JP5417837B2 - Image processing device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an image output apparatus that records an operation history or the like input from an input device so as to be readable is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

This image output apparatus has recording means for sequentially acquiring key operation information, interprocess communication information within the control program, control commands to various hardware, and status notification information from the hardware, and recording these various information.
JP 2002-207399 A

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus capable of holding history information before a predetermined processing state by type.

  In order to achieve the above object, one embodiment of the present invention provides the following image processing apparatus.

[1] A storage unit provided with a plurality of storage areas and processing of the assigned processing instruction information are performed, and the processing instruction information and the processing result information are handled among the plurality of storage areas provided in the storage unit. Processing means for adding the same identification information as the identification information for identifying the processing instruction information to the processing result information and writing it in the storage area, and monitoring whether or not the processing state of the processing means is in a danger notice state Monitoring means, and stopping means for stopping writing of the processing instruction information and the processing result information of the processing means when the monitoring means determines that the danger notice state is present. The received request information is recorded, and the processing result information records a command, a state notification, or a processing state transition transmitted / received between the processing means provided in the image processing apparatus. The image processing apparatus is the information.

[ 2 ] The image processing apparatus according to [1], wherein the processing unit includes a plurality of processing units that perform processing of the assigned processing instruction information in parallel.

[ 3 ] The image processing apparatus according to [1], wherein the processing unit treats the processing instruction information and the processing result information as history information, compresses the history information, and writes the compressed history information to the storage unit.

[ 4 ] The image processing apparatus further includes: an image input unit that inputs an image from the outside; and an image output unit that outputs the image to the outside. The processing unit includes processing result information obtained by the image input unit and the image output unit. The image processing apparatus according to [1], wherein the processing instruction information and the processing result information are written in the storage area together with time information indicating a time when processing by the image input unit and the image output unit is performed.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to hold the history information before entering a predetermined processing state for each type.

According to the invention which concerns on Claim 2 , even when parallel processing is performed, the log | history information before it will be in the predetermined processing state can be hold | maintained.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, more history information can be held in a storage area having a certain capacity compared to a case where history information is not compressed.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, it is retained as history information that an operation failure in the image input unit and the image output unit, for example, a deviation in the reading position of the document, a deviation in the printing position of the image on the paper, etc. be able to.

An image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention performs processing of a storage unit provided with a plurality of storage areas and assigned processing instruction information, and provides the processing instruction information and processing result information in the storage unit. Processing means for adding the same identification information as the identification information for identifying the processing instruction information to the processing result information in a corresponding storage area among the plurality of storage areas, and the processing state of the processing means is dangerous. monitoring means for monitoring whether or not the notice condition, the time that is determined to be in the danger warning state by monitoring means, the processing instruction information and the stopping means for stopping the writing of the processing result information of the processing means wherein the processing instruction information DOO is information that records the request received, the processing result information is transmitted and received between the processing means provided in the image processing apparatus instructions The state transition notification or processing state is recorded information.

  In the above configuration, the history information is distributed for each type of history information by the processing means and written to the storage area of the storage means. Therefore, since history information of another type is not overwritten by history information of a certain type, history information can be held for each type.

[Embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of an image processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The image processing system 100 is configured by connecting an information processing apparatus 300 to an image processing apparatus 1 via a network 200.

  The network 200 is a communication network such as a LAN (local area network) that transmits and receives data by wired communication (electric cable, optical cable, etc.), wireless communication (radio waves, infrared rays, etc.), and the like. Note that the image processing apparatus 1 and the information processing apparatus 300 may be connected in accordance with an interface standard such as USB or RS232C instead of the network 200.

  The information processing apparatus 300 includes, for example, a personal computer (PC), a personal digital assistant (PDA), a mobile phone, and the like. When the information processing apparatus 300 receives a print instruction operation by the user, the information processing apparatus 300 transmits print instruction information based on the operation to the image processing apparatus 1 via the network 200.

(Configuration of each part of image processing apparatus)
The image processing apparatus 1 includes a CPU 2 that controls each unit of the image processing apparatus 1, a time management unit 3 that manages the current time, a program memory 4 that stores various programs executed by the CPU 2, and various types of CPU 2. Realized by a system memory 5 as a storage means for reading and writing data, a user interface (UI) panel 6 configured by superimposing a touch panel on the display surface, and a network interface card connected to the network 200, for example A network communication unit 7, an image input unit 8 for inputting an image from the outside, and an image output unit 9 for outputting the image to the outside.

  The CPU 2 performs processing according to the request received via the UI panel 6 and the network communication unit 7 and writes the processing result of the processing in the system memory 5 as history information. At that time, the CPU 2 acquires the current time from the time management unit 3 as the time when the process was performed, and writes the history information together with the time information indicating the acquired time.

