KR20000031629A - Shared structure of image processor via lan and method for the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A shared structure of image processor via LAN and a method for the same are provided to share a unitary image processor in a similar or different system via LAN by each client computer. CONSTITUTION: A system structure of a similar platform topology includes a plurality of client computers(20), a server(30), a network interface(40) and an image processor. The plurality of client computers(20) and the server(30) have same or similar operating system. The plurality of client computers(20), the terminal of a user, includes application program of client(21), TWAIN program of client side(22), NETWAIN program(23), NETWAIN compatible device driver(24) and a communication interface(25). The server(30), the remote terminal connected with the image processor, includes TWAIN program of server side(34), NETWAIN SERVER program(31), a device driver for the image processor(35) and a communication interface(32). The network interface(40) is connected with the plurality of client computers(20) and the server(30) to share the image processor as the plurality of client computer.

Description

Common Structure and Method of Image Processing Equipment through Local Area Network

The present invention relates to a common structure and method of an image processing apparatus through a local area network (LAN), whereby each client computer connected to the network accesses a single image processing apparatus through the network. Can be shared.

Currently, most of the local area networks (LAN) use Ethernet which connects computers to share data management and resources. Each connected computer can use information from other computers, share a printer, and manage central information. Thus, each computer is significantly reduced in cost by eliminating the need for physically connecting devices such as storage devices (eg, hard disks, floppy disks, CD-ROMs, etc.), printers, and modems to the computer.

However, in the image processing apparatus, this apparatus is becoming more and more popular, but still cannot be used as a common apparatus of the networked computers. For example, a conventional scanner is connected to a computer via a small computer small interface (SCSI) interface, a universal serial bus (USB) bus, or a parallel port. Such related system architecture and operational flow diagrams are shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Is shown. As shown in Fig. 1, the system structure includes an application program 10, a data resource management program (hereinafter referred to as a " TWAIN program ") 11, a scanner device driver 12, and a communication interface 13 ( SCSI, USB or parallel port) and scanner 14. The TWAIN program 11 is standardized by the TWAIN organization (website address http://www.twain.org/) as the image processing program interface standard. All scanner manufacturers will develop scanner drivers in accordance with these criteria and for their associated image processing packages.

The application program 10 will read the TWAIN program 11 to control the scanner 14, and the TWAIN program 11 will then read the relevant function. For example, when the application program 10 obtains image data from the scanner 14, the TWAIN program 11 receives the commands of the application program 10 to receive the instructions of the compatible device 12. Interpreted in a format, and passed to the scanner 14 via the communication interface 13 (SCSI, USB or parallel port), the data received at the scanner 14 then transferring the communication interface 13 to It is passed back through and stored in the TWAIN program 11 for the application program 10 for later use. However, because the TWAIN specification does not have a limited network access method, many client computers cannot use the TWAIN program 11 to assist in a system connected to a network, so that each client computer can access a scanner over the network. It cannot be accessed and shared.

It is a main object of the present invention to provide a structure and method for sharing an image processing apparatus via a local area network. Each client computer and server in the same local area network are provided with a network data management program (NETWAIN program). When an application program located on a client computer interacts with its data resource management program (hereinafter referred to as the 'client side TWAIN program'), the NETWAIN CLIENT program on the client computer treats it as a data resource, and all related instructions. These data are transmitted to the server's data resource management program (hereinafter referred to as a server-side TWAIN program) through the network using a communication interface. The server then controls the image processing apparatus via a SCSI, USB or parallel port so that a plurality of client computers can share the image processing apparatus via the network.

Another object of the present invention is to develop a similar platform topology and a higher platform topology according to the operating system used for the server and client computer of the local area network. As a result, the scanner can be shared by both similar and other operating systems.

1 is a system architecture diagram of a conventional client computer controlling a scanner.

2 is an operational flow diagram for a conventional client computer controlling a scanner.

3 is a system architecture diagram for a similar platform topology of the present invention.

4 is an operational flow diagram for a similar platform topology of the present invention.

5 is a system architecture diagram for a higher platform topology of the present invention.

6 is an operational flow diagram for the higher platform topology of the present invention.

The present invention mainly provides a structure and method in which an image processing apparatus can be shared through a local area network. The scanner is used in the following cases.

As shown in FIG. 3, the system architecture of the similar platform topology of the present invention is a server 30 having the same or similar operating system (eg, Windows 95/98 or Windows / NT) as the plurality of client computers 20. ) Each client computer 20 includes an application program 21 of the client, a client-side TWAIN program 22, a NETWAIN CLIENT program 23, a NETWAIN compatible device driver 24, a communication interface 25 (SCSI, USB or Parallel port). The server 30 includes a NETWAIN SERVER program 31, a server-side TWAIN program 34, a compatible device 35, a communication interface 32 (SCSI, USB or parallel port), and a scanner 33. The plurality of client computers 20 and server 30 are connected by a network interface 40 (eg, Ethernet or other topologies).

