JP3585153B2 - Image forming system - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image forming system in which an image forming apparatus and a terminal are connected to a communication line.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, if the image forming apparatus (hereinafter, also referred to as “output device” or “printer”) owned by the user is not suitable for large-capacity output, or the print quality is not appropriate, etc. Or a suitable output device had to be introduced. On the other hand, there is an image forming system using a two-way communication system in which an image forming apparatus and a terminal are connected by a communication line and an operation of the image forming apparatus is set by the terminal.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in a conventional image forming system, when an image is output to an output device remote from a terminal, a so-called host, using a communication line such as a network, the output result, that is, the print quality or printing state is actually changed by the output device. There is a problem that it cannot be confirmed unless the user goes to a certain place.
[0004]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming system capable of minimizing output failure when outputting a document to an output device in a place where the output result cannot be confirmed.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention relates to an image forming system in which an image forming apparatus and one or more terminals equipped with a Web browser are connected by a communication line, wherein the image forming apparatus includes an image data transmitted from the terminal. Receiving means for receiving the image data, output means for outputting the image data received by the receiving means in response to an output request from the terminal, reading means for reading the output result of the image data output by the output means, reading by the reading means storing means for storing the image provided, and a table Shimesuru display means on HomePage icons linked to read by the reading unit the image, the terminal is characterized in that it has a monitor that displays the HomePage .
[0006]
The image forming apparatus further includes a storage unit that stores the image data transmitted from the terminal, a combining unit that combines the stored image data with an image displayed on the HomePage, and an image that is combined by the combining unit. Display means for displaying on the HomePage.
[0007]
Further, the image displayed on the HomePage is displayed for each page, and only the image data relating to the page requiring replacement may be processed from the terminal using the Web browser.
[0008]
Further, the image forming apparatus may include a reading unit that reads out the image data stored by the storage unit in response to the output request from the terminal again, and an output unit that outputs the image data read by the reading unit.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus connected via a communication line to at least one host including a Web browser, a receiving unit for receiving image data transmitted from the host, Output means for outputting the image data received by the receiving means in response to the output request, reading means for reading an output result of the image data output by the output means, and storage means for storing the image read by the reading means. , having a table Shimesuru display means on HomePage icon linked to the image read by the reading means.
[0009]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Next, an embodiment of an image forming system according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, a large-capacity printer is used as the image forming apparatus. However, this is only one of the embodiments, and a high-precision printer, a color printer, or the like may be used as the image forming apparatus.
[0010]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a connection relationship between a controller 100 included in the large-capacity printer 200 and the periphery thereof.
[0011]
The controller 100 includes a work memory of a CPU 106, an input buffer for input data, a RAM 101 used for digitizing an image, a font ROM 102 storing a font pattern and the like, and a program storing a control program of the controller 100. A ROM 103, an engine I / F 104 for capturing the status of the engine and communicating print data, a network I / F 105 for communicating with the host 201 via a network, a CPU 106 for controlling the entire controller 100, A nonvolatile storage device NVRAM 107 for storing contents and the like, an operation panel 108 for notifying the state of the large-capacity printer 200 and performing mode setting, and a scanner 110 for controlling the scanner 110 and capturing an image. An interface 109 such as SCSI eg to customer information, an image read from the scanner 110, and a mass storage device 111. such as a hard disk drive for storing print data and the like.
[0012]
A host 201 is connected to the network I / F 105, and a scanner 110 for reading an output result from a printer engine is connected to the SCSII / F 109.
[0013]
FIG. 2 shows a connection relationship between a host 201 and a printer normally used by a client, a connection relationship between a remote large-capacity printer 200, a high-precision printer, a color printer, and other printers and a charge management server. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a connection relationship, a monitor 202 of the host 201, a setting window 204 on the screen of the monitor 202, and an image data output status 205 displayed on the setting window 204. The host 201 and the printer, and the remote large-capacity printer and other printers are connected by a hub 203, and the hub 203 is connected by a communication line.
[0014]
Next, the operation of the image forming system will be described with reference to FIGS.
[0015]
When the output request made from the host 201 through the network I / F 105 includes “inquiry of output result”, the CPU 106 reads the output document as an image image by the scanner 110 using the program in the program ROM 103, and It is stored in the scale storage device 111. Thereafter, an icon is created on the HomePage of the large-capacity printer 200, and the image of the output document is linked to the icon.
[0016]
A screen that displays a situation (setting window 204) in which the image 205 of the output document is linked to the icon created on the HomePage is shown on the monitor 202 in FIG. On the screen of the monitor 202 of the host 201, as shown in the figure, a Home Window of the large-capacity printer 200 connected via a communication line is displayed on a setting window 204, and an icon of the transmitted image data is displayed on an icon on the Home Page. The output status 205 is displayed, and the output result can be confirmed.
[0017]
Further, the CPU 106 uses the program of the program ROM 103 to store the print data transmitted from the host 201 in the large-scale storage device 111 as PDL, and the HomePage of the large-capacity printer 200 created by the invention of claim 1. Link to the icon above.
[0018]
Further, if the client checks the output result and there is a problem with the output result, when the client requests replacement of the specified page from the Web, the CPU 106 outputs the page specified by the client using the program of the program ROM 103, The image is read by the scanner 110, the image on the large-scale storage device 111 is removed, and the link is re-established.
[0019]
Further, when the client confirms the output result and outputs again, the print data is not transmitted, and the CPU 106 uses the program of the program ROM 103 to copy the print data as PDL linked by the invention of claim 2 on a large scale. The data is read from the storage device 111 and output.
[0020]
FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the image forming system according to the present embodiment.
[0021]
When an output request is issued from the host 201 in step S1, it is confirmed in step S3 whether or not the output image is read by the scanner 110. If not read (No), the process proceeds to step S13. If it is to be read (Yes), the process proceeds to step S5. In step S5, the output document is scanned, and in step S7, the read image is stored in a large-scale storage device 111 such as an HDD.
[0022]
In step S9, an icon of the document is created on the HomePage, and in step S11, the icon is linked to the stored image data.
[0023]
In step S13, it is confirmed whether to store the transmission data as PDL. If not (No), the process proceeds to step S23. If it is to be saved (Yes), the process proceeds to step S15. In step S15, the transmission data is stored in a large-scale storage device 111 such as an HDD.
[0024]
In step S17, it is confirmed whether or not there is a document icon on the HomePage. If there is no icon (No), the process proceeds to step S19. In step S19, an icon is created on the HomePage. If there is an icon (Yes), the process proceeds to step S21. In step S21, the transmission data is linked with the stored transmission data.
[0025]
When a re-output request is made in step S23, it is checked in step S25 whether the transmission data is stored. If not stored (No), the process proceeds to step S27. In step S27, the host 201 is requested to transmit data again. If it is stored (Yes), the process proceeds to step S29. In step S29, printing is performed using the stored data, and the operation ends.
[0026]
【The invention's effect】
As is apparent from the above description, when the image forming system of the present invention is used, the output result is read by the scanner, and the result can be confirmed on the HomePage. Can be suppressed. Also, by pasting the output result on the HomePage, the output result can be viewed at any time, and it becomes easy to perform an addition operation to the output document.
[0027]
Further, by storing the transmission data in PDL, additional output can be performed without retransmission of data even when reprinting.
[0028]
Further, by replacing only the page having a defect, the trouble of transmission can be saved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image forming system according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a connection relationship of the image forming system according to the present invention and a screen displayed on a monitor of a terminal.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the image forming system according to the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
100 Controller 101 RAM
102 Font ROM
103 Program ROM
104 Engine I / F
105 Network I / F
106 CPU
107 NVRAM (non-volatile storage device)
108 Operation panel 109 SCSII / F
110 Scanner 111 Large-scale storage device (HDD)
200 Large-capacity printer 201 Host (terminal)
202 Monitor 203 HUB
204 Setting Window
205 Output status

