JP4280366B2 - Image control apparatus, image control method, and storage medium storing computer-readable program - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image control apparatus and an image control method for controlling an image forming system in which an image input apparatus and a plurality of image output apparatuses are connected via a predetermined communication medium, and a storage medium storing a computer-readable program It is about.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been proposed an image forming system in which an image input unit and a plurality of image output devices are connected via a transmission medium through an image control device. An image forming system in which an image output device (printer) is connected by a transmission medium is known.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in recent years, due to the improvement of the network environment, there is a demand for department management by department ID even in a redundant system using a plurality of image output apparatuses (printers) including printers connected to a normal business network. In spite of this, there has been a problem that department-specific print processing cannot be sufficiently managed, such as misprinting due to a setting mistake of each user, because sufficient measures have not been taken.
[0004]
The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and the object of the present invention is to investigate whether or not the set department ID has been registered in each image output device, and based on the investigation result, By restricting selectable image output device candidates or selectable functions, department ID control and function restriction processing can be performed automatically in consideration of selection of multiple image output devices. Image control apparatus and image control method capable of preventing misprinting and easily setting functions without considering the functions of a plurality of printers when set by a user, and a storage medium storing a computer-readable program Is to provide.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention relates to a picture image control device which is connected via a plurality of image output apparatuses and a predetermined communication medium, receiving means for receiving a department ID entered by the user, it's on the receiving means and confirmation means received account ID whether or not it is registered, to confirm to each of the plurality of image output device via the predetermined communication medium, the sector ID of the plurality of image output devices Display means for displaying the image output device confirmed to be registered in a display format selectable by the user as the output destination of the image data input by the image input device, and the image output device Transmission means for transmitting the image data input by the image input device to an image output device selected by the user from among them .
[0023]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0024]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining an image forming system configuration according to the present invention. The configuration and operation will be described below.
[0025]
The image forming system includes a monochrome scanner 100 that can read a monochrome document as an image input device, a color scanner 200 that can read a color document as the image input device, and a low-speed monochrome printer (image output device) 300 as an image output device. A medium-speed monochrome printer (image output device) 400, a high-speed double-sided printable monochrome printer (image output device) 500, a color printer (image output device) 600, an offline finisher 700 capable of post-processing of print sheets offline, Server computer 800 having large-capacity storage, personal computer 900 for the same user, Ethernet 1000 which is a transmission means for constructing a known network, monochrome video bus 1100 connecting monochrome scanner 100 and low-speed monochrome printer 300, and color scanner It is composed of a 00 and a color dedicated video bus 1200 for connecting the color printer 600.
[0026]
An image control device (Image Controller) 2000 that performs image reading control and image transfer control is connected to the image input device 100 and the image input device 200 via a dedicated bus (not shown).
[0027]
The image output apparatuses 300, 400, 500, and 600 have storage means (nonvolatile storage medium) for storing the department ID, and are registered in advance in the storage means via a predetermined device. .
[0028]
Also, online finishers capable of online post-processing of print paper are connected to each other. However, since they are not directly related to the present invention, they will not be described in detail.
[0029]
The configuration of the image control apparatus (Controller Unit) 2000 shown in FIG. 1 will be described below with reference to FIG.
[0030]
FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining the configuration of the image control apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention, and corresponds to the detailed configuration of the image control apparatus 2000 shown in FIG.
[0031]
In the figure, an image control apparatus 2000 is connected to a scanner 100 that is an image input device and a printer 300 that is an image output device, and on the other hand, is connected to a LAN 1000 or a public line (WAN) 2051. It is a controller for inputting and outputting image information and device information.
[0032]
A CPU 2001 functions as a controller that controls the entire system. A RAM 2002 is a system work memory for the operation of the CPU 2001, and is also used as an image memory for temporarily storing image data.
[0033]
Reference numeral 2003 denotes a ROM which functions as a boot ROM and stores a system boot program. A hard disk drive (HDD) 2004 stores system software and image data. An operation unit I / F 2006 functions as an interface with the operation unit (UI) 2012 and outputs image data to be displayed on the operation unit 2012 to the operation unit 2012. Also, it plays a role of transmitting information input by the user of the system from the operation unit 2012 to the CPU 2001.
[0034]
A network 2010 is connected to the LAN 1000 and inputs / outputs information. Reference numeral 2050 denotes a modem (MODEM) which is connected to the public line 2051 and inputs / outputs information. The above devices are arranged on the system bus 2007.
