JP2010199746A - Image processing apparatus and image processing system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide technique for easily browsing backed-up image data. <P>SOLUTION: In an image processing system, an MFP 1 saves obtained image data in a shared folder 51 on a file server 4 designated as a backup destination. On the file server 4, a shared folder 52 as a backup folder of a MFP 2 etc., are created in addition to the shared folder 51. When a plurality of shared folders area created on the file server 4, the MFP 1 sets folders to be browsed based upon browsing object information 68 transmitted from a PC 3. The browsing object information 68 includes information indicating whether the backup folder of MFP 1 is included in folders to be browsed. The PC 3 obtains a list of image data stored in the folders to be browsed from the MFP 1 and displays it. The PC 3 obtains image data that a user specifies by referring to the list from the file server 4 through the MFP 1 and displays the image data on a monitor 32. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for backing up image data acquired by an image processing apparatus and browsing the backed up image data.

  2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, MFPs (Multi Function Peripherals) having various functions such as a facsimile (FAX) function, a scanner function, a copy function, and a printer function have been widely used in offices and the like. MFPs include models that incorporate a large-capacity storage device such as a hard disk device. A storage device built in the MFP stores FAX reception data received by the MFP, image data read by the scanner, and the like. A user can operate a terminal device such as a PC (Personal Computer) to display FAX reception data stored in the MFP on a PC monitor.

  Also, there may be a plurality of MFPs installed in the office. In order to display data stored in each MFP on the monitor of the PC, it is necessary to access each MFP. Therefore, a technique that can efficiently browse image data stored in each MFP is disclosed in Patent Document 1 below.

  In the data processing system according to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-228561, an intermediary device that receives a browsing request from a terminal device such as a PC acquires information about image data stored in each MFP. Based on the acquired information, the mediating device generates a web page indicating a list of image data stored in each MFP and transmits the web page to the terminal device. As a result, the user of the terminal device can efficiently check the image data stored in each MFP.

JP 2006-135890 A

  Due to the capacity of the storage device built in the MFP, the number of image data that can be stored in the MFP is limited. For this reason, backup of image data stored in the MFP to a file server or the like has been conventionally performed.

  However, the data processing system according to Patent Document 1 does not assume that each MFP displays a list of image data backed up on a file server or the like. Therefore, when the user cannot find desired image data from the list of image data, the user needs to search for desired image data from the backup destination of each MFP. As described above, in the conventional technique, it takes a lot of time to search for desired image data.

  In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a technique capable of easily browsing backed-up image data.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, an invention according to claim 1 is an image processing apparatus, and a backup unit that backs up image data acquired in a first folder created in a storage device connected via a network; When a browsing setting unit for setting a browsing target folder among a plurality of folders created in the storage device including the first folder and a request for displaying the browsing target folder from a terminal device connected to the network are received, A list creation unit that creates a list of image data stored in the browsing target folder and transmits the list to the terminal device; and a transmission request when the transmission request for the image data stored in the browsing target folder is received from the terminal device. A transfer unit that acquires the image data specified by the request from the storage device and transfers the image data to the terminal device. And features.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the image processing device according to the first aspect, the browsing setting unit sets the browsing target folder based on setting information received from the terminal device, and the setting information includes the setting information The browsing target folder includes information indicating whether or not to include the first folder.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the image processing device according to the first or second aspect, the plurality of folders include a second folder that stores image data backed up by a device different from the own device, The browsing target folder includes the second folder.

  The invention according to claim 4 is an image processing system comprising an image processing device connected to a network, a terminal device, and a storage device, wherein the image processing device is a first device created in the storage device. A backup unit that backs up image data acquired in a folder, a browsing setting unit that sets a browsing target folder from among a plurality of folders created in the storage device including the first folder, and a terminal device connected to the network A list creation unit that creates a list of image data stored in the browsing target folder and transmits the list to the terminal device when receiving a display request for the browsing target folder from the browsing target folder, and image data stored in the browsing target folder When the transmission request is received from the terminal device, the image data specified in the transmission request is acquired from the storage device. A transfer unit that transfers to the terminal device, wherein the terminal device transmits the display request to the image processing device and displays the received list, and the list displayed on the display unit And an image data requesting unit that requests the image processing apparatus to transmit image data based on the above.

  The image processing apparatus according to the present invention sets a browse target folder from a plurality of folders including a first folder that stores backed up image data, and creates a list of image data stored in the browse target folder. As a result, the user of the terminal device can refer to the list of image data stored not only in the first folder but also in other folders, so that the image data backed up in the storage device can be browsed efficiently.

