JP3997008B2 - Network system - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a network system and a client device thereof, and particularly enables an image reading apparatus to be operated regardless of the type of interface.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In the conventional image input device, the image input devices cannot be shared on the network and controlled using a general-purpose image input / output interface.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As described above, in the prior art, since the image input device could not be freely controlled on the network, a user who wants to use the image input device on the client device side himself / herself connected to the image input device. I had to go to the device where it was, and instructed to input directly with the device, and stored the obtained image data in the desired location.
[0004]
Alternatively, a dedicated client application that does not support a general-purpose image input / output interface is started, an image is acquired via the network, and then a desired image editing application is opened to edit the previous image data.
[0005]
As described above, in any case, when an image is to be captured on the network, the current operation must be temporarily interrupted.
[0006]
The present invention has been made in view of such a conventional technique, and makes it possible to use an image input device shared on a network without interrupting a current operation to a user on the client device side. The first purpose.
[0007]
A second object of the present invention is to allow a user to add a virtual device on the client side without installing individual connection information.
[0008]
Furthermore, a third object of the present invention is to improve processing efficiency without generating unnecessary input information on the client device side, or to save an occupied area of the information.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
For the present invention to achieve the above object, the images input device, and converts an input equipment control means for controlling the operation of the image input device, the information of the input device control unit for general-purpose network protocol network and a Rene Tsu network server means to provide the above, the client device capable of communicating with an image input server device on a network, and a client device corresponding to the general network protocol, using said client means device control information of the image input device provided in the image input server device was collected using a and a interns face converting means for converting the data format that can be interpreted general image input and output interface, the image input server device image input network client device capable of controlling the operation of a device included in, Bei the city Network system, characterized in that it is configured Te that provides.
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings.
[0013]
FIG. 1 is a system block diagram of an image input apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Reference numeral 1 denotes a system bus, and each component block described below is connected to the system bus. Reference numeral 2 denotes a CPU (Central Processing Unit). Reference numeral 3 denotes a program memory (referred to as PMEM). A program for this processing is appropriately selected / read from the hard disk 15 and executed by the CPU 2. Data input from the keyboard 12 is stored as code information in the PMEM which is also a text memory. Reference numeral 4 denotes a communication control unit, which controls input / output data in the communication port 5. The signal output from the communication port 5 is transmitted to the communication port of another device 7 on the network via the communication line 6. Exchange with an image output apparatus such as a printer or an image input apparatus such as a scanner shared on the network is performed via the communication control unit 4.
[0014]
In this embodiment, a network such as a LAN is described as the communication line 6, but the present invention is applicable even if the communication port and communication line connected to the communication control unit are general public lines. Needless to say.
[0015]
8 is an external storage device control unit, 9 and 10 are data file disks, for example, 9 is a floppy disk (referred to as FD), and 10 is a hard disk (referred to as HD).
[0016]
Reference numeral 11 denotes an input control unit to which input devices such as 12 keyboards and 13 mice are connected. The operator operates the keyboard 11 to give a system operation command or the like. Reference numeral 13 denotes a pointing device (referred to as PD) for instructing processing of image information on the CRT 16, and a mouse is used in this embodiment. As a result, the cursor on the CRT 16 is arbitrarily moved in the X and Y directions to select a command / icon on the command menu to give an instruction for processing, an instruction for editing, an instruction for a drawing position, and the like.
[0017]
14 is a video image memory (referred to as VRAM), 15 is a display output control unit, and 16 is a CRT. Data displayed on the 16 CRTs are expanded as bitmap data on the 11 VRAMs.
[0018]
Reference numeral 17 denotes a printer control unit which controls data output to the connected printer 18.
[0019]
Reference numeral 1A denotes an image input device control unit that controls the connected image input device 1B. In the image input server device according to the present embodiment, the components 1A and 1B are indispensable. On the client side device, the server side is shared via the communication control unit 4 and the communication port 5 as described above. Since the same component can be used, it is not always necessary.
[0020]
Further, the configuration of FIG. 1 is the same even if the image input device and the image input device control unit are physically separate components, or the image input device is a single component including the image input device control unit. It has a function.
