JP2017156917A - Information processing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information processing system for performing application/approval between a plurality of information processing devices in a LAN environment, which achieves both being simple and inexpensive and being user-friendly for preventing processing omission and the like.SOLUTION: One or more first information processing devices each include: an identification information management part that transmits to an image forming device, identification information for identifying a second information processing device; and an application information management part that transmits to the image forming device, application information for being supplied to the second information processing device. The image forming device includes: a specification part that specifies the second information processing device on the basis of the identification information received from the first information processing device(s); and an application information supply part that transmits to the specified second information processing device, the application information received from the first information processing device(s). The second information processing device includes an application information management part that receives the application information from the image forming device, and manages the application information of the one or more first information processing devices for each of the one or more information processing devices.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing system for applying / approving between a plurality of information processing apparatuses in a LAN (Local Area Network) environment.

  An information processing system for performing application / approval among a plurality of information processing apparatuses in an environment such as an in-house LAN is known (for example, see Patent Document 1). According to Patent Document 1, a drafter PC (Personal Computer) accesses a management server and inputs draft information, an approver PC accesses the management server and inputs approval information, and the management server drafts an approval result. Emailed to the person's mobile phone (see abstract).

Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-063417

  According to Patent Document 1, a management server must be prepared, which is a disadvantage in terms of cost. In addition, when using an external server as the management server, it is necessary to make connection settings in advance to link to the external server, or to connect personal settings in the specifications to the external server. There are disadvantages.

  On the other hand, a technology may be considered in which, without providing a management server, the drafter PC sends an email with the link of the application screen to the approver PC, and the approver PC accesses and approves the link destination described in the email. . However, if the drafter is a large number of people, the approver may miss or overlook processing due to a large number of emails, and the expiration may occur accordingly.

  In view of the circumstances as described above, an object of the present invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive information processing system for performing application / approval between a plurality of information processing apparatuses in a LAN environment, and to prevent processing omissions and the like. Therefore, it is to be compatible with being user-friendly.

In order to achieve the above object, an information processing system according to an aspect of the present invention includes:
One or more first information processing devices;
A second information processing apparatus;
An information processing system comprising: an image forming apparatus capable of communicating with each of the first information processing apparatus and the second information processing apparatus,
The one or more first information processing apparatuses are respectively
An identification information management unit that transmits identification information for identifying the second information processing apparatus to the image forming apparatus;
An application information management unit that transmits application information to be supplied to the second information processing apparatus to the image forming apparatus;
The image forming apparatus includes:
A specifying unit for specifying the second information processing device based on the identification information received from the first information processing device;
An application information supply unit that transmits the application information received from the first information processing apparatus to the identified second information processing apparatus;
The second information processing apparatus
An application information management unit that receives the application information from the image forming apparatus and manages application information of the one or more first information processing apparatuses for each of the one or more first information processing apparatuses.

  According to this embodiment, the first information processing apparatus makes an application for drafting to the second information processing apparatus via the image forming apparatus. As a result, the cost of preparing the management server can be reduced, and information is exchanged only within a closed network via an image forming apparatus generally installed in an office, so that security is high. According to the present embodiment, the second information processing apparatus manages application information of one or more first information processing apparatuses from the image forming apparatus. Thereby, since the user can refer to the application information managed and displayed by the second information processing apparatus, even if there are many first information processing apparatuses that supply the application information, Oversight can be prevented.

The application information transmitted by the first information processing apparatus is:
Link information to obtain the application contents,
Information for designating a response method for the application content,
The second information processing apparatus
An approval / return unit for generating approval information for the application content acquired based on link information included in the received application information and transmitting the approval information to the image forming apparatus;
The image forming apparatus includes:
The apparatus further includes a reply unit that replies the approval information received from the second information processing apparatus based on the reply method.

  According to this embodiment, the image forming apparatus returns approval information (approval or return) for the first information processing apparatus according to a desired response method. As a result, the function as an intermediary for exchanging information between the first information processing apparatus and the second information processing apparatus and the function as a main body for outputting approval information are unified in the image forming apparatus. .

The application information transmitted by the first information processing apparatus further includes an application deadline,
The second information processing apparatus further includes an application deadline management unit that notifies the image forming apparatus that the application deadline has passed when the application deadline has passed,
The response unit of the image forming apparatus further transmits application deadline passing information indicating that the application deadline has passed to the first information processing apparatus.

  According to this embodiment, even if the application deadline has passed, the first information processing apparatus can acquire the application deadline passing information.

  According to the present invention, in an information processing system for applying / approving between a plurality of information processing devices in a LAN environment, it is simple and inexpensive, and is user-friendly in order to prevent processing omissions, etc. Can be compatible.