  Further, the CPU 2 predetermines a rule that associates a number or the like with information to be written as history information, and writes the number or the like determined by the rule as binary data, thereby compressing the history information into the system memory 5. Write.

  The program memory 4 is a non-volatile storage unit realized by, for example, a ROM, an EPROM, or the like. The program memory 4 stores an operation system (OS) 40, middleware 41, a software group 42, and the like.

  The system memory 5 is a volatile storage unit realized by, for example, SRAM, DRAM or the like. The system memory 5 is provided with a plurality of storage areas provided for each type of history information. The storage capacity of each storage area is determined in advance, and the written time is erased in order from the oldest history information, and new history information is written.

  The type of history information may be, for example, for each software that configures the software group 42 in addition to the case where the recorded information has different attributes, such as job information and processing information described later.

  In the present embodiment, the system memory 5 is provided with a job history storage area 50 in which job information is stored and a processing history storage area 51 in which processing information is stored.

  The job information is information in which a request received via the UI panel 6 and the network communication unit 7 is recorded. For example, the job information is instruction information by a copy operation and a scan operation using the UI panel 6 and print instruction information received via the network communication unit 7.

  The processing information is information that records commands (commands), state notifications, state transitions indicating that the processing state of the software group 42 has transitioned, and the like transmitted and received between the software groups 42.

(Software configuration of image processing device)
FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram illustrating an example of a schematic configuration of software in the image processing apparatus. The CPU 2 realizes the function of the software by developing the OS 40, middleware 41, and software group 42 read from the program memory 4 on the system memory 5 and executing them.

  The middleware 41 operates on the OS 40 and determines whether the processing state of the software group 42 is in a predetermined processing state or not, and the monitoring unit 410 determines that the processing state is in a predetermined processing state. When it is done, it functions as a stopping means 411 that stops writing history information of the software group 42.

  Here, the processing states that the software group 42 can take are classified into, for example, a normal state, a danger notice state, and a stop command state. Of these, the danger notice state corresponds to a predetermined processing state, for example, when the software continues to operate, it is considered that exception processing such as memory access violation is likely to occur, This corresponds to a state in which a command transmitted / received between the software groups 42 exceeds a value range permitted for the command.

  The monitoring unit 410 detects the transition of the processing state and records the detected processing state of the software group 42 in the state management information 410a.

  The software group 42 operates on the middleware 41 and functions as a processing unit that performs assigned processing. The software group 42 includes UI control software 420 that controls reception of operation information by the UI panel 6 and display output to the UI panel 6, communication control software 421 that controls data communication by the network communication unit 7, and an image input unit 8. Image input control software 422 for controlling image input by the image output unit, image output control software 423 for controlling image output by the image output unit 9, and history management software for managing history information in the job history storage area 50 and the processing history storage area 51 424, a print application 425 that controls print processing based on print instruction information, a scan application 426 that controls scan processing based on a scan operation, and a copy application 427 that controls copy processing based on a copy operation.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of state management information. In the state management information 410a, any one of three states, a normal state, a danger notice state, and a stop command state, is recorded for each software constituting the software group 42.

(Operation of image processing system)
Next, the operation of the image processing system will be described with reference to FIGS.

(A) When Processing One Job Information First, a case where the image processing apparatus 1 processes one job information will be described.

(A-1) Processing operation by software group When the user operates the UI panel 6 and performs a copy operation in which, for example, the number of copies, paper size, magnification, etc. are specified and the copy start button is pressed, the UI control software 420 accepts the copy operation from the UI panel 6 and generates copy job information based on the copy operation. At this time, the UI control software 420 gives a job ID for identifying the job information to the copy job information.

  The UI control software 420 transmits the copy job information to the copy application 427 via the middleware 41 and requests the history management software 424 to write the copy job information.

  Next, when receiving the copy job information, the copy application 427 assigns a process to the image input control software 422 and the image output control software 423 in accordance with the copy job information, to the image input control software 422 and the image output control software 423. Processing information for commanding is generated, and a job ID is added to the processing information. Then, the copy application 427 transmits the processing information to the image input control software 422 and the image output control software 423 via the middleware 41 and requests the history management software 424 to write the processing information.

  Upon receiving the processing information from the copy application 427, the image input control software 422 operates the image input unit 8 according to the processing information. Similarly, when receiving the processing information from the copy application 427, the image output control software 423 operates the image output unit 9 according to the processing information. As a result, the printed matter for the number of copies specified by the copy operation is output.

