JPH06103208A - Scan service system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To share an image input means by storing input image data and their attribute data, collating ID with the attribute data and transmitting respec tive objective image data to plural users. CONSTITUTION:In a system constituted of a digital color copying machine 1000 consisting of a color scanner, a feeder and a color printer, a work station to be a client on a network and an image storing/editing device 500, an image memory controller 550 in the device 500 manages an image memories 551 for temporarily storing image data sent from a work station on the network 600 or the color scanner in the copying machine 1000. On the other hand, the client ID of a user to be an owner for an original or attribute data relating to image data are registered in an image data ID table 570. Thus the identification of the owner of the original and the retrieval of the original are executed according to the attribute data.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a scan server system, for example, a system in which one image input means is shared by a plurality of users in a network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a digital color copying machine is connected to a computer and used as a color image input / output means.
The number of systems that edit color images has increased.

Further, a network technology for connecting computers to communicate with each other has been developed, and it has become possible to share a printer.

[0004]

However, there has been a problem that a system for sharing a scanner on a network has not been established yet, and a digital color copying machine is currently used only as a network color printer.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a scan server system in which a plurality of users can use one image input means on a network.

[0006]

A scan server system provided by the present invention is an image input unit, an image output unit, a unit for feeding a document to the image input unit, and the image input unit connected to a network. A plurality of sets of image data input by the above and attribute data relating to the image data are held, and means for identifying the owner of the original document and searching the original document based on the attribute data is provided.

[0007]

According to the scan server system of the present invention, a plurality of users on the network can be given the same ID as the users.
By comparing the attribute data with the attribute data, the respective target image data can be transmitted.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a scan server system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, as shown in the figure, a digital color image reading unit (hereinafter referred to as "color scanner") 100, a circulating reflection original feeding device (hereinafter referred to as "feeder") for setting an original on the color scanner. A digital color copying machine 1000 including a digital color image print unit 200 and a digital color image print unit (hereinafter referred to as “color printer”) 300 that prints out a digital color image.
And a computer (hereinafter referred to as a “workstation”) 400 as a client on the network 600.
And an image storage / editing apparatus 500, and a network 600 connecting the above.

FIG. 2 shows the digital color copying machine 1000.
FIG. 3 shows the structure of the feeder 200 in FIG.

In the color scanner 100, the scanner controller 110 is at the center of control and performs the following control. The exposure system controller 130 separates the original on the platen glass 131 of the feeder 200 for each color of R, G, and B by the contact type CCD line sensor and converts it into a dot-sequential analog image signal. This analog image signal is
The A / D converter converts the digital image signal of 8 bits for each color, and outputs the R, G, and B colors, which are the luminance, as line-sequential signals. This digital image signal is output from the R, G, and B luminance levels to the density C.
The levels are converted into levels corresponding to the toner amounts of the four colors M, Y, and Bk. At the same time, the color correction unit in the image processing unit 120 performs calculation, and various image processes such as composition, scaling, and movement are performed.

The feeder 200 is controlled by a feeder controller 150 in the color scanner 100, and the feeder 200 sets an original on the platen glass 131.

A stacking tray 201 on which a stack of originals is set is provided with a width direction restricting plate (hereinafter referred to as a "guide plate") for restricting the widthwise direction of the originals so that the originals are not skewed at the time of feeding the originals. Then, the document is slid in a direction perpendicular to the document feeding direction, that is, in the width direction. The document volume (width direction) can be detected by moving the slide volume in conjunction with it.

First, in the case of a single-sided original, the half-moon roller 203 and the separation roller 204 separate one by one from the lowermost part of the original stack on the stacking tray 201, and the separated originals are provided in the path I while passing through the path I. The paper width in the feeding direction is detected by the contact type paper width sensor 212, and the conveyance roller 2
It is conveyed and stopped (set) to the exposure position of the platen glass 131 through the path II by the 05 and the entire surface belt 206. After scanning, the document on the platen glass 131 is returned to the uppermost part of the document stack again by the large conveyance roller 207 and the paper ejection roller 208 (the full-face belt 206 and the paper ejection roller 211 in the case of a small-sized document).

At this time, the recycle lever 209 is placed on the upper part of the document stack at the start of feeding the originals, and when the originals are sequentially fed and the trailing edge of the final original leaves the recycling lever 209, the originals fall onto the stacking tray 201 by its own weight. By doing so, one circulation of the document is detected.

