JP2016031710A - Image forming system and image forming method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To utilize image data read in an image reading apparatus, such as a scanner, a copier, and a multifunction machine, for various processing.SOLUTION: When a server 106 receives print data from a mobile terminal device 105, a feature image generation section 203 in the server generates a feature image corresponding to the received print data, and transmits it to the mobile terminal device. When reading image data including the feature image displayed on the mobile terminal device, an image reading control section 102 in a multifunction machine 100 transmits the image data to the server. On receipt of the image data, a print data specifying section 204 in the server specifies print data corresponding to the feature image in the received image data, and transmits the image data to an image forming apparatus. On receipt of the print data, an image forming control section 103 in the image forming apparatus executes image formation on the basis of the print data.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming system and an image forming method.

  There are a plurality of techniques for using image data read by an image reading apparatus such as a scanner, a copier, or a multifunction machine for various processes. For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2010-57090 (Patent Document 1) scans a display screen of an information processing terminal on which attribute information of the information processing terminal is displayed, and performs various processes based on the scanned image data. An image forming apparatus to be executed is disclosed. Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2010-140350 (Patent Document 2) discloses an image forming apparatus that performs authentication of an operator from an image of an authentication sheet read by an image reading unit.

JP 2010-57090 A JP 2010-140350 A

  However, the technique described in Patent Document 1 described above has a problem that a screen must be displayed on the information processing terminal using the HTTP protocol or a specific driver must be installed on the information processing terminal. In the technique described in Patent Document 2, if an authentication sheet (paper medium) is lost, there is a possibility of permitting third-party authentication, which causes a security problem. Moreover, the technique described in Patent Document 2 has a problem that user authentication cannot be performed by using a mobile terminal.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the above-described problem, and an image forming system and an image forming system capable of forming an image of predetermined print data even if the server and the image forming apparatus cannot communicate with each other. It aims to provide a method.

  An image forming system according to one aspect of the present invention is an image forming system including a mobile terminal device, a server, and an image forming device, wherein a feature image generating unit, an image reading control unit, a print data specifying unit, An image formation control unit. When the server receives print data from the mobile terminal device, the feature image generation unit generates a feature image corresponding to the received print data and returns the feature image to the mobile terminal device. When the image forming control unit reads image data including a feature image displayed on the portable terminal device, the image reading control unit transmits the image data to the server. When the server receives the image data at the server, the print data specifying unit specifies the print data corresponding to the feature image in the received image data, and returns the print data to the image forming apparatus. When the image forming control unit receives the print data, the image forming control unit executes image formation based on the print data.

  An image forming method according to an aspect of the present invention is an image forming method of an image forming system including a mobile terminal device, a server, and an image forming device, and includes a feature image generation step, an image reading control step, and print data A specifying step and an image formation control step. In the feature image generation step, when the server receives print data from the mobile terminal device, the feature image generation step generates a feature image corresponding to the received print data, and returns the feature image to the mobile terminal device. In the image reading control step, when the image forming apparatus reads image data including a feature image displayed on the portable terminal device, the image reading control step transmits the image data to the server. In the print data specifying step, when the server receives the image data, the print data specifying step specifies print data corresponding to the feature image in the received image data, and returns the print data to the image forming apparatus. In the image formation control step, when the print data is received by the image forming apparatus, image formation is executed based on the print data.

  According to the image forming system and the image forming method of the present invention, it is possible to form an image of predetermined print data even if the server and the image forming apparatus cannot communicate with each other.

1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an overall configuration of an image forming system according to the present invention. 1 is a functional block diagram of an image forming system in an embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart for showing the execution procedure of the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4A is a diagram showing an example of the exchange of characteristic images of the image forming system in the embodiment of the present invention (FIG. 4A), and FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the exchange of print data in the image forming system in the embodiment of the present invention. (B)).

  In the following, an embodiment of an image forming system and an image forming method of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings for understanding of the present invention. In addition, the following embodiment is an example which actualized this invention, Comprising: The thing of the character which limits the technical scope of this invention is not. Moreover, the alphabet S added before the number in a flowchart means a step.

