JP2012199699A - Image processing system and memory device for the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide means for transmitting and transferring image data of high resolution by using a memory device which is connected to a network.SOLUTION: An image processing device produces image data made of a plurality of data segments, from a read document image. When an indication that a free capacity is smaller than the size of the image data is received from an external memory device, data segments that can be stored are transmitted to the external memory device and the remaining data is stored in a data memory portion. The remaining data in the data memory portion is transmitted according to a remaining data obtaining request from the external memory device. The external memory device stores the data segments received from the image processing device into a data storing portion. When an image data request is received from an information terminal, data segments are read out from the data storing portion. If the data segments are stored in an incomplete state, a remaining data obtaining request is transmitted, and the received remaining data and the data segments are transmitted to the information terminal. The information terminal transmits an image data obtaining request to the external memory device, and receives the image data from the external memory device.

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing system that generates image data from a document image, an external storage device that stores image data, and an information terminal that displays image data via a network, and a storage device thereof. .

  A conventional image processing system connects an image reading device, a file server, and an information terminal via a network, compresses image data of a document image read by the image reading device, and stores the compressed image data in a file server. The server transmits the compressed image data stored in response to the image data acquisition request from the information terminal to the information terminal, and reduces the data capacity of the image data to shorten the access time and the network load (for example, , See Patent Document 1).

JP 2007-274619 A (paragraphs 0023-0027, 0062-0069, 0099-0105, FIGS. 4 and 13)

However, in the conventional technology described above, there are cases where image data with high resolution cannot be transmitted and transferred.
An object of the present invention is to make it possible to transmit and transfer high-resolution image data.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is an image processing system in which an image processing device, an external storage device, and an information terminal are connected via a network, and the image processing device reads an original image. Means for generating image data composed of a plurality of divided data from a document image read by the image reading unit; means for receiving a free storage capacity from the external storage device; and Means for transmitting the divided data that can be stored in the free capacity to the external storage device, and storing the remaining data consisting of the remaining divided data in a data storage unit, and the external storage device Means for transmitting the remaining data stored in the data storage unit to the external storage device in response to a remaining data acquisition request from the external storage device. Means for storing the divided data received from the image processing device in a data storage unit, and reading the divided data from the data storage unit when receiving an image data acquisition request for the image data from the information terminal. Means for sending out the remaining data acquisition request to the image processing device when the read-out divided data is stored in an incomplete state; and residual data received from the image processing device; Means for transmitting the read divided data as image data of an image data acquisition request to the information terminal, and the information terminal transmits the image data acquisition request to the external storage device; Means for receiving image data of the image data acquisition request from the external storage device.

  Thus, according to the present invention, the image data of the document image can be distributed and stored in the external storage device and the multifunction peripheral without being compressed, and can be read from the external storage device without degrading the image data of the document image. The effect that it can be obtained.

Explanatory drawing which shows the structure of the image processing system of Example 1. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a multifunction machine according to a first embodiment. Explanatory drawing which shows the structural example of the link destination information of Example 1. FIG. Explanatory drawing which shows the flow of the division | segmentation data of the image processing system of Example 1. FIG. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating image data storage processing according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing divided data combination processing according to the first embodiment. Block diagram showing a multifunction machine according to a second embodiment. Explanatory drawing which shows the structural example of the joining destination information of Example 2. FIG. Explanatory drawing which shows the flow of the division | segmentation data of the storage location change process of Example 2. FIG. Flowchart showing image data storage processing of embodiment 2 Flow chart showing storage location change processing of the second embodiment

  Embodiments of an image processing system according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, the image processing system according to the present embodiment includes a multi-function peripheral (MFP) 1 as an image processing apparatus, an external server 2 as an external storage device, and an information terminal 3 such as a personal computer. It is configured to connect through.
As shown in FIG. 2, the multi function device 1 includes an image reading unit 11 for reading a document image, an image processing unit 12 for generating image data composed of a plurality of divided data from a document image read by the image reading unit 11, an external unit Based on the free space acquired from the server 2, a free space determination unit 13 that determines whether the generated image data can be transmitted, a communication unit 14 that transmits data and receives information from the external server 2, An operation unit 15 for instructing reading start or transmission cancellation, a data storage unit 16 for storing divided data that cannot be stored in the external server 2, and various units of the multifunction device 1 by controlling each unit by an installed program. A control unit 17 or the like that executes processing is provided.

