JPH10111793A - Information processing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To start software on computer PC from a scanner and a printer. SOLUTION: A composite machine 20 is a device having the functions of the scanner, the printer and a copying machine. Host PC 10 gives ID to software which can be started from the composite machine 20 and registers the correspondence of ID and the starting command of software in a management table 14. Information of the management table 14 is transmitted to the composite machine 20 and a menu table 24 is generated based on it. A menu display part 26 menu-displays the list of software which can be started from the composite machine 20 based on the menu table 24. A selected result detection part 28 retrieves ID corresponding to a menu item which a user selects from the menu table 24 and informs host PC 10 of ID. Then, a starting management part 18 retrieves the starting command corresponding to ID from the management table 14 and executes software selected by it.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image input / output device for outputting and / or inputting an image to paper or the like such as a scanner or a printer, and to perform processing relating to output data or input data of the image input / output device. The present invention relates to an information processing system including a host computer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An image input device using paper or the like as a medium, such as a printer used for printing and outputting the processing results of a computer on paper or the like, or a scanner for reading an image drawn on paper or the like as a bitmap image. The output device is indispensable as a component of the information processing system. In recent years, an apparatus called a multifunction peripheral having functions of a copier, a printer, a scanner, and a facsimile in one unit has appeared.

With the progress of networking, scanners,
Image input / output devices such as printers and multifunction devices are connected to a network, and a large number of personal computers (hereinafter referred to as P
C is abbreviated as a common use of an image input / output device via a network.

Conventionally, such an image input / output device is considered to be a peripheral device of a PC, and the image input / output device is usually activated from software such as a document editing and image processing on the PC. Was. Therefore, for example, when performing image processing by capturing an image with a scanner or the like, first start the image processing software on the PC, then set the original on the scanner platen, return to the PC again, and return to the PC. Wear GUI (Graphic User Interface)
For example, an operation of inputting an instruction to activate the scanner is required.

[0005]

However, conventionally, depending on the network environment, an image input / output device for inputting a document and obtaining a print result and a PC for inputting an instruction to the image input / output device are conventionally provided. In such a case, the user has to move back and forth between the PC and the image input / output device, which is not convenient.

[0006] Further, in the business using the image input / output device, a paper document is scanned and stored in a file server, and a template of a fixed document such as a report is printed out on a daily basis. Although there are many routine tasks to be performed, in the conventional system, even for such routine tasks, it is necessary to move between the PC and the image input / output device, which is inefficient.

To solve such a problem, conventionally, a PC is built in the image input / output device or a PC is installed near the image input / output device, and an instruction to the image input / output device is input from the PC. However, this method is the same as preparing one dedicated PC for the image input / output device, and has a problem in terms of cost.

The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and performs processing by starting desired software on a computer such as a PC from an image input / output device with a low-cost configuration. It is an object of the present invention to provide an information processing system capable of performing such operations.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, an information processing system according to the present invention provides an image processing system which performs at least one of output of an image on paper or the like and input of an image from paper or the like. An input / output device and a host computer connected to the image input / output device and capable of executing a plurality of software for performing processing relating to output data output to the image input / output device or input data input from the image input / output device In the information processing system including the above, the image input / output device is based on a menu table in which an identifier for specifying each software and information of a symbol display representing each software are registered in association with each other, based on the menu table, A menu is displayed with the symbol display of each software as a menu item, and the menu of the user for the menu display is displayed. Menu processing means for acquiring an item selection input; andselection result notifying means for obtaining an identifier corresponding to the selected menu item from the menu table and notifying the host computer, wherein the host computer A management table in which a software identifier and a command for activating each software are registered in association with each other, and based on the management table, start software corresponding to the identifier notified from the image input / output device, Software activation means for executing a process on input data or output data of the image input / output device.

That is, in this configuration, the image input / output device has a menu table in which identifiers of software that can be started from the image input / output device are registered, and based on the table, a list of symbol display of each software is displayed. Is displayed as a menu. Here, the symbol display is a display for the user to identify each piece of software, and specifically refers to, for example, a description of a description of software content or an image such as an icon. Then, the image input / output device acquires the user's selection input in this menu,
The identifier of the selected software is obtained from the menu table and notified to the host computer. The host computer searches the management table for a software start command corresponding to the identifier notified from the image input / output device, and executes a process specified by the image input / output device by the start command.

