to in response to the first instruction from the operation panel. If the scan mode is the continuous scan mode, the scan mode is validated. Therefore, the use of the extended UI device is valid. In this case, the above-described effect can be obtained without the user switching the scan mode of the image forming apparatus to “continuation present”.

  According to the configuration of the third aspect, the user can execute the next process on the workflow regardless of the scan mode by the second instruction from the extended operation panel after scanning of one or more bundles of documents. There is an effect.

  Other objects, configurations and effects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description.

  FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of an image forming system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

  In this system, the image forming apparatuses with extended operation panels 10 and 20 and the server 30 of different models are coupled to the LAN 40. For simplification, FIG. 8 shows a case where there are two image forming apparatuses. The server 30 provides a common service to a plurality of image forming apparatuses of different models, and manages the UI screen transition of each image forming apparatus to unify the UI screens of these image forming apparatuses. In response to the request, a process of generating a preview image by reducing the scanned document image is performed. For this purpose, in the image forming apparatus 10 with the extended operation panel, an extended UI device 60 is externally attached to the image forming apparatus 50. The extended UI device 60 is a normal computer system, and a touch panel 62 is coupled to the extended UI device main body 61 to function as an extended operation panel for the image forming apparatus 50. The image forming apparatus 20 with an extended operation panel is the same as the apparatus 10.

  Hereinafter, the relationship between the image forming apparatus with an extended operation panel 10 and the server 30 will be described, but the relationship between the image forming apparatus with an extended operation panel 20 and the server 30 is the same.

  FIG. 9 is a schematic block diagram showing a hardware configuration of the system of FIG.

  In the image forming apparatus 50, the MPU 51 is coupled to a PROM 53, a DRAM 54, an operation panel 55, a scanner 56, a printer 57, a FAX modem 58, and a network interface 59 via an interface 52. In FIG. 9, for simplification, a plurality of interfaces are shown as one block interface 52.

  The PROM 53 is, for example, a flash memory, in which an operating system (OS), various drivers, various programs that operate on the upper layer of the OS, and various setting values are stored. The various programs include an image forming function unit, a Web service server (WS server), a processing unit (panel interface) for an operation panel, and a control unit for these. The image forming function includes copy, scan, print, facsimile transmission / reception, and electronic mail transmission / reception. The WS server interprets the received SOAP request message in accordance with the SOAP / HTTP protocol, passes it to the control unit, and creates a SOAP response message based on information from the control unit.

  The DRAM 14 is used for a work area, and is used for developing a bitmap of drawing data.

  The operation panel 55 includes a display unit and a key input unit, and is used for inputting setting information or instructions to display a selection screen, a setting screen, or the like. In this embodiment, the extended UI device 60 is normally used instead of the operation panel 55, and the operation panel 55 is used when a system failure occurs. However, in document scanning, as described later, both the extended UI device 60 and the operation panel 55 can be effectively used, which is a feature of the first embodiment.

  The scanner 56 is for image input in copying and facsimile transmission.

  The printer 57 includes a print engine, a toner cartridge, a fixing device, a paper feed unit, a transport unit, and a paper discharge unit. The printer 57 has an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive drum of the print engine based on bitmap data supplied as print data. An image is formed, developed with toner, transferred to a sheet, fixed, and then discharged.

  The FAX modem 58 is for facsimile transmission / reception. The network interface 59 is coupled to the LAN 40, and the FAX modem 58 is coupled to a public line network (not shown).

  In the extended UI device main body 61, the MPU 63 is coupled to the PROM 65, DRAM 66, HDD 67, network interface 68, and touch panel 62 via the interface 64.

  The PROM 65 stores a basic input / output system (BIOS) and set values thereof. The DRAM 66 is used as a main storage device in a virtual storage system.