  The image data generated by the image processing unit 12 is, for example, a PDF (Portable Document Format), a TIFF (Tagged Image File Format), a JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group), and the like (one or a plurality of pieces of data). In the embodiment, it is composed of data for one page.

As shown in FIG. 1, the external server 2 stores a communication unit 21 that performs communication on the network 5, a data storage unit 22 that stores image data or divided data that is generated and transmitted by the multifunction device 1, and is stored. Link data for storing link destination information indicating a storage destination of other divided data constituting one image data, that is, divided data other than the divided data stored in the data storage unit 22 An information storage unit 23 and a server control unit 24 that controls the above units by an installed program and executes various processes of the external server 2 are provided.
The external server 2 includes an FTP (File Transfer Protocol) server, an HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol) server, a Windows shared server, and the like.

As shown in FIG. 3, the link destination information of this embodiment includes a file name of image data including the divided data stored in the data storage unit 22, and a storage device (this book) storing other divided data of the image data. In the embodiment, it is constituted by a divided data acquisition destination or the like which is an IP address of the multifunction machine 1).
As shown in FIG. 1, the information terminal 3 controls each unit by a communication unit 31 that performs communication on the network 5, a display unit 32 that displays image data acquired from the external server 2, and an installed program. And a terminal control unit 33 for executing various processes of the information terminal 3.

The operation of the above configuration will be described.
In the image processing system of this embodiment, image data composed of a plurality of divided data read by the multifunction machine 1 is distributed and stored in separate storage devices by image data storage processing, and the external server 2 is connected to the information terminal 3. When the acquisition request for the image data stored from is received, the divided data stored in the data storage unit 22 of the external server 2 is read out by the divided data combining process, and the image data is read from another storage device. Each processing operation is executed so as to acquire the other divided data that constitutes and transmit them to the information terminal 3 for combined display.

In the following description, as shown in FIG. 4, the divided data of three pages of image data read by the multifunction device 1 is divided into the first page in the external server 2, the second page and the third page in the multifunction device 1. In response to an image data acquisition request from the information terminal 3, the external server 2 reads the first page read from the data storage unit 22, and the remaining second page and third page acquired from the multifunction device 1. A case will be described as an example in which is transmitted to the information terminal 3 and displayed.
Hereinafter, image data storage processing executed between the MFP 1 and the external server 2 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. Note that the step name is F for the MFP 1 and G for the external server 2.

F1: When a document whose image is to be read is set in the image reading unit 11, the control unit 17 of the multifunction device 1 reads the document image of the document set by the image reading unit 11.
F2: The control unit 17 that has read the document image performs image processing on the document image read by the image processing unit 12, and generates image data including a plurality of divided data (divided data for three pages in this embodiment). To do.

F3: The control unit 17 that has generated the image data receives an input of the file name of the read document image in order to store the image data. When the file name is input from the operation unit 15, the control unit 17 stores the file name. A connection request for network connection is transmitted to the previous external server 2 via the network 5.
G1: When receiving the connection request from the multifunction device 1, the server control unit 24 of the external server 2 waiting for the reception of the connection request from the multifunction device 1 performs network connection processing with the multifunction device 1, The communication unit 21 transmits a connection response indicating that the network connection process has been completed to the multifunction peripheral 1 that is the transmission source.

F4: After transmitting the connection request to the external server 2, the control unit 17 of the multifunction device 1 waiting for the reception of the connection response from the external server 2 receives the connection response by the communication unit 14. A write file creation request with the input file name attached to store the generated image data is sent to 2.
G2: After transmitting the connection response to the multifunction device 1, when the server control unit 24 waiting for the reception of information from the multifunction device 1 receives the write file creation request by the communication unit 21, the external server 2 A new write file with the attached file name is generated in the data storage unit 22.