Next, in the case of a double-sided original, after the scanning is completed as described above, the original is once passed through the path III, and the rotatable switching flapper 210 is switched to guide the leading edge of the original to the path IV and the transport rollers. The original is set on the platen glass 131 by the entire surface belt 206 through the path II by 205. That is, the rotation of the large conveyance roller 207 causes the document to be reversed along the route of paths III to IV to II.

In addition, the document bundles are passed one by one to passes I to II to III.
It is also possible to count the number of originals by the paper width sensor 212 by conveying the sheets through V to VI until one cycle is detected by the recycle lever 209.

In the color printer 300, the digital image signals of C, M, Y, and Bk sent from the color scanner 100 to the controller 310 of the color printer are converted into the lighting signals of the semiconductor laser unit, and the image forming unit 320. The laser drive 321 controls the laser, and the lighting signal of the laser is output to the polygon scanner drive unit 322 as a pulse width corresponding to the level of the digital image signal. The laser lighting level is 256 levels (8 bits
It corresponds to). In accordance with the digital image signal to be output, a color image is exposed / developed in the developing unit 326 in the order of digital dots on the photosensitive drum 325 for each color of C, M, Y, and Bk, and the transfer unit A plurality of sheets are transferred to a sheet at 327, separated by a separating unit 333, conveyed by a conveying unit 334, and finally fixed by a fixing unit 335. As described above, the color printer 300 is an electrophotographic laser beam printer. 3
Reference numeral 24 is a charging portion of the photosensitive drum 325, 323 is a surface potential control portion of the photosensitive drum 325, 329 is a transfer drum, 331.
Is a paper cassette and 336 is a tray.

The color scanner 100 and the feeder 20
0 and the color printer 300 can also function as the digital color copying machine 1000 by controlling the feeder 200 and the color printer 300 under the control of the color scanner 100.

That is, in this copying machine 1000, when a document bundle is set on the stacking tray 201 of the feeder 200 and the copy start key is pressed, the image is read by the color scanner 100 according to the above-mentioned process, and the color printer is used. An image is formed and output through the processes of exposure, development, transfer, and fixing at 300.

FIG. 4 shows the configuration of a workstation 400 which is a network client (hereinafter referred to as "client").

The workstation 400 has a network interface controller 420 for exchanging commands / data with other clients and servers through the network 600, and a C for central control.
RISC CPU 40 for processing PU, eg RISC
5, a ROM 406, a RAM 407, a hard disk 451 for temporarily registering image data and storing various data, a hard disk controller 450, and a main memory 46.
0, a mouse 431, a keyboard 441 and a keyboard / mouse controller 430 as instruction input means from an operator (hereinafter referred to as “user”), a color display 412 and a display controller 410 for displaying layout / editing / menu, and a display. It is composed of an image editing controller 413 which performs image layout / editing on the memory 411.

FIG. 5 shows the configuration of the image storage / editing apparatus 500.
6 is an image data ID table 570 shown in FIG.
Shows the configuration of.

The apparatus 500 is a network server (hereinafter referred to as "server") which is the core of the scan server system of this embodiment, and includes a main controller 510 for controlling the apparatus as a whole, a workstation 400 on the network 600, and the like. The image memory 551 and the image memory management controller 550 for temporarily storing the image data sent from the color scanner 100 which is the image input unit, and the image data such as the client ID and the image size of the user who owns the document An image data ID table 570 for registering attribute data, and a keyboard 59 which is an instruction / data input means from a user.
1, a mouse 592 and a keyboard / mouse controller 590, a display 582 for displaying various data / menus, a display memory 581 and a display controller 580, and a layout / editing / synthesizing of actual image data according to a command from the workstation 400. Image editing controller 560 that performs
41, a RAM 542, and a buffer memory 540. FIG. 6 shows the image data ID table 57.
0 is a configuration example of 0.

In addition, an interface (hereinafter referred to as "I / F")
The network I / F controller 520 that exchanges data with the network 600 and the digital color I / F controller 530 that exchanges image data / commands with the digital color copying machine 1000.

