JP5726786B2 - Image forming system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an image forming system for registering a document file generated by scanning an original image with an image forming apparatus in a Web service server together with search metadata.

  Patent Document 1 below discloses a method of automatically generating and recording (registering) metadata for a document image read by a scanner.

  According to this method, the image data can be searched based on the automatically recorded metadata without the user manually inputting the metadata.

JP 2009-259120 A

  In this method, image data is subjected to OCR processing, and characters having a relative size greater than or equal to a certain value are recorded as metadata of the image data.

  On the other hand, there is a case where a certain relationship is consciously or unconsciously provided between the content type of the image data (document file) and the scan setting data or the performance of the image forming apparatus.

  In other words, when searching for a document file, the user may want to narrow down the search target to only a full color or only a pdf file. Further, in an environment where a plurality of image forming apparatuses having different performances can be used, there are cases where it is desired to narrow down the search target to only image data scanned by a specific image forming apparatus. Furthermore, there are cases where it is desired to narrow down the search target of the document file by a specific combination of scan setting data including the model name of the apparatus.

  In such a case, according to the method of Patent Document 1, the search metadata must be additionally manually input and recorded, which is complicated.

In view of such problems, the object of the present invention is to consciously or unconsciously have a certain relationship between the content type of the document file and the performance of the scan setting data or the image forming apparatus. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming system that enables efficient search without manually setting effective search metadata.

In a first aspect of the present invention, in the image forming system comprising a plurality of image forming apparatuses coupled to a network, and a host and a web service server coupled to the network, the web service server includes the image In response to the registration request from the image forming apparatus , the document file received from the image forming apparatus and the search metadata are registered in the database in association with each other, and the document file based on the received search formula in response to the search request. the reply is read from said database, wherein the image forming apparatus, and the Web service client coupled through the Web service server and the network, a scanner, and response to the scan instruction input from the host, the host the original image on the scanner based on the scan setting data received from the reading Allowed to generate a document file to produce a model name or part of the scan setting data of the own apparatus as a search for metadata, the Web service client to the said document file and the search for the metadata Web Services and a control means for the registration request to the server, the host memory means and input means, selection rules that defines whether to select one of said plurality of image forming apparatus in accordance with the scan setting data is stored In response to a selection instruction from the input unit, one of the plurality of image forming apparatuses is automatically selected based on the scan setting data set via the input unit and the selection rule. In response to the scan instruction input, the scan setting data is transmitted to the control unit of the selected image forming apparatus to operate the control unit. And remote control means for, to have a.

In a third aspect of the image forming system according to the present invention, in a first aspect, the data of the database is provided with a note that can include the path of the document file as elements, and a notebook is note container, the notes the can associate a tag, the both notebook name and said tag of a search metadata, including the model name as the name or tag of the notebook.

In a fourth aspect of the present invention, in a third aspect, as the tag, including a portion of the scan setting data.

In a fifth aspect of the image forming system according to the present invention, in the fourth embodiment, a portion of the scan setting data, color or monochrome identifier, the image reading resolution, document size, and one or more of the file format identifier including.

According to the configuration of the first aspect of the image forming system , a part of the model name of the own apparatus or the scan setting data is generated as search metadata, and the document file and the search metadata are generated on the Web service client. When a registration request is made to the service server, if a certain relationship is consciously or unconsciously established between the content type of the document file and the scan setting data or the performance (model) of the image forming apparatus, the search meta data There is an effect that it is possible to search efficiently without manually setting data.

In addition, since the model name of the own device and a part of the scan setting data are generated as search metadata, the effect of the first aspect is enhanced. Further, it is possible to add / edit search metadata after inputting a scan instruction and before inputting a registration instruction.
In addition, one of the plurality of image forming apparatuses is automatically selected based on a selection rule that determines which one of the plurality of image forming apparatuses is selected according to the scan setting data and the scan setting data set through the input unit. Since the scan setting data is transmitted to the control unit to operate the control unit, a certain relationship can be established between the content type of the document file and the scan setting data or the performance of the image forming apparatus. This facilitates the above effect.