G3: The server control unit 24 that has generated the write file transmits a file generation response to the effect that the generation of the write file has been completed to the multi-function device 1 that is the transmission source.
F5: After transmitting the write file creation request to the external server 2, the control unit 17 waiting for the reception of the file creation response from the external server 2 receives the file creation response and sends data to the external server 2. A free capacity inquiry request for inquiring about the free capacity of the storage capacity of the storage unit 22 is transmitted.

G4: After transmitting the file generation response to the multifunction device 1, the server control unit 24 waiting for the reception of the free space inquiry request from the multifunction device 1 stores the data when receiving the free space inquiry request. The available capacity of the unit 22 is counted, and the available capacity is transmitted to the multifunction machine 1 that is the transmission source.
F6: After transmitting the free capacity inquiry request to the external server 2, the control unit 17 waiting for the response of the free capacity from the external server 2 receives the free capacity of the data storage unit 22, and then receives the free capacity. The determination unit 13 compares the received free capacity with the data capacity of one divided data (referred to as page data) of the generated image data. If the free capacity is smaller than the data capacity of the page data (NO), step F9. Migrate to If the free capacity is larger than the data capacity of the page data (YES), the process proceeds to step F7.

F7: When the free capacity of the write file is larger than the data capacity of the page data, the control unit 17 that has determined that the page data can be stored transmits the page data to the external server 2 and deletes the transmitted page data To step F8.
F8: The control unit 17 that transmitted one page data determines whether or not page data remains. If there is remaining page data (YES), the process returns to step F5, and the remaining page data in steps F5 to F8. Judgment of whether or not storage is possible. If there is no remaining page data (NO), the process proceeds to step F11.

F9: In step F6, the control unit 17 that determines that the page data cannot be stored in the external server 2 because the free capacity of the write file is smaller than the data capacity of the page data, the page data is stored in the data storage unit. 16 and the process proceeds to step F10.
F10: The control unit 17 that stores page data that cannot be stored in the external server 2 in its own data storage unit 16 is a link destination including a file name of the stored page data and a divided data acquisition destination that is its own IP address. Information is created, the link destination information is transmitted to the external server 2, and the process proceeds to step F11.

F11: The control unit 17 that has determined that there is no remaining page data in step F8 or that has transmitted link destination information to the external server 2 in step F10 sends a disconnection request for disconnecting the network connection with the external server 2 to the outside It transmits to the server 2 and moves to step F12.
G5: On the other hand, if the received information is page data (see Step F7), the server control unit 24 waiting for reception of information from the multifunction device 1 proceeds to Step G6. If it is not page data (NO), the process proceeds to step G7.

G6: The server control unit 24 that has received the page data stores the received page data in a newly generated write file in the data storage unit 22, and proceeds to Step G7.
G7: The server control unit 24 waiting for reception of information from the multifunction device 1 proceeds to step G8 if the received information is link destination information (see step F10) (YES). If it is not link destination information (NO), the process proceeds to step G9.

G8: The server control unit 24 that has received the link destination information stores the received link destination information in the link destination information storage unit 23, and proceeds to step G9.
G9: The server control unit 24 waiting for reception of information from the multifunction device 1 proceeds to Step G10 when the received information is a disconnection request (see Step F11) (YES). If it is not a disconnection request (NO), the process returns to step G5, and the standby by steps G5, G7, and G9 is continued.

G10: The server control unit 24 that has received the disconnection request from the multifunction device 1 closes the write file in the data storage unit 22 opened in Step G2, and proceeds to Step G11.
G11: The server control unit 24 that has closed the write file performs a network disconnection process with the multifunction device 1, transmits a disconnection response to the effect that the network disconnection process is completed, to the transmission source multifunction device 1, and a connector A1 Then, the process returns to step G1 and waits for the reception of a new connection request from the multifunction machine 1.

  F12: On the other hand, the control unit 17 of the multifunction device 1 waits for the reception of the disconnection response from the external server 2 after transmitting the disconnection request to the external server 2 in Step F11, and receives the disconnection response (YES) ) Terminates the storing process of the image data of the original image read this time. If no disconnection response is received (NO), the standby is continued.