  Hereinafter, as an example of an embodiment of the present invention, an image forming system including a mobile terminal device, a server, and an image forming apparatus will be described. Note that the image forming apparatus according to the present invention corresponds to, for example, a multifunction peripheral (MFP) having functions such as a facsimile, a copy, a scanner, and a printer.

  As illustrated in FIG. 1, when the MFP 100 receives a print job setting condition from a user via an operation unit 101 including a touch panel, the MFP 100 drives each unit such as the image reading control unit 102 and the image formation control unit 103. Provide the print job. Further, the image reading control unit 102 of the multifunction peripheral 100 drives the image reading unit in accordance with an instruction from the operation unit 101 to read image data such as a document placed on a reading table (document table). The image formation control unit 103 of the multifunction peripheral 100 drives an image processing unit, a fixing unit, a paper conveyance unit, and the like, and executes image formation based on predetermined print data.

The multifunction device 100 is communicably connected to the network 104 via a predetermined communication unit. The network 104 is communicably connected to the portable terminal device 105 and the server 106. For this reason, the multifunction peripheral 100, the portable terminal device 105, and the server 106 constitute an image forming system. The mobile terminal device 105 is, for example, a touch panel type mobile terminal device,
Note that control circuits of the multifunction peripheral 100, the portable terminal device 105, and the server 106 are not shown, but a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), a HDD (Hard Disk Drive), Drivers corresponding to each drive unit are connected by an internal bus. The CPUs of the multifunction peripheral 100, the portable terminal device 105, and the server 106 use, for example, a RAM as a work area, execute a program stored in a ROM, an HDD, and the like. It exchanges instructions, signals, commands, etc., and controls the operation of each drive unit related to the execution of various processes. Further, for each unit (shown in FIG. 2) to be described later other than the drive unit, the CPU implements each unit by executing each program. A ROM, a RAM, an HDD, and the like store programs and data for realizing each unit described below.

  Next, the configuration and execution procedure according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. First, when a user creates predetermined print data (document data) using his / her mobile terminal device 105 and inputs an instruction to transmit the print data to the server 106, the control unit 201 of the mobile terminal device 105 As shown in FIG. 4A, the print data 400 is transmitted to the server 106 via the network 104 (FIG. 3: S101).

  When receiving the print data 400 from the mobile terminal device 105 (FIG. 3: S102), the control unit 202 of the server 106 notifies the feature image generation unit 203 to that effect. Upon receiving the notification, the feature image generation unit 203 generates a feature image corresponding to the received print data 400 (FIG. 3: S103).

  Here, there is no particular limitation on the method that the feature image generation unit 203 generates. For example, as shown in FIG. 4A, the feature image generation unit 203 uses a predetermined feature image based on the print data 400 and server data (images, characters, etc.) stored in advance in a predetermined memory. 401 (for example, Nicochan mark) is generated. Here, the feature image 401 is not particularly limited. As described above, a predetermined mark, an image of characters and numbers, a special image uniquely determined such as a barcode, an icon image obtained by reducing the print data 400, and the like. I can list them. The feature image 401 is stored in a predetermined memory in association with the print data 400 and is uniquely associated with the print data 400.

  Now, when the feature image generation unit 203 completes the generation, the generated feature image 401 is returned to the mobile terminal device 105 via the network 104 (FIG. 3: S104). When receiving the feature image 401, the control unit 201 of the portable terminal device 105 displays the feature image 401 on the touch panel. As a result, the user can acquire the feature image 401 corresponding to the print data 400.