  In addition, the image processing apparatus according to the present invention sets whether to include the first folder in the browsing target folder. Thereby, when adding a 1st folder to a browsing object folder, it is not necessary to input the path | pass of a 1st folder. Even when the path of the first folder is changed, there is no need to reset the browsing target folder. Thereby, a user's operation can be simplified at the time of setting a browsing object folder.

1 is a configuration diagram of a network system including a configuration of an MFP according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the folder structure in a file server. It is a figure which shows the flow of a process of a network system. It is a figure which shows the selection list setting screen displayed on the monitor of PC. It is a figure which shows the selection list displayed on the monitor of PC.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a network system including the configuration of the MFP 1 according to the present embodiment. The network system shown in FIG. 1 has a configuration in which MFPs 1 and 2, PCs 3 and 3, and a file server 4 are connected to a LAN (Local Area Network) 5. The network system shown in FIG. 1 is constructed in an office or the like.

  The MFPs 1 and 2 are multi-function devices having various functions such as a copy function, a facsimile function, a scanner function, and a printer function. The PCs 3 and 3 are terminal devices used by users such as office employees. The file server 4 is a storage device for backing up image data acquired by the MFPs 1 and 2 by FAX communication or the like.

  The user of the PC 3 can browse the image data backed up on the file server 4. When the user of the PC 3 instructs to browse the backed up image data, the PC 3 requests the MFP 1 to transmit the image data to be browsed. The MFP 1 acquires the designated image data from the file server 4 and transmits it to the PC 3. In this way, the user of the PC 3 can browse the backed up image data without accessing the image data backup destination.

{Configuration of MFP}
Next, the configuration of the MFP 1 will be described in detail. The MFPs 1 and 2 have the same configuration. Therefore, the display of the configuration of the MFP 2 is omitted in FIG. 1 and the detailed description of the configuration of the MFP 2 is omitted.

  The MFP 1 includes a control unit 11, an operation unit 12, a touch panel display 13, a scanner unit 14, a FAX unit 15, a printer unit 16, a storage unit 17, and a LAN interface 18.

  The control unit 11 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and the like, and performs overall control of the MFP 1. The control unit 11 includes a backup setting unit 111, a backup processing unit 112, a browsing setting unit 113, a list data creation unit 114, and an image data request response unit 115.

  The backup setting unit 111 manages backup setting information in which a backup destination of image data acquired by the MFP 1 is set. A shared folder created in the file server 4 is designated as the backup destination. The backup processing unit 112 backs up the image data acquired by the MFP 1 to the file server 4 based on the backup setting information. The browsing setting unit 113 sets a folder to be browsed from among a plurality of shared folders created in the file server 4 based on an instruction from the PC 3. The list data creation unit 114 creates a list of image data stored in the browsing target folder and transmits it to the PC 3. When the image data request response unit 115 receives a transmission request for image data backed up by the file server 4 from the PC 3, the image data request response unit 115 acquires the designated image data from the file server 4 and transmits it to the PC 3.

  The operation unit 12 includes a hardware key for inputting various instructions to the MFP 1. The touch panel display 13 displays information related to the MFP 1 and various operation menus. The user can perform various operations of the MFP 1 using the operation unit 12 and the touch panel display 13.

  The scanner unit 14 reads a document set on an auto document feeder (not shown) or a document set on a glass plate of a flat bed scanner to create image data. The FAX unit 15 performs facsimile communication via a public line network (not shown). The printer unit 16 prints image data created by the scanner unit 14 or image data 21 received by the FAX unit 15.

  The storage unit 17 includes a hard disk device or a flash memory, and stores management information 170 and browsing target folder information 68. The management information 170 is information in which attribute information such as names and creation dates and times of all image data stored in the storage unit 17 is registered in a list format. The browsing target folder information 68 will be described later. Further, a FAX reception folder 20 is created in the storage unit 17. Image data 21 is stored in the FAX reception folder 20. Although not shown in FIG. 1, the storage unit 17 has functions according to the functions of the MFP 1, such as a folder storing image data transmitted by FAX and a folder storing image data created by the scanner unit 14. Another folder has been created.

  The LAN interface 18 transmits and receives data between computers connected via the LAN 5 using a protocol such as TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) / IP (Internet Protocol).