It is a figure showing typically an information processing system concerning one embodiment of the present invention. It is a block diagram which shows the hardware constitutions of information processing apparatus (drafter terminal, approver terminal). 2 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus. FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the functional structure of information processing apparatus (drafter terminal, approver terminal) and an image forming apparatus. It is a sequence diagram which shows operation | movement of information processing apparatus (drafter terminal, approver terminal) and an image forming apparatus. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of a drafter terminal. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the image forming apparatus. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of an approver terminal.

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

(1. Overview of information processing system)
FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing an information processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The information processing system 1 includes a drafter terminal 10 (first information processing apparatus), an image forming apparatus 20, and an approver terminal 30 (second information processing apparatus).

  The drafter terminal 10 and the approver terminal 30 are typically information processing apparatuses for end users such as PCs, smartphones, or tablet computers, and can be connected to the network N. A plurality of drafter terminals 10 and approver terminals 30 may be provided, but in the present embodiment, each will be described as one.

  The image forming apparatus 20 is typically an MFP (Multifunction Peripheral), and is hereinafter referred to as an MFP 20. The MFP 20 can be connected to the network N.

  A typical usage environment of the information processing system 1 will be described. The drafter terminal 10, the image forming apparatus 20, and the approver terminal 30 are installed in one office and can communicate with each other by connecting to the network N. The network N is typically an in-house LAN of this office and is a closed network. A user (drafter) who owns the drafter terminal 10 applies to the user (approver) who owns the approver terminal 30 via the MFP 20 for approval of the draft created by himself. On the other hand, the user (approver) possessing the approver terminal 30 determines whether to approve or return the draft created by the drafter via the MFP 20 (drafter). )

(2. Hardware configuration of information processing device)
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the information processing apparatus (the drafter terminal 10 and the approver terminal 30).
Since the hardware configurations of the drafter terminal 10 and the approver terminal 30 are the same, here, the hardware configuration (reference number 10) of the information processing apparatus as the drafter terminal 10 will be described as a representative.

  The information processing apparatus as the drafter terminal 10 is connected to at least the control unit 11 including the CPU, RAM, ROM, and a dedicated hardware circuit, the operation unit 12, the display unit 13, and the network N. Communication interface 14.

(3. Hardware configuration of image forming apparatus)
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus (MFP 20).
The MFP 20 includes a control unit 21. The control unit 21 includes a CPU, a RAM, a ROM, a dedicated hardware circuit, and the like, and governs overall operation control of the MFP 20. A computer program that causes the MFP 20 to function as each functional unit (described later) is stored in a non-transitory storage medium such as a ROM.

  The control unit 21 is connected to an image reading unit 22, a facsimile communication unit 23, an image processing unit 24, an image memory 25, an image forming unit 26, an operation unit 27, a storage unit 28, a network communication unit 29, and the like. The control unit 21 performs operation control of each of the above connected units, and transmission / reception of signals or data to / from each unit.

  The control unit 21 operates for each function such as a scanner function, a print function, and a copy function function in accordance with a job execution instruction input from the user through the operation unit 27 or a network-connected personal computer (not shown). Controls the drive and processing of the mechanisms necessary to perform the control.

  The image reading unit 22 reads an image from a document.

  The image processing unit 24 performs image processing on the image data of the image read by the image reading unit 22 as necessary. For example, the image processing unit 24 performs image processing such as shading correction in order to improve the quality after the image read by the image reading unit 22 is formed.

  The image memory 25 is an area for temporarily storing document image data obtained by reading by the image reading unit 22 or temporarily storing data to be printed by the image forming unit 26.

  The image forming unit 26 forms an image such as the image data read by the image reading unit 22.

  The operation unit 27 includes a touch panel unit and operation key units that receive instructions from the user regarding various operations and processes that can be executed by the MFP 20. The touch panel unit includes a display unit 27a such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) provided with a touch panel.

  The network communication unit 29 is an interface for connecting to the network N.

  The facsimile communication unit 23 includes an encoding / decoding unit, a modulation / demodulation unit, and an NCU (Network Control Unit) (not shown), and performs facsimile transmission using a public telephone line network.

  The storage unit 28 is a large-capacity storage device such as an HDD that stores a document image read by the image reading unit 22.

(4. Functional configuration of information processing apparatus and image forming apparatus)
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing functional configurations of the information processing apparatus (the drafter terminal 10 and the approver terminal 30) and the image forming apparatus (MFP 20).
The drafter terminal 10 functions as the application information management unit 101, the approver information management unit 102 (identification information management unit), and the approval information acquisition unit 103 by executing the information processing program.

