JP3770323B2 - Information processing system and information processing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an information processing technique for performing an instructed process on information.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Along with the recent enhancement of functions of facsimile machines, the facsimile machines have provided various functions as information servers. For example, it is possible to store various information and receive instructions from the user through the data exchange network to display, transfer, delete, transmit, print, etc. information. Patent Document 1 also describes a communication device equipped with a web server function.
[0003]
In a conventional device, information is stored in the device itself and a request from a user is met. Therefore, when a large amount of information is stored and used, it is necessary to provide a large-capacity storage means in the apparatus. However, providing a large-capacity storage means is a factor that increases the cost of the product.
[0004]
Of course, a low-priced device having only a small-capacity storage means has been developed, but the functions available in such a device are limited. A function similar to the case of having a large-capacity storage means as described above is provided, and a low-cost device is expected.
[0005]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-2001-186301 [0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances. An information processing apparatus that can provide various functions without mounting a large-capacity storage unit, and an information processing apparatus having such an information processing apparatus as a processing apparatus. The purpose is to provide a system.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention is an information processing system in which a storage device for storing information, a processing device for executing processing on information, and an instruction device for instructing operations on information are connected by a data exchange network, the processing device comprising: And storing operation screen information for displaying an operation screen for instructing information on the instruction device together with the information in the storage device, and the operation screen information is stored in the processing device with respect to the information. Including information on selectable operations to be executed, the instruction device acquires the operation screen information from the storage device, displays the operation screen, receives an operation selection instruction from a user, and selects the selected operation The processing means is requested to process the information in accordance with the instruction. In this way, by storing information to be processed in a storage device different from the processing device, it is not necessary to provide a large capacity storage means in the processing device.
[0008]
However, since the storage device and the processing device are separated as they are, the operability is lowered as compared with the case where a large-capacity storage means is provided in the processing device. Therefore, in the present invention, operation screen information for displaying an operation screen for instructing operation on information on the instruction device is generated by the processing device and stored in the storage device together with the information. The operation screen information includes information on selectable operations to be performed on the information in the processing device. Then, when the user selects an operation on the information using the operation screen displayed on the instruction device according to the operation screen information, the operation selection instruction from the user is accepted, and the information according to the selected operation instruction is received. Request processing to processing means.
[0009]
Accordingly, various functions provided by the processing device can be used from the operation screen displayed according to the operation screen information. The operation screen information is stored in the storage device together with the corresponding document. As a result, the storage capacity of the processing apparatus can be reduced. As described above, the operation screen information is stored in the storage device. Since the operation screen information is generated by the processing device, the user can instruct the processing device from the operation screen.
[0010]
The operation screen information can be an HTML document. Thus, the instruction device can be configured to receive display of operation screen information and an operation instruction from the user by an existing browser. Therefore, it is possible to give an operation instruction to the processing apparatus without requiring special software or the like for the instruction apparatus.
[0011]
The present invention is also an information processing apparatus used as a processing apparatus of the information processing system as described above, and processing screen information for displaying processing means for performing processing on information and an operation screen for performing operations on information. The operation screen information includes information on selectable operations to be performed on the information, is stored in the other device together with the information, and is used for operations on the information. It receives the instruction and performs the instructed process on the information. With such a configuration, various functions can be provided without providing a large-capacity storage unit in the information processing apparatus.
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an information processing system of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a processing device, 2 is a storage device, 3 is an instruction device, 4 is a data exchange network, 11 is a processing unit, 12 is an operation screen information generation unit, 13 is a communication unit, 14 is a recording unit, and 21 is shared. A folder 31 is a browser. In the example shown in FIG. 1, an example is shown in which the processing device 1, the storage device 2, and the instruction device 3 are communicably connected by a data exchange network 4. The data exchange network 4 can be composed of various communication means such as a LAN and the Internet. Various devices other than those shown in the figure may be connected to the data exchange network 4.