According to the configuration of the third aspect of the image forming system , the notebook name and tag are both search metadata, and the model name is included as the notebook name or tag, so the search metadata is set manually. This makes it possible to search more efficiently without doing so.

According to the configuration of the fourth aspect of the image forming system , since a part of the scan setting data is included as a tag, it is possible to search more efficiently without manually setting search metadata. Play.

  Other objects, characteristic configurations and effects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description read in connection with the appended claims and the drawings.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating an image forming system according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a hardware configuration of a subsystem of the PC and the image forming apparatus in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a schematic functional block diagram of a subsystem of an image forming apparatus and a document management server in FIG. 1. 5 is a schematic flowchart showing document file registration processing by the image forming apparatus. It is a figure which shows the structural example of a scan setting screen. It is a figure which shows the structural example of a database registration screen. It is a schematic block diagram which shows the partial structure of a database. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the image forming apparatus selection rule table used in Example 2 of this invention.

  FIG. 1 shows an image forming system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

  In this system, PCs (Personal Computers) 10 to 1N and image forming apparatuses 20 to 22 are connected by a LAN (Local Area Network) 30. The LAN 30 is coupled to a cloud type document management server 32 via a router 31.

  If a document image is read by a scanner provided in each of the image forming apparatuses 20 to 22 to be converted into an electronic document and registered together with search metadata in the document management server 32, the user can include any of the PCs 10 to 1N. It is possible to search and browse registered documents even from other hosts.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a hardware configuration of a subsystem of the PC 10 and the image forming apparatus 20 in FIG.

  In the PC 10, the CPU 41 is coupled to the PROM 43, DRAM 44, auxiliary storage device 45, network interface 46, and conversational input / output device 47 via the interface 42. In FIG. 2, a plurality of types of interfaces are represented by one block 42 for the sake of simplicity.

  The PROM 43 is a flash memory, for example, and stores a basic input / output system (BIOS). The DRAM 44 is used as a main storage device. The auxiliary storage device 45 stores an OS (Operating System), various drivers, applications, and data. Network interface 46 is coupled to LAN 30. The interactive input / output device 47 includes, for example, a keyboard and a pointing device as input devices, and a display device as an output device.

  The PCs 11 to 1N are configured similarly to the PC 10.

  In the image forming apparatus 20, a CPU 51 is coupled to a PROM 53, a DRAM 54, an auxiliary storage device 55, a network interface 56, an operation panel 57, a scanner 58, a printer 59, and a fax modem 5A via an interface 52. In FIG. 2, a plurality of types of interfaces are represented by one block 52 for the sake of simplicity.

  The PROM 53 is, for example, a flash memory, and stores a BIOS, an OS, various drivers, and various applications for causing the image forming apparatus to function. The DRAM 54 is used as a main storage device. The auxiliary storage device 55 stores printing data, image data read by the scanner 58, and facsimile reception data. Network interface 56 is coupled to LAN 30. The operation panel 57 includes a touch panel, a push button switch, and a display panel. The scanner 58 is used for generating a document file (image data file), and this file is used for printing, facsimile transmission, file transmission or storage. The printer 59 includes a print engine, a paper feeding unit, a conveyance unit, and a paper discharge unit. The bitmap data generated in the DRAM 54 is supplied, and an electrostatic latent image is formed on the photosensitive drum based on the data. This image is developed with toner, and the toner image is transferred and fixed on a sheet, and discharged.

  FIG. 3 is a schematic functional block diagram of subsystems of the image forming apparatus 20 and the document management server 32 in FIG. The document management server 32 provides document management to the image forming apparatus 20 through a Web service, and FIG. 3 shows only the configuration related to the Web service.

  The image forming apparatus 20 includes an operation panel 57 and a scanner 58, and functional blocks 60 to 66, and the document management server 32 includes functional blocks 70 to 74. The control unit 60 also has a UI function.

  FIG. 4 is a schematic flowchart showing document file registration processing by the image forming apparatus 20. This process is started in response to ScanToDatabase selection in a main menu (not shown).

  Next, based on this flowchart, the structure of FIG. 3 is demonstrated with the effect | action. In the following, the step identification codes in FIG. 4 are shown in parentheses.