[0035]
Reference numeral 2005 denotes an image bus interface (Image Bus I / F), which is a bus bridge that connects a system bus 2007 to an image bus 2008 that transfers image data at high speed and converts a data structure. Reference numeral 2008 denotes an image bus, which includes a high-speed bus such as a PCI bus. Note that devices to be described later are arranged on the image bus 2008.
[0036]
A raster image processor (RIP) 2060 expands the PDL code into a bitmap image. A device I / F unit 2020 connects an image input / output device such as the scanner 100 or the printer 300 to the image control unit 2000, and performs synchronous / asynchronous conversion of image data.
[0037]
A scanner image processing unit 2080 corrects, processes, and edits input image data. A printer image processing unit 2090 performs printer correction, resolution conversion, and the like on print output image data. An image rotation unit 2030 rotates image data. Reference numeral 2040 denotes an image compression unit, which performs JPEG for multi-valued image data and JBIG, MMR, and MH for binary image data.
[0038]
Also, the HDD 2004 stores information such as image output speed and installation position related to nodes connected to the network (LAN 1000) for each address.
[0039]
Hereinafter, the details of the first system device will be described by taking the image input unit 100, the image control device 2000, and the image output device 300 as examples.
[0040]
<Example of monochrome scanner + control device + monochrome printer>
<Image input section (scanner)>
FIG. 3 is an external view for explaining the configuration of the image input unit 100 shown in FIG.
[0041]
In the figure, reference numeral 2070 denotes a scanner unit, which is an image input device, which illuminates an image on paper as a document and scans a CCD line sensor (not shown), thereby converting it into an electrical signal as raster image data 2071 described later. . The original paper is set on the tray 2073 of the original feeder 2072, and when the apparatus user gives a reading start instruction from the operation unit 2012, the CPU 2001 gives an instruction to the scanner 2070, and the feeder 2072 feeds the original paper one by one and the original image. Read operation.
[0042]
<Image forming unit (printer)>
FIG. 4 is an external view for explaining the configuration of the image output apparatus 300 shown in FIG.
[0043]
In the figure, reference numeral 2095 denotes a printer unit which is an image output device, which is a part for converting raster image data into an image on paper. The method is based on an electrophotographic method using a photosensitive drum or a photosensitive belt, or a micro nozzle array. There is an ink jet system that prints an image directly on paper by ejecting ink, but any system may be used. Activation of the printing operation is started by an instruction from a controller (not shown).
[0044]
The printer unit 2095 has a plurality of paper feed stages so that different paper sizes or different paper orientations can be selected, and has paper cassettes 2101, 2102, 2103, and 2104 corresponding thereto. A paper discharge tray 2111 receives paper that has been printed.
[0045]
<Scanner image processing unit>
FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the scanner image processing unit 2080 shown in FIG.
[0046]
In FIG. 5, reference numeral 2081 denotes an image bus I / F controller which is connected to the image bus 2008 and controls the bus access sequence and generates control and timing of each device in the scanner image processing unit 2080.
[0047]
Reference numeral 2082 denotes a filter processing unit that performs a convolution calculation using a spatial filter. An editing unit 2083 recognizes an open area surrounded by a marker pen from the input image data, for example, and performs image processing such as shading, shading, and negative / positive inversion on the image data in the open area. . Reference numeral 2084 denotes a scaling processing unit that performs an interpolation operation in the main scanning direction of the raster image to enlarge or reduce it when changing the resolution of the read image. The scaling in the sub-scanning direction is performed by changing the scanning speed of an image reading line sensor (not shown).
[0048]
Reference numeral 2085 denotes a table, which is table conversion performed to convert image data, which is read luminance data, into density data. Reference numeral 2086 denotes a binarization processing unit that binarizes multi-value grayscale image data by error diffusion processing or screen processing.
[0049]
Note that the processed image data is transferred to the image bus 2008 via the image bus I / F controller 2081 again.
[0050]
<Printer image processing section>
FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a detailed configuration of the printer image processing unit 2090 shown in FIG.
[0051]
In FIG. 6, an image bus I / F controller 2091 is connected to the image bus 2008 and controls the bus access sequence, and generates control and timing of each device in the scanner image processing unit 2090. A resolution conversion unit 2092 performs resolution conversion for converting the image data from the network 2011 or the public line 2051 into the resolution of the printer unit 2095. Reference numeral 2093 denotes a smoothing processing unit that performs processing to smooth out jaggies of the image data after resolution conversion (roughness of an image appearing at a black-and-white border such as an oblique line).
