Patent Application
20100005198
The present invention relates to data input/output systems, control methods and control apparatuses of data input output systems, and in particular to data input/output systems, and control methods and control apparatuses of data input output systems which display data after making a judgment as to whether the output equipment can or cannot output the input data input from the input equipment.
In recent years, multiple function data input and output apparatuses called MFPs (Multi Functional Peripherals) are being used more and more widely instead of single function office equipment such as the conventional copying machines, printer, facsimile machines, etc., and in addition, there is the trend of advanced functions and multiple functions such as connection of MFPs to networks, etc. Along with this, it has become difficult for users to use the functions of MFPs due to the following reasons. 1. The user does not know what functions the MFP has. 2. The user does not know how to call the function that the user wishes to use. 3. The user does not know how to make the settings for the function that the user wishes to use.
In view of this, in order to solve the problems 1, 2, and 3 mentioned above, as a method of improving the operability of the operation and instruction section, a method has been proposed (for example, see Patent Document 1) for clearly displaying the keys that can be input next based on the selected mode status. Further, as a method of quickly carrying out the intended setting while preventing error statuses due to unnecessary input operations or wrong operations, a method has been proposed (for example, see Patent Document 2) for making it possible for the user to recognize the items that can be set, etc., by displaying in the display section whether or not it is possible to alter or execute the settings of setting items, preventing unnecessary input operations by the user, and making it possible to carry out accurately and quickly the prescribed settings.
In addition, even in cases in which there are multiple operations present simultaneously that can be selected as desired, as a method of appropriately indicating the procedure of those operations and reducing the operation load on the user, a method has been proposed (for example, see Patent Document 3) for controlling the lighting of the candidate keys for the next operation according to the key that was operated first, for establishing the sequence of operation, and lighting up the different keys accordingly.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. Hei 7(1995)-104903.
Patent Document 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-122649
Patent Document 3: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-316653
However, all of the above methods for Patent Documents 1, 2, and 3 are those which first make the user carry out all the settings related to the operation that the user wishes to make using the MFP, and after that the data input operation and output operation are made, and there is the problem that unless the user completes all the settings it is not possible to go to the actual data input operation.
The present invention was made in view of the above situation, and the purpose of the present invention is to provide a data input/output system, control method and control apparatus for a data input/output system in which it is possible to carry out the selection of output equipment for outputting the input data easily and definitely using the least possible operations, and to eliminate wrong operations.
The purpose of the present invention can be achieved by the following structures.
1. A data input/output system comprising: a plurality of input equipments to input data; a plurality of output equipments to output data; a data control section that is connected to said plurality of input equipments and said plurality of output equipments, and receives input data that has been input from any of said plurality of input equipments, and outputs the received input data to any of said plurality of output equipments; an output possible/not possible judgment section that receives information related to each of the output equipment from said plurality of output equipments, compares information related to said input data associated with the input data with the received information related to each of the output equipment , and judges whether or not it is possible to output the input data in each of the output equipment; a display apparatus; and a display control section that displays in said display apparatus the results of judgment by said output possible/not possible judgment section
2. A data input/output system according to 1, wherein said display control section displays the results of judgment by said output possible/not possible judgment section in said display apparatus so that it is possible to distinguish said output equipment in which it is not possible to output said input data.
3. A data input/output system according to 1, said display control section displays the results of judgment by said output possible/not possible judgment section in said display apparatus so that it is possible to distinguish said output equipment in which it is possible to output said input data.
4. A data input/output system according to 1, wherein said display control section displays in said display apparatus only said output equipment in which it is possible to output said input data.
5. A data input/output system according to 1, further comprising: an operation apparatus to input information that is used for outputting the input data in said output equipment; and an operation control section that
6. A data input/output system according to 5, wherein said operation control section obtains information related to the parameter settings of said input equipment which is input from said operation apparatus.
7. A data input/output system according to 5, wherein said operation control section obtains information related to the parameter settings of said output equipment which is input from said operation apparatus.
8. A data input/output system according to 6, wherein said output possible/not possible judgment section, based on the information related to the parameter settings of said input equipment obtained from said operation control section, judges whether or not said output equipment can output said input data.
9. A data input/output system according to 7, wherein said output possible/not possible judgment section, based on the information related to the parameter settings of said output equipment obtained from said operation control section, judges whether or not said output equipment can output said input data.
10. A data input/output system according to 5, wherein said operation apparatus is a touch panel placed above said display apparatus.
