JP2013138305A - Image forming apparatus and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To output error information on an error which occurs in an additional application added to a standard application for adding a function by using an error output function that is standardly mounted in an image formation processing system.SOLUTION: When a plug-in 40 for making data communication with a service server 4 in accordance with a communication protocol other than a standard communication protocol detects an error, plug-in error information including a plug-in error code of the error and message information is generated and it is informed to a framework 32. The framework 32 generates system error information which includes a system error code specified from the plug-in error code included in the informed plug-in error information and error message information and which has a format decodable by an image formation processing system 20, sends the system error information to the image formation processing system 20 and causes the image formation processing system 20 to output the error message information.

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and a program.

  In an image forming apparatus such as a multifunction peripheral having a copy function and a FAX function, various applications are provided as standard. However, there may be a case where a desired function cannot be realized only by the standard installed application. Therefore, in order to cope with such a case, there are not a few image forming apparatuses that provide a system environment in which a plug-in application that realizes a desired function can be incorporated in the image forming apparatus.

  By the way, in order to notify the user of an error that has occurred in such an additionally incorporated application, conventionally, a method of separately creating an error output application and processing it in a separate thread has been proposed ( For example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent No. 4691197 Japanese Patent No. 4625343

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to output error information related to an error that has occurred in an additional application added to an image forming apparatus for adding a function by using an error output function that is provided as a standard in the image forming apparatus. To do.

  An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes an image forming processing system having software that realizes basic functions including software serving as an operation base and at least an error output function, and operates in cooperation with the image forming processing system. A standard application execution unit that executes the standard application, and an additional application execution unit that executes an additional application that realizes a function other than the standard application in the standard application execution unit. When an error is detected during execution of the additional application, additional application error information including at least additional application error identification information for identifying the error and message information indicating the error is included in the standard application. The standard application executing means is specified from the additional application error identification information included in the additional application error information when the additional application error information is notified from the additional application executing means. System error identification information that is used in the image forming processing system and message information included in the additional application error information, and that can be decoded by the image forming processing system System error information is generated and notified to the image forming processing system, thereby causing the image forming processing system to output error information including at least the message information.

  The standard application execution unit executes a transfer application that performs data transfer with an external server in accordance with a communication protocol provided in advance in the image forming apparatus as a standard application, and the additional application execution unit includes: As an additional application, a plug-in application that performs data transfer with an external server according to a communication protocol that is different from the communication protocol that is provided in advance in the image forming apparatus is executed, and the transfer application is linked to the plug-in application. It is characterized in that a framework that operates as described above is provided.

  Further, it has means for storing an error identification information conversion table in which additional application error identification information and system error identification information are associated, and the standard application execution means refers to the error identification information conversion table, and The system error information is generated by converting the additional application error identification information included in the additional application error information into system error identification information.

  The program according to the present invention operates as a standard, and operates in cooperation with the image forming processing system, the image forming processing system having software that realizes the basic functions including the software that is the basis of the operation and at least the error output function. A computer installed in an image forming apparatus, which includes: a standard application executing unit that executes a standard application; and an additional application executing unit that executes an additional application other than the standard application in the standard application executing unit. In addition, when an error is detected during execution of the additional application, the additional application error including at least additional application error identification information for identifying the error and message information indicating the error. Means for notifying information to the standard application execution means, and additional application error included in the additional application error information when the additional application error information is notified to the standard application execution means from the additional application execution means At least system error identification information specified from the identification information and used in the image forming processing system, and message information included in the additional application error information, the image forming processing system Generating system error information in a readable format and notifying the image forming processing system to output error information including at least the message information to the image forming processing system; It is intended to function Te.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, error information relating to an error that has occurred in an additional application added to the standard application for the addition of the function is obtained using the error output function that is provided as a standard in the image forming processing system. Can be output.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, data transfer with an external server can be performed according to a communication protocol different from the communication protocol provided in advance in the image forming apparatus.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, the error identification information different from the system error identification information used in the image forming processing system can be used by the additional application.

  According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, error information relating to an error that has occurred in an additional application added to the standard application for the addition of the function is obtained using the error output function provided as a standard in the image forming processing system. Can be output.

