JP4825432B2 - Image processing apparatus and information setting method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and an information setting method.

  In recent years, an image forming apparatus in which the functions of each device such as a printer, a copy, a facsimile, and a scanner are housed in a single housing has been known (for example, see Patent Document 1). In this image forming apparatus, a display unit, a printing unit, an imaging unit, and the like are provided in one housing, and four types of applications corresponding to a printer, a copy, a facsimile, and a scanner are provided, and the printer is switched by switching the applications. It operates as a copy, facsimile and scanner.

  Conventionally, an application that operates on such an image forming apparatus is unique to the image forming apparatus, and there is no need to consider the operation on other models. However, in recent years, in order to shorten the period of application development or to cope with applications added to existing image forming apparatuses, information dependent on the model (for example, information on services related to hardware control) is acquired, and the hardware There is a need to develop an application that performs an appropriate operation in accordance with service information related to the control of the wearer.

Under such circumstances, as a method for an application to acquire service information related to hardware control, a program module or the like installed in the image forming apparatus controls the hardware of the image forming apparatus. A method of acquiring information on a service related to hardware control from a module of a program that provides the service to the application and providing the service to the application is conceivable.
JP 2002-82806 A

  However, as described above, the method in which the program module obtains the information on the service related to the hardware control is the application of the hardware or the service related to the hardware control that exists when the module is developed. Information related to the hardware can be obtained accurately from the module of the program provided to the computer, but the hardware newly added to the image forming apparatus, its configuration or function, etc. were changed later With regard to hardware and the like, there is a problem that it is difficult to accurately acquire information related to hardware from such hardware or a module of a program that provides a service related to control of the hardware to an application.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to accurately provide service information related to hardware control of an image processing apparatus to an application of the image processing apparatus.

Therefore, in order to solve the above-described problem, the present invention provides an image having a plurality of applications related to image processing and a control unit that provides services related to control of a plurality of hardware related to image processing to the plurality of applications. A processing device, comprising: providing means for providing service information related to hardware control that can be provided to the application, wherein the providing means stores information on the service related to hardware control in the image processing device Control from the outside of the device in the form of an information file and control the hardware specific to the device described in the information file, control of optional hardware added as an option , control of modified hardware, and addition has been the service information according to the at least one control hardware, device-specific, Options, modifications, additional stored in accordance with each category, image forming the image processing apparatus in the apparatus, reading, communication, and display of the software corresponding to the hardware according to at least one control module or the Hardware information acquired from hardware can be stored and provided to the application for each category based on the stored service information and hardware information at the time of a request from the application or activation of the image processing apparatus the service information relating to the control of hardware, and wherein the Turkey be provided to the application.

The present invention is an image processing apparatus comprising: a plurality of applications related to image processing; and a control unit that provides services related to control of a plurality of hardware related to image processing to the plurality of applications. Providing means for providing service information relating to control of hardware that can be provided, wherein the providing means sends information on services relating to hardware control from the outside of the image processing apparatus in the form of an information file; At least one of control of hardware specific to the device received and described in the information file, control of optional hardware added as an option , control of modified hardware, and control of added hardware One of the service information relating to, device-specific, options, modifications, additions of each Stores according to category, imaging the image processing device in the apparatus, reading, communication, and display hardware information acquired from the software module or the hardware corresponding to at least one hardware of a control And a service related to control of hardware that can be provided to the application for each category based on the stored service information and hardware information at the time of a request from the application or activation of the image processing apparatus information, by a Turkey be provided to the application, the information service according to the hardware control of the image processing apparatus can be provided accurately to the application of the image processing apparatus.

  The image processing apparatus corresponds to, for example, an image forming apparatus 1 described later.

  Further, as a means for solving the above problems, an information setting method may be used.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to accurately provide service information related to hardware control of an image processing apparatus to an application of the image processing apparatus.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  A configuration of an example of the control unit 10 of the image forming apparatus 1 is shown in FIG. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a control unit of the image forming apparatus. The control of the image forming apparatus 1 by the control unit 10 is performed based on the control program and data stored in the ROM 12 with the CPU 11 as the center. The RAM 13 is used to store intermediate results such as processes related to control in the CPU 11.

  The CPU 11 is connected to various devices as shown below. The communication interface unit 21 is a part that communicates with the communication control device, and an address setting switch 22 sets an address unique to the image forming apparatus 1. The communication permission switch 23 sets permission / prohibition of communication with the communication control device. The communication control device communicates with an external system (for example, a PC) using Ethernet (registered trademark), RS-232C, IEEE488 / IEEE488.2 (GP-IB), or the like. The operation unit 30 includes a screen, a numeric keypad, and the like, and accepts input operations from the outside and displays various messages. The optical system control unit 41 performs drive control of the exposure lamp. The high-voltage power supply unit 42 supplies power to the charging charger, separation charger, transfer charger, pre-transfer charger, and developing bias.