According to this configuration, the software can be started from the image input / output device by simply adding a relatively simple configuration of the menu table, the menu processing means, and the selection result notification means to the image input / output device. Desired processing can be performed.

In this configuration, the host computer is "executable of software". This is not only when the host computer has the software, but also when the other computer is connected via a network or the like. Means that the software can be executed.

In a preferred aspect of the present invention, the host computer registers and deletes software in the management table and assigns the identifier to each software registered in the management table. Management table editing means, and menu information transmission means for transmitting at least information on the menu among the management tables edited by the management table editing means to the image input / output device, wherein the image input / output device is There is provided a menu table management means for updating the menu table based on the menu information transmitted from the menu information transmission means.

In this configuration, when it is desired that new software can be started from the image input / output device,
An identifier is assigned to the new software by the management table editing means of the host computer, and the identifier and the start command are registered in the management table. When the management table is updated or newly created in this way, at least information relating to the menu of the image input / output device among the information in the management table is transmitted to the image input / output device by the menu information transmission unit. In the image input / output device, the menu management means creates a menu table corresponding to the management table based on the menu information sent from the host computer. As a result, from the image input / output device,
Each software registered in the new management table can be started. Thus, according to this configuration,
The type of software that can be started from the image input / output device can be changed at any time.

In the present configuration, even when the same application is executed, if the arguments and parameters for execution are different (for example, one fixed document A and another fixed document B are extracted using the same file management application). , Printing, etc.), different identifiers may be given to each of them and registered as separate software in the management table.

In a preferred aspect of the present invention, the management table editing means registers symbol display information corresponding to each software as a data item of the management table, and the menu information transmitting means stores the symbol information. The display information is transmitted to the image input / output device, the menu table management unit registers the symbol display information received from the menu information transmission unit in the menu table, and displays the symbol display in the menu of the image input / output device. Can be created and registered by the host computer.

With this configuration, the display contents of each item of the menu of the image input / output device can be created by the host computer. According to this configuration, as a menu item representing each software, a user-friendly description, an icon image, and the like can be created by the host computer, and can be displayed on the menu by the image input / output device.

In another aspect of the present invention, a plurality of the image input / output devices are connected to the host computer, and the host computer has the management table for each image input / output device, Upon receiving the menu selection result notification from the input / output device, the image input / output device performs processing based on the management table.

In this aspect, even when a plurality of image input / output devices are connected to one host computer,
Since the host computer creates and manages a management table for each image input / output device, appropriate processing can be performed regardless of which image input / output device has notified the menu selection result.

In still another aspect of the present invention, a plurality of the host computers are connected to one image input / output device, and in the image input / output device, the menu table management means includes: Creating the menu table by associating the menu information transmitted from the host computer with the device identifier of each host computer, and the selection result notifying means sets the host computer corresponding to the selected menu item to the menu table. And notifies the host computer of the selection result.

In this configuration, when one image input / output device is connected to a plurality of host computers, the image input / output device merges information in a management table sent from each host computer. Create a menu table. At this time, in order to make it possible to identify which host computer each menu item corresponds to, the menu table management means registers the device identifier of the host computer corresponding to each menu item in the menu table. With such a configuration, the image input / output device displays a list of software of all the host computers as a menu, and when the software is selected in the menu display, transmits the selection result to an appropriate host computer. It can notify and execute the process.

[0022]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a system according to the present invention. The system shown in FIG. 1 includes a multifunction peripheral 20 having functions of a scanner, a printer, a facsimile, and the like.
A host PC (personal computer) connected to the multifunction device 20 via a network or a communication cable or the like.
10 is included. In the present embodiment, the host P
C10 may be connected to the multifunction device 20 via a network or the like.
C (however, limited to those having the performance to realize the functions described below) can be used as the host PC.

