DATA PROCESSING APPARATUS AND DATA PROCESSING SYSTEM

Abstract

A data processing apparatus that received destination information showing a data transfer destination through a network provides a destination ID as identification information for the destination information, and stores the destination ID together with the destination information. The user specifies the provided destination ID and instructs execution of processing at the date processing apparatus. The data processing apparatus transfers data obtained by executing the processing to a transfer destination corresponding to the specified destination ID.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view showing a state in which a multifunction device as one example of a data processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is connected to a computer network;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a schematic configuration of a multifunction device according to this embodiment;

FIG. 3 is an outside drawing illustrating a specific configuration example of an input unit 214 of the multifunction device according to this embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a sequence chart that describes the flow of data that is sent and received between each multifunction device and the PC in the network configuration shown in FIG. 1 when the service provided by a multifunction device 101 is utilized from a PC 103;

FIG. 5 is a view showing an example of the format of a search request that is output by the PC 103 in an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a view showing an example of the format of a search response that is output by a multifunction device in response to a search request in an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7A to FIG. 7D are views showing examples of the format of a multifunction device specification request that is output by the PC 103 in an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a view showing an example of the format of a multifunction device specification response that is output by a multifunction device in response to a multifunction device specification request in an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a view showing an example of a destination ID table that is managed by a multifunction device in an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a view showing an example of a search result screen that is displayed on a display 401 of the PC 103 after reception of search responses in an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a view showing an example of a destination ID display screen that the PC 103 displays based on a multifunction device specification response that was received from a specified multifunction device in response to a multifunction device specification request in an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a view showing an example of a destination input screen that is displayed on a touch panel 301 of a multifunction device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a view showing an example of an error screen that is displayed when an input destination ID is not valid according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a view showing an example of a scan screen that is displayed on the touch panel 301 of a multifunction device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram that illustrates program modules relating to provision of a scanner service in a multifunction device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 16 is a flowchart that illustrates the operation of the PC 103 according to this embodiment;

FIG. 17 is a flowchart that illustrates processing when a multifunction device specification request is received in a multifunction device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 18 is a flowchart that illustrates network scan processing in a multifunction device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 19 is a flowchart that illustrates processing of a destination ID table timer watching module 1503 in a multifunction device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 20 is a flowchart that illustrates the details of sending processing that is performed in step S1809 in FIG. 18; and

FIG. 21 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the PC 103 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. A data processing apparatus capable of transferring data obtained by execution of processing to a terminal on a network, comprising: an input unit for a user to input information;a reception unit which receives destination information showing a data transfer destination through the network;a provision unit which provides identification information with respect to the destination information received by the reception unit;a storage unit which stores the destination information in association with the identification information;a sending unit which sends the identification information to a terminal that is a source of the destination information;an execution unit which executes the processing; anda transfer unit which transfers data obtained by execution of the processing to the transfer destination based on the destination information that corresponds to identification information input through the input unit when the identification information input through the input unit is stored in the storage unit.

2. The data processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a determination unit which determines a validity of identification information input through the input unit, wherein the provision unit decides a term of validity of the identification information provided;the storage unit stores the term of validity in association with the identification information; andthe determination unit determines the validity of the identification information input through the input unit based on the term of validity stored in association with the identification information.

3. The data processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein when identification information input through the input unit is not stored, the determination unit determines that the identification information is invalid.

4. The data processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the sending unit sends the term of validity of the identification information together with the identification information.

5. The data processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, the destination information includes an address of a transfer destination and information regarding a communication protocol to be used for transferring, andthe transfer unit transfers data to the address by a communication protocol indicated by the information regarding the communication protocol.

6. The data processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, the reception unit receives the destination information and authentication information corresponding to the destination information, andwhen connection authentication with a transfer destination is necessary, the transfer unit conducts authentication using the authentication information received by the reception unit.

7. The data processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the authentication information includes a user name and a password.

8. The data processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a first deletion unit which periodically checks a validity of identification information stored in the storage unit, and deletes invalid identification information and destination information stored in association with the invalid identification information.

9. The data processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second deletion unit which deletes from the storage unit identification information input through the input unit when the processing has been executed by the execution unit.

10. An information processing terminal which can communicate with data processing apparatuses capable of transferring data obtained by execution of processing to a terminal on a network, comprising: a first display control unit which causes a selection screen that allows a user to select one of the data processing apparatuses present on the network to be displayed on a display device;a sending unit which sends destination information which shows a transfer destination of data to a data processing apparatus selected through the selection screen;a reception unit which receives identification information sent from the selected data processing apparatus in response to the destination information; anda second display control unit which displays a screen which notifies the identification information to a user on the display device.

11. The information processing terminal according to claim 10, wherein the sending unit sends destination information that shows an address of the information processing terminal.

12. The information processing terminal according to claim 10, wherein the reception unit receives a term of validity of the identification information together with the identification information, and the second display control unit includes the term of validity of the identification information together with the identification information on the screen.

13. A data processing system comprising a network, at least one information processing terminal which is provided on the network, and at least one data processing apparatus which is capable of transferring data obtained by execution of processing to the at least one information processing terminal, wherein, the data processing apparatus comprises:an input unit for a user to input information;a reception unit which receives destination information showing a data transfer destination through the network;a provision unit which provides identification information with respect to the destination information received by the reception unit;a storage unit which stores the destination information in association with the identification information;a sending unit which sends the identification information to a terminal that sends the destination information;an execution unit which executes the processing; anda transfer unit which transfer data obtained by execution of the processing based on the destination information that corresponds to identification information input through the input unit when the identification information input through the input unit is stored in the storage unit; and whereinthe information processing terminal comprises:a first display control unit which causes a selection screen that allows a user to select the at least one data processing apparatus to be displayed on a display device;a sending unit which sends destination information which shows a transfer destination of data to a data processing apparatus selected through the selection screen;a reception unit which receives identification information sent from the selected data processing apparatus in response to the destination information; anda second display control unit which displays a screen which notifies the identification information to a user on the display device.

14. A computer readable storage medium which stores a program that causes a computer to function as a data processing apparatus according to claim 1.

15. A computer readable storage medium which stores a program that causes a computer to function as an information processing terminal according to claim 10.