  Thus, in the image processing system of the present embodiment, when the free capacity of the data storage unit 22 of the external server 2 is larger than the data capacity of the image data, all page data of the image data is stored in the data storage unit 22, When the free capacity is smaller than the data capacity of the image data, only the page data that can be stored with the free capacity of the external server 2 is transmitted to the external server 2 and stored, and the remaining page data (referred to as residual data) is its own. An image data storage process is executed in which the link destination information stored in the data storage unit 16 and indicating the location thereof is stored in the external server 2.

  Next, the divided data combination process when the page data (divided data) distributedly stored in the MFP 1 and the external server 2 as described above is acquired from the information terminal 3 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. I will explain. The step name is TA for the information terminal 3, GA for the external server 2, and FA for the MFP 1.

  TA1: The terminal control unit 33 of the information terminal 3 receives the input of the file name of the document image to be acquired. When the file name is input, the communication unit 31 acquires the image data. A connection request for establishing a network connection is transmitted to the network 5 via the network 5.

GA1: When receiving the connection request from the information terminal 3, the server control unit 24 of the external server 2 waiting for the connection request from the information terminal 3 performs a network connection process with the information terminal 3, The communication unit 21 transmits a connection response indicating that the network connection process has been completed to the information terminal 3 that is the transmission source.
TA2: After transmitting the connection request to the external server 2, the terminal control unit 33 waiting for the reception of the connection response from the external server 2 receives the connection response by the communication unit 31. An image data acquisition request with the input file name attached is transmitted.

GA2: After transmitting the connection response to the information terminal 3, when the server control unit 24 waiting for the reception of information from the information terminal 3 receives the image data acquisition request by the communication unit 31, the data storage unit 22 Then, all the page data constituting the image data of the attached file name is read, and the page data is transmitted to the information terminal 3 that is the transmission source.
GA3: The server control unit 24 that has transmitted the stored page data determines whether the link destination information of the received file name is stored in the link destination information storage unit 23, and the link destination information of the file name Is stored (YES), the process proceeds to step GA4. When the link destination information of the file name is not stored (NO), the process proceeds to step GA8.

GA4: The server control unit 24 that has determined that the link destination information of the file name is stored reads the divided data acquisition destination of the corresponding link destination information from the link destination information storage unit 23.
GA5: The server control unit 24 that has read the divided data acquisition destination identifies the MFP 1 that is a storage device in which the remaining data is stored according to the divided data acquisition destination, and performs communication to acquire the remaining data. The unit 21 transmits a connection request for performing a network connection via the network 5 to the multifunction device 1.

  FA1: When receiving the connection request from the external server 2, the control unit 17 of the MFP 1 waiting for the reception of the connection request from the external server 2 performs network connection processing with the external server 2 and performs communication. The unit 13 transmits a connection response to the effect that the network connection processing is completed to the external server 2 that is the transmission source.

GA6: After transmitting the connection request to the multifunction device 1, the server control unit 24 waiting for the reception of the connection response from the multifunction device 1 receives the connection response by the communication unit 21, and then sends the connection response to the multifunction device 1. A remaining data acquisition request with the file name of the image data to be acquired attached is transmitted.
FA2: After transmitting the connection response to the external server 2, when the control unit 17 of the multifunction device 1 waiting for the reception of information from the external server 2 receives the remaining data acquisition request by the communication unit 14, the data The remaining data constituting the image data of the attached file name is read from the storage unit 16, and the remaining data is transmitted to the external server 2 that is the transmission source.

GA7: After transmitting the remaining data acquisition request to the multifunction device 1, the server control unit 24 waiting for reception of the remaining data from the multifunction device 1 receives the remaining data and sends the remaining data to the information terminal 3 Send to.
GA8: Since the link destination information of the file name received from the information terminal 3 in step GA3 is not stored, all the page data constituting the image data is transmitted (see step GA2), or the link destination information of the file name Is stored, the remaining data constituting the image data is transmitted (see step GA7). The server control unit 24 transmits a file acquisition completion response to the information terminal 3 to the effect that the file acquisition is completed, and proceeds to step GA9. Migrate to

GA9: The server control unit 24 that has transmitted the file acquisition completion response to the information terminal 3 transmits a disconnection request for disconnecting the network connection with the multifunction device 1 to the multifunction device 1, and proceeds to step GA10.
FA3: After transmitting the remaining data to the external server 2, the control unit 17 of the MFP 1 waiting for the reception of the disconnection request from the external server 2 performs a network disconnection process with the external server 2 and transmits it. A disconnection response to the effect that network disconnection processing has been completed is transmitted to the original external server 2 and the process returns to step FA1 via the connector B2, and waits for the reception of a new connection request from the external server 2.