  In the HDD 67, the contents of the UI screen display file (HTML or XHTML file) received from the OS, the various drivers, the Web service (WS) client for the WS server of the image forming apparatus 50, and the TCP layer of the OS are displayed on the touch panel 62. A Web browser for requesting service provision to the image forming apparatus 50 and the server 30 via the WS client according to a script displayed or described in the UI screen display file, and an initialization process described later via the WS client. The control unit to perform is installed. The WS client creates a SOAP request message based on information from the Web browser or control unit, interprets the received SOAP response message, and passes it to the Web browser or control unit.

  Similarly, in the server 30, the MPU 33 is coupled to the PROM 35, DRAM 36, HDD 37, network interface 38, and conversational input / output device 32 via the interface 34.

  The interactive input / output device 32 includes a keyboard and a pointing device as input devices, and a display device as an output device.

  The PROM 35 stores the BIOS and its set value. The DRAM 36 is used as a main storage device in a virtual storage system.

  The HDD 37 has a database (DB) that stores various settings for the OS, various drivers, and various image forming apparatuses, and manages this database (data search, update, addition, consistency check, exclusive lock, A program (including a shared lock) (DBMS), a Web server, a WS server (SOAP / HTTP server) operating on the upper layer of the Web server, and a Web application are installed. The WS server interprets the received SOAP request message and passes it to the Web application, and creates a SOAP response message based on information from the Web application.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing the software configuration of the system of FIG.

  The communication unit 500 of the image forming apparatus 50, the communication unit 600 of the extended UI device 60, and the communication unit 300 of the server 30 all have network interface drivers (data link layer), OS TCP / IP layer, and socket layer programs. I have.

  In the image forming apparatus 50, when using the extended UI apparatus 60, the control unit 503 responds to a service request supplied from the communication unit 500 via the WS server 501 or an instruction supplied from the operation panel 55 via the panel interface 504. Then, the setting value in the setting value storage unit 505 is rewritten or the image forming function unit 502 performs document scanning and the like, and the result is returned to the request source.

  In the extended UI device 60, the Web browser 601 requests a UI screen file from the server 30 via the communication unit 600 in response to a button touch on the touch panel 62, and forms an image via the WS client 602 and the communication unit 600. A request for an operation such as setting value change or scanning is requested from the apparatus 50, or an image reduction service is requested from the server 30 via the WS client 602 and the communication unit 600, and each result is received from the request source. The control unit 603 requests an initial information acquisition service to be described later to the image forming apparatus 50 via the WS client 602 and the communication unit 600 without using the Web browser 601. These functions are realized without the use of the WS client 602 and / or the control unit 603 by combining the content (script) of the UI screen file with the Web browser 601 that provides a class library to the UI screen file and interprets and executes the script. You can also. The dynamic update of the contents of the UI screen file and the web service request can be performed by using an Ajax (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) technique.

  In the server 30, the web application 303 accesses the data management unit 304 according to the request received via the communication unit 300 and the web server 301 to register or update the initial setting value of the image forming apparatus. A UI screen file (HTML or XHTML file) for transmission to the Web browser 601 is dynamically generated using the registered setting value, and the result is returned. The Web application 303 also performs image reduction processing in response to an image reduction service request supplied via the communication unit 300 and the Web server 301, and returns the result.

  In FIG. 1, when the extended UI device 60 is powered on, the control unit 603 requests an initial information acquisition service from the image forming apparatus 50 via the WS client 602 and the communication unit 600 in the initialization process. Specifically, an inquiry is made as to whether or not the image forming apparatus 50 can support the extended UI apparatus 60 and an inquiry as to what image forming function the image forming apparatus 50 has. This inquiry information is supplied to the control unit 503 via the communication unit 500 and the WS server 501. In response to an inquiry as to whether or not the extended UI device 60 can be supported, the control unit 503 activates a program for causing the image forming apparatus 50 to correspond to the extended UI device 60 and can support the extended UI device 60. Information indicating this and information on the image forming function provided are sent back via the WS server 501 and the communication unit 500. By such a service request and reply, even if the image forming apparatus 50 is replaced, the extended UI apparatus 60 can respond immediately.

