JP3850157B2 - Image input / output device and image data information management method in image input / output device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image input / output device and an image information management method in the image input / output device .
[0002]
[Prior art]
Recently, the networking of PCs and workstations has been rapidly spreading, and the construction of LANs in offices is progressing. Digital copying machines have also been used as shared remote printers on PC and workstation networks. On the other hand, a digital copying machine has a scanner function and is already directly connected to a PC or the like. However, in the case of a remote scanner connected to a network, a time-consuming case is inevitably involved. . For example, when used as a remote scanner, an original is set in a digital copying machine, a scanner application is started on a remote PC, and an instruction for reading the original is issued. Next, it is necessary to return to the digital copying machine and go to get the set document.
[0003]
Conventionally, a digital copying machine is often used as a copying machine by a plurality of people, and while using it as a scanner, there is a problem that other people cannot use it because the original remains on it. . Another problem was that other people could open the cover and remove the document without their knowledge. As a conventional technique for solving this problem, for example, an automatic image transfer method of a scanner system disclosed in JP-A-7-271535 is known. However, this method is a method in which the transfer destination is set in the scanner device in advance from a PC or the like, and then the remote scanner device is pressed, and then the scanner start button is pressed, the image is transferred, the image is returned to the PC, and the image data is used. Therefore, there is a problem that it takes time and effort for the previous setting. In addition, since all images are transferred, it may take a long transfer time, and may be interrupted due to a storage error on the PC side during reception, and it is necessary to scan the document again and read it again.
[0004]
In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-133094, data input by a scanner using an image input / output device is stored in an auxiliary storage device with a file number added, and the image data is transferred to a terminal connected to a network. In the method and Japanese Patent Application No. 9-279634 (image input device and terminal device), a method of taking image data stored in the image input device from a terminal connected to a network is also considered. An image input device to which an automatic storage function that automatically saves the image data stored in the image input device is automatically saved in the storage device is also considered.
[0005]
For the convenience of work, the user stores the image data together in the image input device and forgets to collect it and automatically stores it in the storage device. There is. In addition, when the user has transferred to the terminal and wants to use the target image data later, the user may forget the location where the user stores the image data and retrieve the image data again.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As described above, conventionally, image data automatically stored in an image input / output device is transferred to a terminal device, transferred to a storage device by an automatic storage function, or image data is returned from a storage device by a user request. ing. However, it is difficult to understand the current state of user image data stored in the image input / output device. In order to solve this problem, it is necessary to centrally manage the information of the image data stored in the image input / output device. There is.
[0007]
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and whenever the storage state of the image data is changed with the terminal device and the storage device, the management information is exchanged with the image input / output device and the management information is totaled. This makes it easy to understand the current state of the image data.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to a first aspect of the present invention, in an image input / output device connected to a network and shared by a plurality of terminal devices and a storage server, image reading means for reading an image on a document, and image information read by the image reading means an image storage means for storing an identification code setting means for setting a user identification code in association with the image information stored in said image storage means, to record the date and time of inputting an image, entered for each user image A recording management means for recording data information in the management table, a transfer means for transferring image data to and from the user terminal and the storage server, a management request and storage information notification from the user terminal and the storage server, and a designated user terminal registration means for registering information stored in the management table, when there is a change in storage information in the user terminal or storage server, Yu Receiving a management change request and storage information change notification from The terminal and storage server, characterized by comprising a registration means for registering a change in storage information stored in the designated user management table.
[0009]
The invention of claim 2, Oite the image input and output equipment according to claim 1, the search condition specified by the user terminal, the search aggregator do the aggregation of the image data storage information of each user and to the user terminal characterized by comprising a transfer means for transferring the compiled information.
[0010]
The invention of claim 3 is have you the image input and output apparatus according to claim 1, the search condition specified by the user terminal, the search aggregation means for performing aggregation of the image data storage information of each user to the specified printer characterized by comprising an output means for printing the summary information.