{Configuration of PC3}
Next, the configuration of the PC 3 will be described. The PC 3 includes an operation unit 31, a monitor 32, and a WEB browser 33.

  The operation unit 31 is a mouse and a keyboard, and receives various instructions to the PC 3. The monitor 32 is a liquid crystal display or the like. Based on the web page transmitted from the MFP 1, the WEB browser 33 displays the operation screen of the MFP 1 or the image data 21 backed up on the file server 4 on the monitor 32.

{Folder structure of file server 4}
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a storage state of image data stored in the file server 4. In the file server 4, a shared folder 51 that stores image data transmitted from the MFP 1 and a shared folder 52 that stores image data transmitted from the MFP 2 are created. That is, the shared folder 51 is a backup folder of the MFP 1, and the shared folder 52 is a backup folder of the MFP 2.

  The shared folder 51 stores management information 510 and image data 21 and 511 transmitted from the MFP 1. The shared folder 52 stores management information 520 and image data 521 transmitted from the MFP 2.

  In addition, shared folders 53 and 54 are created under the root folder 50. The shared folder 53 is a past folder that was set as a backup folder before the shared folder 51 was set as a backup folder of the MFP 1. The shared folder 53 stores management information 530 and image data 531 and 532 transmitted from the MFP 1. The shared folder 54 is a past folder that was set as a backup folder before the shared folder 53 was set as a backup folder. The shared folder 54 stores management information 540 and image data 541 transmitted from the MFP 1. The shared folders 51 to 54 created in the file server 4 can be accessed from the MFPs 1 and 2 and the file server 4.

  Thus, the MFP 1 can change the backup folder. The backup setting unit 111 changes the backup folder set in the backup setting information according to the operation of the administrator of the MFP 1. The MFP 2 may change the backup folder similarly to the MFP 1.

  Note that the number of shared folders that can be set as the backup folder of the MFP 1 may be one or plural. When a plurality of shared folders are set as the backup folder, it is necessary to distribute the backup destination of the image data acquired by the MFP 1 according to the function of the MFP 1 or the like. As described above, since a plurality of shared folders are set as the backup folder of the MFP 1, the management of the backup folder becomes complicated. Therefore, it is desirable that the number of shared folders that can be set as the backup folder is one.

  The management information 510, 520, 530, 540 is information in which attribute information such as the name and creation date / time of image data stored in each shared folder is registered in a list format. The management information 510, 520, 530, 540 is used when the image data stored in the storage unit 17 is backed up or when the backed up image data is browsed.

{Process flow of network system}
In the following, the image data backup process and the backed-up image data browsing process executed in the network system shown in FIG. 1 will be described. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a processing flow of the network system shown in FIG.

{Backup processing}
Assume that the image data 21 is not stored in the FAX reception folder 20 and the shared folder 51 as an initial state.

  When the FAX unit 15 receives the image data 21, the MFP 1 stores the image data 21 in the FAX reception folder 20. In the management information 170, attribute information of the image data 21 is newly registered.

  The backup processing unit 112 backs up image data newly stored in a function-specific folder including the FAX reception folder 20 at a preset execution timing (step S1). In the backup processing unit 112, time information such as midnight every Monday is set as the execution timing. Further, the execution timing may be set so that backup is performed at regular time intervals such as every 6 hours. Thereby, the backup processing unit 112 can periodically back up the image data stored in the function-specific folder.

  The backup processing unit 112 requests the file server 4 to transmit the management information 510 (step S11). The file server 4 transmits the management information 510 to the MFP 1 in response to the transmission request for the management information 510 (step S12).

  The backup processing unit 112 determines image data to be backed up based on the management information 170 and the acquired management information 510. Since the FAX unit 15 has received the image data 21 before the start of the backup process (step S1), the attribute information of the image data 21 is registered in the management information 170 but not in the management information 510. . For this reason, the backup processing unit 112 determines to back up the image data 21.

  The backup processing unit 112 transmits the image data 21 to the file server 4 (step S13). At this time, based on the backup setting information held by the backup setting unit 111, the storage destination of the image data 21 is designated as the shared folder 51 that is the backup folder of the MFP 1.

  The file server 4 stores the received image data 21 in the shared folder 51 and adds the attribute information of the image data 21 to the management information 510. Thereby, the backup process (step S1) is completed.

  Similarly to the MFP 1, the MFP 2 executes the above-described backup process at a preset timing (step S2).