  The application information management unit 101 acquires and manages a specific operation on the operation unit 12 as application information input from the drafter. More specifically, the application information management unit 101 generates application information based on data input by a specific operation on the operation unit 12, and acquires the generated application information as input from the drafter. The application information management unit 101 transmits application information to be supplied to the approver terminal 30 and drafter information to the MFP 20 through the network N.

  The approver information management unit 102 specifies the approver terminal 30 selected by the drafter based on a specific operation on the operation unit 12. The approver information management unit 102 transmits the approver information to the MFP 20 through the network N.

  The approval information acquisition unit 103 receives a text mail indicating approval information (approval or return) from the MFP 20 through the network N. The approval information acquisition unit 103 receives a text mail indicating that the application deadline has passed from the MFP 20 through the network N.

  The MFP 20 functions as the approver terminal specifying unit 201 (specifying unit), the application information supply unit 202, and the response unit 203 by executing the information processing program.

  The approver terminal specifying unit 201 receives the approver information from the drafter terminal 10 through the network N. The approver terminal specifying unit 201 specifies, as the approver terminal 30, a terminal identified by the received approver information among one or more (typically a plurality) terminals connected to the network N.

  The application information supply unit 202 receives application information and drafter information from the drafter terminal 10 through the network N. The application information supply unit 202 transmits the application information and the drafter information to the approver terminal 30 through the network N.

  The response unit 203 receives approval information (approval or return), drafter information, and a response method from the approver terminal 30 through the network N. The reply unit 203 replies approval information (approval or return) for the drafter terminal 10 specified by the drafter information according to the received reply method. When the response unit 203 receives from the approver terminal 30 through the network N the application deadline passing information, the drafter information, and the email address of the drafter, the control unit 21 as the response unit 203 starts the mailer. , Create a text indicating that the application deadline has passed, and send an email to the drafter's email address.

  The approver terminal 30 functions as an application information listing unit 301 (application information management unit), an approval / return unit 302, and an application deadline management unit 303 by executing the information processing program.

  The application information listing unit 301 receives application information and drafter information from the MFP 20 through the network N. The application information listing unit 301 lists the received application information and drafter information and displays them on the display unit 33.

  The approval / return unit 302 acquires a specific operation on the operation unit 32 as approval information (approval or return) input from the approver. More specifically, the approval / return unit 302 generates approval information based on data input by a specific operation on the operation unit 32, and acquires the generated approval information as input from an approver. The approval / return unit 302 transmits at least approval information (approval or return), drafter information, and a response method included in the application information to the MFP 20 via the network N.

  When the application deadline management unit 303 detects whether or not the application deadline included in the application information has passed, the application deadline information indicating that the application deadline has passed is sent to the MFP 20 through the network N, and the drafter information. And the email address of the drafter. That is, the application deadline management unit 303 notifies the MFP 20 that the application deadline has passed by transmitting the application deadline overload information.

(5. Operations of information processing apparatus and image forming apparatus)
FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram showing operations of the information processing apparatus (the drafter terminal 10 and the approver terminal 30) and the image forming apparatus (MFP 20). FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the drafter terminal 10.

  The application information management unit 101 of the drafter terminal 10 acquires and manages a specific operation on the operation unit 12 as application information input from the drafter (step S101). As one specific example, the application information includes an application content link destination, a response method, an application deadline, and an importance level. “Application content link destination” is a URL (Universal Resource Locator) (link information) of a link destination in which a form of a content to be applied (draft created by the drafter) is described. The “response method” is information for designating a response method (for example, any one of mail transmission, printing, facsimile transmission, and storage) after the approver approves or sends back. When the “response method” is “mail transmission” or “facsimile transmission”, the “response method” also includes the destination information (mail address or telephone number). The “application deadline” is a deadline for the approver to approve (request to respond). As the “importance”, one of high, medium and low is selected.

  The approver information management unit 102 specifies the approver terminal 30 selected by the drafter based on a specific operation on the operation unit 12 (step S102). The approver information management unit 102 identifies “approver information” of the approver terminal 30 selected by the drafter. The “approver information” is identification information unique to the approver terminal 30 selected by the drafter. For example, an IP address. Typically, the approver information management unit 102 holds the IP addresses of at least some of the terminals connected to the network N in advance in a table format as candidates for the approver terminal, one of which is the approver Selected as a terminal. The approver information management unit 102 transmits the approver information to the MFP 20 through the network N (step S103).