  Here, when the user uses the feature image 401 for his own use (FIG. 3: S105 YES), the user becomes as follows. That is, when the user acquires the feature image 401, the user goes to the multifunction device 100 with the portable terminal device 105. Then, the user activates the multifunction peripheral 100 to shift to a predetermined mode. Further, the user displays the characteristic image 401 on a display unit (on a predetermined touch panel) provided in advance in the mobile terminal device 105 and places the feature image 401 on the reading table of the image reading control unit 102 of the multifunction peripheral 100. Then, the user inputs a predetermined instruction to the multifunction peripheral 100 and causes the image reading control unit 102 to read the feature image 401 of the portable terminal device 105.

  As shown in FIG. 4B, when the image reading control unit 102 of the multifunction peripheral 100 reads the image data 402 including the feature image 401 displayed on the portable terminal device 105 (FIG. 3: S106), The image data 402 is transmitted to the server 106 via the network 104 (FIG. 3: S107).

  When the control unit 202 of the server 106 receives the image data 402 including the feature image 401 (FIG. 3: S108), the control unit 202 notifies the print data specifying unit 204 to that effect. Upon receiving the notification, the print data specifying unit 204 specifies the print data 400 corresponding to the feature image 401 in the received image data 402 (FIG. 3: S109).

  Here, the method specified by the print data specifying unit 204 is not particularly limited. For example, the print data specifying unit 204 extracts a feature image 401 from the image data 402 and refers to the memory to search whether the extracted feature image 401 exists in the memory. If the extracted feature image 401 exists as a result of the search, the print data specifying unit 402 specifies the print data 400 in the memory associated with the existing feature image 401. On the other hand, if the extracted feature image 401 does not exist as a result of the search, the print data specifying unit 402 causes the multifunction peripheral 100 to display a screen to that effect via the network 104. For example, the print data specifying unit 402 does not include (but does not generate) a feature image of the transmitted image data in the operation unit 101 of the multifunction peripheral 100, and includes an image including the feature image generated by the server 106. A screen prompting the reading (transmission) of data is displayed. As a result, the print data 400 corresponding to the feature image 401 can be reliably acquired.

  When the print data specifying unit 204 completes the specification, the print data 400 is returned to the multi-function peripheral 100 via the network 104 (FIG. 3: S110). When the image formation control unit 103 of the multifunction peripheral 100 receives the print data 400, the image formation control unit 103 executes image formation based on the print data 400 (FIG. 3: S111). If the print data 400 includes print setting information (monochrome / color, image quality, paper size, etc.), the image formation control unit 103 executes image formation according to the print setting information.

  Accordingly, the user can obtain the printed matter 403 corresponding to the print data 400 without inputting the print data 400 to the multifunction peripheral 100. In particular, it is possible to form an image of the desired print data 400 simply by reading (scanning) the portable terminal device 105 as it is with the image reading control unit 102. Therefore, there is no need to perform a specific driver setting between the portable terminal device 105 and the multifunction device 100, and it is not necessary to be able to communicate between the portable terminal device 105 and the multifunction device 100, thereby improving user convenience. Let

  For example, when a user takes a mobile terminal device 105 and travels to an office, company, or the like in a place different from a normal place, the user transmits print data 400 to the server 106 in advance to generate a feature image 401. Thus, it is possible to obtain the printed matter 403 of the print data 400 without performing driver setting or the like at a business trip destination. This is particularly effective when the mobile terminal device 105 and the multifunction device 100 cannot communicate with each other. In addition, since the print data 400 is returned (delivered) by the server 106 by transmitting the characteristic image 401, the user does not need to perform authentication, and the troublesome operation of the user can be avoided.

  In the above description, the case where the user uses the feature image 401 for himself / herself has been described (FIG. 3: S105 YES). However, when the user causes another user to use the feature image 401 (FIG. 3: S105 NO). It becomes as follows.

  That is, when the user acquires the feature image 401, the feature image 401 is transmitted to another mobile terminal device of another user using the mobile terminal device 105 (FIG. 3: S112). Here, the transmission form is not particularly limited. For example, the user transmits the feature image 401 by e-mail or the like using another mobile terminal device of another user as a transmission destination by the mobile terminal device 105, or FTP (File Transfer Protocol). The feature image 401 is transferred via the network 104. If another user acquires the feature image 401 using another portable terminal device, the process proceeds to S106, and the other user uses the image reading control unit 102 of the multifunction device 100 to transfer the feature image 401 of the other portable terminal device 105. Read it. The subsequent processing is the same as described above.

