JPH11205379A - Data transmission system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow a server side to discriminate the end of reception of data immediately and correctly, and to eliminate the need for re-transmission from a transmitter even if an image is not normally outputted in the system that sends/receives data used for print such as image data or desk-top publishing DTP data. SOLUTION: An integrated program that automatically applies batch processing to a series of processing from file compression, transmission and file deletion when a transmission file and a destination server are selected is mounted on a controller 4 of a transmitter 1. When the transmission of data has been finished in the case of sending data, a transmission end flag file is sent succeedingly. When a reception folder 11 recognizes the transmission end flag file, the reception folder 11 discriminates that the reception of data is finished. Furthermore, upon receipt of a signal denoting a fact of normal image output from an image output device 14, the reception folder 11 moves the data to a 1st folder 20. Upon receipt of a signal denoting a fact that the image output cannot normally be made, the reception folder 11 moves the data to a 2nd folder 21.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for printing image data or a DTP (desktop) between a printing factory or a
The present invention relates to a data transmission system for transmitting and receiving data used for printing, such as data, via a network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, image data and D
A data transmission system for transmitting and receiving TP data via a network is employed. Such a system
For example, it is used when data is directly transmitted from a designer who has created image data or DTP data to a printing factory, or when data is transmitted from a factory having image data or DTP data to a printing factory that actually performs printing. .

FIG. 4 shows an example of the configuration of such a data transmission system. In the figure, 1 is a transmitting device, 2 is an input scanner,
Reference numeral 3 denotes a monitor, 4 denotes a control device, 5 denotes an input device, 10 denotes a server, 11 denotes a reception folder, 12 denotes a decompression unit, 13 denotes a transmission folder, 14 denotes an image output device, and L denotes a communication line.

A transmitting device 1 and a server 1 as a receiving device
0 is connected by a communication line L forming a network. As the communication line L, a public line such as ISDN is widely used, but it is obvious that a dedicated line may be used.

[0005] The transmission device 1 creates and transmits image data and DTP data used for printing, and is arranged, for example, in a design company or a printing factory. And
The transmitting device 1 includes an input scanner 2, a monitor 3, a control device 4, and an input device 5 including a keyboard and a mouse. The input scanner 2 is for capturing a desired image from a document or original film, and has a known configuration. The monitor 3, the control device 4, and the input device 5 constitute a normal personal computer or workstation. The control device 4 is loaded with a program for executing necessary processing such as image creation and data transmission.

The server 10 as a receiving device includes a receiving folder 11 for storing received data, an expanding unit 12 for expanding compressed data, and a sending folder 13 for storing data expanded by the expanding unit 12. It has. Then, the transmission folder 13 transmits the decompressed data to the image output device 14. The image output device 14 is configured by a device that outputs an image, such as a film output device or a direct printing plate machine. The server 10 and the image output device 14 are arranged in another printing factory.

The operation of the data transmission system shown in FIG. 4 is roughly as follows. First, the operator of the transmitting device 1 creates data to be transmitted, compresses the created data, and sends the compressed data to the server 10. Thereby, the data is received by the server 10 and stored in the reception folder 11. Upon completion of data reception, the receiving folder 11 immediately sends the received data to the decompression unit 12. This decompresses the data,
After being temporarily stored in the transmission folder 13, it is transmitted to the image output device 14 and output as an image. By performing such an operation, the data received by the server 10 is immediately and automatically output as an image.

[0008]

However, the configuration shown in FIG. 4 has the following problems. one,
When transmitting data from the transmission device 1, there are many operations performed by the operator, which requires a long working time and a large work load. Specifically, it is as follows.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing when transmitting data. When transmitting data, first, an operator creates data to be transmitted (step S1). This data creation can be performed by inputting a desired image from the input scanner 2 if it is necessary to capture an image from a manuscript or original film, starting an image processing application program as needed, and performing editing. It is also possible to create a desired image by activating an application program for DTP. When data to be transmitted is created, it is registered as a file. Next, the operator starts an application program for data compression (Step S).
2) Select a data file for data compression (step S3). When the file is selected in this manner, the data compression application program started in step S2 compresses the data of the file selected in step S3 (step S4).

When the data compression is completed, the operator starts an application program for transmitting data (step S5), selects a destination server (step S6), and selects a file to be transmitted (step S6). Step S7) Instruct execution of transmission. At this time, it is natural that the file selected in step S7 is the data file compressed in step S4. As a result, the transmission application program started in step S5 transmits the file selected in step S7 to the server selected in step S6 (step S8). When the transmission is completed, the operator deletes the transmitted file, that is, the compressed file.

As described above, in the prior art, the operator often has to intervene, so that the operator's work load is large and it takes time. Further, as described above, in order to activate various application programs and select a server, the operator is required to have knowledge of the network system.