[0052]
<Image compression section>
FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a detailed configuration of the image compression unit 2040 shown in FIG.
[0053]
In FIG. 7, an image bus I / F controller 2041 is connected to the image bus 2008, controls its bus access sequence, performs timing control for exchanging data between the input buffer 2042 and the output buffer 2045, and Control such as mode setting for the image compression unit 2043 is performed. The processing procedure of the image compression processing unit is shown below. Reference numeral 2044 denotes a RAM.
[0054]
Settings for image compression control are performed from the CPU 2001 to the image bus I / F controller 2041 via the image bus 2008. With this setting, the image bus I / F controller 2041 performs settings necessary for image compression (for example, MMR compression / JBIG expansion) for the image compression unit 2043. After performing the necessary settings, the CPU 2001 again permits image data transfer to the image bus I / F controller 2041.
[0055]
In accordance with this permission, the image bus I / F controller 2041 starts transferring image data from each device on the RAM 2044 or the image bus 2008. The received image data is temporarily stored in the input buffer 2042, and the image is transferred at a constant speed in response to an image data request from the image compression unit 2043.
[0056]
At this time, the input buffer 2042 determines whether image data can be transferred between the image bus I / F controller 2041 and the image compression unit 2043, reads image data from the image bus 2008, and compresses the image data. When it is impossible to write an image to the unit 2043, control is performed so as not to transfer data (hereinafter, such control is referred to as handshaking). The image compression unit 2043 temporarily stores the received image data in the RAM 2044.
[0057]
This is because several lines of data are required depending on the type of image compression processing to be performed, and several lines of image data are prepared in order to compress the first one line. This is because the image cannot be compressed unless it is empty.
[0058]
The image data subjected to the image compression is immediately sent to the output buffer 2045. The output buffer 2045 performs handshaking with the image bus I / F controller 2041 and the image compression unit 2043 and transfers the image data to the image bus I / F controller 2041. The image bus I / F controller 2041 transfers the transferred compressed (or expanded) image data to each device on the RAM 2002 or the image bus 2008.
[0059]
Such a series of processing is repeated until there is no processing request from the CPU 2001 (when processing of the required number of pages is completed) or until a stop request is issued from this image compression unit (when an error occurs during compression and expansion). It is.
[0060]
<Image rotation part>
FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating a detailed configuration of the image rotation unit 2030 illustrated in FIG.
[0061]
In FIG. 8, reference numeral 2031 denotes an image bus I / F controller, which is connected to the image bus 2008 to control the bus sequence, control to set a mode or the like in the image rotation unit 2032, and image data to the image rotation processing unit 2032. The timing control for transferring is performed. The processing procedure of the image rotation unit 2030 will be described below with reference to FIGS. Reference numeral 2033 denotes a RAM.
[0062]
9 and 10 are schematic diagrams for explaining the rotation processing of the image rotation unit 2030 shown in FIG.
[0063]
Settings for image rotation control are performed from the CPU 2001 to the image bus I / F controller 2031 via the image bus 2008. With this setting, the image bus I / F controller 2031 makes settings necessary for image rotation (for example, image size, rotation direction / angle, etc.) to the image rotation unit 2032. After making the necessary settings, the CPU 2001 again permits image data transfer to the image bus I / F controller 2031.
[0064]
In accordance with this permission, the image bus I / F controller 2031 starts transferring image data from each device on the RAM 2002 or the image bus 2008. Here, the size is 32 bits and the image size to be rotated is 32 × 32 (bits), and when transferring image data on the image bus 2008, image transfer is performed in units of 32 bits ( The image to be handled is assumed to be binary).
[0065]
As described above, in order to obtain a 32 × 32 (bit) image, it is necessary to perform the above unit data transfer 32 times, and it is necessary to transfer image data from discontinuous addresses (see FIG. 9). ).
[0066]
The image data transferred by the discontinuous addressing is written in the RAM 2033 so that it is rotated at a desired angle at the time of reading. For example, if the rotation is 90 degrees counterclockwise, the first transferred 32-bit image data is written in the Y direction as shown in FIG. By reading in the X direction at the time of reading, the image is rotated. After the 32 × 32 (bit) image rotation (writing to the RAM 2033) is completed, the image rotation unit 2032 reads the image data from the RAM 2033 by the above-described reading method, and transfers the image to the image bus I / F controller 2031.
[0067]
The image bus I / F controller 2031 that has received the rotated image data transfers the data to each device on the RAM 2002 or the image bus 2008 by continuous addressing.