  The motor control unit 43 controls the main motor. The heater control unit 44 performs drive control of the fixing heater. The sensor sensitivity control unit 45 is used to vary the light reception gain of the P sensor (optical system sensor), the light emission voltage of the P sensor LED, the light reception gain of the ADS sensor (document density detection sensor), and the like.

  The A / D control unit 46 is used to input lamp voltage, P sensor light emission voltage, P sensor light reception voltage, potential sensor output, ADS sensor output, lamp light quantity sensor output, drum current sensor output, fixing thermistor voltage, and the like. .

  The hardware such as the optical system control unit 41, the high-voltage power supply unit 42, the motor control unit 43, the heater control unit 44, the sensor sensitivity control unit 45, the A / D control unit 46, etc. correspond to the corresponding control software module and optical system control module. 53, state information (for example, for the high-voltage power supply control module 54, the drive system (motor) control module 55, the heating system (heater) control module 56, the sensor sensitivity control module 57, the A / D converter control module 58, etc.). Communication status information, key input information, display status information, lamp light quantity information, various charger status information, development bias status information, transport motor status information, fixing heater status information, heater temperature information, sensor sensitivity information, control by A / D converter Information, etc.) By the module is notified to the resource control module 50.

  The resource control module 50 is also notified of communication status information, display information of the operation unit 30, key operation information, and the like from the communication-related control module 52 and the operation unit control module 51. to manage.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 1 has a software module corresponding to hardware, and the software module is a control software module (for example, a control service or the like described later) of the software module. Status information (for example, hardware information to be described later) and the like are notified as inter-module communication (message) in the software. With this configuration, hardware status information and the like can be collectively managed as inter-module communication (message).

  An example of the functional configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 is shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is a functional configuration diagram (part 1) of the image forming apparatus. 2, the image forming apparatus 1 includes an application 60, a lower module (function) group 100, a data acquisition / holding unit 110, an interface unit 120 with an external system, a system unit 130, Is included as a functional configuration. Note that these functions are implemented in the image forming apparatus 1 as a program and / or hardware that runs on the CPU 11. The same applies to the following functional configurations.

  As will be described later, the application 60 includes a plurality of applications related to image formation, such as a copy application and a printer application. The lower module (function) group 100 includes, for example, the resource control module 50, the operation unit control module 51, the communication related control module 52, the optical system control module 53, the high voltage power supply control module 54, the drive system (motor) shown in FIG. ) Control module 55, heating system (heater) control module 56, sensor sensitivity control module 57, A / D converter control module 58, and the like.

  The system unit 130 is a basic software module including an OS (Operating System), a device driver, and the like. The interface unit 120 with the external system, the data acquisition / holding unit 110, and the like are mounted on the system unit 130, and the interface unit 120 with the external system is connected to the image forming apparatus 1 via the network. The data acquisition / holding unit 110 holds, for example, a file acquired from an external system or the like, information described in the file, and the like.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the file acquired from the external system includes, for example, device-specific service information that is service information related to hardware control specific to the device (the image forming apparatus 1), and optionally the image. Option-specific service information that is service information related to hardware control added to the forming apparatus 1, modified service information that is service information related to modified hardware control, and added to the image forming apparatus 1 In addition, additional service information, which is service information related to hardware control, is described. Hereinafter, a file in which such information (hereinafter simply referred to as service information) is described is referred to as an information file. The information file is described in a markup language (for example, XML (extensible Markup Language) or HTML (HyperText Markup Language)), and the interface unit 120 between the external system and the external system is a mark. It is configured to be able to exchange information files written in up-language.

  Hereinafter, another example of the functional configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 is shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a functional configuration diagram (part 2) of the image forming apparatus. As shown in FIG. 3, the image forming apparatus 1 includes an application 60, a system monitor / manager 70, a control service 80, and a hardware control module group 90 as functional configurations.

As described above, the application 60 includes a plurality of applications related to image formation, such as the copy application 61 and the printer application 62. The system monitor / manager 70
2 includes a part or all of the interface unit 120 and the data acquisition / holding unit 110 with the external system in FIG. 2, acquires an information file from the external system, and stores it in the hardware control module group 90 via the control service 80. A request related to hardware control is issued, and hardware information is acquired and held.

  The system monitor / manager 70 includes an external file parser 71, a service information / hardware information storage unit 72, and a hardware monitor 73. The external file parser 71 interprets an information file described in a markup language, extracts service information, and stores (or sets) the service information in the service information / hardware information storage unit 72. The hardware monitor 73 acquires hardware information from the control service 80 or the like and stores (or sets) it in the service information / hardware information storage unit 72.