1 is a hardware configuration diagram illustrating an embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. 2 is a software configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment. FIG. It is the flowchart which showed the process when an error generate | occur | produces during execution of a plug-in in this Embodiment. It is a figure showing an example of error information outputted as an error report when an error occurs during execution of a plug-in in the present embodiment. It is the figure which showed an example of the error log display screen in this Embodiment.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a hardware configuration diagram showing an embodiment of an image forming apparatus 10 according to the present invention. The image forming apparatus 10 is a multifunction machine having various functions such as a copy function, a scanner function, and a FAX transmission function, and is a device having a built-in computer. In FIG. 1, a CPU 11 controls the operation of various means mounted on the apparatus such as a scanner 13 and a printer engine 14 in accordance with a program stored in a storage means such as a ROM 15, a RAM 16, or an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) 17. The address data bus 19 is connected to various means to be controlled by the CPU 11 and performs data communication. The operation panel 12 receives instructions from the user and displays information. The scanner 13 reads a document set by the user and accumulates it in the HDD 17 or the like as electronic data. The HDD 17 stores electronic documents read using the scanner 13, electronic data transmitted via the network 2, and the like. The printer engine 14 in the present embodiment prints an image on output paper in accordance with an instruction from a control program executed by the CPU 11. The network interface (I / F) 18 is connected to the network 2 and performs data communication directly or indirectly with the external service server 4. The RAM 16 is used as a work memory during program execution and a communication buffer during electronic data transmission / reception. The ROM 15 stores various programs relating to control of the apparatus, encryption of electronic data, and transmission / reception of electronic data.

  FIG. 2 is a software configuration diagram of the image forming apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment. Each software 20, 30, and 40 shown in FIG. 2 is stored in the ROM 15 or the HDD 17, loaded into the RAM 16, and executed by the CPU 11. The image forming processing system 20 is software that forms a platform of the image forming apparatus 10. Note that the platform refers to hardware, operating system (OS), middleware, or the like, which is a base for operating certain software or hardware, but the image forming processing system 20 in the present embodiment includes Among these, the software includes basic portions of software such as the OS and middleware, and further software that realizes basic functions of the image forming apparatus 10. The image forming processing system 20 has at least an error output function as a standard function as a standard function. The error output function processing unit 22 shown in FIG. 2 operates in cooperation with hardware. It is a means to realize.

  The transfer processing unit 30 is a program that controls a standard transfer application program provided as a standard in the image forming apparatus 10, and is executed in cooperation with the image forming processing system 20. The transfer processing unit 30 is provided in advance in the image forming apparatus 10 as an application program that realizes a communication function using a standard communication protocol such as FTP (File Transfer Protocol) or SMB (Server Message Block) as a transfer application. These standard application transfer applications perform data transfer with the service server 4 capable of data communication according to each communication protocol (hereinafter also referred to as “standard communication protocol”).

  In addition, a framework 32 that operates in cooperation with a plug-in application (hereinafter simply “plug-in”) 40 is added to the transfer processing unit 30 in the present embodiment. Note that the framework is a collection of general-purpose functions that are frequently required when developing application programs, and the software that functions as the foundation of the application (the “plug-in” in this embodiment). That is.

  The plug-in 40 in the present embodiment is an application program for adding a function to the transfer processing unit 30. That is, the plug-in 40 is an application program corresponding to an additional application that realizes a function that cannot be realized by the functions of the transfer processing unit 30 and the transfer application provided as a standard by operating in cooperation with the framework 32. In other words, the application program performs data communication with the service server 4 according to a communication protocol added in addition to the standard communication protocol.

  In addition, the framework 32 in the present embodiment includes an error processing unit 34. When the plug-in error information is transmitted from the plug-in 40 in cooperation with the hardware, the error processing unit 34 is specified from the plug-in error identification information included in the plug-in error information. System error identification information, which includes at least system error identification information used in the image forming processing system 20 and message information included in the plug-in error information, in a format that can be decoded by the image forming processing system 20 System error information is generated and notified to the image forming processing system 20.

  The service server 4 is a server computer that provides a service in response to a request from the computer, the image forming apparatus 10 built in the computer, or the like. It may be a server computer included in cloud computing. In the present embodiment, as a service provided by the service server 4, for example, a web service called Evernote (registered trademark), an online storage service called Dropbox (registered trademark), and the like are assumed. Further, these service servers 4 communicate with the image forming apparatus 10 according to a communication protocol other than a transfer function based on a standard communication protocol such as FTP or SMB, which is a transfer application provided as a standard in the transfer processing unit 30, and a mode of data transmission / reception. Data transfer between them.