In this system, a list of services provided by the host PC 10 to the multifunction peripheral 20 is displayed in a menu on the multifunction peripheral 20, and the result of the user's selection in this menu is notified from the multifunction peripheral 20 to the host PC 10. The host PC 10 executes application software (hereinafter, referred to as an application) corresponding to the selected service. The service according to the present embodiment is a process executed by the host PC 10 with respect to image data captured by the scanner function of the multifunction device 20 or print data printed by the printer function of the multifunction device 20. Corresponds to the software in section.

In order to realize the activation of the service from the multifunction peripheral 20, in the present system, the host PC 10 creates management information for each service provided to the multifunction peripheral 20, and stores the management information as a management table 14 on a disk. Etc. in a non-volatile recording medium. The management table 14 is used as a basis for menu display in the multifunction peripheral 20 and is used to call a corresponding application from a menu selection result notified from the multifunction peripheral 20. In the present embodiment, identification information (referred to as a service ID) is assigned to each service, and each service ID and an application start command (for example, an application execution file name or the like) corresponding to each service are added to the management table 14. Register the correspondence. The management table 14 is created and edited by the system administrator or the like using the management table editor 12. Among the information in the management table 14, information (hereinafter, referred to as menu information) necessary for menu processing of the MFP 20, such as a service ID, is transmitted by the menu information transmission unit 16 via the network or the like.
Sent to. In the multifunction device 20, the menu table management unit 22 receives the menu information, creates a menu table 24 based on the menu information, and stores the menu table 24 in the nonvolatile recording medium. The correspondence between each service ID and the menu item corresponding to each service is registered in the menu table 24.

With such processing, it becomes possible to start the application of the host PC 10 from the MFP 20 and receive the service. In the present embodiment, the following processing is performed for starting the application. That is, first, the menu display unit 26 displays the menu table 2
On the basis of No. 4, a list of services provided by the host PC 10 is displayed on a menu. When the user selects a menu item corresponding to a desired service in the menu display, the selection result is detected by the selection result detection unit 28. The selection result detection unit 28 searches the menu table 24 for a service ID corresponding to the selection result, and notifies the host PC 10 via a network or the like. Host P
In C10, the activation management unit 18 receives the notification of the service ID, searches the management table 14 for an activation command of the application 30 corresponding to the service ID,
By executing the found start command, a process for the service selected by the user is executed.

The schematic processing procedure of the system according to the present embodiment has been described above. Next, a more detailed processing procedure of the present embodiment will be described separately for processing at the time of menu registration and processing at the time of starting an application using this menu.

[Process at Menu Registration] In this embodiment, a menu registration process is required to enable application start-up from the multifunction peripheral 20. Hereinafter, this will be described. This process is performed not only when a new menu is registered, but also when updating a previously used menu from a previously used menu.

For menu registration, first, the host PC
The management table 14 is created or edited by the ten management table editors 12.

FIG. 2 shows an example of the data contents of the management table 14 created in the present embodiment. In the management table 14 of FIG. 2, a service ID, an application file name, a startup parameter, a security level, a password, and menu display data are registered and managed for each service provided to the multifunction peripheral 20. Here, the service ID is an identifier for specifying each service, and is assigned to each service so as to be unique within the host PC 10. The application file name is the executable file name of the application that implements each service,
By inputting the application file name, the application can be started. The execution parameter is a parameter that defines details of the operation of the application, and corresponds to an argument of a command at the time of startup. For example, when a service for storing an image file read by the scanner function of the MFP 20 in a predetermined directory by a general-purpose application for file management is considered, the executable file name of the general-purpose application corresponds to the application name, and the path name of the storage destination directory Are the execution parameters. Also,
If the application is on another PC (ie, a server that provides the application), the P
The network address of C may be registered as an execution parameter. As described above, in the present embodiment, a specific service can be defined by specifying an execution parameter for a multifunctional application. A combination of the application name and the execution parameter is a start command for realizing the corresponding service. Of course, it goes without saying that some applications do not require execution parameters.

The security level in the management table shown in FIG. 2 is used to limit users who receive the service, and specifically indicates whether a password is required to execute the service.
If the value of the security level is 1, the input of a correct password is required to receive the service, and if the value is 0, no password is required.