[0013]
The processing device 1 is an example of an information processing device of the present invention, and is a device that provides various functions for information. Here, as an example, it is assumed that the facsimile apparatus has a network communication function. The processing device 1 includes at least a processing unit 11 and an operation screen information generation unit 12, is a facsimile device, includes a communication unit 13, and further includes a recording unit 14 here.
[0014]
The processing unit 11 executes processing for providing various functions. For example, information stored in the processing device 1 such as information received by facsimile by the communication unit 13 or information sent from another device is processed as information to be processed by an operation screen information generation unit 12 to be described later. The generated operation screen information is sent to the storage device 2 and stored in the shared folder 21. When receiving a function execution instruction from the instruction device 3, information is extracted from the storage device 2 in accordance with the instruction, and the processing unit 11 performs processing. As processing functions to be executed, for example, various functions such as facsimile transmission or retransmission from the communication unit 13, cancellation of these communications, copying, recording output, deletion, transfer, and the like can be executed.
[0015]
The operation screen information generation unit 12 generates operation screen information corresponding to information to be processed. The operation screen information is information for displaying on the instruction device 3 an operation screen for instructing operation on the information. The operation screen information includes a link to information to be processed, and the information can be referred from the instruction device 3. The operation screen information includes an input item for performing an operation instruction for information to be processed. When processing for information is instructed by this input item, access information for the processing unit 11 is included so that the instructed processing is executed by the processing unit 11. The operation screen information may be generated corresponding to each information, or operation screen information corresponding to a plurality of information may be generated. Further, by setting the operation screen information to a document format generally used in a network, such as an HTML document or an XML document, the instruction device 3 can display the operation screen information by using a browser 31 generally used.
[0016]
The communication unit 13 transmits information as a facsimile image through a telephone line or a dedicated line (not shown) and receives the facsimile image. The recording unit 14 records and outputs information.
[0017]
The storage device 2 stores information and operation screen information. The information and the operation screen information are stored in the shared folder 21 accessible from other devices. The storage device 2 may be any device as long as the shared folder 21 capable of storing information and operation screen information can be provided. For example, the storage unit of another facsimile apparatus may be shared in addition to a server or a personal computer. Alternatively, the storage unit of the instruction device 3 can be used, or an external storage device can be connected to the processing device 1 and the external storage device can be used as the storage device 2.
[0018]
The instruction device 3 is a terminal device used by the user. The user activates a commonly used browser 31, accesses operation screen information stored in the storage device 2, and displays the contents on the browser 31. Further, according to the operation screen information displayed by the browser 31, an operation instruction for the information is accepted, and the processing device 1 is requested to process the information according to the access information in the operation screen information. Of course, it is needless to say that the pointing device 3 has at least such a function and may have various other functions.
[0019]
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the operation in the embodiment of the information processing system of the present invention. When the processing device 1 receives a facsimile image at the communication unit 13 or receives information via the data exchange network 4 in (1), for example, via a public line or a dedicated line, the processing device 1 Generate operation screen information for information. In (2), the received information and the generated operation screen information are transferred to the storage device 2 and stored in the shared folder 21. Although not shown in FIG. 1, in a configuration having a reading unit, an image read by the reading unit by a copy function, a scanner function, or the like is handled in the same manner as when information is received, and operation screen information is generated. Then, it may be stored in the shared folder 21 of the storage device 2 together with the read image.
[0020]
The user accesses the operation screen information stored in the shared folder 21 of the storage device 2 from the browser 31 of the instruction device 3 and displays the contents on the browser 31 ((3)). When form data is required, the form data held in the processing device 1 or the storage device 2 is referred to from the operation screen information.
[0021]
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a display screen when the operation screen information is displayed. 41 is an input item section, 42 is an information list display section, and 43 is an execution button. Here, it is assumed that one piece of operation screen information is generated for a plurality of pieces of information and stored in the storage device 2. The information list display section 42 displays a list of information stored in the shared folder 21 of the storage device 2. Here, there are a selection field for selecting information to be operated, a subject field that displays a name for specifying information, a page number field, a result field that indicates the status when received, and a reception date and time field. An example is shown. Of course, you may provide the data regarding various other information.