[0021]
FIG. 2 shows a configuration example of each function in the image input server device of the present embodiment.
[0022]
In the figure, reference numeral 21 denotes a network server module. In this module, data obtained from the server expansion function described below is converted into a data format that can be exchanged on a network corresponding to a general-purpose network protocol.
[0023]
Conversely, the network data sent from the client side is converted into an internal data format that can be interpreted by the server extension module.
[0024]
The server extension module 22 analyzes the data passed from the server, selects the designated one from a plurality of image service modules under the management of this module, and provides the service. Alternatively, data is transferred from one service module to another service module (for example, an image input / output control module is called from the OCR module).
[0025]
The common interface conversion module 23 converts the request data at that time into a control command corresponding to the instructed input device control module 26 when the server extension module requests the provision of a service of any image input device. belongs to. Conversely, it also has a function of converting device-specific control information received from the input device control module into a general interface that can be passed to the server extension module. Specifically, one is image reading parameter setting information from the client, and the other is image information obtained as a result of the reading instruction and its attached information.
[0026]
The OCR module 24 is called from the server extension module 22 when there is a request from the client to convert image data read by the image input device as document data. The image data format conversion module 25 is a module for converting the format of the image data obtained from the image input device into the image data format specified by the client.
[0027]
Output device control module 26 is to carry out the control in accordance individual image input devices 27, governs the input and output of corresponding to each device (specialized were) control command / information.
[0028]
FIG. 3 shows a configuration example of each function in the image input client device of the present embodiment.
[0029]
In the figure, an image input device connection information generation module 36 is required.
[0030]
The configurations 31 to 34 in the figure are necessary for accessing an image input device locally connected to the client device from a general application. The client extension function in this embodiment has the configuration of 35 to 3A in FIG.
[0031]
31 is a general application having an image input function. An image input / output device manager 32 provides a general-purpose image input / output interface for the application. In response to an instruction from the input / output interface, the manager exchanges information with respect to an instruction from the image input / output device control module under its management.
[0032]
Reference numeral 33 denotes an image input device control module having general-purpose i / o. This module is for controlling image input devices individually connected by a general-purpose interface negotiated with the image input manager 32. Unlike the aforementioned image input device control module 26, this module provides a general-purpose interface. That is, functionally, the image input device control module 26, the common interface conversion module 23, and the general-purpose image input / output interface conversion module 37 are combined. That is, 32 is, for example, a TWAIN manager, and 33 corresponds to a TWAIN driver corresponding to each device.
[0033]
Reference numeral 34 denotes an individual image input device locally connected to the apparatus.
[0034]
The element items constituting the client extension function in the present invention will be described below.
[0035]
The client function control module 35 performs overall management of modules constituting individual client extended functions described below. The image input device connection information generation module 36 acquires the attribute information of the image input / output device connected to the server device side obtained by using the network client module 38 and information necessary for network connection. This is a module for generating the image input device connection information 3A. At the same time, the virtual image input device control module 39 is automatically generated. By generating this module, the image input device manager 32 can handle devices on the network as if they are virtually connected.
[0036]
The general-purpose image input / output interface conversion module 37 converts control information for the image input device on the server side obtained using the network client module 38 into a general-purpose interface corresponding to the image input manager 32. It is. This module, rather than providing the ability to directly with these interfaces directly to the image input manager 32 is provided via individual virtual image input device control module as described below.
[0037]
The network client module 38 converts the data into a data format that can be exchanged on a network corresponding to a general-purpose network protocol so that these modules and the module on the server side can communicate with each other.
[0038]
The virtual image input device control module 39 is generated one-to-one with the set image input device on the network. This module basically returns the information of the corresponding image input device connection information 3A, or passes the information to the general-purpose image input / output interface providing module 37 and passes the result to the image input manager 32. Only the process intervening in
[0039]
In this way, since the general-purpose image input / output interface conversion module 37 performs most of the actual processing, the module can be small, and there is little overhead even if modules for image input devices on a plurality of networks are created. I'll do it.
[0040]
FIG. 4 shows an example of the data structure of the image input device connection information shown in FIG. In the figure, reference numerals 401 to 404 denote network connection information to the image input device.