The menu display data is stored in the multifunction device 2
This is data indicating the display content of the menu item corresponding to each service in the menu display of 0. The display data is for making it easy for the user to understand the contents of the service of each item of the menu, and serves as identification information for the user to identify each service. In the present embodiment, the description indicating the contents of the service is adopted as the menu display data. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, an icon image or the like may be used as the menu display data.

This management table is stored in the corresponding MFP 20
Is specified and managed in association with the device ID (for example, a network address) of the MFP 20.

The management table is a management table editor 1
In step 2, the data is created and edited using a user interface (hereinafter abbreviated as UI) as shown in FIG. When the system administrator activates the management table editor 12 on the host PC 10, a UI window shown in FIG. Here, if there is a management table that has been created in the past, the contents of the UI window are displayed in the UI window.

To change a service already registered in the management table, the service is specified by double-clicking it in the service list. Then, a detailed setting screen is opened, and various settings such as menu display data, a password, and execution parameters can be changed for the service. To register a new service in the management table, a new registration button 50 is clicked. Then, a detailed setting screen is opened, and settings such as an application name, an execution parameter, and menu display data can be made on the detailed setting screen. The management table editor 12 assigns a service ID to the new service and registers each setting content in the management table. The service can be deleted from the management table by, for example, specifying the service to be deleted by clicking on the service list and clicking the delete button 52.

The case where the management table is created by the host PC 10 has been described above. However, the management table editor 12 of the host PC 10 is called from another PC on the network, and the management table is created and processed by the same processing as described above. Editing is also possible.

Thus, the management table 14 is created and
When the editing is completed and the storage in the disk is completed, the menu information transmitting unit 16 extracts the service ID, the security level, and the menu display data from each data of the management table as the menu information, and transmits the menu information to the multifunction peripheral 20.
The procedure of this transmission process will be described with reference to FIG. The menu information transmitting unit 16 performs a process of starting communication with the multifunction device 20, and establishes a connection (S10). When the connection is established, the menu information transmission unit 16 sets the number of services in the management table
0 (S12). And for each service,
The service ID, security level, and menu display data are transmitted as menu item information (S14). Until transmission of menu item information is completed for all services registered in the management table (S1
6), the process of S14 is repeated. When transmission of all services is completed, communication termination processing is performed to release the connection (S18).

In the multifunction device 20, the menu table management unit 22 receives the menu information transmitted from the menu information transmission unit 16 and creates the menu table 24 according to the procedure shown in FIG. That is, when the menu table management unit 22 receives the notification from the host PC 10 and establishes a connection (S20), it then receives data on the number of menu items (S22). And the host PC
The menu item information sequentially transmitted from step 10 is received (S24). The received information is temporarily stored in a buffer memory or the like. The receiving process in S24 is repeated until information for the number of menu items received in S22 is received (S26). When the reception of all the menu item information is completed in this way, a communication end process is performed and the host PC 10
The communication with the server is terminated (S28). Thereafter, the menu item information stored in the buffer memory or the like is edited to create a menu table (S30), and the created menu table is stored in a nonvolatile memory such as a disk. (S3
2). If the menu table has already been stored in the nonvolatile memory, this old menu table is discarded and replaced with a newly created menu table.
FIG. 6 shows the menu table 2 created in this way.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing data contents of No. 4; The menu table in FIG. 6 corresponds to the management table in FIG. Here, the multifunction peripheral 20 stores a device ID (for example, a network address) for specifying the host PC 10 in association with the menu table. The device ID information is used when notifying the host PC 10 of the menu selection result.

In the above description, only the data relating to the menu in the management table 14 is transmitted from the host PC 10 to the multi-function device 20. The data may be transmitted to the multifunction peripheral 20, and the multifunction peripheral 20 may create a menu table by selecting necessary data from the data.

[Processing at Application Startup] When the creation and storage of the menu table are completed as described above, a service is selected from the MFP 20 using the menu, and the application of the host PC 10 according to the selection is started up. Becomes possible. Hereinafter, the detailed configuration of the MFP 20 according to the present embodiment will be described.
The following describes the operation of activating an application from.