[0011]
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image data information management method in an image input / output device connected to a network and shared by a plurality of terminal devices and a storage server, the step of reading an image on a document, and the read image A step of storing information, a step of setting a user identification code in association with the stored image information, a step of recording the date and time when the image is input, and recording the image data information input for each user in the management table Receiving a management request and a storage information notification from the user terminal and the storage server, registering the received terminal storage information of the designated user in the management table, and changing the storage information at the user terminal or the storage server. When a management change request and storage information change notification are received from the user terminal and storage server, the storage Characterized by a step of registering a change of information in the management table.
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 is a principal block diagram for explaining an embodiment of an input / output device (digital copying machine) according to the present invention. In the figure, 10 is an input / output device (digital copying machine), 20 is an external storage device, 30 Is an external storage device. The input / output device 10 includes a main control unit 1, an operation unit 2, a scanner 3, a plotter 4, a LAN communication control unit 5, an external storage storage unit 6, a memory 7, a compression / decompression unit 8, and an external storage. The external storage storage unit 6 exchanges data with the external storage device 30, and the external storage unit 9 exchanges data with the external storage device 20. The search unit 11 searches for data in the external storage device 20.
[0013]
As shown in FIG. 2, the digital copying machine 10 having a network interface device is connected to a storage server device 40, a FAX device 50, a workstation (WS) 60, and a personal computer (PC) 70 via a LAN 100. The workstation 60 and the personal computer 70 have a CRT display device and a keyboard, can select and execute a plurality of software processes by an intelligent function, and can communicate with the digital copying machine 10 via the LAN 100.
[0014]
The digital copying machine 10 can store data obtained by scanning a document in an auxiliary storage device of the digital copying machine or an auxiliary storage device of a file server via the LAN 100. A storage device connected to an image input / output device (digital copying machine) or a storage device connected to a storage server on the same network (LAN) is a storage device having a capacity larger than that of an auxiliary storage device. Is a device that serves as a warehouse for storing data with low access frequency. As an example, a tape device (tape autochanger) in which a tape cartridge is automatically replaced, an autochanger device such as MO, CD-RW, DVD-RW, etc. can be considered.
[0015]
FIG. 3 shows an embodiment in which data is stored in the user PC device 70 via the LAN 100 from the external storage device 20 of the digital copying machine according to claim 1 and the storage information received from the user PC device 70 is registered in the external storage device 20. Show. The image data read by the scanner of the digital copying machine 10 is added with a user identification code and stored in the external storage device 20 of the digital copying machine 10. The user accesses the digital copying machine 10 from the user PC terminal 70 via the network 100, transfers image data from the digital copying machine 10, and stores the data in the HDD 71 of the PC 70. The user PC terminal 70 notifies the stored information to the digital copying machine 10. In the present invention, the digital copying machine 10 receives information stored in the user PC terminal 70 and registers it in the user image management table.
[0016]
FIG. 4 shows an embodiment in which data is stored in the storage server device 40 via the LAN 100 from the external storage device 20 of the digital copying machine 10 according to claim 1 and the received storage information is registered. The digital copying machine 10 periodically searches for a data file whose capacity is limited and has expired in the file information storage unit, and retrieves a specified storage setting from the information in the file information storage unit if storage is necessary. If the storage device is a storage server device via the LAN 100, a connection request is made to the designated storage server, and a storage key for restoration is received from the storage server. File information for storage and storage key information for restoration are added, and the storage data is transferred to the storage server device via the LAN 100. In the present invention, the digital copying machine 10 receives storage information from the storage server 40 and registers the storage information in the user image management table of the storage device 30. Thereafter, the data stored in the external storage device 20 is deleted.
[0017]
5 and 6 show an embodiment in which the user image management table of the digital copying machine 10 according to claim 2 is changed and registered. When the stored information is changed on the user PC terminal 70 (FIG. 5) or the storage server device 40 (FIG. 6) connected to the digital copying machine 10, the user PC terminal 70 or the storage server device 40 The storage information change notification to the copying machine 10 is transmitted. The digital copying machine 10 of the present invention receives the storage information change notification and registers the change of the user image management table of the user corresponding to the notification.