11. A control method of a data input/output system, the system comprising: a plurality of input equipments to input data; a plurality of output equipments to output data; a data control section that is connected to said plurality of input equipments and said plurality of output equipments, receives input data that has been input from any of said plurality of input equipment, and outputs the received input data to any of said plurality of output equipment; and a display apparatus, the method comprising: an input step of inputting data; an output information reception step of receiving the information related to said output equipment from said plurality of output equipments, an output possible/not possible judgment step of comparing information related to the input data associated with the input data received during said input step with the information related to said plurality of output equipment that has been received during said output information reception step, and judging whether or not said plurality of output equipments can output the input data; and an output possible/not possible display step of displaying in said display apparatus the results of judgment made during said output possible/not possible judgment step.
12. A control apparatus of a data input/output system provided with a plurality of input equipments for inputting data and a plurality of output equipments for outputting data, the control apparatus comprising;
a data control section that is connected to said plurality of input equipments and said plurality of output equipments, receives input data that has been input from any of said plurality of input equipments, and outputs said the received input data to any of said plurality of output equipments;
an output possible/not possible judgment section that receives information related to each of the output equipment from said plurality of output equipments, compares the information related to said input data associated with the input data with the received information related to each of said plurality of output equipments, and judges whether or not that each of the said output equipment can output said input data; a display apparatus; and a display control section that displays in said display apparatus the results of judgment made by said output possible/not possible judgment section.
According to the present invention, in a data input/output system provided with input equipment and output equipment, by judging and displaying whether or not the output equipment can output the input data input from the input equipment, it is possible to provide a data input/output system, a data input/output system control method and control apparatus with which the selection of the output equipment for outputting the input data can be made easily and definitely with the least number of operations, and wrong operations are eliminated.
Although the present invention is described in the following based on some preferred embodiments shown in the drawings, the present invention shall not be restricted to these preferred embodiments. Further, identical or equivalent parts in the figures have been given the same symbols and their duplicate explanations have been omitted.
To begin with, a preferred embodiment of a data input/output system according to the present invention is explained referring to
Further, as the output functions, it has the function 331 of printing from a printer, the fax transmission function 333, the function 335 of displaying on a TV, the function 337 of data transmission to a server, or to a personal computer (PC), or to a storage apparatus, the function 339 of data transmission to another data input/output apparatus (MFP) or to another data input/output system, the mail transmission function 341, the function 343 of data transmission to other users, and the function 345 of discarding to the recycle bin. The data input/output system 1, by executing combinations of these input functions and output functions, provides services to the user. The combinations of input and output functions can be one to one, one to many, many to one, or many to many.
The different types of input functions described above and the data control section 101 are connected by the input equipment control 111, and similarly, the different types of output functions and the data control section 101 are connected by the output equipment control 121. The input equipment control 111 and the output equipment control 121 are control programs that are prepared for the above described different input/output functions and for the input/output equipment for carrying out the different input/output functions, and carry out the input/output operations by controlling the different input/output functions and input/output equipment.
Although the different inputs and outputs were defined as functions, there are no particular restrictions on the connections between the data input/output system 1 and the different input/output equipment, and any state of connection is possible as long as the function can be realized. For example, if the function 301 of input from scanner can be realized, the scanner itself may be connected directly with the data input/output system 1, or can be connected via a network. Furthermore, as long as the function can be realized, it is possible that there is no dedicated equipment for realizing that function. For example, if the fax transmission and reception functions can be performed, even if there is no facsimile equipment, for example, the fax transmission and reception functions can be substituted by a PC. Further, since each input/output function can also be added to or removed from the data input/output system 1 selectively, in the state in which all the input/output functions have been isolated from the data input/output system 1, the control apparatus of the data input/output system 1 is constituted.
In addition, the input equipment control 111 retains the list ADL of the data formats that can be processed which list indicates the data formats that can be processed by the different input functions or the input equipment, the input parameter list IPL for setting the different input functions or the input equipment at the time of data input, and the output control 121 retains the list ADL of the data formats that can be processed which list indicates the data formats that can be processed by the different output functions or the output equipment, the output parameter list OPL for setting the different output functions or the output equipment at the time of data output. Detailed explanations are given from
The data control section 101 receives the input data 113, which has been input by the different input equipment, from the input equipment control 111 which controls the different input functions, and transmits the received input data 113 as the output data 123 to the output equipment control 121 which controls the output function that has been selected as the output destination. During the selection of the output destination, the data control section 101, either alone or in coordination with the display and operation comprehensive section 201, based on the information related to the input data 113 that is associated with the input data 113 and the information related to the different output functions that are possessed by the output equipment control 121, judges whether or not each output function can output the input data 113. The data control section 101 and the display and operation comprehensive section 201 function as the output possible/not possible judgment section. Further, the method of selecting the output destination is described in detail in the explanations of
The display and operation comprehensive section 201, based on a request from either the input equipment control 111, the data control section 101, or the output equipment control 121, by displaying in the display apparatus 221 via the display control section 211-(1) the selection screen of input equipment, (2) the parameter setting screen of input equipment, (3) the selection screen of output equipment, and (4) the parameter setting screen of output equipment, makes the user carry out, using the operation apparatus 241, the operations of—(1) selection of the input equipment, (2) parameter setting of the input equipment, (3) selection of the output equipment, and (4) parameter setting of the output equipment, receives the selection detected by the operation control section 231 or the different operation information 243 that has been set via the operation control section 231, and returns to any one of the requesting party among the input equipment control 111, the data control section 101, or the output equipment control 121. The details are described in the explanations of
The display apparatus 221 is configured, for example, using a liquid crystal display, etc., and is one that can display characters or images following the display control signal 213 from the display control section 211. The operation apparatus 241, for example, is a touch panel that is placed on top of the screen of the display apparatus 221, and by touching the operation apparatus 241 on top of the characters or images displayed in the display apparatus 221, the user can carry out various operations of selection, input, deleting, moving, etc., on the screen. The different operation information 243 such as that of selection, input, deleting, moving, etc., made using the operation apparatus 241 is detected by the operation control section 231, and is transmitted to the display and operation comprehensive section 201.