FIG. 7 shows a detailed configuration of the multifunction peripheral 20 of the present embodiment. As shown in the figure, the multifunction device 20 controls communication with a scanner module 222 for implementing a scanner function, a printer module 224 for implementing a printer function, a facsimile module 226 for implementing a facsimile function, and a client PC via a network. Network module 228, a UI module 200 for realizing a user interface, and a control module 220 for overall control of these modules.
including. For example, the copy function is provided by the scanner module 2
The facsimile transmission is realized by encoding the image read by the scanner module 222 by the facsimile module 226 and transmitting the image to the telephone line.

The menu function according to the present embodiment includes a UI
This is realized by the module 200. The UI module itself is used for operations related to normal processing of the multifunction peripheral such as copy processing (for example, setting copy conditions such as double-sided copy)
Is provided in the multifunction peripherals for inputting the user ID. In the present embodiment, menu processing is realized by adding the following configuration to the UI module. In FIG. 7, the UI module 20
As the internal configuration of 0, only the one related to menu processing is shown.

The UI module 200 is connected to the host PC 10
, A menu table management unit 202 for creating a menu table based on the menu information, and a nonvolatile memory 2 for storing the created menu table.
04. The non-volatile memory 204 may also serve as, for example, a disk for temporarily storing facsimile reception data.

The menu display control unit 206 generates a service menu display showing a list of services available from the MFP 20 based on the menu table stored in the nonvolatile memory 204, and displays the service menu on the touch panel 208. The touch panel 208 is, for example, a liquid crystal display panel, and detects contact with a panel surface such as a finger.
FIG. 8 shows a display example when the service menu 250 generated by the menu display control unit 206 is displayed on the touch panel 208. The display of each of the menu items A to F of the service menu 250 is generated based on the display data of each service in the menu table. If the number of menu items in the menu table is too large to be displayed on touch panel 208, scroll button 2
By touching 52, the menu can be scrolled up and down. In this case, the touch panel menu press detection unit 210 detects a touch on the scroll button 252 and detects the touch on the control module 22.
0, and the control module 220 instructs the menu display control unit 206 to scroll the menu according to the notification. The menu display control unit 206 scrolls the menu display according to the instruction. With such a configuration, the control module 220
The user knows which part of the menu table the service menu 250 displayed on the touch panel 208 corresponds to.

When the user selects and touches a certain menu item in the service menu 250 of the touch panel 208, the touch is detected by the touch panel menu press detection unit 210, and which menu item is selected is detected. Touch panel menu press detection unit 210
Is the selected menu item, for example, the touch panel 20
8 is notified to the control module 220. On the touch panel 208, the selected menu item is, for example, highlighted.

The user confirms his / her selection on this display, performs necessary operations such as setting a document to be scanned, and then presses the start button 212. Then, the start button press detection unit 214 detects this,
Pressing the start button causes the control module 220
Notify. Upon receiving this notification, the control module 220 identifies the menu item selected by the user based on the menu selection information (ie, the position information of the selected menu item) notified from the touch panel menu press detection unit 210, and The service ID corresponding to the selected menu item is obtained with reference to the menu table of the sex memory 204. Then, the control module 220 notifies the host PC 10 of the obtained service ID via the network module 228. The notification to the host PC 10 is performed based on the network address of the host PC 10 stored in the nonvolatile memory 204 corresponding to the menu table.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the selection result is not notified to the host PC 10 only by the menu selection on the touch panel 208, but is notified to the host PC 10 only when the start button 212 is pressed. This is to prevent erroneous operation due to erroneous contact with the touch panel 208. The start button 212 is generally provided also in a conventional multifunction peripheral, for example, in order to instruct a copy start when the multifunction peripheral is used as a copier, but the multifunction peripheral 20 of the present embodiment is provided with the start button 212. The button 212 is used as a so-called confirmation button of the menu selection result.

Next, with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10, a description will be given of the processing procedures of the MFP 20 and the host PC 10 when the MFP 20 notifies the host PC 10 of the menu selection result.