[0068]
Such a series of processing is repeated until there is no processing request from the CPU 2001 (until processing of the required number of pages is completed).
[0069]
<Device I / F part>
FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating a detailed configuration of the device I / F unit 2020 illustrated in FIG.
[0070]
In FIG. 11, an image bus I / F controller 2021 is connected to the image bus 2008, and controls the bus access sequence and generates control and timing of each device in the device I / F unit 2020.
[0071]
Also, control signals to the external scanner unit 2070 and printer unit 2095 are generated. The scan buffer 2022 temporarily stores the image data sent from the scanner unit 2070 and outputs the image data in synchronization with the image bus 2008.
[0072]
Reference numeral 2023 denotes serial-parallel / parallel-serial conversion, in which the image data stored in the scan buffer 2022 are arranged in order or decomposed, and converted to a data width of image data that can be transferred to the image bus 2008. Reference numeral 2024 denotes parallel-serial / serial-parallel conversion, which decomposes the image data transferred from the image bus 2008 or arranges the image data in order, and converts the image data into a data width that can be stored in the print buffer 2025.
[0073]
A print buffer 2025 temporarily stores the image data sent from the image bus 2008 and outputs the image data in synchronization with the printer unit 2095. The processing procedure at the time of image scanning is shown below.
[0074]
The image data sent from the scanner unit 2070 is stored in the scan buffer 2022 in synchronization with the timing signal sent from the scanner unit 2070. When the image bus 2008 is a PCI bus, when the image data is 32 bits or more in the buffer, the image data is sent from the buffer to the serial-parallel / parallel-serial conversion 2023 in the first-in first-out manner. Is transferred to the image bus 2008 through the image bus I / F controller 2021. The processing procedure at the time of image printing is shown below.
[0075]
When the image bus 2008 is a PCI bus, the image data in the buffer is first-in-first-out, sent from the buffer to the serial-parallel / parallel-serial conversion 2023, converted into serial image data, and then converted into serial image data through the image bus I / F controller 2021. Forward up.
[0076]
The processing procedure at the time of image printing is shown below. When the image bus 2008 is a PCI bus, 32-bit image data sent from the image bus is received by the image bus I / F controller 2021, sent to the parallel serial / serial / parallel conversion 2024, and input data of the printer unit 2095. The image data is decomposed into bit-number image data and stored in the print buffer 2025.
[0077]
When the image bus 2008 is IEEE1394, serial image data sent from the image bus is received by the image bus I / F controller 2021 and sent to the parallel-serial / serial-parallel conversion 2024, and input data bits of the printer unit 2095. The image data is converted into a number of image data and stored in the print buffer 2025. Then, in synchronization with the timing signal sent from the printer unit 2095, the image data in the buffer is sent to the printer unit 2095 in a first-in first-out manner.
[0078]
Next, embodiments will be described.
[0079]
In FIG. 1, it is assumed that the monochrome printers 300, 400, and 500 are printers capable of duplex printing, the color printer 600 is a printer capable of duplex printing, and the printers 300, 500, and 600 have a department ID 001.
[0080]
<Function restriction processing>
FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing an example of a data processing procedure in the image control apparatus according to the present invention, and corresponds to a processing procedure for automatically performing a function restriction process on the image output apparatus (printer) of the read image. Step-1 to Step-17 indicate each step.
[0081]
Further, in the present embodiment, a function restriction or device when an instruction is given from the operation unit 2012 to output an image read by the image input device 200 to the image output device 300, the image output device 400, and the image output device 500. This is an example of restriction. The operation unit 2012 includes a start key for starting reading and an image output device selection key (not shown) for shifting to a screen for selecting which image output device to output. The image output device selection key exists as a soft key on the LCD, and can be displayed or deleted.
[0082]
When the department ID 001 is set in the operation unit 2012 at Step-1 in FIG. 12, the printer 300, 400, 500, 600 department ID is confirmed via the network at Step-2.
[0083]
Next, in Step-3, it is confirmed whether or not the department ID 001 is registered in the printer 300. If it is determined that the ID001 is registered, the printer 300 department flag is turned ON in Step-4. Then, in Step-5, it is confirmed whether or not the department ID 001 is registered in the printer 400. If it is determined that the ID001 is registered, the printer 400 department flag is turned ON in Step-6.
[0084]
Next, in Step-7, it is confirmed whether or not the department ID 001 is registered in the printer 500. If it is determined that the ID001 is registered, the printer 500 department flag is turned ON in Step-8.