As described above, the receiving folder 11
Is configured to immediately transmit the received data to the decompression unit 12 upon completion of the data reception, but conventionally, the reception folder 11 does not actually complete the data reception. Nevertheless, there has been a problem that it may be erroneously determined that the data reception has been completed, or that the data cannot be immediately transmitted to the decompression unit 12 even though the data reception has been completed.

That is, in the prior art, whether the reception of data has been completed is determined by checking the size of the data received by the receiving folder 11 at regular intervals, and determining the size of the data by the previous check and the current check. In general, a method generally referred to as a hot folder or the like is employed in which it is determined that data reception has been completed when there is no change in data transmission from the transmission device 1 for some reason. Is interrupted, the receiving folder 11 determines that there is no change in the size of the received data, and since the data reception has been completed, the data may be sent to the decompression unit 12. In addition, even if the data reception is actually completed normally, the reception folder 11 determines that the data reception is completed until the next time the size of the received data is checked and it is determined that the size has not changed. Is not determined, the next process, that is, data cannot be sent to the decompression unit 12, cannot be performed, and the time is wasted.

Furthermore, in the conventional data transmission system, if the image cannot be output normally by the image output device 14, it is necessary to have the transmission device 1 transmit the data again. there were. That is, when the image output device 14 outputs the data received from the transmission folder 13 as a film, the film may be jammed, that is, a so-called jam may occur, and the image may not be output normally. On the other hand, receiving folder 1
1 normally deletes the data when it is sent to the decompression unit 12. If the image output device 14 cannot normally output the image, the data remains in the reception folder 11. Therefore, the transmission device 1 again requests the transmission device 1 to transmit the data.
The retransmission time and transmission cost will be incurred.

Therefore, the present invention can reduce the burden on the operator on the transmitting device side, and can immediately judge that the data reception has been completed on the server side without error, and furthermore, the image output device operates normally. It is an object of the present invention to provide a data transmission system that does not require retransmission from a transmission device even when an image cannot be output.

Another object of the present invention is to make it possible to edit and re-output the received data by storing the data in a folder even when the received data can be output normally. I do.

[0017]

In order to achieve the above object, a data transmission system according to claim 1 is connected to a network and transmits data such as image data or DTP data used for printing. In a data transmission system including a transmission device, a server connected to a network and receiving data transmitted from the transmission device, and an image output device including a film output device or a direct printing plate, the transmission device transmits the data. When a file and a destination server are designated, at least a series of processing from data compression to transmission of the designated file is automatically executed.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the data transmission system of the first aspect, the transmission device transmits the transmission completion flag file after the transmission of the data to be transmitted is completed. And

Furthermore, a data transmission system according to a third aspect of the present invention provides a network, a transmission device connected to the network and transmitting data such as image data or DTP data used for printing, and a transmission device connected to the network and transmitted from the transmission device. In a data transmission system that includes a server that receives the received data and an image output device that includes a film output device or a direct plate printing machine, the server includes: a reception folder that stores the received data; a first folder; And a data file sent to the image output device is stored in the first folder when a signal indicating that the image output device normally outputs the signal is stored in the first folder. When receiving the data file, store the data file sent to the image output device in the second folder. And it features.

[0020]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing one embodiment of a data transmission system according to the present invention.
Indicates a first folder, 21 indicates a second folder, and 22 indicates a signal line. Note that the same components as those shown in FIG. 4 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted.

First, the transmitting device 1 will be described. The transmitting device 1 is the same as a conventional device in terms of hardware, but operates differently. The control device 4 of the transmission device 1
A file to be transmitted, and when a destination server is selected, a series of predetermined processes from data compression of the specified file to transmission and deletion of the transmitted file are defined. A program for automatically performing batch processing in order (hereinafter, this program is referred to as an integrated program) is installed.

FIG. 2 shows an example of this integrated program. The processing of steps S11 to S18 in FIG. 2 is the same as the processing of steps S2 to S9 shown in FIG. Such an integrated program can be created using, for example, a technique called a macro or the like.

When such an integrated program is used, the operator of the transmitting device 1 may activate the integrated program after creating data to be transmitted and registering the data as a file. When the integrated program is started, a menu for selecting a file to be transmitted is displayed, and the operator selects a file to be transmitted there (step S12). When a file is selected, the data of the selected file is automatically compressed (step S1).
3) When the compression process is completed, the transmission program is automatically started (step S14), and a menu for selecting the destination server is displayed. The operator selects the destination server (step S15). . When the server is selected, a file automatically compressed in step S13 is selected (step S16), and step S1 is executed.
The transmission is performed to the server selected in step 5 (step S17). When the transmission is completed, the automatically transmitted file, that is, the file compressed in step S13 is deleted. Thus, a series of processing is completed.