The image storage / editing apparatus 500 is capable of storing a plurality of color images. The stored image data is further controlled by controlling the read timing for each memory so as to perform a plurality of layouts, and further combined. It is output to the color printer 300, and a color print image can be obtained. Also, by performing image editing such as actual layout / editing / compositing at the time of output on this device, only commands can be used to interact with the client at the time of output, so large-capacity data such as image data can be stored. By reducing the number of communications, it is possible to prevent occupation of long-term network traffic and improve communication reliability.

Further, the color image data can be switched by either the network 600 or the color scanner 100 as an input destination by an arbitrary command from the workstation 400 on the network 600.

Image data and commands exchanged between the workstation 400 and the image storage / editing apparatus 500 are based on a specific format (packet). FIG. 7 shows the structure of this packet.

Next, the operation of the scan server system having the above configuration will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 8 is a system flow chart showing a rough operation procedure of the scan server system.

First, an original is set on the feeder 200 (step 1), a prescan (step 2), an original selection (step 3), a scan (step 4), an image editing process, and a final process are performed. Print (step 5).

(A) Setting a Document FIG. 9 shows a process of setting a document on the feeder 200.

First, a stack of documents is placed on the stacking tray 201 of the feeder 200 shown in FIG. 3 (step 6). If another document has already been placed, the width of the sheet is placed on top of it. Also, if there is no document placed earlier, align the guide plate with the document. As described above, this makes it possible to prevent the skew of the document and detect the paper width in the width direction (steps 7, 8 and 9).

Next, the image storage / editing apparatus 500 shown in FIG.
Client ID used on the network 600 by the user using the keyboard 591 and mouse 592 of
Is input (step 10). Here, instead of his / her own client ID, it is also possible to allow other clients to handle the manuscript by inputting, for example, what is called a group ID, which indicates that the manuscript is a shared manuscript. is there.

If the original to be used is a double-sided original, an instruction that the original is a double-sided original is input (step 1
1, 12).

(B) Prescan FIG. 10 shows the prescan process.

The term "prescan" as used herein refers to scanning an image at a low resolution that allows it to be distinguished from other images, and by reducing the amount of data extremely, the processing time required for document selection can be shortened. This is what I aimed for. This resolution can be arbitrarily specified by the user.

By inputting a prescan start instruction to the image storage / editing apparatus 500 (step 13), the main controller 510 causes the digital color copier 1000 to operate via the digital color I / F controller 530.
First, a command for setting the recycle lever 209 is sent.

When the feeder controller 150 receives this command via the scanner controller 110, the feeder controller 150 sets the recycle lever 209 on the uppermost surface of the document stack on the stacking tray 201 (step 14), and stores the set completion code in the image storage / editing mode. Return to device 500.

Next, the main controller 510 sends a command to set the lowermost one of the document stack at the exposure start position of the platen glass 131.

The feeder 200 sets the original on the platen glass 131 according to the above-mentioned process (step 16). At this time, the paper width sensor 21 provided in the path I
According to 2, the paper width in the feeding direction is detected and the number of passing originals is counted (step 15).

This data is sent to the image storage / editing apparatus 500 and compared with the number of originals for which pre-scanning has been completed and image data has been registered, it is determined whether or not the original currently on the platen glass 131 has been pre-scanned. If judged and pre-scanned, pass III-V as it is
~ It is returned to the top of the document stack through VI. That is, it is skipped (step 22).

If the original has not been prescanned, a command is sent to the exposure system controller 130 to perform prescan, and the image data is efficiently written in the image memory 551 by the image memory management controller 550. At the same time, the attribute data of this prescan image data is stored in the image data ID table 570 (steps 18 and 19). The attribute data stored here is
It is linked to the image data by the image number. The contents are the document number as the document ID (the document stacks are sequentially referred to from the bottom), the document type indicating the front side / back side of the document, the client ID used by the user who owns the document on the network 600, and the image. The data size (feed direction × width direction) and the image data type (in this case, a code indicating a prescan image).

After storing the data, the original document on the platen glass 131 is returned to the top of the original document through paths III to V to VI (steps 20 and 22). However, in the case of a double-sided original, after passing through the path III, it is guided to the path IV by the switching plapper 210 (steps 21 and 24), set upside down again on the platen glass 131 in the state of being inverted, and prescanned (step). 16, 17). This manuscript is
After being turned upside down again by the above procedure, it is returned to the top of the original stack (step 22).