  Subsequently, the control unit 503 executes the initialization process shown in FIG.

  (S0 to S2) When the extended UI device 60 can be used, that is, when a program for causing the image forming apparatus 50 to correspond to the extended UI device 60 is activated, the scan mode for continuation is set to “continue present”. If not, switch to “No continuation”. This switching is performed by setting the setting value of the scan mode included in the setting value storage unit 505 to “continue present” or “not continue”. As a result, the default scan mode when the image forming apparatus 50 is used in the image forming system is “continuation present”, and the default scan mode when the image forming apparatus 50 is used as a stand-alone is “no continuation”.

  When a scanner is selected from a main menu (not shown) displayed on the touch panel 62, in FIG. 1, the Web browser 601 requests a UI screen file from the server 30 via the communication unit 600, and as a result, as shown in FIG. A UI screen 70 is displayed on the touch panel 62. The UI screen 70 includes select boxes 71 to 75 for setting value selection, a scan button 76 for control, a scan stop button 77, a previous page button 7L and a next page button 7R, and a next button 78 for transitioning the UI screen. And a main menu button 79 is displayed.

  In the UI screen file corresponding to this display, an event handler is described in the header portion, and in the Form, a selection input field (Select box) corresponding to each of the select boxes 71 to 75, and button scan buttons 76 to 79, Button fields corresponding to the previous page button 7L and the next page button 7R are described, and an event handler call by a script (for example, JavaScript) is described in each of these fields.

  In the image forming apparatus 50 of FIG. 8, the user places a document bundle on the paper feed tray 561 of the auto sheet feeder 560, selects a setting value using the select boxes 71 to 75 of FIG. 6, and then touches the scan button 76. . By this touch, the process shown in FIG. 3 is started.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing event handler processing for a button touch or information reception event between the start and end of document scanning. This event handler is executed by the Web browser 601 and the WS client 602 is used at this time. FIG. 5 is a schematic sequence diagram showing the system linking operation of the image forming apparatus 50, the extended UI apparatus 60, and the server 30.

  When the scan button 76 is touched, the command (CMD) is determined in step S10 in FIG. 3 and the process proceeds to step S11. The scan start command SS is determined and the process proceeds to step S12, and the object scan method in the image forming function unit 502 is detected. Information (object name, method name in this object, and argument of this method) is supplied to the WS client 602. In response to this, the WS client 602 generates a SOAP request message in accordance with the WSDL (Web Services Description Language) file and the SOAP protocol received in advance from the image forming apparatus 50, and an HTTP request message including this in the body. Is transmitted via the communication unit 600 (C1 in FIG. 5).

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing processing by the event handler on the image forming apparatus 50 side corresponding to FIG. The processing in FIG. 4 is executed by the control unit 503 in response to a request from the panel interface 504 or the WS server 501.

  In step S20, the scan start command SS is determined, and the process proceeds to step S21, where a preparation process (open process) for enabling a scan operation to be started is performed on a driver of the scanner 56, for example, a TWAIN driver. In step S22, if a paper detector (not shown) provided in the auto sheet feeder 560 detects a document, the process proceeds to step S23, the auto sheet feeder 560 is driven to feed the document, and the image is displayed. The image data is generated by reading, transferred to the buffer of the communication unit 500, and transmitted to the communication unit 600 as a response message via the WS server 501 and the communication unit 500 (C2).

  In response to this reception, the Web browser 601 starts the process of FIG.

  In step S10, the image data is determined and the process proceeds to step S13. The image data is determined to be the image data from the image forming apparatus 50, and the process proceeds to step S14. It transmits to the communication part 300 (C3).