As shown in FIG. 9, when detecting that the start button is pressed (S40), the control module 220 of the multifunction device 20 searches the menu table for a service ID corresponding to the menu item selected on the touch panel 208. (S42). Then, the security level of the menu item is checked in the menu table, and it is determined whether a password is required (S44). If a password is required, a password input request is displayed on touch panel 208 (S46). In response to this request, the user inputs a password from a numeric keypad or the like which is also received for inputting, for example, the number of copies. When the password is input, the network module 228 performs communication start processing and establishes a connection with the host PC 10 (S48). If no password is required in S44, the process proceeds to S48 without requesting a password.
Is performed.

When the connection with the host PC 10 is established in this way, the MFP 20 transmits the password data if there is a password, and further transmits the data of the selected service ID (S50). In response to the transmission of this data, the host PC 10 performs password authentication as necessary, activates the application corresponding to the received service ID, executes the processing, and reports the results of the processing (password error or normal termination of the application). The MFP 20 is notified. The multi-function device 20 acquires the notification (S52), and ends a series of processing.

In the host PC 10, as shown in FIG. 10, the activation management unit 18 receives the data transmitted from the MFP 20 in S50 (S60). Activation management unit 18
Extracts the service ID from the received data (S6
2) The security level of the service ID is checked with reference to the management table 14 to determine whether a password is required (S64). If a password is required, the password data is extracted from the received data, and it is checked whether the password is a correct password registered in the management table (S66). If the password is incorrect, an error notification is sent to the multifunction device 20. Upon receiving the error notification (S52 in FIG. 9), the MFP 20 displays an error message, etc., and ends a series of processes. If the password is correct, the activation management unit 18 extracts the application name and the execution parameter corresponding to the notified service ID from the management table 14 (S7).
0), an application that realizes the specified service is executed (started) by inputting to the OS (Operating System) (S72). Here, the application to be started is not limited to the application held by the host PC 10. For example, the application held by another PC can be started from the host PC 10 via the network. The activated application executes a process such as performing a predetermined process on the image data captured from the multi-function device 20 or supplying print data for print output to the multi-function device 20. In response to the execution of this application, a scan function, a printer function, and the like of the multifunction peripheral 20 are started from the host PC 10 as appropriate. Then, when the processing by the activated application ends, the host PC 10 transmits an end notification to the MFP 20. MFP 2
0 obtains the end notification (S52), and
The communication with C10 ends, and a series of processing ends.

The system according to the present embodiment realizes application startup from the multifunction peripheral 20 by the above-described processing. In the above example, password authentication is performed on the host PC 10 side. However, a password may be registered in the menu table of the multifunction peripheral 20 and password authentication may be performed on the multifunction peripheral 20 side.

Next, in the present embodiment, the host PC 1
A specific example of the content of the service provided from 0 to the MFP 20 will be described with reference to the service menu of FIG. 8 and the management table of FIG.

Menu items A and B in FIG. 8 indicate a service for reading a paper document from the multifunction peripheral 20 and registering the image data of the document in the file server. Items A and B correspond to different users, respectively.
When these items are selected, the image data is stored in the user's directory corresponding to the selected items. The difference between items A and B can be found in the management table in FIG.
This is because different directories are specified as storage destinations in the execution parameters.

Menu item C indicates a service for printing a report form on paper and taking it out. When this service is selected, the host PC 10 activates a document editing application to open a report form file, generates print data of the report form, transmits the print data to the MFP 20, and prints the data. As the execution parameter of the management table, the file name of the report form and the like are specified.

Menu item D indicates a service for copying two originals on one sheet in a two-page spread. MFP 20
When a plurality of originals are set in the original feeder, and the menu item D is selected and the start button is pressed, the scanning result of each original is sequentially transmitted from the multifunction peripheral 20 to the host PC 10. The host PC 10 extracts the data of the received document image by two pages, converts the two pages of the document image into a one-page spread image by an image processing application, and transmits the image to the MFP 20. The multi-function device 20 prints a double-page spread image received from the host PC 10 by a printer function. By such processing, a two-page spread copy is realized. Although a copy machine having a facing copy function has conventionally existed, according to the present embodiment, even when the copying function of the copying machine 20 itself does not have such a function, a facing copy can be performed by an application of the host PC 10. . MFP 20
The example of extending the copy function using the application of the host PC 10 is not limited to this facing copy, and various modifications are possible.