(A-2) Status monitoring operation of software group by middleware The monitoring unit 410 of the middleware 41 monitors information transmitted and received between the software via the middleware 41, and details of the operation will be described below. .

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of middleware in the image processing apparatus. First, while the CPU 2 of the image processing apparatus 1 operates in accordance with the OS 40, the middleware 41, and the software group 42, the monitoring unit 410 of the middleware 41 monitors the processing state of the software group 42 (S1).

  Then, when the processing state of the software group detects that the processing state of the software group has changed from a normal state to another normal state (S10; Yes), the monitoring unit 410 writes processing information indicating that the transition has occurred. The history management software 424 is requested (S11).

  On the other hand, when the monitoring unit 410 detects that the transition to the danger notice state is made (S10: No) instead of the transition between the normal states (S10: No), the stop unit 411 writes the history information. A stop is requested to the history management software 424 (S21), and an emergency stop is requested to the software group 42 (S22). Note that if the danger notice state is not detected (S20: No), the monitoring unit 410 continues to monitor the processing state (S1).

(A-3) History Information Writing and Writing Stop Operation by History Management Software History management software 424 manages history information based on a history information write request or stop request, and details of the operation are described below. explain.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of the history management software in the image processing apparatus. First, when the middleware 41 requests to stop writing history information (S100: Yes), the history management software 424 stops new writing of history information (S101).

Incidentally, the history management software 424, after stopping the writing of the history information in step S101, the to a message indicating fact may be displayed on the UI panel 6, the network communication unit history information written so far 7 may be transmitted to the information processing apparatus 300, or may be output as a report (printed material) from the image output unit.

  On the other hand, the history management software 424 does not stop the writing of history information from the middleware 41 (S100: No), but if the writing of history information is requested from the middleware 41 and the software group 42 (S110: Yes), It is determined whether the requested history information relates to job information (S120).

  As a result, when the history management software 424 determines that the job information is related to the job information (S120: Yes), the history management software 424 determines whether or not there is a free space in the job history storage area 50 (S130).

  If the history management software 424 determines that the job history storage area 50 is free (S130: Yes), the history management software 424 acquires time information from the time management unit 3 and stores the history information in the free area. Both are written (S131). If the history management software 424 determines that there is no free space in the job history storage area 50 (S130: No), the history management software 424 writes the history information in the area where the history information with the oldest writing time is recorded (S132).

  On the other hand, if the history management software 424 determines in step S120 that the job information is not related, that is, the processing information (S120: No), and further determines that the processing history storage area 51 has a free space. (S140: Yes), the history information is written in the free area together with the time information acquired from the time management unit 3 (S141). If the history management software 424 determines that there is no space in the processing history storage area 51 (S140: No), the history management software 424 writes the history information in the area where the history information with the oldest writing time is recorded (S142).

(A-4) Example of Writing History Information FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a job history storage area and a processing history storage area when one copy job information is processed. In the job history storage area 50, within the job history storage area size 50a indicating the storage capacity of the job history storage area 50, the copy job information 500 based on the copy operation and the data written before that, for example, print Job information 501 is stored. In the processing history storage area 51, a series of prints written before the danger notice detection time when the danger notice state was detected in the process history storage area size 51a indicating the storage capacity of the process history storage area 51. Processing information 510 is stored.

  As described above, since the job history storage area 50 and the process history storage area 51 are different storage areas, for example, after the copy job information 500 is written, a series of processes for the number of copies is performed. Even when a series of copy processing information 510 is written, the copy job information 500 is stored in the job history storage area 50 without being erased.

(B) Case of Processing Two Job Information Next, the case where the image processing apparatus 1 processes two pieces of job information in parallel will be described.

(B-1) Processing Operation by Software Group First, when the user operates the UI panel 6 to perform a scanning operation, the UI control software 420 scans the job information to which a new job ID is assigned based on the scanning operation. Is generated. The UI control software 420 transmits the scan job information to the scan application 426 via the middleware 41 and requests the history management software 424 to write the scan job information.

  On the other hand, when receiving the print instruction information from the information processing apparatus 300 via the network communication unit 7, the communication control software 421 generates print job information to which a new job ID is assigned based on the print instruction information. The communication control software 421 transmits print job information to the print application 425 via the middleware 41 and requests the history management software 424 to write the print job information.

  Next, the scan application 426 generates processing information for instructing the image input control software 422 from the received scan job information, and adds a job ID included in the scan job information to the processing information. Then, the scan application 426 transmits the scan job information to the image input control software 422 via the middleware 41.

  The print application 425 generates processing information for instructing the image output control software 423 from the received print job information, and adds a job ID included in the print job information to the processing information. Then, the print application 425 transmits the print job information to the image output control software 423 via the middleware 41.