Next, a preferred embodiment of the data input/output operation in a data input/output system 1 is explained referring to
In
Here, the input equipment selection screen IS, is a screen such as the example shown in
In Step S105, a confirmation is made as to whether or not the selection of the input function has been completed. The operation waits at Step S105 until the selection has been completed. Here, it is considered that the function 301 of input from a scanner has been selected by the user as the input function. Step S103 and Step S105 function as the input equipment selection step. When the selection has been completed (YES in Step S105), a paper original document has been placed by the user on the document receiver of the scanner, and the Start Scan button of the scanner is pressed, in Step S111, the fact that the Start Scan button of the scanner has been pressed is detected by the input equipment control 111 of the scanner, and the start of the input from the scanner is accepted.
Alternatively, even if the selection of an input equipment has not been made by the user in the input equipment selection screen IS but a paper original document has been placed by the user on the document receiver of the scanner, and the Start Scan button of the scanner has been pressed, if the fact that the Start Scan button of the scanner has been pressed is detected by the input equipment control 111 of the scanner, it is also possible to accept the start of the input from the scanner.
In Step S120, the “input parameter setting subroutine” shown in
In Step S131, based on the input parameters set in Step S120, the scanning of the paper original document placed on the document receiver of the scanner is carried out, and in Step S133, the scan data of the original document is generated by the input equipment control 111 of the scanner, and is transmitted as the input data 113 to the data control section 101. The Step 131 and Step 133 function as the input step.
In Step S105, if it is considered, for example, that email reception has been selected, in Step S120, a screen asking for the input by the user of the user's personal identification code (the so called user ID) or mail address, password, etc., is displayed in the display apparatus 221, and based on the information input by the user, the email is received from the main server in Step S131, and the input data 113 is generated in Step S133.
In Step S140, the “output function selection subroutine” shown in
Subsequently, in Step S160, the “output parameter setting subroutine” shown in
In
Here, the input parameter list IPL is a list such as the example shown in
If, at the time of input using a scanner, all the parameters have already been determined unambiguously, and if there is no need for making any parameter settings (NO in Step S203), the operation returns as it is to Step S120 of the main routine of
In this example, from the input parameter list IPL of the scanner shown as an example in
In Step S213, by the display and operation comprehensive section 201, the parameters that can be generated automatically among the parameters whose setting was requested in Step S211 are generated automatically (here, it is assumed that the “scan data name” is generated automatically from the date as, for example, “20061010”), and in Step S215, the input parameter setting screen IPS is displayed in the display apparatus 221 via the display control section 211 by the display and operation comprehensive section 201.
Here, the input parameter setting screen IPS is a screen such as the example shown in
In Step S217, a confirmation is made as to whether or not the input of the parameters has been completed. The completion of parameter input is confirmed, for example, by the pressing of the “OK” button by the user in the input parameter setting screen IPS being detected by the operation control section 231. The operation waits at Step S217 until the input has been completed. When the parameter input has been completed (YES in Step S217), in Step S221, the two parameters “scan resolution” and “scan data name” are returned by the display and operation comprehensive section 201 to the input equipment control 111 of the scanner, and in Step S223, the parameters are set in the scanner by the input equipment control 111 of the scanner, and the scanning of the original document is started by returning to Step S120 of the main routine.