GA10: After transmitting the disconnection request to the multifunction device 1, the server control unit 24 waiting for reception of the disconnection response from the multifunction device 1 acquires the remaining data from the multifunction device 1 when receiving the disconnection response. And the process proceeds to step GA11.
TA3: On the other hand, after transmitting the image data acquisition request to the external server 2 in step TA2, the received page data (including the remaining data when remaining data is received) is stored in a terminal storage unit (not shown). When receiving the file acquisition completion response, the terminal control unit 33 waiting for reception of the file acquisition completion response (see step GA8) from the external server 2 disconnects to disconnect the network connection with the external server 2. The request is transmitted to the external server 2.

  GA11: After receiving the disconnection response from the multifunction device 1, the server control unit 24 waiting for the reception of the disconnection request from the information terminal 3 receives the disconnection request and performs the network disconnection process with the information terminal 3. A disconnection response indicating that the network disconnection processing has been completed is transmitted to the information terminal 3 that is the transmission source, the process returns to Step GA1 via the connector A2, and waits for reception of a new connection request from the information terminal 3 To do.

  TA4: After transmitting the disconnection request to the external server 2, the terminal control unit 33 waiting for the reception of the disconnection response from the external server 2 receives the received page data (remaining data) when receiving the disconnection response. In this case, the page data is included) and the image data including the combined page data is displayed on the display unit 32, and the image data acquisition process for the current document image is terminated.

  As described above, in the image processing system of the present embodiment, when the image data stored in the external server 2 is a part of page data, that is, when the image data is stored in an incomplete state, the external server The link destination information indicating the location of the image data is stored in 2, and the page data (divided data) stored in the data storage unit 22 of the external server 2 and the data storage unit 16 of the multifunction device 1 is stored externally. A divided data combining process is performed in which the server 2 collects and combines the data into one image data.

  As described above, in this embodiment, even when the free space of the external server is insufficient, the image data of the read document image is distributed and stored in the external server and the multifunction peripheral without being compressed. In addition, the time required for compression can be shortened to shorten the storage time of the image data, and the image data of the document image can be read from the external server without deteriorating.

The image processing system of this embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. In addition, the same part as the said Example 1 attaches | subjects the same code | symbol, and abbreviate | omits the description.
As shown in FIG. 7, the multi-function device 1 according to the present embodiment counts the time required to periodically query the free capacity of the external server 2 in addition to the configuration of the first embodiment (see FIG. 2). A timer unit 41 and a combination destination information storage unit 42 for storing data combination destination information indicating a combination destination of the divided data stored in the data storage unit 16 are provided.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the combination destination information of the present embodiment is stored in the order of storage of the remaining divided data (remaining data) stored in the data storage unit 16 because it cannot be stored in the data storage unit 22 of the external server 2. Stored data that is the IP address of the storage device (external server 2 in this embodiment) that stores the divided data that combines the remaining data, the file name of the image data of the remaining data, It consists of a tip etc.

The operation of the above configuration will be described.
In the image processing system of the present embodiment, image data composed of a plurality of divided data read by the multifunction device 1 is distributed and stored in separate storage devices by image data storage processing. When the free space of the external server 2 is periodically checked by the change process and it is determined that the free space capable of storing the remaining data stored in the multi-function device 1 is secured in the external server 2, the multi-function device 1 The remaining data stored in the data storage unit 16 is transmitted to the external server 2, and each processing operation is performed so as to store the image data obtained by combining all the divided data in the external server 2.