[0085]
Next, in Step-9, it is confirmed whether or not the department ID 001 is registered in the printer 600. If it is determined that the ID001 is registered, the printer 600 department flag is turned ON in Step-10.
[0086]
Next, in Step-11, it is determined whether or not the department flag is ON. If YES, in Step-12, as the device connected to the transmission medium, that is, the image output devices 300, 500, 600 are operated. Display on 2012.
[0087]
On the other hand, in the case of NO in Step-11, since the department ID is not registered, the image output devices 300, 500, and 600 cannot be selected as the image output device, and in Step-13, the network on the operation unit 2012 is disabled. A hiding and displaying process is performed.
[0088]
Thereafter, in Step-14, the operator selects some of the displayed devices, and the device stores the selected image output device. Here, a function (double-sided function setting) may be selected from the operation unit 2012.
[0089]
Thereafter, in Step-15, the duplex function of the selected device (selecting the printer 600) is searched. In Step-16, if the selected image output device does not have the duplex function, the duplex key is searched. Is deleted, and the process ends at Step-17.
[0090]
When the start key is pressed in this state, an image is transmitted to the image output device selected in Step 14, and is output by each image output device.
[0091]
Although the present embodiment has been described with the double-side function, all functions (for example, layout printing function (2 in 1 etc.), stapling function, paper discharge function (face-down paper discharge, face-up paper discharge, designated bin) are performed in the same manner. It is obvious that the present invention can be easily applied to paper discharge, sort paper discharge, etc. It should be noted that the function restriction and the device restriction may be applied on the condition of the selected paper size.
[0092]
Further, in the department ID registration process for each image output apparatus, the server apparatus 800 can issue a command to each image output apparatus to register and delete the department ID.
[0093]
According to the above-described embodiment, the department ID control and the function restriction process are performed automatically in consideration of selection of a plurality of image output devices, thereby preventing misprinting due to a user setting error and When setting, there is an effect of easily setting functions without considering the functions of a plurality of printers.
[0094]
The configuration of a data processing program that can be read by an image forming system to which the image control apparatus according to the present invention can be applied will be described below with reference to the memory map shown in FIG.
[0095]
FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a memory map of a storage medium that stores various data processing programs that can be read out by an image forming system to which the image control apparatus according to the present invention can be applied.
[0096]
Although not particularly illustrated, information for managing a program group stored in the storage medium, for example, version information, creator, etc. is also stored, and information depending on the OS on the program reading side, for example, a program is identified and displayed. Icons may also be stored.
[0097]
Further, data depending on various programs is also managed in the directory. In addition, a program for installing various programs in the computer, and a program for decompressing when the program to be installed is compressed may be stored.
[0098]
The functions shown in FIG. 12 in this embodiment may be performed by the host computer by a program installed from the outside. In this case, the present invention is applied even when an information group including a program is supplied to the output device from a storage medium such as a CD-ROM, a flash memory, or an FD, or from an external storage medium via a network. Is.
[0099]
As described above, a storage medium storing software program codes for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to the system or apparatus, and the computer (or CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus stores the storage medium in the storage medium. It goes without saying that the object of the present invention can also be achieved by reading and executing the programmed program code.
[0100]
In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the novel function of the present invention, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.
[0101]
As a storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a floppy disk, a hard disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a CD-ROM, a CD-R, a magnetic tape, a nonvolatile memory card, a ROM, an EEPROM, or the like is used. it can.
[0102]
Further, by executing the program code read by the computer, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but also an OS (operating system) or the like running on the computer based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that a case where the function of the above-described embodiment is realized by performing part or all of the actual processing and the processing is included.
[0103]
Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written to a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, the function expansion is performed based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that the case where the CPU or the like provided in the board or the function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing.
[0104]
【The invention's effect】
As described above , according to the present invention , it is investigated whether the set department ID has been registered in each image output apparatus, and based on the investigation result, selectable image output apparatus candidates or selectable functions. Therefore, department ID control and function restriction processing can be performed automatically in consideration of selection of a plurality of image output devices, and misprinting due to user setting mistakes can be prevented. There is an effect that functions can be easily set without considering the functions of a plurality of printers.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining an image forming system configuration according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image control apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is an external view illustrating a configuration of an image input unit illustrated in FIG. 2. FIG.
4 is an external view for explaining the configuration of the image output apparatus shown in FIG. 2;
5 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a scanner image processing unit illustrated in FIG.