In
Here, the list ADL of data formats that can be processed is a list such as the one shown in
Further, the output functions list OCL is a list such as the one shown in
Returning to
In Step S413, considering that there may be situations in which usage restrictions have been placed for each user, the output functions list OCL is further filtered by the display and operation comprehensive section 201. For example, in case the user has not been permitted to access the server, the item of the server in the output functions list OCL shown in
Here, the output equipment selection screen OS is a screen such as the one shown in
Returning to
In
Here, the output parameter list OPL is a list such as the one shown in the example in
If, at the time of outputting when using a printer, all the parameters have been determined unambiguously, and parameter setting is not necessary (NO in Step S601), the operation returns as it is to Step S160 in the main routine of
In this example, from the output parameter list OPL of the printer shown in the example in
In Step S613, if there are any parameters that can be generated automatically among the parameters whose setting has been requested in Step S611, those parameters will be generated automatically by the display and operation comprehensive section 201 (here, it is considered that there are no parameters which can be generated automatically), in Step S615, the output parameter setting screen OPS is displayed in the display apparatus 221 via the display control section 211 by the display and operation comprehensive section 201.
Here, the output parameter setting screen OPS is a screen such as the example shown in
In Step S617, a confirmation is made as to whether or not the input of parameters has been completed. The completion of input is confirmed, for example, when the fact that the “OK” button in the output parameter settings screen OPS has been pressed by the user is detected by the operation control section 241. The operation waits at Step S617 until the input is completed. When the input is completed (YES in Step S617), in Step S621, the three parameters of “color selection”, “double-sided printing”, and “number of copies to be printed” are returned by the display and operation comprehensive section 201 to the output equipment control 121 of the printer, and in Step S623, the parameters are set in the printer by the output equipment control 121 of the printer, and the operation returns to Step S160 of the main routine.
As has been explained above, while the display and operation comprehensive section 201 oversees the settings of the input and output parameters and the selection of the output equipment, for example, it is also possible to set up in advance some restrictions on the settings of the input and output equipment (for example, restricting print out to monochrome printing), etc., and it is also possible to generate input and output parameters automatically based on the settings, or to change the contents of the display made in the output equipment selection screen.
According to the preferred embodiment of the data input/output operation in a data input/output system 1 described above, for example, by the user carrying out the minimum amount of intuitive and interactive operations successively according to the flow of processing of the input data using the display apparatus 221 and the operation apparatus 241, such as by carrying out the operations of—selecting a scanner as the input equipment, starting operations from the intuitive input operation of setting the original document in the scanner and scanning it, after setting the input parameters and completing the input of all the original documents, selecting the output destination from the usable output equipment that are judged automatically from the format of the input data, and completing all the outputs by setting the output parameters, it is possible for the user to obtain easily and definitely the final result desired by the user of getting an output from a printer, and also it is possible to eliminate wrong operations.
As a consequence, whatever input equipment is used by the user, it is possible to start the input operations without bothering about the output equipment or the output parameters, and after all the inputs are completed, it is possible to select which output equipment to be used from the usable output equipment that is provided automatically by the data input/output system 1.
In addition, in the case in which the original purpose of the user is not merely to copy the paper original documents but to hand over the copied document to some person, even if the operations were started initially with the intention of copying, by looking at the display of the output equipment in which output can be made in Step S415 of
Next, a second and a third example of the output equipment selection screen OS are explained using
In
According to the second example of the output equipment selection screen OS described above, in addition to the effect of the first example, since the output equipment in which “output is not possible” are not displayed, it is possible to prevent the user from wrongly selecting such output equipment. In addition, it is possible to display more or larger icons of the output equipment in which “output is possible” in the display apparatus 221 with a limited size, and the selection of the output equipment by the user becomes still easier.
In
In addition, icons representing all the output equipment provided in the data input/output system 1 are displayed, and among those, the output functions through which output can be made are displayed so that they can easily be distinguished (for example, displaying the icon brightly, or making the icon blink, etc.), and also, the output functions through which output cannot be made are also displayed so that they can be distinguished easily (for example, displaying the icon dimly or transparently, or placing hatches on the icon, etc.). Or else, even if the user selects an output function through which output cannot be made, it is possible take measures such as not to accept that selection and to give a warning sound or warning message, etc.
According to the third example of the output equipment selection screen OS described above, in addition to the effect of the first example, by providing the user with the information on the input data 113 which is the target to be output, the judgment becomes still easier at the time that the user selects the output means.
As has been explained above, according to the present invention, in a data input/output system provided with input equipment and output equipment, by judging and displaying whether or not an output equipment can output the input data input from input equipment, it is possible to provide a data input/output system, a control method and control apparatus for a data input/output system in which the selection of the output equipment for outputting the input data can be made easily and definitely with the least number of operations, and wrong operations can be eliminated.
Further, regarding the detailed constitutions of the different constitutions and the detailed operation of the data input/output system, the control method and control apparatus for the data input/output system according to the present invention, it is possible to make appropriate modifications without deviating from the purpose and intent of the present invention.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-297508 | Nov 2006 | JP | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP2007/069575 | 10/5/2007 | WO | 00 | 4/28/2009 |