  In the following description, as shown in FIG. 9, the divided data of three pages of image data read by the multifunction device 1 is divided into the first page in the external server 2, the second page and the third page in the multifunction device 1. And when the MFP 1 determines that there is enough free space to store the remaining data in the external server 2, the MFP 1 transmits the remaining second and third pages to the external server 2. The case where image data obtained by combining page data of pages 1 to 3 is stored in the external server 2 will be described as an example.

Hereinafter, image data storage processing executed between the MFP 1 and the external server 2 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. Note that the step name is FB for the MFP 1 and GB for the external server 2.
Since the processing operations of steps FB1 to FB10 and GB1 to GB4 of the present embodiment are the same as the processing operations of steps F1 to F10 and G1 to G4 of the first embodiment, description thereof will be omitted.

FB11: The control unit 17 that has transmitted the link destination information to the external server 2 combines the priority that is the storage order of the page data stored in the data storage unit 16, the file name of the page data, and the page that combines the page data. The destination information composed of the data destination, which is the IP address of the external server 2 storing the data, is created, the destination information is stored in the destination information storage unit 42, and the process proceeds to step FB12.
The subsequent processing operations of Steps FB12 to FB13 and GB5 to GB11 are the same as the processing operations of Steps F11 to F12 and G5 to G11 of the first embodiment, and the description thereof is omitted.

The storage location change process executed between the multifunction machine 1 and the external server 2 according to the present embodiment will be described below with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. The step name is FC for the MFP 1 and GC for the external server 2.
FC1: The control unit 17 of the multi-function device 1 monitors the time of execution of the storage location change process with the external server 2 by the timer unit 41 in parallel processing with the above image data storage process, In this embodiment, the process waits for arrival of every 6 hours (including when the multifunction machine 1 is started up), and when the communication time arrives, the process proceeds to step FC2. When the communication time does not arrive, the timer unit 41 continues to count the elapsed time.

FC2: The control unit 17 that has recognized the arrival of the communication time counts the communication time from the communication time by the timer unit 41 in order to count the interruption time (1 hour in this embodiment) until the current storage location change process is terminated. Start counting elapsed time.
FC3: The control unit 17 that has started counting the elapsed time from the communication time reads the combination destination information of priority 1 from the combination destination information storage unit 42.

FC4: The control unit 17 that has read the combination destination information leaves the remaining page data (remaining data) that could not be stored in the data storage unit 22 of the external server 2 stored in the data storage unit 16 by the file name of the combination destination information. And the data capacity is counted.
FC5: The control unit 17 that counts the data capacity of the remaining data specifies the external server 2 that is a storage device that stores the page data to be stored by combining the remaining data with the combined data storage destination of the combining destination information. A connection request for establishing a network connection via the network 5 is transmitted to the external server 2.

GC1: When the server control unit 24 of the external server 2 waiting for the reception of the connection request from the multifunction device 1 receives the connection request from the multifunction device 1, it performs network connection processing with the multifunction device 1, A connection response to the effect that network connection processing has been completed is transmitted to the MFP 1 as the transmission source.
FC6: After transmitting the connection request to the external server 2, the control unit 17 of the MFP 1 waiting for the reception of the connection response from the external server 2 receives the connection response and sends data to the external server 2. A free capacity inquiry request for inquiring about the free capacity of the storage unit 22 is transmitted.

GC2: After transmitting the connection response to the multifunction device 1, the server control unit 24 waiting for the reception of the free capacity inquiry request from the multifunction device 1 receives the free capacity inquiry request, and then the data storage unit The current available capacity of 22 is counted, and the available capacity is transmitted to the multifunction machine 1 that is the transmission source.
FC7: After transmitting the free capacity inquiry request to the external server 2, the control unit 17 waiting for the reception of the free capacity from the external server 2 receives the current free capacity of the data storage unit 22, The free capacity determination unit 13 compares the received current free capacity with the counted data capacity of the remaining data. If the free capacity is smaller than the data capacity of the remaining data (NO), the process proceeds to step FC12. If the free capacity is larger than the data capacity of the remaining data (YES), the process proceeds to step FC8.