As described above, according to the transmitting apparatus 1, after the data is created, the operator automatically starts the integrated program and automatically transmits the data by simply selecting a file to be transmitted and a destination server. As a result, the work load is greatly reduced as compared with the related art. Also, if such an integrated program is created for each server, the operator automatically starts the integrated program after creating the data and selects the file to be sent, and the data is automatically transmitted. The burden is reduced.

Further, such an integrated program can be started by a drag-and-drop method.
According to such a method, an integrated program is created for each destination server and displayed on the monitor 3 as an icon, and the created data file is also displayed on the monitor 3 as an icon. One action of dragging and dropping it on the icon of the destination server automatically starts the integrated program corresponding to the destination server, compresses the dragged file, and sends it to the server Then, a series of processes of deleting the compressed file after transmission can be automatically performed, so that the burden on the operator can be further reduced.

When transmitting the data, the integrated program transmits a transmission completion flag file as shown in FIG. 3B when the data transmission as shown in FIG. 3A is completed. I do. That is, when the data transmission is completed, the communication completion flag file is transmitted.
This transmission completion flag file is a file indicating that the data transmission has been completed, and is a file different from the data.

Next, the server 10 and the image output device 14
Will be described. The reception folder 11 starts monitoring the transmission completion flag file when the data reception is started, determines that the data reception is completed when recognizing the transmission completion flag file, and immediately decompresses the received data. 12 is sent. Therefore, unlike the related art, it is possible to immediately determine that the data reception has been completed without erroneously determining that the reception has been completed despite the fact that the data reception has not been completed. .

When data is sent to the decompression unit 12, the receiving folder 11 does not immediately delete the data, waits for a response from the image output device 14, and stores the data in the first folder 20 or After being transferred to the second folder 21, it is deleted.

The data transmitted from the receiving folder 11 to the decompression unit 12 is decompressed, temporarily stored in the transmission folder 13 and then transmitted to the image output device 14 as in the conventional system. When the image is output normally, the device 14 notifies the reception folder 11 of a signal to that effect via the signal line 22. When an image cannot be output normally due to a jam of a film or the like, the image output device 14 notifies the reception folder 11 of a signal indicating that the image cannot be output normally via the signal line 22.

On the other hand, when the receiving folder 11 receives a signal indicating that normal image output has been performed from the image output device 14, the data transmitted to the decompression unit 12 is transmitted to the first folder.
Move to folder 20. However, the image output device 14
When receiving a signal indicating that normal image output has not been performed, the receiving folder 11 moves the data transmitted to the decompression unit 12 to the second folder 21.

As described above, the reception folder 11 stores the first folder 20 and the second folder 2 when the image is normally output by the image output device 14 and when the image is not output.
Since the data is stored in another folder 1, data for which image output was not normally performed can be read out again from the second folder 21 and image output can be performed. Also, when there is a problem with the quality of the output image, the image can be read out from the first folder 20 and edited again, so that the image can be output again. There is no need to retransmit.

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment.
Various modifications are possible.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a data transmission system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of an integrated program installed in a control device 4 of the transmission device 1 shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a data file transmitted by the transmitting apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 and a transmission completion flag file.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a conventional data transmission system.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing when transmitting data in the conventional data transmission system shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Transmission device 2 ... Input scanner 3 ... Monitor 4 ... Control device 5 ... Input device 10 ... Server 11 ... Reception folder 12 ... Decompression part 13 ... Transmission folder 14 ... Image output device 20 ... 1st folder 21 ... 2nd folder 22 … Signal line L… Communication line

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A network, a transmitting device connected to the network for transmitting data such as image data or DTP data used for printing, a server connected to the network for receiving data transmitted from the transmitting device, and a film. In a data transmission system including an output device or an image output device such as a direct plate printing machine, when a file to be transmitted and a server of a transmission destination are designated, at least a data compression of the designated file is performed. A data transmission system which automatically executes a series of processing up to transmission. 2. The data transmission system according to claim 1, wherein the transmission device transmits the transmission completion flag file after the transmission of the data to be transmitted is completed. 3. A network, a transmission device connected to the network for transmitting data such as image data or DTP data used for printing, a server connected to the network for receiving data transmitted from the transmission device, and a film. In a data transmission system including an output device or an image output device such as a direct plate printing machine, a server includes: a receiving folder that stores received data;
A first folder and a second folder are provided, and when a signal indicating that the image is output normally is received from the image output device, the data file sent to the image output device is stored in the first folder, and the image file is normally output from the image output device. A data transmission system characterized by storing a data file sent to an image output device in a second folder when receiving a signal indicating that the file cannot be output.