[0022]
The name of the information displayed in the subject field is underlined, which indicates a link to the information. By clicking the name of the information displayed in the subject field, the contents of the information can be displayed. That is, as indicated by (4) in FIG. 2, among the information stored in the shared folder 21 of the storage device 2, information corresponding to the clicked name is transferred from the storage device 2 to the instruction device 3, It is displayed on the browser 31 of the device 3. The user can confirm the content of the information and determine whether or not to perform an operation on the information and the content of the operation. With respect to information to be operated, the information can be set as an operation target by clicking inside the rectangle in the selection column.
[0023]
The input item part 41 is instructed to perform an operation on information checked in a rectangle in the selection column of the information list display part 42. In the example shown in FIG. 3A, transmission of information is instructed. This operation instruction can be made by selecting from a list display. For example, by clicking a lower triangle mark provided at the right end of the input item section 41, a list of selectable operations is displayed as shown in FIG. This list-displayed operation includes a list of processing functions that can be executed in the processing apparatus 1 or processing functions that can be executed for the information.
[0024]
Among the selectable operations shown in FIG. 3B, “Send” and “Resend” are instructions to send information from the communication unit 13 of the processing apparatus 1 by facsimile. “Suspend transmission” is an instruction to cancel the facsimile transmission when the information is being transmitted by the communication unit 13 of the processing apparatus 1. “Copy” is to copy information, and while the information remains in the storage device 2, the copy of the information is transferred to the instruction device 3, another device, another folder of the storage device 2, or the like. “Move” transfers information from the storage device 2 to the instruction device 3, another device, or another folder of the storage device 2, and deletes the information from the storage device 2. “Print” prints the information by the recording unit 14 of the processing apparatus 1. “Delete” deletes the instructed information from the storage device 2.
[0025]
Note that the operations displayed as a list in FIG. 3B are examples, and are changed according to the function of each processing apparatus 1 and according to information to be processed. An operation to be executed can be selected from the operations displayed in the list.
[0026]
When the user selects information to be processed and selects an operation to be performed on the selected information, the user clicks the execution button 43. Thereby, the selected operation can be executed on the selected information. As operations that can be selected, the operations shown in FIG. 3B can be considered. Among these operations, “send”, “retransmit”, “cancel transmission”, “print” are included. In addition to an operation that requires the processing device 1 such as “instructs processing by the processing device 1”, there is an operation that does not substantially require processing by the processing device 1 such as “copy”. In addition, in the operations such as “move” and “delete”, the processing for the actual information does not require the processing device 1, but the operation screen information needs to be changed, and thus the processing by the processing device 1 is necessary. . Of course, the processing apparatus 1 may be required for all operations.
[0027]
For operations that require the processing device 1, access information for accessing the processing device 1 is associated. When the selected operation is an operation that requires the processing device 1, the information to be processed and the selected operation are transmitted from the instruction device 3 to the processing device 1 ((5) in FIG. 2).
[0028]
The processing unit 11 of the processing device 1 performs processing on the instructed information in accordance with the operation instruction received from the instruction device 3. For example, when the instructed operation is “send” or “retransmit”, the instructed information is read from the shared folder 21 of the storage device 2 (6), and the information is transmitted from the communication unit 13 by facsimile. (▲ 7 ▼). Further, when the communication unit 13 transmits information by facsimile and receives an instruction to “stop transmission”, the facsimile transmission by the communication unit 13 is stopped at that time. Further, if the instructed operation is “print”, the instructed information is read from the shared folder 21 of the storage device 2 (<6>), and the information is recorded and output by the recording unit 14 (<7>'). ).
[0029]
When the instructed operation is “delete”, the instructed information is deleted from the storage device 2. Then, operation screen information excluding the deleted information is generated by the operation screen information generation unit 12, transferred to the storage device 2, and stored in the shared folder 21. Note that the deletion of information itself may be performed directly in the storage device 2. When the instructed operation is “move”, the storage apparatus 2 is instructed to transfer information. Since the information is deleted from the storage device 2 by the transfer, operation screen information excluding the transferred information is generated by the operation screen information generation unit 12, transferred to the storage device 2, and stored in the shared folder 21. Information may be transferred by the processing device 1 and read out from the storage device 2 and then transferred.