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the MFP 20.
The approver terminal specifying unit 201 of the MFP 20 receives the approver information from the drafter terminal 10 through the network N (step S201). The approver terminal specifying unit 201 specifies a terminal identified by the received approver information among one or more (typically a plurality) terminals connected to the network N as the approver terminal 30 (step S202). ). When the approver terminal specifying unit 201 specifies the approver terminal 30, the approver terminal specifying unit 201 supplies the approver information to the application information supply unit 202.

  On the other hand, the application information management unit 101 of the drafter terminal 10 transmits the application information to be supplied to the approver terminal 30 and the drafter information to the MFP 20 through the network N (step S104). “Drafter information” is identification information unique to the drafter terminal 10 and is, for example, an IP address.

  The application information supply unit 202 of the MFP 20 receives the application information and the drafter information from the drafter terminal 10 through the network N (step S203). The application information supply unit 202 transmits the application information and the drafter information to the approver terminal 30 through the network N (step S204).

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of the approver terminal 30.
The application information listing unit 301 of the approver terminal 30 receives the application information and the drafter information from the MFP 20 through the network N (step S301). The application information listing unit 301 lists the received application information and drafter information and displays them on the display unit 33. Specifically, the application information listing unit 301 sequentially receives application information and drafter information of one or more drafter terminals 10 from the MFP 20 through the network N. The application information list creation unit 301 creates a list of application information and drafter information for one or more drafter terminals 10, and displays the created list on the display unit 33 (step S302). The list may be created so as to be arranged in an arbitrary category order (for example, priority order, deadline date order, drafter terminal order, application date order, etc.).

  The approver refers to the list displayed on the display unit 33 and appropriately operates the operation unit 32 to access the application content link destination included in the application information through the network N, and the application stored in the application content link destination The contents (draft) are downloaded to the approver terminal 30. The approver views the downloaded application content (draft), decides whether to approve or return the application content (draft), and sends approval information (approval or return) to the approver terminal 30 via the operation unit 32. input.

  The approval / return unit 302 acquires a specific operation on the operation unit 32 as approval information (approval or return) input by the approver (step S303). The approval / return unit 302 transmits at least approval information (approval or return), drafter information, and a response method included in the application information to the MFP 20 via the network N (step S304).

  The response unit 203 of the MFP 20 receives the approval information (approval or return), the drafter information, and the response method from the approver terminal 30 through the network N (step S205). The reply unit 203 returns the approval information (approval or return) for the drafter terminal 10 specified by the drafter information in accordance with the received reply method (step S206). Specifically, when the reply method is “mail transmission”, the control unit 21 as the reply unit 203 activates the mailer, creates a text indicating approval information (approval or return), and includes the mail included in the reply method. Send an email to the address. When the response method is “print”, the image forming unit 26 as the response unit 203 forms an image of image data of a form in which approval information (approval or return) is described. When the reply method is “facsimile transmission”, the facsimile communication unit 23 as the reply unit 203 creates a text indicating approval information (approval or return), and transmits the facsimile to the telephone number included in the reply method. When the response method is “save”, the image memory 25 as the response unit 203 stores image data of a form in which approval information (approval or return) is described.

  When the reply method is “mail transmission”, the approval information acquisition unit 103 of the drafter terminal 10 receives a text mail indicating approval information (approval or return) from the MFP 20 via the network N (step S105). Thereby, the drafter can know the approval information (approval or return) from the approver. When the response method is “print” or “save”, the drafter can refer to the image data output or saved by the MFP 20 and know the approval information (approval or return) from the approver. When the reply method is “facsimile transmission”, the drafter can know the approval information (approval or return) from the approver by referring to the data output by the facsimile receiver of the designated telephone number.

  On the other hand, the application deadline management unit 303 of the approver terminal 30 detects whether or not the application deadline included in the application information has passed (step S305). Specifically, “the application deadline has passed” means that the approval / return unit 302 of the approver terminal 30 transmits approval information (approval or return) or the like to the MFP 20 via the network N (in other words, approval) Means that the application deadline has arrived (before the person decides to approve or send back). When the application deadline management unit 303 detects that the application deadline has passed (step S305, YES), the application deadline information indicating that the application deadline has passed is sent to the MFP 20 through the network N, and the drafter information. The drafter's mail address is transmitted (step S306).

  The response unit 203 of the MFP 20 receives the application deadline information, the drafter information, and the drafter's mail address from the approver terminal 30 through the network N (step S207). Then, the control unit 21 as the reply unit 203 activates the mailer, creates a text indicating that the application deadline has passed, and sends a mail to the mail address of the drafter terminal 10 (step S208).