  FC8: When the current free capacity of the external server 2 is larger than the data capacity of the remaining data, the control unit 17 that has determined that the remaining data can be stored is sent from the data storage unit 16 in order to combine the remaining data. The remaining data specified in FC4 is read, a data write request attached with the remaining data and the file name of the connection destination information is transmitted to the external server 2, and the process proceeds to step FC9.

  FC9: After transmitting the free capacity inquiry request to the external server 2, the control unit 17 waiting for reception of a data combining completion response from step GC5 of the external server 2 described later receives the data combining completion response. Then, the corresponding combination destination information in the combination destination information storage unit 42, that is, the combination destination information of priority 1 read in step FC3 is deleted, and the process proceeds to step FC10.

FC10: The control unit 17 that has deleted the corresponding combination destination information increments the priority of the combination destination information stored in the combination destination information storage unit 42 one by one, and updates the priority of each combination destination information. Move to FC11.
FC11: The control unit 17 that has updated the priority of the combination destination information deletes the remaining data transmitted to the external server 2 for combination in step FC8, and proceeds to step FC14.

FC12: The control unit 17 that has determined that the current free capacity of the external server 2 is insufficient in step FC7 is determined by the timer unit 41 from the time of determination of the free capacity in step FC7 until the next free capacity inquiry. Waiting for the elapse of the inquiry interval (5 minutes in this embodiment), which is a time interval, waits, and when the inquiry interval elapses, the process proceeds to step FC13.
FC13: The control unit 17 confirms the lapse of the cutoff time started in step FC2, and if the elapsed time up to the present is equal to or longer than the cutoff time, the current communication is terminated and the process proceeds to step FC14. If the elapsed time up to the present time is less than the cutoff time, the process returns to step FC6, and the next free capacity inquiry request is transmitted to the external server 2.

FC14: The control unit 17 that terminated the current periodic communication in step FC13 or deleted the remaining data transmitted to the external server 2 in step FC10 issues a disconnection request for disconnecting the network connection with the external server 2 to the outside. It transmits to the server 2 and moves to step FC15.
GC3: On the other hand, the server control unit 24 waiting for the reception of information from the multifunction device 1 after the transmission of the current free capacity to the multifunction device 1 indicates that the received information is a data write request (see step FC8). ) (YES), the process proceeds to step GC4. If the received information is not a data write request (NO), the process proceeds to step GC8.

  GC4: The server control unit 24 that has received the data write request from the multi-function device 1 specifies the write file having the corresponding page data in the data storage unit 22 based on the file name of the received data write request, and The writing file is opened, the page data and the received remaining data are arranged in page order, the remaining data is added, the image data composed of the combined page data is stored in the data storage unit 22, and the process proceeds to step GC5.

GC5: The controller 17 that additionally stores and stores the received remaining data transmits a data combination completion response to the effect that the combination of page data has been completed to the multi-function device 1 and proceeds to step GC6.
GC6: The server control unit 24 that has transmitted the data combination completion response to the multifunction device 1 identifies the corresponding link destination information in the link destination information storage unit 23 based on the file name of the data write request, and the page data has been combined. The link destination information is deleted and the process proceeds to step GC7.

GC7: The server control unit 24 that has deleted the link destination information that has been combined with the page data closes the write file in the data storage unit 22 opened in step GC4, and proceeds to step GC8.
GC8: The server control unit 24 waiting for the reception of information from the multifunction device 1 proceeds to step GC9 when the received information is a disconnection request (see step FC14) (YES). If it is not a disconnection request (NO), the process returns to step GC3, and the standby by steps GC3 and GC8 is continued.

  GC9: The server control unit 24 that has received the disconnection request from the multifunction device 1 performs a network disconnection process with the multifunction device 1, and transmits a disconnection response indicating that the network disconnection processing has been completed to the source multifunction device 1. Then, the process returns to step GC1 through the connector A4, and waits for the reception of a new connection request from the multi function device 1.

  FC15: On the other hand, the control unit 17 of the multifunction device 1 waits for the reception of the disconnection response from the external server 2 after receiving the disconnection response after transmitting the disconnection request to the external server 2 in step FC11 (YES) ) Terminates the current storage location change process. If no disconnection response is received (NO), the standby is continued.