  In the server 30, this request is supplied to the Web application 303 via the Web server 301 and the WS server 302. The image data is stored in the buffer storage area by the WS server 302. The Web application 303 reduces the image data and transmits it as a response message to the 600 via the WS server 302, the Web server 301, and the communication unit 300 (C4). This message is notified to the Web browser 601 via the WS client 602, and the image data included in the message is stored in the buffer storage area by the WS client 602, and the storage address is notified to the Web browser 601. In response to this, the Web browser 601 partially rewrites this file by the Ajax technique according to the script included in the current HTML file to be displayed. As a result, a preview image is added to or updated in the area 7A on the UI screen 70 shown in FIG.

  Returning to FIG. 4, when the image scan for one page is completed, the process returns to step S22. Steps S22 and S23 are repeated until no paper on the paper feed tray 561 is detected by the paper sensor of the auto sheet feeder 560.

  If it is determined in step S22 that there is no paper on the paper feed tray 561, the process proceeds to step S24. Since the scan mode is “continue present” by the process of FIG. 2 described above, an affirmative determination is made in step S24, the process exits the process of FIG. 4, and the scan is interrupted (the process of step S21 has already been performed). In this state, the process of step S27 is not performed for this job. In some cases, the user wants to add other document bundles and process them as one scan job (one image file) after scanning of the document bundle is completed. In this case, the user places another original bundle on the paper feed tray 561 and touches the scan continuation button 550 displayed on the operation panel 55 as shown in FIG.

  Accordingly, the process of FIG. 4 is resumed, and it is determined in step S20 that the scan continuation command SC is obtained, and the process proceeds to step S25. If it is determined in step S25 that the scan is interrupted, the process proceeds to step S22, and if not, the process proceeds to step S26 to display on the operation panel 55 that the scan cannot be continued.

  After the scanning of the added document bundle is completed, if there is no further document bundle to be added in one scan job, the user touches the scan end button 551 on the operation panel 55 shown in FIG. As a result, the process of FIG. 4 is resumed. In step S20, the scan end information SE is determined, and the process proceeds to step S27. In step S27, a scan end process (close process) corresponding to step S21 is performed on the driver of the scanner 56. Next, the control unit 503 transmits the end information to the communication unit 500 via the WS server 501 in step S28.

  In response to this, the Web browser 601 resumes the processing of FIG. 3 according to the script. In step S10, the command is determined and the process proceeds to step S11. In step S11, the scan end information SE is determined and the process proceeds to step S16. The touch panel 62 displays that one scan job is completed, and the current state S is the scan end state. Remember that there is.

  Next, the user touches the next button 78 on the UI screen 70 shown in FIG. Thereby, the processing of FIG. 3 is resumed, and it is determined as a command in step S10 and proceeds to step S11, and is determined as the next command NXT and proceeds to step S17. If the current state S indicates the scan end state, the process proceeds to step S18, and a UI screen file for performing the next process on the predetermined workflow is requested to the server 30. The UI screen is used, for example, to specify a file name and a file type for document image data files stored in the HDD 37 as described above, and to add search metadata.

  The user can also cause the image forming apparatus 50 to scan the document in the “non-continuation” scan mode. In this case, without touching the button on the operation panel 55, the next button 78 on the UI screen 70 is touched after the reading of a bundle of document images is completed. Thereby, in FIG. 3, it determines with a command by step S10, progresses to step S11, determines with the next instruction | command NXT, and progresses to step S17. Since the current state is not the scan end state, the process proceeds to step S19, and scan end information SE is transmitted to the image forming apparatus 50.

  In FIG. 4, the image forming apparatus 50 determines that the scan end information SE is determined in step S <b> 20, and proceeds to step S <b> 27. To do. Thereby, in the extended UI device 60, the process of step S18 is performed as described above.

  Therefore, when the extended UI device 60 is used, the user can appropriately use both the “continue present” and “no continue” scan modes without switching the scan mode. Often contributes to the improvement of operability.