  The system monitor / manager 70 also stores a service information / hardware information storage unit when the image forming apparatus 1 is activated or in response to a request from the application 60 (or one or more applications included in the application 60). From 72, service information that can be provided to the application is acquired and notified (or provided) to the application 60.

  Here, the system monitor / manager 70 refers to the hardware information stored in the service information / hardware information storage unit 72, for example, and confirms the hardware that is actually installed and currently activated, The service information related to the hardware is acquired from the service information / hardware information storage unit 72 and notified (or provided) to the application 60 as service information that can be provided to the application. That is, the hardware information includes information on hardware installed in the image forming apparatus 1, information on hardware that is currently activated, and the like. The service information that can be provided to the application is extracted from the service information and notified (or provided) to the application 60.

  The system monitor / manager 70 stores service information in the service information / hardware information storage unit 72 in accordance with categories such as “device-specific”, “option-specific”, “correction”, “addition”, etc. In response to a request from 60, service information that can be provided to the application in the requested category may be provided to the application 60. Note that the method of dividing the category is not limited to the above, and may be divided according to the type of image formation, such as “copy”, “printer”, or the like. .

  The control service 80 mediates between the hardware control module group 90, the application 60, and the system monitor / manager 70, provides a service related to hardware to the application 60, and provides hardware information to the system monitor / manager 70. To notify (or provide).

  The control service 80 includes a library function 81 and a hardware information acquisition module 82. The library function 81 calls a corresponding hardware control module in response to a request from the application 60 to the hardware, and notifies the application 60 of the control result of the hardware control module as information from the hardware. Or The library function 81 calls a corresponding hardware control module in response to a hardware operation, a drawing instruction, an application switching instruction, or the like from the system monitor / manager 70. The hardware information acquisition module 82 notifies (or provides) the hardware information notified from the hardware information acquisition mechanism 91 to the hardware monitor 73.

  The hardware control module group 90 corresponds to the lower module (function) group 100 shown in FIG. 2 and includes a plurality of software modules corresponding to the hardware. These modules are called from the library function 81 to control, for example, hardware related to image formation, reading, communication, and display, execute processing, and return the execution result to the library function 81 and the like. The hardware control module group 90 includes a hardware information acquisition mechanism 91. The hardware information acquisition mechanism 91 acquires hardware information from a software module or hardware corresponding to the hardware. The information acquisition module 82 is notified (or provided).

  An example of the hardware control module group 90 or the lower module (function) group 100 is shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware control module group or a lower module (function) group.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the hardware control module group 90 or the lower module (function) group 100 includes a system control module, an engine control system module, a memory control system module, a FAX control system module, an operation unit control system module, Includes network control system modules. For example, the engine control system module performs scanner control, plotter control, paper feed control, paper discharge control, and the like.

  In the first embodiment, the C language is used as the programming language for the modules and applications of the image forming apparatus 1, and the C language and the C ++ language are used as the programming languages for the external system. These programming languages are not limited to the C language and the C ++ language, and may be other programming languages such as an assembler language.

  Hereinafter, another example of the functional configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 is shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a functional configuration diagram (part 3) of the image forming apparatus. Compared with the image forming apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 3 according to the first embodiment, the image forming apparatus 1 according to the second embodiment shown in FIG. 5 is mounted with a Java (registered trademark) virtual machine and has a Java (registered trademark) class 150. Has been implemented.

  In such a configuration, the application 60 issues a request for hardware to the control service 80 via the Java (registered trademark) class 150, receives information notification from the hardware from the control service 80, Receive service information from the monitor / manager 70.

  As shown in the second embodiment, a Java (registered trademark) virtual machine is mounted on the image forming apparatus 1, and all or part of the functions of the image forming apparatus 1 may be mounted using Java (registered trademark). Good.

  Hereinafter, another example of the functional configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 is shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is a functional configuration diagram (part 4) of the image forming apparatus. The system monitor / manager 70 shown in FIG. 6 includes a hardware monitor 73, an external file acquisition / holding unit 74, an information file parser 75, and a hardware information storage unit 76.

  The hardware monitor 73 acquires hardware information from the control service 80 or the like and stores it in the hardware information storage unit 76. The external file acquisition / holding unit 74 acquires an information file described in a markup language from an external system and holds it.

  The information file parser 75 interprets the information file described in the markup language held by the external file acquisition / holding unit 74 and extracts service information.

  The system monitor / manager 70 receives service information extracted by the information file parser 75 when the image forming apparatus 1 is activated or in response to a request from the application 60 (or one or more applications included in the application 60). The hardware information stored in the hardware information storage unit 76 is notified (or provided) to the application 60.