  (S0) 60 activates the scanner application 61.

  Here, the setting data 62 includes the model name of the image forming apparatus 20 and the initial value of the setting data relating to each function or the value rewritten thereafter. This setting data 62 is stored in the auxiliary storage device 55.

  The scanner application 61 displays scan setting data among the setting data 62 on the operation panel 57 via the control unit 60. FIG. 5 shows the scan setting screen G1. The user performs scan settings by operating the operation panel 57 with respect to the scan setting screen G1.

  Specifically, the user touches the right end of each box in the left column to display a list of selection items, and selects one of the items to set the item. However, when the “change” button is pressed, a dialog box for inputting the width and height size of the document reading range is displayed, and when the “reference” button is pressed, a folder selection dialog box is displayed.

  In FIG. 5, the original type is paper, the color mode is full color, the reading resolution is 600 dpi, the original size is A4, the original reading range size is 21.01 cm wide, 29.60 cm high, and the file format is jpeg. File name and folder path are set.

  (S1) When the user presses the “Scan” button on this scan setting screen G1, the process proceeds to step S2, and when the “return” button is pressed, the process of FIG. 4 ends and the process returns to the main menu display process. The user sets the document on an auto sheet feeder (not shown) before pressing the “Scan” button.

  (S2) The control unit 60 drives the auto sheet feeder on the one hand to start document feeding, and gives a scan instruction to the scanner application 61 on the other hand. In response to this, the scanner application 61 sets data relating to the scanner in the setting data 62 to the scanner 58 via the scanner driver 63. When the sensor detects that the document has been sent to a predetermined position, the control unit 60 temporarily stops the auto sheet feeder and gives a reading start instruction to the scanner application 61. In response to this, the scanner application 61 causes the scanner 58 to read the document via the scanner driver 63, notifies the address of the image data to the control unit 60, converts the image data into a set format, Store as a file in the set path.

  The following steps S <b> 3 to S <b> 5 are processes for substituting metadata values into variables in order to automatically set search metadata, and are performed by the control unit 60.

  (S3) The model name of the image forming apparatus 20 is read from the setting data 62 and used as a notebook name.

  (S4) It is assumed that the name and title of a newly created note are combined with, for example, the user ID at the time of login and the current date and time.

  (S5) A part of data on the scan setting screen G1, for example, a color mode, a document image reading resolution, a document size, and a file format are set as one tag.

  (S6) The controller 60 causes the operation panel 57 to display a database registration screen G2 as shown in FIG. In the figure, IMG displays the image data in step S2. "MODEL1" is the notebook name, "User03_20120213: 092856" is the notebook name and the title of the notebook, "FullColor", "600dpi", "A4" and "jpeg" are the tag values, Are also automatically set by the control unit 60.

  The user changes the name and title of the note and adds tags as necessary. The control unit 60 assigns these values to variables as part of the search metadata or updates the values of the variables.

  (S7) If the user presses the “save” button on the database registration screen G2, the process proceeds to step S8. If the user presses the “return” button for rescanning, the process returns to step S0.

  (S8) The control unit 60 passes the document file path and metadata reference to the RPC (Remote Procedure Call) client 64 to instruct registration (requests registration). In response to this, the RPC client 64 performs user authentication processing on the document management server 32 via the stub 65 and the communication unit 66, and acquires an authentication token. Next, the RPC client 64 reads the contents of the document file and metadata of the path, and requests the document management server 32 to register them. At this time, the stub 65 converts these contents into the form of an XML file to obtain a request message. The communication unit 66 transmits this request message by using the HTTP / TCP / IP stack unit.

  On the other hand, in the document management server 32, the communication unit 70 processes the received packet in the HTTP / TCP / IP stack unit and supplies a request message to the stub 71. The stub 71 converts the XML file, which is a request message, into a procedure call form and calls a procedure in the RPC server 72. In response to this, the RPC server 72 stores the document file and metadata in the database 74 via the DBMS 73.

  FIG. 7 is a schematic block diagram showing a part of the database 74.