  When the image forming apparatus 50 is operated in a stand-alone manner without using the extended UI device 60, the scan mode is set to “no continuation” (the default scan mode in the stand-alone operation) in the process of FIG. In step S24, the process advances from step S24 to step S27, and the scan job is a unit of document bundle. Note that in the case of performing a stand-alone scan, the transmission in step S23 and step S28 in FIG. 4 is not performed.

  In FIG. 6, the preview image in the area 7A is changed to that of the previous page when the previous page button 7L is touched and changed to that of the next page when the next page button 7R is touched. This update is also performed by partially and dynamically changing the contents of the HTML file as described above.

  When the stop button 77 is touched on the UI screen 70 of the touch panel 62, the scan stop service request is similarly transmitted to the image forming function unit 502, and the image forming function unit 502 stops the execution of the scan function in response thereto. To do.

  When the button main menu button 79 is touched on the UI screen 70 of the touch panel 62, a file of the main UI screen is requested from the server 30, and the main UI screen is displayed on the touch panel 62 as a response.

  Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described, the present invention includes various other modifications, and those using other configurations for realizing the functions described above, those skilled in the art will be able to use these configurations or Other configurations that may come from the function are also included in the present invention. For example, the present invention includes the following modifications.

  (1) The configuration may be such that the user manually switches the scan mode of the image forming apparatus 50 to “continue present” without performing the processing of FIG. 2. Also in this case, once this switching is performed, the effect of effective use of both modes described above can be obtained thereafter.

  (2) The default scan mode when the image forming apparatus operates in a stand-alone manner may be continuous.

  (3) When the scan continuation button 550 cannot be used, it may be grayed out so that a touch is not accepted so that an affirmative determination is made in step S15 and step S16 is not required.

  (4) The protocol used in the Web service is not limited to SOAP, and any protocol that can realize the Web service may be used.

  (5) In the case of a device driver or scanner from the WS client 602 via the WS server 501 of the image forming apparatus 50 without using a WSDL file, for example, a setting value or control command independent of the device model is sent to the Twin driver. The structure to give may be sufficient.

1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a software configuration of an image forming system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an initialization process related to a scan mode by the image forming apparatus. 4 is a flowchart showing processing by an event handler on the image forming apparatus 50 side corresponding to FIG. 3. 6 is a flowchart illustrating processing of an event handler for a button touch or information reception event between the start and end of document scanning. FIG. 2 is a schematic sequence diagram of the image forming system in FIG. 1. It is explanatory drawing of the extended operation panel screen at the time of a scan. It is explanatory drawing of the operation panel screen at the time of a scan. 1 is a schematic diagram of an image forming system. It is a schematic block diagram which shows the hardware constitutions of the system of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

30 server 31 server body 32 conversational input / output device 33, 51, 63 MPU
34, 52, 64 interface 35, 53, 65 PROM
36, 54, 66 DRAM
37, 67 HDD
38, 59, 68 Network interface 50 Image forming device 55 Operation panel 56 Scanner 57 Printer 58 FAX modem 60 Extended UI device 61 Extended UI device main body 62 Touch panel 70 UI screen 71-75 Select box 76 Scan button 77 Stop button 78 Next button 79 Main Menu button 7L Previous page button 7R Next page button 300, 500, 600 Communication unit 301 Web server 302, 501 WS server 303 Web application 304 Data management unit 502 Image forming function unit 503, 603 Control unit 504 Panel interface 505 Setting value storage unit 550 Continue scan button 551 Scan end button 560 Auto sheet feeder 561 Paper feed tray 601 Web browser 602 WS Client SS scan start command SC Continue Scanning instruction SE scan end information NXT next instruction

Claims (10)