  Thus, when the user who creates the print data 400 is different from the other users who print, the user can pass only the feature image 401 to the other users without directly sending the print data 400 to the other users. Other users can easily execute printing. Here, if the print data 400 includes print setting information, it is not necessary for other users to consider the print setting information, so other users need only execute printing, and other users' Improve convenience.

  Here, as described above, when the user shares the feature image 401 with other users, the security can be improved by performing the following settings. That is, when the print data includes print deletion information indicating that the print data is deleted after image formation, the image formation control unit 103 executes image formation based on the print data according to the print deletion information. After that, it communicates with the server 106 to delete the print data existing in the server 106 (memory). As a result, other users can print only once, and the other user further passes the feature image 401 to another user, thereby preventing unauthorized copying of the printed matter 403 of the print data 400 due to the diffusion of the feature image 401. I can do it.

  In the embodiment of the present invention, the MFP 100, the portable terminal device 105, and the server 106 of the image forming system are configured to include each unit. However, a program that realizes each unit is stored in a storage medium, and the storage medium is stored in the storage medium. You may comprise so that it may provide. In this configuration, the image forming apparatus, the portable terminal device, and the server read the program, and the image forming apparatus, the portable terminal device, and the server realize the units. In that case, the program itself read from the recording medium exhibits the effects of the present invention. Furthermore, it is possible to provide a method for storing the steps executed by each means in a hard disk.

  As described above, the image forming system and the image forming method according to the present invention are useful for an image forming system including an image forming apparatus such as a multifunction peripheral or a copying machine, and even if the server and the image forming apparatus cannot communicate with each other. It is effective as an image forming system and an image forming method capable of forming an image of predetermined print data.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 MFP 101 Operation part 102 Image reading control part 103 Image formation control part 104 Network 105 Portable terminal device 106 Server 201 Control part of portable terminal apparatus 202 Control part of server 203 Feature image generation part 204 Print data identification part

Claims (5)

An image forming system including a mobile terminal device, a server, and an image forming device,
When the server receives print data from the mobile terminal device, the server generates a feature image corresponding to the received print data and returns the feature image to the mobile terminal device;
When the image forming apparatus reads image data including a feature image displayed on the portable terminal device, an image reading control unit that transmits the image data to the server;
When the server receives the image data, the print data specifying unit that specifies the print data corresponding to the feature image in the received image data and returns the print data to the image forming apparatus;
When the print data is received by the image forming apparatus, an image formation control unit that executes image formation based on the print data;
An image forming system comprising: The feature image generation unit stores the generated feature image in a predetermined memory in association with the print data,
The print data specifying unit extracts a feature image from the image data, searches whether the extracted feature image exists in the memory, and if the feature image exists, the feature image that exists 2. The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein print data of the memory associated with is specified, and if the feature image does not exist, a screen to that effect is displayed on the image forming apparatus. 3. The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein when the print data includes print setting information, the image formation control unit executes image formation according to the print setting information. When the print data includes print deletion information indicating deletion after image formation, the image formation control unit performs image formation based on the print data according to the print deletion information, The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein print data existing in a server is deleted. An image forming method of an image forming system including a portable terminal device, a server, and an image forming device,
When the server receives print data from the mobile terminal device, the server generates a feature image corresponding to the received print data, and returns a feature image to the mobile terminal device.
When the image forming apparatus reads image data including a feature image displayed on the portable terminal device, an image reading control step of transmitting the image data to the server;
When the server receives the image data, the print data specifying step of specifying print data corresponding to the feature image in the received image data and returning the print data to the image forming apparatus;
An image forming control step of executing image formation based on the print data when the image forming apparatus receives the print data;
An image forming method comprising:

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