  This database 74 is that of Evernote (registered trademark), and notes 81 to 8M as contents are associated with a notebook 80 as a container. The notebook 81 is an XML file and is described in ENML that is an extension of XHTML. Each note 81 can include zero or more document file paths. In FIG. 7, notes 81, 82,..., 8M include paths of document files 91, 92,.

  The database 74 also includes tags 101 to 10L as search metadata. Notes and tags are many-to-many, and one note is associated with zero or more tags, and one tag is associated with zero or more notes. Each note includes a title element as search metadata. The name of the notebook 80 is also search metadata.

  In the search, by specifying the name of the notebook 80, which is the metadata, the title of the notebook, the tag, and the like using a predetermined search formula, a matching set can be obtained. In the search formula, one or all of the notebooks can be specified, and the tag and the title of the notebook can be specified by logical product or logical sum, respectively.

  (S9) If the response message from the document management server 32 indicates successful registration, the process of FIG. 4 is terminated and the process returns to the main menu display process. If the response message indicates failure, the process proceeds to step S10.

  (S10) The cause of failure is displayed in the status box 110 of FIG. 6, and the process returns to step S6.

  Although not shown in FIG. 5, in actuality, in step S6, all notebooks and tags of the logged-in user are acquired from the document management server 32, and the notebook and tags are registered on the database registration screen G2 in FIG. When these are displayed in a drop-down list and the user selects an item from these lists, a search request is made to the document management server 32 based on the value of the selected item, and a list NL of hit notes is displayed. When the user selects a note in the list NL, the content is displayed in the box IMG. The user can add the document file to this note and associate the tag with it. Further, after inputting a search expression in the search box SB and making a search request to the document management server 32, the same processing as described above can be performed.

  Further, the search metadata can be added on the PC side after the document file is registered, and since the PC generally has better operability than the image forming apparatus, the user usually searches for the search metadata in step S6. This is done after searching for notes on the PC side without adding or editing data. In this case, in the first embodiment, the search metadata is automatically added as described above, so that it can be effectively used to specify this note.

  The image forming apparatuses 21 and 22 are the same as the image forming apparatus 20 described above.

  According to the first embodiment, the control unit 60 generates part of the model name and scan setting data of the image forming apparatus as search metadata, and requests the RPC client 64 to register the document file and the metadata. Therefore, if there is a certain relationship between the content type of the document file and the scan setting data or the performance (model) of the image forming apparatus consciously or unconsciously, effective search metadata is There is an effect that it is possible to search efficiently without manual setting.

  Further, the data in the database 74 includes notebooks 81 to 8M as contents and a notebook 80 as a notebook container, the notebook name is search metadata, and the model name of the image forming apparatus is the notebook. Since it is included as a name, it is possible to search more efficiently.

  In addition, since a note is associated with a tag, the tag is search metadata, and includes a color or monochrome identifier, image reading resolution, document size, and file format identifier that are part of the scan setting data as a tag. When there is a certain relationship between the content type of the document file and these tags, there is an effect that it becomes possible to search more efficiently.

  FIG. 8 shows an image forming apparatus selection rule table 120 used in Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

  The selection rule table 120 is stored in the auxiliary storage device 45 of the PC 10 in FIG.

  In the selection rule table 120, “Model1,” “Model2,” and “Model3” indicate the models of the image forming apparatuses 20, 21, and 22 of FIG. The selection rule table 120 means the following. That is, for example, if the color mode is set to “full color” on the scan setting screen G1, “Model1” is selected regardless of the setting values of the resolution and the file format, and if “grayscale is set, the file format is selected. “Model1” is selected when “pdf” is “pdf”, and “Model2” is selected when it is in other formats.

  The PC 10 includes a remote control application for each of the image forming apparatuses 20 to 22 and can be used instead of the operation panel 57 of the image forming apparatus. When this remote control application is activated and ScanToDatabase is selected from the main menu, the processing of FIG. 4 is started. However, the process of step S0 in FIG. 4 is performed only on the PC 10 side, and it is not determined at this stage which of the image forming apparatuses 20 to 22 is used.