[0018]
FIG. 7 shows an embodiment in which the user image management table is changed and registered by the storage information change notification for restoring stored image data from the storage server of the digital copying machine 10 according to claim 2. The digital copying machine 10 receives a restoration request designating a storage key from the user PC 70 via the LAN 100. If the storage device 30 is the storage server device 40, the digital copying machine 10 requests connection to the designated storage server device via the LAN 100 and stores it. Request recovery by specifying a key. If the connection of the storage device 30 is OK, the storage data is transferred from the storage server device 40 via the LAN 100, and the data file is restored. The storage server device 40 transmits a storage information change notification to the digital copying machine 10. The digital copying machine of the present invention receives the storage information change notification and registers the change of the user image management table of the user corresponding to the notification.
[0019]
8, FIG. 9, and FIG. 10 show an embodiment of transferring stored information (FIG. 10) from the search condition from the user terminal of the digital copying machine of claim 3 to the user terminal and outputting it to the designated printer. . The digital copying machine 10 receives the search condition of the user image management information from the user (sato in the embodiment) terminal 70A, aggregates the user image management information of the specified user from the search condition, and displays the search result as the user terminal. (FIG. 8) or output to a designated printer (FIG. 9).
[0020]
FIG. 11 is a digital copying machine according to claims 1 and 2, wherein the digital copying machine receives registration information of registration information and registration change notification from the user terminal device or storage server device and registers them in the user image management table. In the flowchart showing the flow, the digital copying machine monitors received packets from the LAN, and waits for requests and notifications from PC terminal devices and storage server devices connected to the network (S10). When a received packet arrives, the packet is analyzed, and if it is a notification packet (S11), the validity of the notification packet is checked (S12, S13), the stored information registration is checked (S14), and the notification data is It is determined whether or not it is new registration data (S15, S16). If it is new, a new storage area is created and added to the user image management table (17). If it has already been created, the changed part of the designated user image management table is changed (S18).
[0021]
FIG. 12 shows a flow of processing in which the digital copying machine according to claims 3 and 4 outputs search result information obtained by aggregating the user image management table to the user terminal and the designated printer according to the search condition from the user. In the flowchart, the digital copying machine monitors received packets from the LAN and waits for requests and notifications from PC terminal devices and storage server devices connected to the network (S20). When a received packet is received, the packet is analyzed, and if it is a notification packet (S21), the validity of the notification packet is checked (S22, S23). The search condition and output destination are discriminated from the data, and the corresponding information is extracted and aggregated (S25). Upon request (S26), if the request is output to the user terminal, the search result is converted into a format to be transferred to the user terminal. Then, the data is transferred via the LAN (S27). If the request is output to the local printer of the digital copying machine, the search result is converted into a format to be output to the local printer of the digital copying machine, and printed out (S28). If the request is output to the network printer on the LAN, the search result is converted into a format for output to the network printer, and the print is output (S29).
[0022]
【The invention's effect】
According to the first and fourth aspects of the present invention, by storing the storage information of the user terminal device and storage device of the image data transferred from the image input / output device, the image input / output device unifies the storage state of the image data for each user. The image input / output device centrally manages the storage state of the image data for each user by recording information stored in the user terminal device and storage device of the image data transferred from the image input / output device. Can
[0023]
According to the second aspect of the present invention, the storage information of the user terminal device and the storage device of the image data transferred from the image input / output device is recorded, so that the image input / output device can centrally manage the storage state of the image data for each user. can do. The target image data can be searched effectively by the output of the search.