In a document scanning method for an image forming apparatus with an extended operation panel, in which an extended UI apparatus having an extended operation panel is coupled to an image forming apparatus having a scanner with an auto sheet feeder and an operation panel.
In response to an instruction from the extended operation panel, the extended UI apparatus transmits a scan request to the image forming apparatus.
In response to the scan request or the first instruction from the operation panel thereafter, the image forming apparatus reads an original image with the scanner to generate image data, and the image data is transmitted from the operation panel. In response to the second instruction, scan end information is transmitted to the extended UI device,
In response to the reception of the scan end information, the extended UI device sets the image data from the scan request to the reception of the scan end information as image data of one scan job.
An original scanning method characterized by the above. The image forming apparatus further includes:
When the use of the extended UI device is valid, setting information indicating whether the scan mode is the continuous scan mode or the continuous no scan mode is stored in the storage unit;
Referring to the stored scan mode in response to a first instruction from the operation panel;
If the scan mode is a continuous scan mode, the process that responds to each first instruction from the operation panel and the process that responds to the second instruction from the operation panel are enabled,
If the scan mode is a continuous no-scan mode, in response to the scan request, image data is generated by driving the auto sheet feeder and causing the scanner to read a document image, and the image data is Sending to the second control means via the first and second communication means, and when the auto sheet feeder runs out of the original image, sends scan end information to the second control means via the first and second communication means. ,
The document scanning method according to claim 1, wherein: The storage means further stores a workflow indicating a processing procedure,
If the extended UI device has received the scan end information in response to the second instruction from the extended operation panel, the extended UI device executes the next process on the workflow.
The document scanning method according to claim 2, wherein: An image forming apparatus including an operation panel, an auto sheet feeder, a scanner, a first control unit, and a first communication unit;
An extended UI device comprising an extended operation panel, second control means, and second communication means;
In an image forming apparatus with an extended operation panel having
In response to an instruction from the extended operation panel, the second control unit transmits a scan request to the first control unit via the second and first communication units.
The first control means includes
In response to the scan request or each subsequent first instruction from the operation panel, image data is generated by driving the auto sheet feeder and causing the scanner to read a document image. Transmitting to the second control means via the first and second communication means,
In response to a second instruction from the operation panel, scan end information is transmitted to the second control means via the first and second communication means,
In response to the reception of the scan end information, the second control means sets the image data from the scan request to the reception of the scan end information as image data of one scan job.
An image forming apparatus with an extended operation panel. The image forming apparatus further includes a storage unit,
The first control means includes
When the use of the extended UI device is valid, setting information indicating whether the scan mode is the continuous scan mode or the continuous no scan mode is stored in the storage unit,
Referring to the stored scan mode in response to a first instruction from the operation panel;
If the scan mode is a continuous scan mode, the process that responds to each first instruction from the operation panel and the process that responds to the second instruction from the operation panel are enabled,
If the scan mode is a continuous no-scan mode, in response to the scan request, image data is generated by driving the auto sheet feeder and causing the scanner to read a document image, and the image data is Sending to the second control means via the first and second communication means, and when the auto sheet feeder runs out of the original image, sends scan end information to the second control means via the first and second communication means. ,
The image forming apparatus with an extended operation panel according to claim 4. The storage means further stores a workflow indicating a processing procedure,
In response to the second instruction from the extended operation panel, the second control means executes the next process on the workflow if the scan end information has been received.
The image forming apparatus with an extended operation panel according to claim 4 or 5. The extended UI device is coupled to a server via the second communication means, and the second control means causes the extended operation panel to display a UI screen file received from the server in response to a request to the server.
The image forming apparatus with an extended operation panel according to any one of claims 4 to 6. The extended UI device transmits the received image data to the server together with a preview screen generation request,
Displaying a preview screen on the extended operation panel based on the preview screen data received from the server;
The image forming apparatus with an extended operation panel according to claim 7. The second control means includes a Web browser, and the content of the UI screen file is displayed as a UI screen on the extended operation panel by the Web browser.
The image forming apparatus with an extended operation panel according to claim 7 or 8. An image forming apparatus with an extended operation panel according to any one of claims 7 to 9,
A server coupled via the second communication means and transmitting a UI screen file to the second control means in response to a request from the second control means;
An image forming system comprising:

Images