{Selection list setting process}
Next, the selection list setting process (step S3) will be described. The selection list is a list of image data respectively stored in a plurality of shared folders designated as browsing targets. The selection list is used when the user of the PC 3 selects the backed up image data in the image data transmission process (step S5) described later.

  First, the user of the PC 3 operates the operation unit 31 to activate the WEB browser 33 and instructs the WEB browser 33 to display the selection list setting screen 60. The WEB browser 33 transmits a setting screen request to the MFP 1 based on a user instruction (step S31). The MFP 1 confirms that a plurality of shared folders are created in the file server 4 in response to the setting screen request. Then, the MFP 1 transmits setting screen data used for setting the selection list to the PC 3 (step S32).

  The WEB browser 33 of the PC 3 displays a selection list setting screen 60 on the monitor 32 based on the received setting screen data. The user of the PC 3 uses the selection list setting screen 60 to set a browsing target folder from among the shared folders 51 to 54.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a selection list setting screen 60. The radio button 61 is a button for setting whether to allow browsing of the backed up image data. By setting the radio button 61 to “valid”, it is possible to instruct the MFP 1 to display the backed up image data.

  The target list 62 includes a shared folder 51 set as the backup folder of the MFP 2 and a past folder (shared folder 53) as a browsing target folder, in addition to the shared folder 51 set as the backup folder of the MFP 1. It is displayed. Thus, a plurality of shared folders can be selected as browsing targets using the selection list setting screen 60.

  When a new shared folder is added to the target list 62, information on the shared folder to be added to the browsing target may be input after clicking the add button 63. In order to delete a shared folder from the target list 62, a delete button 64 may be clicked after selecting the shared folder to be deleted.

  The check box 65 is an interface for setting whether to include the backup folder of the MFP 1 that is the creation source of the setting screen data as the browsing target. By checking the check box 65, the shared folder 51 that is the backup folder of the MFP 1 is added to the target list 62.

  At this time, the remarks column of the shared folder 51 is displayed as “backup setting in progress”. With this display, the user of the PC 3 can confirm that the backup folder of the MFP 1 has been added to the browsing target folder. If the check box 65 is unchecked, the shared folder 51 is deleted from the selection list 62.

  Thus, by providing the check box 65, the user of the PC 3 does not have to input a path or the like when setting the backup folder (shared folder 51) of the MFP 1 as a browsing target. Further, even if the backup folder of the MFP 1 is changed from the shared folder 51 to a new shared folder, the user of the PC 3 does not have to perform an operation of adding the new shared folder to the browsing target. When the backup folder is changed from the shared folder 51 to a new folder, the shared folder 51 is automatically excluded from the browsing target. In order to continue the shared folder 51 as a browsing target, the user needs to add the shared folder 51 to the browsing target by operating the selection list setting screen 60 after the backup folder is changed.

  The user of the PC 3 displays the shared folder to be browsed on the target list 62 and then clicks the decision button 66. Thereby, the attribute information of the shared folders 51, 52, 53 selected as the browsing target is transmitted to the MFP 1 as the browsing target information 68 (step S33). Instead of the attribute information of the shared folder 51, information indicating whether or not the backup folder of the MFP 1 is included in the browsing target may be added to the browsing target information 68. The browsing setting unit 113 of the MFP 1 holds the received browsing target information 68. Thereby, the selection list setting process (step S3) ends.

  If the check box 65 is checked, the shared folder 51 set as the backup folder of the MFP 1 may not be displayed in the selection list 62. It is only necessary that the user of the PC 3 can set the shared folder 51 set as the backup folder of the MFP 1 as the browsing target folder by operating the check box 65.

  Alternatively, the browse target folder may be set by directly operating the MFP 1. In this case, the browsing setting unit 113 displays the selection list setting screen 60 on the touch panel display 13. The user operates the operation unit 12 and the touch panel display 13 to specify a browsing target folder.

{Display backed up image data}
Next, the user of the PC 3 uses the selection list 70 to select the backed up image data. The selection list display process (step S4) for displaying the selection list 70 on the monitor 32 will be described in detail.

  First, the PC 3 transmits a selection list display request to the MFP 1 in accordance with a user operation (step S41). The list data creation unit 114 of the MFP 1 identifies the shared folders 51, 52, and 53 based on the browsing target information 68, and requests the file server 4 to transmit management information 510, 520, and 530 corresponding to each shared folder ( Step S42).