  The approval information acquisition unit 103 of the drafter terminal 10 receives a text mail indicating that the application deadline has passed from the MFP 20 through the network N (step S106). Thereby, the drafter can know that the application deadline has passed before the approver approves or sends it back. Thereafter, the drafter, for example, prints the content he / she wants to apply (draft created by the drafter) on the MFP 20 and passes it to the approver, or sends an email to the approver terminal 30, etc. can do.

(6. Summary)
Conventionally, the drafter terminal accesses the management server and enters draft information, the approver terminal accesses the management server and enters authorization information, and the management server sends the authorization result to the drafter's mobile phone by email. There is technology to do. This technology is disadvantageous in terms of cost because a management server must be prepared. In addition, when using an external server as the management server, it is necessary to make connection settings in advance to link to the external server, or to connect personal settings in the specifications to the external server. There are disadvantages.

  On the other hand, according to the present embodiment, the drafter terminal 10 applies for drafting to the approver terminal 30 via the MFP 20 generally installed in the office instead of the management server. As a result, the cost of preparing the management server can be reduced, and information is exchanged only within the in-house LAN via the MFP 20 generally installed in the office, so that the security is high.

  On the other hand, a technology may be considered in which, without providing a management server, the drafter PC sends an email with the link of the application screen to the approver PC, and the approver PC accesses and approves the link destination described in the email. . However, if the drafter is a large number of people, the approver may miss or overlook processing due to a large number of emails, and the expiration may occur accordingly.

  On the other hand, according to the present embodiment, the approver terminal 30 receives the application information and the drafter information of one or more drafter terminals 10 from the MFP 20 through the network N, and creates and creates a list thereof. A list is displayed (step S302). As a result, the approver does not receive a large amount of mail and only needs to refer to the list displayed on the approver terminal 30, so that even if the drafter is a large number of people, processing omissions and oversights can be avoided. Can be prevented.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, the MFP 20 returns the approval information (approval or return) for the drafter terminal 10 in accordance with the received response method (for example, printing, facsimile transmission, saving in the MFP 20, and mail transmission) (step S206). As a result, the MFP 20 centralizes a function as an intermediary for transmitting / receiving information between the drafter terminal 10 and the approver terminal 30 and a function as a subject that outputs approval information (approval or return).

  Further, according to the present embodiment, when the approver terminal 30 detects that the application deadline has passed, the approver terminal 30 indicates to the drafter terminal 10 via the MFP 20 that the application deadline has passed. Is transmitted (steps S306 and S208). As a result, even if the application deadline is overdue due to carelessness of the approver, the drafter notices that and can take an appropriate action.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Information processing system 10 ... Drafting person's terminal 30 ... Approver terminal 20 ... MFP
101 ... Application information management unit 102 ... Approver information management unit (identification information management unit)
103 ... Approval information acquisition unit 201 ... Approver terminal specification unit (specification unit)
202 ... Application information supply unit 203 ... Response unit 301 ... Application information list generation unit (application information management unit)
302 ... Approval / Return Unit 303 ... Application Deadline Management Unit

Claims (3)

One or more first information processing devices;
A second information processing apparatus;
An information processing system comprising: an image forming apparatus capable of communicating with each of the first information processing apparatus and the second information processing apparatus,
The one or more first information processing apparatuses are respectively
An identification information management unit that transmits identification information for identifying the second information processing apparatus to the image forming apparatus;
An application information management unit that transmits application information to be supplied to the second information processing apparatus to the image forming apparatus;
The image forming apparatus includes:
A specifying unit for specifying the second information processing device based on the identification information received from the first information processing device;
An application information supply unit that transmits the application information received from the first information processing apparatus to the identified second information processing apparatus;
The second information processing apparatus
An application information management unit that receives the application information from the image forming apparatus and manages application information of the one or more first information processing apparatuses for each of the one or more first information processing apparatuses. system. The information processing system according to claim 1,
The application information transmitted by the first information processing apparatus is:
Link information to obtain the application contents,
Information for designating a response method for the application content,
The second information processing apparatus
An approval / return unit for generating approval information for the application content acquired based on link information included in the received application information and transmitting the approval information to the image forming apparatus;
The image forming apparatus includes:
An information processing system further comprising: a response unit that responds to the approval information received from the second information processing apparatus based on the response method. The information processing system according to claim 1 or 2,
The application information transmitted by the first information processing apparatus further includes an application deadline,
The second information processing apparatus further includes an application deadline management unit that notifies the image forming apparatus that the application deadline has passed when the application deadline has passed,
The response unit of the image forming apparatus further transmits application deadline passing information indicating that the application deadline has passed to the first information processing apparatus.

Images