As described above, when the prescan is sequentially performed, the recycle lever 209 is completely dropped on the stacking tray 201, and the prescan of the final document is completed,
The completion of prescan is notified to the image storage / editing apparatus 500 (step 23).

This process is executed every time a stack of documents is set.

(C) Selection of Document FIG. 11 shows a process of selecting a document.

On the workstation 400 which is a client connected to the network 600, image editing software for laying out, enlarging / reducing and synthesizing image data is loaded from the hard disk 451 to the main memory 460 and executed by the CPU 405. It The user has a keyboard 441 and a mouse 431.
When a scan is selected from the command menu using (step 25), the CPU 405 first sends a command packet for reading a prescan image to the image storage / editing apparatus 500, which is a scan server, in the format shown in FIG. 7 via the network 600. Send (step 26).

Upon receiving the command packet, the image storage / editing apparatus 500 receives the network I / F controller 52.
This is disassembled by 0, analyzed by the main controller 510, and the image data ID table 570 is searched for image data having the same ID as the client that sent the packet or the group ID.

As a result, when there is no corresponding image data, a code packet indicating that there is no corresponding data is returned to the client (step 33). If there is data, the pre-scan image data is sequentially read from the image memory 551 and the attribute data is read from the image data ID table 570, respectively, and these are read out by the network I / F controller 5.
The packet is processed into a packet at 20 and sent to the workstation 400 which is a cryout (steps 29 and 3).
0).

The workstation 400 temporarily stores the received prescan image in the RAM 407 or the hard disk 451 and then displays the list on the display 412, and the user selects a desired image (original) from the list (step). 31, 32).

Until the command packet is transmitted to the image storage / editing apparatus 500 via the network 600 and the designated original is set on the platen glass 131, the original is skipped by the feeder 200 according to the above-described process.

(D) Scan FIG. 12 shows the scanning process.

The selected pre-scan image is enlarged and displayed on the display 412 while keeping the low resolution (step 34), and the user can select the scan area, resolution, and
For example, an image type such as R, G, B or a binary bitmap, color correction, image rotation, etc. is displayed on the display 41.
Instruct while confirming on step 2 (step 35).

These are immediately transmitted to the image storage / editing apparatus 500 as command packets (step 36), analyzed by the main controller 510, and scanned by the scanner 100 (step 37). It should be noted that commands such as color correction and rotation are issued by the image processing unit 1 of the scanner 100.
20 (steps 38, 39). The scanned image data is temporarily stored in the image memory 551 (step 40), processed into packets, and then sent to the workstation 400 via the network 600 (step 41).

(E) Image Editing FIG. 13 shows the process of image editing and printing.

Here, the color scanner 1 is executed by the software executed on the workstation 400.
The image data read from 00 is subjected to image editing such as enlargement / reduction / composition / layout using a computer image created on the workstation 400.

In general, since the image data has a huge amount of data in the main memory 460 of the workstation 400, the image data sent from the image storing / editing apparatus 500 is once stored in the large capacity RAM 407 or the hard disk 451. (Step 42), it is written in the display memory 411 (Step 43). still,
In case of re-editing the image, the processing time can be shortened by reading the data from the RAM 407 or the hard disk 451.

In the workstation 400, the image editing performed on the image data in the display memory 411 is a simulation, and the actual image editing is the image editing controller 56 in the image storage / editing apparatus 500.
With 0, it is performed on the image data stored in the image memory 551. The software executed on the workstation 400 stores the above-mentioned simulation procedure and realizes image editing by transmitting only the command necessary for this editing procedure to the image storage / editing apparatus 500 at the time of print output. (Steps 44-4)
7). As a result, at the time of print output, it is possible to prevent pressure on network traffic due to transmission of a large amount of data. In addition, since the amount of data is reduced, it is possible to reduce the possibility that a communication error will occur.

(F) Print When the appearance of image editing is ready, select the print command from the command menu (step 45), and as described above, send the editing procedure to the image storage / editing device 500 (step 46), and the image is edited. The image is actually edited by the edit controller 560 (step 47), stored in the image memory 551 (step 48), and then printed out in the printer 300 of the digital color copying machine 1000 through the above-mentioned printing process (steps 49 to 49). 55).