[0041]
First, information 401 for identifying a connection destination server on the network, that is, a machine name or a network address on the network is set.
[0042]
Reference numeral 402 denotes a network name of the same device for identifying an image input device that is shared on the network. 403 stores security permission information for requesting use when security restrictions are set when the device is used. Such information is, for example, a password for requesting use permission.
[0043]
Reference numeral 404 denotes information necessary for network connection other than the above.
[0044]
Reference numerals 405 to 408 denote device identification information for providing virtual device information to the image input device manager. The information read from the server device side is stored in this area.
[0045]
First, reference numeral 405 denotes device name information. Reference numeral 406 denotes module version information. Reference numeral 407 denotes information about the creator of the module. Reference numeral 408 denotes other identification information. Reference numerals 409 to 414 denote function information of the image input device. Among them, this embodiment shows a case where n pieces of function information exist, and 409 to 411 and 412 to 414 each indicate a group of function information. The function information here indicates, for example, the capability of the device, such as the corresponding size information of the reading area, a list of readable resolution, and the like.
[0046]
Reference numeral 409 denotes an identifier indicating the content of the function. Reference numeral 410 denotes an identifier representing a data format representing the function. This is information for identifying, for example, that the function information format is a single value, a range of values, an enumeration format (1, 5, 10, 15), or the like.
[0047]
In 411, actual function information is set according to the data format. The nth function information is set in 412 to 414 in the same format as 409 to 411.
[0048]
FIG. 5 shows the internal processing on the client side in which the processing is performed when the image input device manager requests the virtual image input device control module to access the image input device on the network. A flowchart is shown. Here, the procedure of this flowchart is realized by the CPU 2 executing a program stored in the PMEM 3.
[0049]
First, in step S51, a request is sent from the image input manager to the virtual image input device control module using a general-purpose interface.
[0050]
In step S52, it is determined whether the request can be processed by the virtual image input device control module. For example, device identification information can be processed in this module, and actual image data acquisition cannot be processed.
[0051]
If it is determined in step S52 that processing is possible, the process branches to step S53. If it is determined that this is not the case, the process branches to step S54. In step S53, data requested in this module is generated using the image input device connection information.
[0052]
In step S54, necessary information is read from the image input device connection information and the general-purpose image input / output interface conversion module is called. In step S55, it is determined whether or not the request can be processed by the general-purpose image input / output interface conversion module. This means that, for example, setting of some attributes for the device only needs to be set in this module, and when the user actually has to access the network, the information set up to now is collected, If it is sent to the server side, the efficiency is improved. If it is determined in this step that processing can be performed in this module, the process branches to step S56, and if not, the process branches to step S57.
[0053]
In step S56, the general image input / output interface conversion module processes the data requested from above. In step S57, a request is issued from the image input device connection information to the server device on the network to which the image input device is connected.
[0054]
In step S58, when a response is returned to the request issued to the server in the previous step, the general-purpose image input / output interface conversion module converts the data into a (general-purpose) data format that can be interpreted by the image input / output device manager. .
[0055]
As described above, the image input device manager can obtain desired return information by any of the processes.
[0056]
FIG. 6 shows a flowchart of internal processing on the server side in which processing is performed when a request is made from the client device to the image input device connected to the server device.
[0057]
First, in step S601, a request from the client side is received via the network. In step S602, it is determined whether the request from the client is the first session.
[0058]
If it is a request from a client that has already started a session, a session id (identification information) is added to the data obtained in S601. If it is determined that the session is the first session in this step, the process branches to step S603. If it is determined that this is not the case, the process branches to step S605.
[0059]
In step S603, it is determined whether or not the server apparatus permits access to the requested client. If permitted, the process branches to step S604, and if not, access is denied. Return notification to client.
[0060]
In step S604, a session is opened between the requested client and server, and the resulting session id is returned. This session id is valid until a close request is received from the client side or the server process in the server device is terminated. Of course, the server can establish a session with multiple clients simultaneously.
[0061]
In S605, when there is a request from a client whose session is already open, it is checked whether or not the session id instructed to the server in this step is valid. If it is determined in this step that the session id is valid, the process branches to step S606, and if it is not so, a notification that the session is invalid is returned to the client side.