A menu item E in FIG. 8 indicates a form process using a fixed form registered in the host PC 10 or the like in advance. When the user writes by hand on a fixed form (for example, a questionnaire sheet) printed on paper, sets it on the platen of the multi-function device 20, and selects this menu item E, the host PC 10 performs a form processing. Application is started. This application detects a user's writing from the image of the fixed form taken in from the multi-function device 20 based on information of the fixed form registered in advance (for example, information on the position and size of the entry column), and the result of the writing is detected. For example, processing such as counting is performed. Since the present specification does not focus on the form processing, the form processing itself will not be described further. The details of the form processing are disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 7-114610 by the present applicant.

A menu item F in FIG. 8 indicates a service for transmitting a facsimile transmission from the multifunction peripheral 20 by combining an image to be transmitted with, for example, a company logo. When the user sets a transmission document in the document feeder of the multifunction device 20 and selects this menu F, an application for this service is started on the host PC 10. This application synthesizes an image of a predetermined logo mark at a predetermined position of a document image captured by the multifunction device 20 and supplies the image to the multifunction device 20. The multifunction peripheral 20 transmits a document image with a logo received from the host PC 10 by a facsimile function. Note that this example is merely an example, and the multifunction peripheral 20 may process the original image and transmit the processed image.
Various modifications are conceivable as examples in which the facsimile function is extended using an application of the host PC 10.

Although not shown in the menu of FIG. 8, for example, when the multifunction device 20 does not have a sorter function or a bookbinding function, an original is set on the multifunction device 20 and read, and the scanned image is transmitted via the network. Then, the data can be transferred to a multi-function copier and copied to execute a sort process and a bookbinding process.

In this embodiment, one virtual application can be formed by combining a plurality of applications, and the virtual application can be registered in the menu. That is, for example, a virtual application in which an OCR (character recognition) application and a file management application are combined is registered in a menu, and by activating this application, the document read by the MFP 20 is recognized as a character and a file in a text data format is created. It is also possible to register it as a file server.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, only by adding a mechanism for menu processing to the UI module of the MFP 20, the host PC
10 applications can be started.
The configuration of the present embodiment can realize the same function at a much lower cost than the conventional technology in which a PC dedicated to the operation of the multifunction device is built in or located close to the multifunction device. Conventionally, a multifunction peripheral has been used as a server for providing functions such as scanning and printing for a PC. However, according to the present embodiment, the multifunction peripheral can be used as a client (in this case, the host PC can be used as a server). Can be considered).

In the above example, the display data of the menu display of the multifunction device 20 could be created by the host PC 10. Such a configuration is extremely effective for easy identification of menu items, but is not necessarily a requirement of the present invention. Even if a menu registered in advance in the multifunction peripheral 20 is fixedly used, the effect that the desired service registered in the menu can be started from the multifunction peripheral 20 can be obtained without change.

In this embodiment, one host PC
It is also possible to manage a plurality of multifunction peripherals 20 with 10. In this case, the host PC 10 creates and holds a management table as shown in FIG. 2 for each of the MFPs 20 to be managed. Then, in the host PC 10,
The device ID of each MFP 20 (for example, the network address of the MFP) and the storage address of the management table (or the file name of the management table) are managed in a table as shown in FIG. When the menu selection result is notified from the multifunction device 20, the device ID of the multifunction device 20 is displayed.
, The corresponding management table is specified, and the application is started with reference to the management table.

In the above example, the multifunction peripheral 20 corresponds to one host PC 10. However, the present embodiment is not limited to this. A service can also be provided from the PC 10. In this case, each host PC 10 creates a management table for the service provided by each host PC 10 and stores its own device ID.
(Such as a network address) to the MFP 20. The multifunction peripheral 20 merges the information of each management table received from the plurality of host PCs 10 and combines them into one menu table. At this time, the device ID of the host PC corresponding to the menu item is registered in each menu item. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of the menu table created in this way. In this case, it is not always necessary to uniquely assign the service ID to each service on the network.
It may be performed independently for each C10. In the MFP 20, the device ID of the host PC and the service ID of the host PC
By combining with D, the service can be reliably specified.

The preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above. In the above description, the case where the MFP 20 and the host PC 10 are basically connected via a network has been described. However, the scope of the present invention is not limited to this, and the MFP 20 and the host PC 10 The present invention also includes a case in which the and are connected by a communication cable such as a SCSI cable. In this case, the notification from the multifunction peripheral 20 to the host PC 10 can be performed by an interrupt process for the host PC 10.

Further, in the above, the case where the application on the host PC is started from the multifunction peripheral has been exemplified. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be applied to other image input / output devices such as a scanner and a printer. Applicable.

[0067]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Low cost configuration, from image input / output device such as multifunction machine to PC
It is possible to start desired software on a computer and perform processing. According to the present invention, it is possible to use an image input / output device, which has been conventionally regarded simply as a server, as a client.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an information processing system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of data content registered in a management table of a host PC.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a display example of a user interface screen of a management table editor of a host PC.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure when the host PC transmits menu information to the multifunction peripheral.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure when the multifunction peripheral receives menu information from a host PC.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of data content registered in a menu table of the multifunction peripheral.

FIG. 7 is a functional block diagram illustrating a detailed configuration of the multifunction peripheral.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a display example of a service menu on the touch panel of the multifunction peripheral.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of the multifunction peripheral when an application is activated.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of a host PC when an application is activated.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a table used for managing a management table of a plurality of multifunction peripherals in the host PC.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an example of a menu table created by merging menu information received from a plurality of host PCs in the multifunction peripheral.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Host PC, 12 Management table editor, 14
Management table, 16 menu information transmission section, 18 startup management section, 20 multifunction peripheral, 22 menu table management section, 24 menu table, 26 menu display section,
28 selection result detector, 30 applications.

Claims (5)

[Claims] An image input / output device that performs at least one of output of an image on paper or the like and input of an image from paper or the like, and is connected to the image input / output device and outputs to the image input / output device. A host computer capable of executing a plurality of software for performing processing relating to output data or input data input from the image input / output device, wherein the image input / output device has an identifier for specifying each software. And a menu table in which symbol display information representing each software is registered in association with each other, and a menu in which the symbol display of each software is a menu item is displayed based on the menu table;
Menu processing means for acquiring a user's menu item selection input for the menu display, and selection result notifying means for obtaining an identifier corresponding to the selected menu item from the menu table and notifying the host computer, The host computer includes: a management table in which an identifier of each software and a start command of each software are registered in association with each other; and a software corresponding to the identifier notified from the image input / output device based on the management table. An information processing system, comprising: software activation means for activating software to execute processing on input data or output data of the image input / output device. 2. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein said host computer registers and deletes software in said management table, and said identifier for each software registered in said management table. And a menu information transmitting unit that transmits at least information on the menu in the management table edited by the management table editing unit to the image input / output device, the image input / output device An information processing system comprising: a menu table management unit that creates the menu table based on menu information transmitted from the menu information transmission unit. 3. The information processing system according to claim 2, wherein the management table editing unit registers symbol display information corresponding to each software as a data item of the management table, and the menu information transmission unit Transmitting the symbol display information to the image input / output device; the menu table management means registers the symbol display information received from the menu information transmission means in the menu table; An information processing system characterized in that the symbol display in can be created and registered by the host computer. 4. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the image input / output devices are connected to the host computer, and the host computer is configured to output the image input / output devices. An information processing system, comprising: a management table for each image input / output device; and receiving a notification of a menu selection result from the image input / output device based on the management table. 5. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the host computers are connected to one image input / output device, wherein the image input / output device includes the menu. The table management means creates the menu table by associating the menu information transmitted from each host computer with the device identifier of each host computer, and creates the menu table. An information processing system for identifying a corresponding host computer based on the menu table and notifying the host computer of a selection result.