As shown in Fig. 4, when the client's application program 21 on the client computer interacts with the client-side TWAIN program 22, the client-side TWAIN program 22 causes the NETWAIN The CLIENT program 23 is treated as a data resource and related instructions are passed to the NETWAIN CLIENT compatible device driver 24 (same as the delivery of a conventional client computer). In this case, the related commands are transmitted to the NETWAIN SERVER program 31 of the remote server 30 through the network interface 40. The NETWAIN SERVER program 31 then passes the commands to the server-side TWAIN program 34 in accordance with the TWAIN specification. The server-side TWAIN program 34 treats the NETWAIN SERVER program 31 as an application program, and works like a conventional client computer to operate the scanner (via the communication interface 32 (SCSI, USB or parallel port)). 33), and obtains image data from the scanner (33). The image data is transmitted to the NETWAIN SERVER program 31 and to the NETWAIN CLIENT program 23 via the network interface 40. The NETWAIN CLIENT program 23 processes image data received from the data resource and transfers the image data to the client-side TWAIN program 22. Then, all data is transferred to the application program 21 on the client computer, so that the user can retrieve the image data of the scanner 33 from any client computer connected to the local area network through the network interface 40. You can get it. When the NETWAIN SERVER program of the server 30 and the NETWAIN CLIENT program 23 of the client computer 20 are installed on different operating systems, this is referred to as a higher platform topology. 5 and 6 show the structure and operation flowchart of this platform topology, respectively.

In this form, the server 30 is a bulk-in module or stand-alone box connected to the scanner within the scanner and can provide a compatible workflow to the client computer 20. It was designed to have an operating system.

When the application program 21 on the client computer interacts with the client-side TWAIN program 22, the client-side TWAIN program 22 treats the NETWAIN CLIENT program 23 as a data resource, The relevant TWAIN commands are communicated to the PROPRIETARY NETWAIN SERVER program 36 on the server 30 via the network interface 40.

Server 30 does not have any TWAIN or other related programs. After the PROPRIETARY NETWAIN SERVER program 36 on the server 30 receives the commands of the NETWAIN CLIENT program 23 on the client computer, the received instructions are transferred to a communication interface (B) to obtain the image data. 32) all relevant commands are sent to the scanner 33. All image data obtained from the scanner 33 is then transferred back to the NETWAIN CLIENT program 23 on the client computer 20.

The NETWAIN CLIENT program 23 delivers the received data to the client-side TWAIN program 22, which in turn delivers it to the client's application program 21, thereby allowing the user to have the scanner 33 Image data obtained from the scanner 33 can be obtained as if directly connected to the computer 20.

In connection with the foregoing, various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the claims herein. Accordingly, the appended claims will all cover these modifications.

As mentioned above, the structure and method of sharing the image processing apparatus via the local area network of the present invention is not limited to the scanner but may share a single image processing apparatus through the local area network in a similar operating system or another operating system. Can be.

Claims (8)

In the structure of a similar platform topology that shares the image processing apparatus through a local area network, Including a plurality of client computers, servers, network interfaces and image processing apparatus, The plurality of client computers and servers have similar operating systems, The plurality of client computers as user terminals includes an application program of the client, a client-side TWAIN program, a NETWAIN CLIENT program, a NETWAIN compatible device driver, and a communication interface, The server, which is a remote terminal connected to the image processing apparatus, includes a server-side TWAIN program, a NETWAIN SERVER program, a device driver for the image processing apparatus, and a communication interface, The network interface is connected to the plurality of client computers and the server so that the image processing apparatus can be shared with the plurality of client computers. Similar platform topology structure. 2. The pseudo platform topology structure of claim 1, wherein each communication interface is selected from the group consisting of a SCSI interface, a USB bus, and a parallel port interface. 2. The similar platform topology structure of Claim 1, wherein said network interface is an Ethernet or any other interface capable of forming a network. a) building a similar platform topology structure according to claim 1; b) the client's application program instructing a client-side TWAIN program; c) the client-side TWAIN program treating the NETWAIN CLIENT program as a data resource and passing relevant TWAIN commands to the NETWAIN SERVER program via a network interface; d) the NETWAIN SERVER program passes the related instructions to the server-side TWAIN program, and the server-side TWAIN program treats the NETWAIN SERVER program as its application program; e) the server-side TWAIN program taking the image data from the image processing apparatus, transferring the image data to the NETWAIN SERVER program, and then transmitting the image data to the NETWAIN CLIENT program through the network interface; And f) the NETWAIN CLIENT program transferring the image data to the client-side TWAIN program and then to the application program of the client How to share the image processing apparatus via a local area network comprising a. In the upper platform topology structure for sharing the image processing apparatus through the local area network, A plurality of client computers, servers, network interfaces, and image processing devices, The plurality of client computers and servers have different operating systems, The plurality of client computers as user terminals includes an application program of the client, a client-side TWAIN program, a NETWAIN CLIENT program, a NETWAIN compatible device driver, and a communication interface, The server, which is a remote terminal connected to the image processing apparatus, includes a PROPRIETARY NETWAIN SERVER program and a normal interface. The network interface is connected to the plurality of client computers and the server so that the image processing apparatus can be shared with the plurality of client computers. Parent platform topology structure. 6. The higher platform topology structure of claim 5, wherein each communication interface is selected from the group consisting of a SCSI interface, a USB bus, and a parallel port interface. 6. The higher platform topology structure of claim 5, wherein said network interface is an Ethernet or any other interface capable of forming a network. a) building a higher platform topology structure according to claim 5; b) the application program of the client instructing the client-side TWAIN program; c) the client-side TWAIN program treating the NETWAIN CLIENT program as a data resource and passing relevant TWAIN commands to the PROPRIETARY NETWAIN SERVER program via a network interface; d) said PROPRIETARY NETWAIN SERVER program transferring said related commands to an image processing apparatus via said communication interface, obtaining said image data from said image processing apparatus, and transferring said image data back to said NETWAIN CLIENT program; e) the TWAIN program transferring the image data to the client-side TWAIN program and then to the application program of the client How to share the image processing apparatus via a local area network comprising a.