As described above, in the image processing system according to the present embodiment, when the free capacity of the external server 2 is smaller than the data capacity of the image data, the page data is distributed to the MFP 1 and the external server 2 and temporarily stored. When the image data stored in the external server 2 is stored in an incomplete state, the combination destination information of the remaining data that is the remaining page data stored in the data storage unit 16 of the multifunction device 1 is displayed. 1, the MFP 1 periodically checks the free capacity of the external server 2, and when the free capacity for storing the remaining data is secured, the remaining data is transmitted to the external server 2, When the complete image data is stored in the external server 2, a storage location change process is executed.
Note that the processing operation of the divided data combining process of the present embodiment is the same as the processing operation of the divided data combining process of the first embodiment (see FIG. 6), and thus the description thereof is omitted.

As described above, in this embodiment, in addition to the same effects as in the first embodiment, when the free capacity of the external server increases, the remaining data stored in the multifunction peripheral is transmitted to the external server. Since the data is stored, the capacity of the data storage unit of the multifunction device does not become insufficient, and the load on the multifunction device 1 can be reduced.
In each of the above embodiments, the image processing apparatus is described as a multi-function machine. However, the image processing apparatus is not limited to the above, and may be a scanner, a copier, a FAX, a printer, or the like.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Multifunction machine 2 External server 3 Information terminal 5 Network 11 Image reading part 12 Image processing part 13 Free capacity determination part 14, 21, 31 Communication part 15 Operation part 16 Data storage part 17 Control part 22 Data storage part 23 Link destination information storage Unit 24 Server control unit 32 Display unit 33 Terminal control unit 41 Timer unit 42 Binding destination information storage unit

Claims (4)

An image processing system in which an image processing device, an external storage device, and an information terminal are connected via a network,
The image processing apparatus includes:
An image reading unit for reading a document image;
Means for generating image data composed of a plurality of divided data from a document image read by the image reading unit;
Means for receiving a free storage capacity from the external storage device;
When the free capacity is smaller than the data capacity of the image data, the divided data that can be stored with the free capacity is transmitted to the external storage device, and the remaining data including the remaining divided data is stored in the data storage unit. Means,
Means for transmitting the remaining data stored in the data storage unit to the external storage device in response to a remaining data acquisition request from the external storage device,
The external storage device is
Means for storing the divided data received from the image processing device in a data storage unit;
Means for reading the divided data from the data storage unit when receiving an image data acquisition request for the image data from the information terminal;
Means for transmitting the remaining data acquisition request to the image processing device when the read-out divided data is stored in an incomplete state;
Means for transmitting the remaining data received from the image processing apparatus and the read divided data to the information terminal as image data of an image data acquisition request;
The information terminal
Means for transmitting the image data acquisition request to the external storage device;
Means for receiving the image data of the image data acquisition request from the external storage device. The image processing system according to claim 1,
The image processing apparatus includes:
Means for transmitting the free space inquiry request to the external storage device;
Means for transmitting the remaining data to the external storage device when the current free capacity received from the external storage device is larger than the data capacity of the remaining data stored in the data storage unit;
The external storage device is
Means for transmitting the current free space in response to the free space inquiry request from the image processing device;
Means for storing the remaining data received from the image processing apparatus in combination with the divided data stored in the data storage unit. The image processing system according to claim 1 or 2,
The image processing apparatus includes:
An image processing system comprising: means for deleting the divided data transmitted to the external storage device. In a storage device that transmits and receives image data via a network,
A data storage unit for storing the divided data received from the image processing apparatus;
When receiving an image data acquisition request, data reading means for reading the divided data from the data storage unit;
A remaining data acquisition request transmitting unit that transmits a request for acquiring remaining data related to the divided data to the image processing apparatus that has transmitted the divided data when it is determined that the divided data is stored in an incomplete state; ,
A remaining data receiving means for receiving the remaining data;
A storage device, comprising: an image data transmission unit that transmits the remaining data together with the divided data stored in the data storage unit in response to an acquisition request for the image data.

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