Claims (5)

In an image forming system in which an image forming apparatus and one or more terminals including a web browser are connected by a communication line,
Receiving means for receiving the image data transmitted from the terminal, the image forming apparatus,
Output means for outputting the image data received by the receiving means, in response to an output request from the terminal,
Reading means for reading an output result of the image data output by the output means;
Storage means for storing an image read by the reading means,
And a table Shimesuru display means an icon linked to the image read by said reading means on HomePage,
The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the terminal includes a monitor that displays the HomePage. A storage unit that stores the image data transmitted from the terminal,
Combining means for combining the stored image data and the image displayed on the HomePage;
The image forming system according to claim 1, further comprising a display unit that displays the image combined by the combining unit on a HomePage. The image displayed on the HomePage is displayed for each page, and only image data relating to a page requiring replacement is processed from the terminal using a Web browser. The image forming system as described in the above. The image forming apparatus includes: a reading unit that reads the image data stored by the storage unit in response to a re-output request from the terminal; and an output unit that outputs the image data read by the reading unit. The image forming system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising: In an image forming apparatus connected via a communication line to one or more hosts equipped with a Web browser,
Receiving means for receiving image data transmitted from the host,
Output means for outputting the image data received by the receiving means, in response to an output request from the host,
Reading means for reading an output result of the image data output by the output means;
Storage means for storing an image read by the reading means,
And Table Shimesuru display means on HomePage an icon linked to the image read by said reading means,
An image forming apparatus comprising:

Images