  In the PC 10, the “Scan” button on the scan setting screen G1 in FIG. 5 is initially a “scanner automatic selection” button. When this button is pressed, the PC 10 selects an image based on the scan setting data at this time. With reference to the forming apparatus selection rule table 120, it is determined which of the image forming apparatuses 20 to 22 is used, and the “scanner automatic selection” button is changed to a “Scan” button.

  Next, the user moves to the selected image forming apparatus 20, sets a document on the auto sheet feeder, returns to the PC 10, and presses the “Scan” button. As a result, the PC 10 transmits the data of the scan setting screen G1 to the control unit 60 of the image forming apparatus 20 and gives an instruction of ScanToDatabase, and performs the processing after step S2 in FIG.

  The PCs 11 to 1N in FIG. 1 are the same as the PC 10, and the image forming apparatuses 21 and 22 are the same as the image forming apparatus 20.

  Other points are the same as those in the first embodiment.

  According to the second embodiment, the image forming apparatus selection rule table 120 that determines which of the image forming apparatuses 20 to 22 is selected according to the scan setting data, and the scan set via the interactive input / output device 47. Since one of the image forming apparatuses 20 to 22 is automatically selected by the PC based on the setting data and the scan setting data is transmitted to the control unit 60 of the image forming apparatus to operate the control unit 60, the document It becomes easy to have a certain relationship between the file content type and the scan setting data or the performance of the image forming apparatus, thereby enhancing the effects described in the first embodiment.

  In the above, preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described. However, the present invention includes various modifications, and other configurations that realize the functions of the respective components described in the above embodiments are used. However, other configurations that would be conceived by those skilled in the art from these configurations or functions are also included in the present invention.

  For example, in the above embodiment, the case where the model name of the image forming apparatus is the notebook name has been described. However, both the notebook name and the tag are search metadata, and both can be included in the search formula. May be used as one of the tags, and in this case, the same effect as described above can be obtained.

  In addition, the Web service protocol is not limited to RPC, but may be SOAP or other protocols.

10 PC
20 Image forming apparatus 30 LAN
31 router 32 document management server 41, 51 CPU
42, 52 Interface 43, 53 PROM
44, 54 DRAM
45, 55 Auxiliary storage device 46, 56 Network interface 47 Interactive input / output device 57 Operation panel 58 Scanner 59 Printer 5A Fax modem 60 Control unit 61 Scanner application 62 Setting data 63 Scanner driver 64 RPC client 65, 71 Stub 66, 70 Communication Part 72 RPC server 73 DBMS
74 Database 80 Notebook 81 Notebook 91 Document file 101 Tag 110 Status box 120 Image forming apparatus selection rule table G1 Scan setting screen G2 Database registration screen

Claims (4)

In an image forming system comprising a plurality of image forming apparatuses coupled to a network, and a host and a web service server coupled to the network,
The web service server
In response to the registration request from the image forming apparatus , the document file received from the image forming apparatus is registered in the database in association with the search metadata, and in response to the search request, based on the received search formula reply reads the document file from the database,
The image forming apparatus includes:
And Web service client coupled through the Web service server and the network,
A scanner ,
And response to the scan instruction input from the host, the host to read the original image on the scanner based on the scan setting data received from the to produce a document file, a model name or the scan setting data of the own apparatus- parts produced as search metadata, to the Web service client, and a control means for registering requests the document file and the search for the metadata to the Web service server,
The host is
Input means;
Storage means for storing a selection rule that determines which of the plurality of image forming apparatuses to select according to scan setting data;
In response to a selection instruction from the input unit, one of the plurality of image forming apparatuses is automatically selected based on scan setting data set via the input unit and the selection rule, and scanning from the input unit is performed. in response to the instruction input is closed to the control means of the selected image forming apparatus, and a remote control means for operating said control means to transmit the scan setting data, and
An image forming system . Data of the database, and notes that can include the path of the document file as an element, and a notebook is note container, the can associate tags to note, the name and the tag of the notebook Are search metadata,
The image forming system according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises the model name as the name or tag of the notebook. As the tag, an image forming system according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises a portion of the scan setting data. 4. The image forming system according to claim 3 , wherein the part of the scan setting data includes one or more of a color or monochrome identifier, an image reading resolution, a document size, and a file format identifier.

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