6 is a block diagram illustrating a detailed configuration of a printer image processing unit illustrated in FIG. 2;
7 is a block diagram illustrating a detailed configuration of an image compression unit illustrated in FIG. 2. FIG.
8 is a block diagram illustrating a detailed configuration of an image rotation unit illustrated in FIG.
9 is a schematic diagram illustrating a rotation process of the image rotation unit illustrated in FIG.
10 is a schematic diagram illustrating a rotation process of the image rotation unit illustrated in FIG.
11 is a block diagram illustrating a detailed configuration of a device I / F unit illustrated in FIG. 2;
FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing an example of a data processing procedure in the image control apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a memory map of a storage medium that stores various data processing programs that can be read by an image forming system to which the image control apparatus according to the present invention can be applied.
[Explanation of symbols]
100, 200 Image input device 300, 400, 500, 600, 700 Image output device 800 Server computer 2000 Image control device

Claims (17)

A connection has been images controller via a plurality of image output apparatuses and a predetermined communication medium,
Receiving means for receiving the department ID input by the user ;
And confirmation means for sector ID received me by the receiving means whether or not it is registered, to confirm for each said predetermined communication medium said plurality of image output devices through,
A display that displays an image output device in which the department ID is registered among the plurality of image output devices in a display format that can be selected by the user as an output destination of image data input by the image input device. Means,
Transmitting means for transmitting the image data input by the image input device to an image output device selected by the user from among the displayed image output devices;
An image control apparatus comprising: The confirmation means inquires each image output apparatus via the communication medium about the registration status of the department ID received by the receiving means, acquires response information from each image output apparatus for the inquiry, and receives the received information 2. The image control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein it is confirmed whether or not the department ID received by the means is registered in each image output apparatus. Having mode setting means for setting a desired image forming mode;
3. The image control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display unit restricts an image output device to be displayed in a selectable manner according to an image forming mode set by the mode setting unit. Having function setting means for setting a desired image processing function;
The display means, in accordance with the set function by the function setting means, the image control device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that to limit the image output device that selectively displayed.   5. The image control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the desired image processing function includes a duplex printing function, a layout printing function, a stapling function, and a paper discharge function.   The image control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the desired image forming mode includes a color mode and a monochrome mode. The display means, image control apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that identification of the selected possible image output apparatus and the other image output device of the display unit. The display means, the image output apparatus selected, the image control device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the identifying the display portion and a non-selectable features and selectable functions. It said plurality of image output apparatus, an image control apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it comprises a possible memory means registering the account ID available that has been set. Each image output device, the image control device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that to enable register or delete the account based on the commands that are set from the server apparatus. The image control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image control apparatus is connected to the image input apparatus by a communication medium different from the predetermined communication medium. The transmission means, when a plurality of image output devices are selected from the image output devices displayed by the display means, transmits the image data to the selected plurality of image output devices. Item 12. The image control apparatus according to any one of Items 1 to 11. The display means displays the image output device for which the department ID has not been registered in a display format that cannot be selected by the user as an output destination of the image data input by the image input device. The image control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image control apparatus is an image control apparatus. The image control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image input apparatus is a scanner, and the image output apparatus is a printer. The image control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image control apparatus is connected to another image output apparatus through a communication medium different from the predetermined communication medium. An image control method in connection to the images controller via a plurality of image output apparatuses and a predetermined communication medium,
A receiving process for receiving the department ID input by the user ;
A confirmation step of sector ID received by said receiving step whether it is registered, to confirm for each said predetermined communication medium said plurality of image output devices through,
A display that displays an image output device in which the department ID is registered among the plurality of image output devices in a display format that can be selected by the user as an output destination of image data input by the image input device. Process,
A transmission step of transmitting the image data input by the image input device to an image output device selected by the user from among the displayed image output devices;
An image control method comprising: A storage medium from which a computer stores a readable program for controlling the images control apparatus as connected via a plurality of image output apparatuses and a predetermined communication medium,
A receiving process for receiving the department ID input by the user ;
A confirmation step of sector ID received me by the said receiving step whether it is registered, to confirm for each said predetermined communication medium said plurality of image output devices through,
A display that displays an image output device in which the department ID is registered among the plurality of image output devices in a display format that can be selected by the user as an output destination of image data input by the image input device. Process,
A transmission step of transmitting the image data input by the image input device to an image output device selected by the user from among the displayed image output devices;
A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer-readable program.

Images