[0024]
According to the invention of claim 3, the storage information of the user terminal device and the storage device of the image data transferred from the image input / output device is recorded, so that the image input / output device can centrally manage the storage state of the image data for each user. can do. The target image data can be searched effectively by the output of the search.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a principal block diagram showing an embodiment of an image input / output apparatus (digital copying machine) related to the apparatus.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an embodiment of an OA network system via a LAN.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an embodiment in which data is stored in the user PC device via the LAN from the external storage device of the digital copying machine according to claim 1 and the storage information received from the user PC device is registered.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an embodiment in which data is stored in the storage server via the LAN from the external storage device of the digital copying machine according to claim 1 and received storage information is registered.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an embodiment in which a user image management table is changed and registered from a storage information change notification from a user PC of a digital copying machine according to claim 2;
6 is a diagram showing an embodiment in which a user image management table is changed and registered from a storage information change notification from a storage server of a digital copying machine according to claim 2. FIG.
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an embodiment in which a user image management table is changed and registered from a storage information change notification for restoring stored image data from the storage server of the digital copying machine according to claim 2;
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an embodiment in which a search result of stored information is transmitted from a search condition from a user terminal of a digital copying machine according to claim 3;
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an embodiment in which a search result of stored information from a search condition from a user of the digital copying machine according to claim 4 is printed out.
FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of outputting search results totaled from search conditions in the digital copying machine according to claim 3 or 4;
FIG. 11 is a digital copying machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the digital copying machine receives storage information registration and registration change notification from the user terminal device or storage server device and registers them in the user image management table. It is a flowchart which shows a flow.
FIG. 12 shows a flow of processing in which the digital copying machine according to claim 3 or 4 outputs search result information obtained by aggregating a user image management table according to a search condition from a user to a user terminal and a designated printer. It is a flowchart.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Main control part, 2 ... Operation part, 3 ... Scanner, 4 ... Plotter, 5 ... LAN communication control part, 6 ... External storage storage part, 7 ... Memory, 8 ... Compression / decompression part, 9 ... External storage part, 10 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS ... Input / output device (digital copier), 11 ... Search unit, 12 ... File information storage unit, 20 ... External storage device, 30 ... External storage device, 40 ... Storage server, 50 ... FAX device, 60 ... Workstation (WS) ), 70, 70A, 70B ... Terminal personal computer (PC), 71 ... HDD, 100 ... LAN.

Claims (4)

In an image input / output device connected to a network and shared by a plurality of terminal devices and a storage server, an image reading unit that reads an image on a document, an image storage unit that stores image information read by the image reading unit, An identification code setting means for setting a user identification code in association with image information stored in the image storage means, a date and time when an image is input, and an image data information input for each user are recorded in a management table Recording management means for receiving, transferring means for transferring image data to and from the user terminal and storage server, receiving management requests and storage information notifications from the user terminal and storage server, and registering terminal storage information of the designated user in the management table and registration means for, when there is a change in storage information in the user terminal or storage server, user terminal and storage Image output apparatus characterized by comprising a registration means receives the management change request and storage information change notification from the chromatography server to register the change of the storage information stored in the designated user management table. The image input / output device according to claim 1, further comprising: a search aggregation unit that aggregates image data storage information for each user according to a specified search condition from the user terminal; and a transfer unit that transfers the aggregation information to the user terminal . An image input / output device. 2. The image input / output apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: a search totaling unit that totals image data storage information for each user according to a specified search condition from a user terminal; and an output unit that prints the totaled information to a designated printer . An image input / output device characterized by that. An image data information management method in an image input / output device connected to a network and shared by a plurality of terminal devices and a storage server,
An image reading step for reading an image on a document, a step for storing the read image information, a step for setting a user identification code in association with the stored image information, a date and time when the image is input, A step of recording image data information input every time in a management table, a step of receiving a management request and a storage information notification from a user terminal and a storage server, and a step of registering the received terminal storage information of a designated user in the management table When the storage information is changed at the user terminal or storage server, the management change request and storage information change notification from the user terminal and storage server are received and the storage storage information change of the specified user is registered in the management table. And a process for managing image data.

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