  The standard application execution unit in the present embodiment is realized by a cooperative operation between a computer mounted on the image forming apparatus 10 and a transfer processing unit 30 that operates on the CPU 11 mounted on the computer. Further, the additional application execution means in the present embodiment is realized by a cooperative operation of the computer mounted on the image forming apparatus 10 and the plug-in 40 operating on the CPU 11 mounted on the computer.

  Further, the program used in this embodiment can be provided not only by communication means but also by storing it in a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM. The program provided from the communication means or the recording medium is installed in the computer, and various processes are realized by the CPU of the computer sequentially executing the program.

  Next, the operation in this embodiment will be described. In the present embodiment, when an error occurs during execution of the plug-in 40 that performs data communication with the service server 4, error information related to the error is output using a function unique to the plug-in 40. Instead, the output is performed using the standard function (error output function processing unit 22) of the image forming processing system 20. Here, processing when an error occurs during execution of the plug-in 40 will be described using the flowchart shown in FIG.

  When the plug-in 40 detects an error that has occurred during execution (step 110), the plug-in 40 generates plug-in error information including a plug-in error code, error message information, and a corresponding language / character code and notifies the framework 32 ( Step 120). The plug-in error code included in the plug-in error information is plug-in error identification information that identifies the detected error. The error message information is message information indicating the error. The supported language / character code includes languages and character codes that can be supported by the plug-in 40. If the language / character code that can be handled by the image forming apparatus 10 is uniquely determined and the plug-in 40 supports the language / character code, this information may not be included in the plug-in error information. Also good.

  When the plug-in error information is notified, the error processing unit 34 in the framework 32 notifies the system error code identified from the plug-in error code included in the notified plug-in error information, and the notified plug-in. System error information including error message information and corresponding language / character code included in the error information is generated (step 130).

  Here, the system error code is an error code used by the image forming processing system 20. Since the plug-in error code is an error code that the plug-in 40 may set independently, there is a possibility that the image forming processing system 20 cannot identify the type of error even if the plug-in error code is passed as it is. Therefore, in the present embodiment, an error identification information conversion table in which plug-in error codes and system error codes are associated is prepared in advance, and the error processing unit 34 refers to this error identification information conversion table. The plug-in error code included in the plug-in error information notified from the plug-in 40 is converted into a system error code. In this way, the error processing unit 34 identifies the system error code from the plug-in error code. The error identification information conversion table may be stored in the HDD 17 or the ROM 15 and loaded into the RAM 16 for use.

  If the plug-in developer knows the system error code in advance and sets the plug-in error code to be the same as the system error code, the error identification information conversion table is not necessary. In this case, the error processing unit 34 may use the plug-in error code as it is as the system error code and include it in the system error information. Further, if the language / character code that can be supported by the image forming apparatus 10 is uniquely determined, the supported language / character code may not be included in the system error information.

  Since the format of the system error information that can be decoded by the image forming processing system 20 is determined in advance, the error processing unit 34 generates the system error information in a format that can be decoded by the image forming processing system 20. As an example of a decodable format, a system error notified from the transfer processing unit 30 to the image forming processing system 20 when the standard transfer application of the transfer processing unit 30 generates an error due to execution of data communication according to the standard communication protocol. Generate system error information in the same format as the information. The error processing unit 34 notifies the image forming processing system 20 of the system error information generated in this way, thereby causing the image forming processing system 20 to output the error information as described below (step 140).

  When system error information is notified from the framework 32, the error output function processing unit 22 in the image forming processing system 20 outputs error information based on the system error information (step 150). The system error information notified from the framework 32 is the system error information notified from the transfer processing unit 30 when an error occurs due to execution of data communication by the standard transfer application of the transfer processing unit 30 according to the standard communication protocol. Therefore, the error output function processing unit 22 may perform the same processing as the system error information notified from the transfer processing unit 30. When outputting the error information, the error output function processing unit 22 refers to the language / character code that can be supported included in the system error information, and the language in which the plug-in 40 is set in the image forming processing system 20. Confirm that it corresponds to (for example, Japanese) and a character code (for example, shift JIS).

  An example of error information printed by the error output function processing unit 22 as the error report 50 from the printer engine 14 is shown in FIG. The error report 50 includes a system error code 51 included in the system error information, an error message 52 corresponding to the printed system error code 51, and error message information 53 included in the system error information. Printed. The error message 52 is message information derived from the system error code 51 in the image forming processing system 20. If the error information output by the error output function processing unit 22 has a message area for a plug-in application having a predetermined length (indicated by parentheses “(”) in FIG. 4), the error output function process The unit 22 prints error message information included in the system error information in the message area according to a predetermined process.