[0030]
Note that when an operation such as “send” or “move” is instructed, information on the destination and transfer destination is required. In the case of a “print” operation, settings such as the number of copies, paper size, and other options may be required. In such a case, after clicking the execution button 43 on the operation screen information display screen in the instruction device 3, operation screen information is generated so that a setting screen such as a transmission destination, a transfer destination, and an option is displayed. Just keep it. Alternatively, the processing device 1 that has received the operation instruction sends information for displaying the setting screen to the instruction device 3, and receives various settings made on the setting screen, and then performs processing corresponding to the operation. You may comprise.
[0031]
For example, when the “copy” operation is selected in the instruction device 3, basically, the information may be sent to the copy destination while the information is left in the storage device 2. Therefore, the operation can be executed without accessing the processing device 1. Of course, in the case of “copy”, the processing device 1 may be accessed so that the processing device 1 reads information from the storage device 2 and transfers it to the copy destination.
[0032]
In the above-described example, the case where the processing apparatus 1 is a facsimile apparatus having a network communication function has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this and may be an apparatus that provides various processes for information. The functions that can be used in the processing device 1 are not limited to the contents of the above-described operation, but are based on the functions of the respective processing devices. Since the available functions are described in the operation screen information, the present invention can be applied to a processing apparatus that provides any functions.
[0033]
【The invention's effect】
As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, since information stored in the information processing apparatus in the past is stored in the storage device, the information processing apparatus is for storing information. There is no need to provide a large-capacity storage means. At this time, the information processing device generates operation screen information for displaying an operation screen used when a processing instruction is issued to the information processing device, stores the operation screen information in the storage device, and provides the information to the user. The user can cause the information processing apparatus to process information by displaying operation screen information on the pointing device and selecting a function of the information processing apparatus on the display screen. Since this operation screen information is also stored in the storage device, the information processing device does not need a storage means for storing the operation screen information.
[0034]
In addition, the storage device stores information and operation screen information in place of the information processing device in this way, but the storage device may be any device as long as it can store information and operation screen information accessible from other devices. No configuration of software or interface is required. Furthermore, in the instruction device, the information processing device can be used only with a normally used configuration such as a browser that can display operation screen information, and no special software is required. According to the present invention, there are various effects as described above.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an information processing system of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of an operation in the embodiment of the information processing system according to the present invention;
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a display screen when operation screen information is displayed.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Processing apparatus, 2 ... Storage apparatus, 3 ... Instruction apparatus, 4 ... Data exchange network, 11 ... Processing part, 12 ... Operation screen information generation part, 13 ... Communication part, 14 ... Recording part, 21 ... Shared folder, 31 …browser.

Claims (4)

  An information processing system in which a storage device for storing information, a processing device for executing processing on information, and an instruction device for instructing operations on information are connected by a data exchange network, wherein the processing device Operation screen information for displaying an operation screen for instructing operation on the instruction device is stored in the storage device together with the information, and the operation screen information can be selected to be executed on the information in the processing device The instruction device acquires the operation screen information from the storage device and displays the operation screen, accepts an operation selection instruction from the user, and follows the selected operation instruction. An information processing system that requests the processing means to process the information.   The said instruction | indication apparatus requests | requires the process with respect to the said information according to the instruction | indication of the selected operation to the said process means, when the selected operation is operation which requires the said processing apparatus. 1. The information processing system according to 1.   The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the operation screen information is an HTML document, and the instruction device receives display of the operation screen information and an operation instruction from a user by a browser.   And processing means for executing processing for information, and operation screen information generating means for generating operation screen information for displaying an operation screen for performing operations on information. The operation screen information is executed for the information. An information processing apparatus comprising: selectable operation information, stored in the other apparatus together with the information, receiving an operation instruction for the information, and performing an instructed process on the information.

Images