  In the first and second embodiments described above, the system monitor / manager 70 extracts (or provides) the service information that can be provided to the application from the service information and the hardware information, and notifies (or provides) the application 60 with the service information. In the third embodiment, as described above, the system monitor / manager 70 notifies (or provides) the service information and the hardware information to the application 60 as they are.

  In the case of such a configuration, the processing in the application 60 increases. However, the application 60 performs two more detailed (or detailed) processing in order to acquire two pieces of information, that is, service information and hardware information. be able to.

  Hereinafter, another example of the functional configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 is shown in FIG. FIG. 7 is a functional configuration diagram (part 5) of the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus 1 according to the fourth embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7 is mounted with a Java (registered trademark) virtual machine and has a Java (registered trademark) class 150 as compared with the image forming apparatus 1 illustrated in FIG. 6 according to the third embodiment. Has been implemented.

  As shown in the fourth embodiment, a Java (registered trademark) virtual machine is mounted on the image forming apparatus 1, and all or a part of the functions of the image forming apparatus 1 may be mounted using Java (registered trademark). Good.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to accurately provide service information related to hardware control of the image forming apparatus 1 to the application 60 of the image forming apparatus 1. Therefore, even if hardware is added to the image forming apparatus 1 or the original hardware version is upgraded, for example, the application 60 can operate appropriately.

  The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, but the present invention is not limited to such specific embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the gist of the present invention described in the claims.・ Change is possible.

2 is a configuration diagram of a control unit of the image forming apparatus. FIG. 2 is a functional configuration diagram (part 1) of the image forming apparatus. FIG. FIG. 3 is a functional configuration diagram (part 2) of the image forming apparatus. It is a figure which shows an example of a hardware control module group or a low-order module (function) group. FIG. 3 is a functional configuration diagram (part 3) of the image forming apparatus. FIG. 4 is a functional configuration diagram (part 4) of the image forming apparatus. FIG. 6 is a functional configuration diagram (part 5) of the image forming apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

1 Image forming apparatus 11 CPU
12 ROM
13 RAM
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 21 Communication interface unit 22 Address setting switch 23 Communication permission switch 41 Optical system control unit 42 High voltage power supply unit 43 Motor control unit 44 Heater control unit 45 Sensor sensitivity control unit 46 A / D control unit 50 Resource control module 51 Operation part control module 52 Communication-related control module 53 Optical system control module 54 High voltage power supply control module 55 Drive system (motor) control module 56 Heating system (heater) control module 57 Sensor sensitivity control module 58 A / D converter control module 60 Application 61 Copy application 62 Printer application 70 System Monitor / Manager 71 External File Parser 72 Service Information / Hardware Information Storage Unit 73 Hardware Module Nita 74 External file acquisition / holding unit 75 Information file parser 76 Hardware information storage unit 80 Control servos 81 Library function 82 Hardware information acquisition module 90 Hardware control module group 91 Hardware information acquisition mechanism 100 Lower module (function) group 110 Data acquisition / holding unit 120 Interface unit with external system 130 System unit 150 Java (registered trademark) class

Claims (5)

An image processing apparatus comprising: a plurality of applications related to image processing; and a control unit that provides services related to control of a plurality of hardware related to image processing to the plurality of applications,
Providing means for providing service information related to control of hardware that can be provided to the application;
The providing means includes:
Receives service information related to the hardware control from the outside of the image processing apparatus in the form of an information file,
At least one of the device-specific hardware control described in the information file, the optional hardware control added as an option , the modified hardware control, and the added hardware control Store such service information according to each category of device specific, option, modification, and addition,
The image processing apparatus stores software information corresponding to hardware related to at least one control of image formation, reading, communication, and display in the apparatus, or hardware information acquired from the hardware ,
At the start of the request or the image processing apparatus from the application, based on the stored service information and hardware information, for each of the categories, the service information relating to the control of the can provide hardware to the application, the the image processing apparatus according to claim and Turkey to provide to the application. The providing means includes:
2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising service information holding means for holding service information related to the hardware control. The providing means includes:
3. The service information related to the control of hardware that can be provided to the application in a requested category is provided to the application in response to a request from the application. Image processing apparatus. The information file is
The image processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the image processing apparatus is described in a markup language. An information setting method in the image processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The providing means receives service information related to the hardware control from the outside of the image processing apparatus in the form of an information file,
At least one of the device-specific hardware control described in the information file, the optional hardware control added as an option , the modified hardware control, and the added hardware control Store such service information according to each category of device specific, option, modification, and addition,
The image processing apparatus stores software information corresponding to hardware related to at least one control of image formation, reading, communication, and display in the apparatus, or hardware information acquired from the hardware ,
At the start of the request or the image processing apparatus from the application, based on the stored service information and hardware information, for each of the categories, the service information relating to the control of the can provide hardware to the application, the information setting method characterized by having provided instructions on to the application.

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