  If the number of characters that can be printed in the message area is limited, for example, if the upper limit is set to 128 bytes, and if the error message information exceeds 128 bytes, the excess will not be garbled. Adjust the number of print characters by cutting error message information.

  As illustrated in FIG. 4, in the case of this embodiment, the plug-in error code associated with the message information “Please check whether the access right is granted to the folder on the logged-in server.” , A system error code “123-456” associated with system message information “login error” is associated. This “login error” is not actually related to the error generated in the plug-in 40 and need not be related. The user recognizes that an error has occurred in the plug-in 40 by printing the error message information 53, and specifies the content of the error and a countermeasure. Therefore, the user ignores the message information of the system “login error”. That is, the plug-in error code may be associated with an arbitrary system error code.

  Further, when the image forming processing system 20 has an error log function for recording the system error information notified from the transfer processing unit 30, the history of the system error information is displayed as a list on the operation panel 12. An example of the error history display screen is shown in FIG. In the error history display screen in the present embodiment, the type of function executed in the transfer processing unit 30, the transmission destination (destination), and the execution result are displayed in association with each other. In order to display more detailed information such as error occurrence date and time, the detail display button 54 may be selected. As in the display example shown in FIG. 5, error information 55 relating to an error caused by execution of the plug-in 40 is displayed in an integrated manner with error information 56 relating to an error caused by execution of a standard function. In other words, the image forming processing system 20 outputs the error information related to the error generated by the execution of the plug-in 40 and the error information related to the error generated due to the execution of the standard function in the transfer processing unit 30 without being distinguished from each other. .

  In the present exemplary embodiment, the transfer processing unit 30 that performs data transfer with an external server according to a communication protocol provided in advance in the image forming apparatus 10 has been described as an example of a standard application. Without being limited to the above, an application having other functions as standard may be used as the standard application.

  2 network, 4 service server, 10 image forming apparatus, 11 CPU, 12 operation panel, 13 scanner, 14 printer engine, 15 ROM, 16 RAM, 17 HDD, 18 network IF, 19 address data bus, 20 image forming processing system, 22 error output function processing unit, 30 transfer processing unit, 32 framework, 34 error processing unit, 40 plug-ins.

Claims (4)

An image forming processing system having software that realizes basic functions including an error output function and software serving as a base of operation;
Standard application execution means that operates in cooperation with the image forming processing system and executes a standard application that is provided as a standard;
An additional application executing means for executing an additional application for realizing a function other than the standard application in the standard application executing means;
Have
When the additional application execution unit detects an error during execution of the additional application, the standard application execution unit includes additional application error information including at least additional application error identification information for identifying the error and message information indicating the error. Notify
The standard application execution means is system error identification information specified from the additional application error identification information included in the additional application error information when the additional application error information is notified from the additional application execution means. System error identification information used in the image forming processing system and message information included in the additional application error information, and generating system error information in a format readable by the image forming processing system. The image forming apparatus is configured to output error information including at least the message information to the image forming processing system by notifying the image forming processing system. The standard application execution unit executes a transfer application that performs data transfer with an external server according to a communication protocol provided in advance in the image forming apparatus as a standard application.
The additional application execution unit executes, as an additional application, a plug-in application that performs data transfer with an external server according to a communication protocol different from a communication protocol provided in advance in the image forming apparatus,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a framework that operates in cooperation with a plug-in application is added to the transfer application. Means for storing an error identification information conversion table in which additional application error identification information and system error identification information are associated with each other;
The standard application execution means refers to the error identification information conversion table, converts the additional application error identification information included in the additional application error information into system error identification information, and generates system error information. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: Image forming processing system having software that realizes basic functions including at least basic functions including an error output function, and a standard that operates in cooperation with the image forming processing system and executes a standard application provided as a standard A computer mounted in an image forming apparatus having application execution means and additional application execution means for executing an additional application other than the standard application in the standard application execution means;
When the error is detected during execution of the additional application, the additional application error information including at least additional application error identification information for identifying the error and message information indicating the error is detected in the additional application execution unit. Means to notify
System error identification information specified from the additional application error identification information included in the additional application error information when the additional application error information is notified from the additional application execution means to the standard application execution means. System error identification information used in the image forming processing system and message information included in the additional application error information, and generating system error information in a format readable by the image forming processing system. Means for causing the image forming processing system to output error information including at least the message information by notifying the image forming processing system.
Program to function as.

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