[0062]
In step S606, it is determined whether or not the request from the client is a session termination process. If it is determined to be, the process branches to step S607; Branch to S608.
[0063]
In step S607, a process for closing a session with the instructed client is performed, and the process proceeds to an end process.
[0064]
In step S608, it is checked whether the image input device instructed by the client is valid. If it is determined that the image input device is valid, the process branches to step S609; A notification that the printer is invalid is returned to the client side, and the termination process is performed.
[0065]
In step S609, request information from the client is passed to the image input device control module corresponding to the image input device. In step S610, return information from the image input device control module is obtained. In step S611, the result obtained in the previous step is transmitted to the client side via the network.
[0066]
FIG. 7 shows an example of a virtual image reading device connection setting screen for realizing the functions of the present embodiment.
[0067]
The information set in this figure is reflected in the operation of the image input device connection information generation module 36 in FIG. 3, and virtual connection information is created only for the image input device desired by the user.
[0068]
In the figure, reference numeral 71 designates a network range when searching for an image input device shared and set on the network. For example, this corresponds to a certain domain in a Windows environment. Reference numeral 72 denotes a list of image input devices found within the network. In this example, the shared name of the image input device and the network name of the server device to which the device is connected are shown in parentheses. Reference numeral 73 denotes a list of image input devices for creating virtual connection information in the client device. What is displayed in this list is displayed in the device list as if it were an image input device directly connected to the client device, and at the same time, it is possible to specify actual image reading. 74 is a button control for instructing addition to the virtual connection setting. Reference numeral 75 denotes a button control for instructing deletion from the list. When the deletion is instructed, the virtual connection information of the device is lost, so that the device cannot be used from the client device. Reference numeral 76 denotes a button control for instructing an image input device search in the designated network. Reference numeral 78 denotes a button control for instructing to end by reflecting the setting in this dialog. Similarly, reference numeral 79 denotes a button control for instructing to cancel the setting and end the operation.
[0069]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the image input device can be shared on the network, and the control can be performed from the client side using the general-purpose image input / output interface. It is no longer necessary to be aware of whether it exists in the network or is connected directly to the local.
[0070]
As a result, the user on the client device side can use the image input device shared on the network without interrupting the current work.
[0071]
Further, by automatically generating virtual image input device connection information corresponding to a general-purpose image input / output interface on the client device based on the information of the image input device existing on the network, the client side This makes it possible for a user to add a virtual device without installing individual connection information.
[0072]
Further, by selecting a desired one from a plurality of image input server devices existing in the network and providing a function of generating virtual image input device connection information only for the selected one, the client It is possible to improve the processing efficiency without generating useless input information on the apparatus side, or to save the occupied area of the information.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a system block diagram of an image input apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of each function in the image input server device according to the embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a setting screen of the image input device in the client side device according to the embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the data structure of image input device connection information.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a processing example when an access request to an image input device on a network is made to the virtual image input device control module.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a processing example when a request is made from the client device to the image input device connected to the server device.
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a virtual image reading device connection setting screen.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 System bus 2 CPU
3 Program memory 4 Communication control unit 5 Communication port 6 Communication line 7 Other devices on the network 8 External storage device control unit 9, 10 Disk for data file 11 Input control unit 12 Keyboard 13 Input device 14 such as mouse Image memory 15 Display output controller 16 CRT
17 Printer Control Unit 18 Printer 19 External Device Control Unit 1A Image Input Device Control Unit 1B Image Input Device

Claims (2)

And images input device, an input device control means for controlling the operation of the image input device, and Rene Tsu network server means provides to the network to convert the information of the input device control section to the general-purpose network protocol the provided, the client device capable of communicating with an image input server device on the network, and,
Data that can be interpreted by a general-purpose image input / output interface for device control information of a client unit corresponding to the general-purpose network protocol and an image input device provided in the image input server device obtained by using the client unit and a interns face converting means for converting the format, the network characterized in that it is configured the image input server device image input network client device capable of controlling the operation of equipment provided is provided with a capital system. Network system according to claim 1, wherein said image input interns face is characterized in that it is a TWAIN (Technology Without Any Interesting Name) interface.

Images