  Then, the image input control software 422 and the image output control software 423 operate each unit according to the received processing information, and execute the assigned processing in parallel. As a result, the printed material designated by the scanning operation is read as an image, and a printed material based on the print information is output.

(B-2) Software Group Status Monitoring and History Information Write Request The middleware 41 is similar to that described in (A-2) above, even when two pieces of job information are processed in parallel. The state of the software group 42 is monitored according to the flowchart (S1). When the middleware 41 detects a transition between normal states (S10; Yes), the middleware 41 requests to write processing information (S11), and when it detects a transition to the danger notice state (S20). : Yes), the history management software 424 is requested to stop writing history information (S21), and an emergency stop is requested to the software group 42 (S22).

(B-3) Writing of history information The history management software 424 also records the history information according to the flowchart of FIG. 7 in the same manner as described in (B-3) above, even when two job information are processed in parallel. History information is managed based on a write request or a stop request, and new writing of history information is terminated in response to a request to stop writing history information (S101). When the requested history information is job information in response to a request for writing history information (S120: Yes), the history management software 424 writes the job information in the job history storage area 50 (S130-). In the case of processing information (S120: No), the processing information is written in the processing history storage area 51 (S140 to S142).

(B-4) Example of Writing History Information FIG. 5 shows an example of a job history storage area and a processing history storage area when two pieces of job information, here, scan job information and print job information are processed in parallel. FIG. In the job history storage area 50, scan job information 502 based on a scan operation and print job information 501 based on print information are stored in a job history storage area size 50a. The processing history storage area 51 stores scan processing information 512 based on the scan job information 502 and print processing information 511 based on the print job information 501 in the processing history storage area size 51a in the order of processing. Further, the scan job information 502 and the print job information 501 are stored in a state associated with the scan processing information 512 and the print processing information 511 by the job ID, respectively.

  Therefore, even when processing based on a plurality of job information is executed in parallel, a plurality of job information is stored in the job history storage area 50, and the processing information based on the plurality of job information corresponds to the corresponding job information. Is stored in a state that can be identified by the job ID, the history information can be easily analyzed as compared with the case where the job information and the processing information are not associated with each other.

[Other embodiments]
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is an overall view showing an example of a schematic configuration of an image processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram illustrating an example of a schematic configuration of software in the image processing apparatus. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of state management information. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a job history storage area and a processing history storage area when one piece of job information is processed. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a job history storage area and a processing history storage area when two pieces of job information are processed in parallel. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of middleware in the image processing apparatus. FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of the history management software in the image processing apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Image processing apparatus, 2 ... CPU, 3 ... Time management part, 4 ... Program memory, 5 ... System memory, 6 ... UI panel, 7 ... Network communication part, 8 ... Image input part, 9 ... Image output part, 40 ... OS, 41 ... middleware, 42 ... software group, 50 ... job history storage area, 50a ... job history storage area size, 51 ... processing history storage area, 51a ... processing history storage area size, 100 ... image processing system, 200 ... Network 300 Information processing device 410 Monitoring unit 410a State management information 411 Stopping unit 420 Control software 421 Communication control software 422 Image input control software 423 Image output control software 424 ... History management software, 425 ... Print application, 426 ... Scanner Publication, 427 ... copy application 500 ... copy job information, 501 ... print job information, 502 ... scan job information, 510 ... copy processing information, 511 ... print processing information, 512 ... scan processing information

Claims (4)

Storage means provided with a plurality of storage areas;
Identification information for performing processing on the assigned processing instruction information, and identifying the processing instruction information in a corresponding storage area among the plurality of storage areas provided in the storage means, with the processing instruction information and the processing result information; Processing means for adding and writing the same identification information to the processing result information;
Monitoring means for monitoring whether the processing state of the processing means is in a danger notice state;
A stopping means for stopping writing of the processing instruction information and the processing result information of the processing means when the monitoring means determines that the danger notice state is present ;
The processing instruction information is information recording the received request,
The image processing apparatus, wherein the processing result information is information that records commands, state notifications, or processing state transitions transmitted and received between the processing means provided in the image processing apparatus.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit includes a plurality of processing units that perform processing of the assigned processing instruction information in parallel.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit treats the processing instruction information and the processing result information as history information, compresses the history information, and writes the compressed history information to the storage unit. Furthermore, an image input unit that inputs an image from the outside, and an image output unit that outputs the image to the outside,
The processing means outputs the processing instruction information and the processing result information together with time information indicating the time when the processing by the image input unit and the image output unit is performed. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image processing apparatus writes data in a storage area.

Images