  The file server 4 transmits the management information 510, 520, 530 to the MFP 1 based on the management information transmission request shown in step S42 (step S43). The list data creation unit 114 creates the selection list 70 of the image data stored in the shared folders 51 to 53 based on the received management information 510, 520, 530, and uses the created selection list 70 as a web page. (Step S44). The WEB browser 33 of the PC 3 displays the selection list 70 on the monitor 32 based on the received web page.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a selection list 70 displayed on the monitor 32. In the selection list 70 shown in FIG. 5, the list display unit 71 displays a list of image data stored in each of the browsing target shared folders 51, 52, and 53. The image display button 72 is a button for instructing display of the image data selected in the list display unit 71.

  The user of the PC 3 can display the desired backed-up image data on the monitor 32 by operating the selection list 70. For example, when the user of the PC 3 selects the file name “fileD” of the image data 531 and clicks the image display button 72, transmission processing of the image data 531 (step S5) is started.

  The PC 3 transmits a transmission request for the selected image data 531 to the MFP 1 (step S51). The image data request response unit 115 of the MFP 1 confirms that the image data 531 is not stored in the storage unit 17, and transfers the transmission request for the image data 531 to the file server 4 (step S52). The file server 4 transmits the image data 531 to the MFP 1 in response to the transmission request for the image data 531 (step S53). The image data request response unit 115 transmits the image data 531 to the PC 3 (step S54).

  The PC 3 displays the received image data 531 on the monitor 32. In this way, the transmission process of the selected image data is completed. Note that the user of the PC 3 may instruct the download of the image data 531 selected in the list display unit 71. In this case, the PC 3 stores the image data 531 acquired via the MFP 1 in a hard disk device (not shown) or the like included in the PC 3 in the same manner as described above. At this time, the downloaded image data is stored in the PC 3 without changing parameters such as resolution. Further, when the MFP 1 confirms that the image data corresponding to the image data transmission request (step S51) exists in the storage unit 17, the MFP 1 may transmit the image data stored in the storage unit 17 to the PC 3.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the image data acquired by the MFPs 1 and 2 is backed up to the shared folders 51 and 52 created in the file server 4, respectively. The user of the PC 3 sets a plurality of shared folders created in the file server 4 as browsing targets, and displays a selection list 70 of image data stored in the browsing target shared folder on the monitor of the PC 3. Thereby, even when the image data acquired by the MFPs 1 and 2 is backed up to the external file server 4, the backed up image data can be browsed efficiently. Further, the image data stored in the shared folder set in the past as the backup folder of the MFP 1 can be browsed efficiently.

1, 2 MFP
3 PC
4 File server 5 LAN
11 Control unit 31 Operation unit 32 Monitor 51, 52 Shared folder 111 Backup setting unit 112 Backup processing unit 113 Browsing setting unit 114 List data creation unit 115 Image data request response unit

Claims (4)

A backup unit that backs up image data acquired in a first folder created in a storage device connected via a network;
A browsing setting unit for setting a browsing target folder from a plurality of folders created in the storage device including the first folder;
When receiving a display request for the browsing target folder from a terminal device connected to the network, a list creation unit that creates a list of image data stored in the browsing target folder and transmits the list to the terminal device;
When a transmission request for image data stored in the browsing target folder is received from the terminal device, a transfer unit that acquires the image data specified in the transmission request from the storage device and transfers the image data to the terminal device;
An image processing apparatus comprising: The image processing apparatus according to claim 1.
The browsing setting unit sets the browsing target folder based on setting information received from the terminal device,
The image processing apparatus, wherein the setting information includes information indicating whether or not the first folder is included in the browsing target folder. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,
The plurality of folders are:
A second folder for storing image data backed up by a device different from the device itself,
Including
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the browsing target folder includes the second folder. An image processing system comprising an image processing device connected to a network, a terminal device, and a storage device,
The image processing apparatus includes:
A backup unit for backing up image data acquired in the first folder created in the storage device;
A browsing setting unit for setting a browsing target folder from a plurality of folders created in the storage device including the first folder;
When receiving a display request for the browsing target folder from a terminal device connected to the network, a list creation unit that creates a list of image data stored in the browsing target folder and transmits the list to the terminal device;
When a transmission request for image data stored in the browsing target folder is received from the terminal device, a transfer unit that acquires the image data specified in the transmission request from the storage device and transfers the image data to the terminal device;
With
The terminal device
A display unit that transmits the display request to the image processing apparatus and displays the received list;
An image data requesting unit that requests the image processing apparatus to transmit image data based on the list displayed on the display unit;
An image processing system comprising:

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