By using the procedure described above, the system of this embodiment can be used from any workstation 400 on the network 600.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram of a scan server system according to another embodiment of the present invention. The difference from the system of the above embodiment will be described below.

In the system of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1,
Although only the reflection original (paper) was assumed as the input medium of the image, in the system of the present embodiment, the transparent original image reading apparatus (hereinafter referred to as "film scanner") is used as the image input means in addition to the scanner 100. By providing 700, a transparent original (hereinafter referred to as "film")
Can also be used.

The film scanner 700 is provided with a rotary transparent original feeding tray (hereinafter referred to as "drum tray") capable of accommodating a plurality of films, holds the position data of the first film, and controls the rotation angle. By carrying out, it is possible to feed a plurality of originals and search for an arbitrary film as in the system of FIG.

Further, since the image storage / editing apparatus 500 enables image input from the film scanner 700, as shown in FIG. 15, the digital color I / F controller 5 is used.
It is configured to include 31.

As described above, the only difference in the process between the system of this embodiment (FIG. 14) and the system of FIG. 1 is the document setting and the prescan.

(A) Setting of Original Document FIG. 16 shows a process of setting a film (transparent original) on the film scanner 700.

First, the films are set in order from the storage position of the first film shown on the dry tray (step 101).

Next, the client ID or group ID is input to the image storage / editing apparatus 500 (step 10).
2) Further, it specifies that the original is a film (step 103). This data is stored in the image data ID table 570 as a document type, and the image storage / editing apparatus 500 automatically switches the input means at the time of scanning by this data.

(B) Prescan FIG. 17 shows the prescan process.

When the image storage / editing apparatus 500 is instructed to start the prescan (step 104), first, the drum tray is rotated (skip) by the amount of the film which has been prescanned (step 105).

After that, the film is taken into the scan position and a prescan is executed at a low resolution (step 10).
6) The image data is stored in the image memory 551 (step 107).

The drum tray is rotated by one film (step 108), and it is checked whether or not there is the next film at the film take-in position. If not, it is determined that the pre-scan is completed, and the drum tray is rotated to the position of the first sheet (step 111). When the next film is present, the pre-scan is sequentially executed by the above-described process until the drum tray is rotated to the position of the first sheet, that is, one rotation is detected (steps 106 to 110).

As described above, since the switching of the input means at the time of scanning is automatically performed by the image storage / editing apparatus 500, the process thereafter is the same as the system of FIG.

With the above configuration and process, the operability of the scan server system of this embodiment is almost the same as that of the system of FIG. 1, and the client workstation 400 scans without being aware of the difference in input means. -Image editing can be executed.

[0076]

As described above, according to the present invention,
With the above configuration, multiple cryouts
The image input means of the stand can be used on the network.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a system according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a digital color copying machine according to an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a feeder according to an embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a workstation of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of an image storage / editing apparatus according to an embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of an image data ID table according to the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram of a packet according to the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart of an example system.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a document set according to the embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a prescan of the embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart of document selection according to the embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart of scanning according to the embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart of image editing and printing according to the embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a configuration diagram of a system of another embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a configuration diagram of an image storage / editing apparatus according to another embodiment.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart of a document set according to another embodiment.

FIG. 17 is a flowchart of a prescan according to another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 100 Color Scanner 200 Feeder 300 Color Printer 400 Workstation 500 Image Storage / Editing Device 600 Network 1000 Digital Color Copier

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An image input unit connected to a network, an image output unit, a unit for feeding a document to the image input unit, image data input by the image input unit, and attribute data relating to the image data. A plurality of sets are held, and an identification / search means for identifying the owner of the manuscript and searching the manuscript on the basis of the attribute data is provided, and a plurality of users on the network can collate the ID with the attribute data. In addition, the scan server system is characterized by transmitting the respective target image data. 2. The identification / retrieval means holds, as the attribute data, data including a document number, a document type, and an ID used by a user on the network, and based on this, a document having a designated image is stored. The scan server system according to claim 1, which is for searching. 3. The scan server system according to claim 1, wherein the original is a reflective original, the image input means is a color scanner, and the means for feeding the original is a circulating reflective original feeding device. . 4. The scan server system according to claim 1, wherein the original is a transparent original, the image input unit is a film scanner, and the means for feeding the original is a rotary transparent original feeding tray. .