Image processing system including plurality of image processing apparatuses used by plurality of users, image processing apparatus included in the image processing system

Abstract

When a new MFP is connected in a state where a plurality of MFPs are connected to a network, each of a plurality of MFPs obtains an IP address of MPF from the new MFP, and if user data including the obtained IP address is stored, then transmits to the new MFP the registered user information associated with the obtained IP address by the user data. On the other hand, if user data including the obtained IP address is not stored in HDD, the new MFP is requested to transmit registered user information. Upon reception of the registered user information, the new MFP displays a confirmation window to ask the user for permission to write that registered user information into HDD. Upon reception of the request, the new MFP transmits registered user information. This facilitates the setting for newly connecting an apparatus to the network.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an overall schematic diagram showing an image processing system in an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an exemplary hardware configuration of MFP 100 in the present embodiment.

FIG. 3A is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary flow of an initial setting process.

FIG. 3B is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary flow of a connection process.

FIG. 4A shows exemplary registered user information stored in MFP 100.

FIG. 4B shows exemplary registered user information stored in MFP 100A.

FIG. 4C shows exemplary registered user information stored in MFP 100B.

FIG. 4D shows exemplary registered user information stored in MFP 100C.

FIG. 5 shows exemplary user data.

FIG. 6 is a first flowchart illustrating an exemplary flow of a terminal registration process.

FIG. 7 is a first flowchart illustrating an exemplary flow of a registration acceptance process.

FIG. 8 is a second flowchart illustrating an exemplary flow of a terminal registration process.

FIG. 9 is a second flowchart illustrating an exemplary flow of a registration acceptance process.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary flow of an operation input process.

Claims

1. An image processing system comprising a plurality of image processing apparatuses connected to a network, wherein each of said image processing apparatuses comprisesa registered user information storage portion to store registered user information including user identification information for identifying each user,an obtaining portion to obtain apparatus identification information for identifying a connected apparatus which is additionally connected to the network,a user data storage portion to store user data including the registered user information stored in the registered user information storage portion and apparatus identification information for identifying the image processing apparatus, which stores the registered user information, in association with each other,a determining portion to determine whether user data including the obtained apparatus identification information is stored in the user data storage portion or not,a transmitting portion to transmit the registered user information associated with the obtained apparatus identification information and the user data to the connected apparatus, when the determining portion determines that the user data including the obtained apparatus identification information is stored in the user data storage portion, anda registered user information requesting portion to request transmission of the registered user information from the connected apparatus, when the determining portion determines that the user data including the obtained apparatus identification information is not stored in the user data storage portion, andwherein the connected apparatus comprisesa storage portion to store registered user information,a receiving portion to receive the registered user information from one of the image processing apparatuses,a requesting portion to request allowance for storing the received registered user information into the storage portion, when the receiving portion receives the registered user information, anda registered user information transmitting portion to transmit the registered user information stored in the storage portion to the image processing apparatus, which requests transmission of the registered user information, in response to the request.

2. The image processing system of claim 1, wherein the image processing apparatus further comprises a registered user information obtaining portion to obtain registered user information stored in the connected apparatus, anda comparing portion to compare user identification information in the registered user information obtained from the connected apparatus with the user identification information in the registered user information stored in the user data storage portion.

3. The image processing system of claim 1, wherein the connected apparatus further comprises an apparatus identification information input acceptance portion to accept an input of apparatus identification information for identifying the connected apparatus, andan apparatus identification information registration request portion to request registration of the apparatus identification information of the connected apparatus from any one of the image processing apparatuses.

4. The image processing system of claim 1, wherein the image processing apparatus further comprises a detecting portion to detect a connected apparatus which is additionally connected to the network.

5. The image processing system of claim 1, further comprising a server connected to the network, wherein the server comprisesa user data storage portion to store user data including the registered user information stored in the registered user information storage portion and apparatus identification information for identifying the image processing apparatus, which stores the registered user information, in association with each other.

6. The image processing system of claim 1, wherein the apparatus identification information is an IP address or a name of the apparatus.

7. The image processing system of claim 1, wherein the requesting portion includes a display portion to display a screen for allowance of storing the received registered user information to the storage portion.

8. An image processing system comprising: a plurality of image processing apparatuses connected to a network,wherein each of said image processing apparatuses comprisesa registered user information storage portion to store registered user information including user identification information for identifying each user, andan obtaining portion to obtain apparatus identification information for identifying a connected apparatus which is additionally connected to the network; and the image processing system further comprisinga user data storage portion to store user data including the registered user information stored in the registered user information storage portion and apparatus identification information for identifying the image processing apparatus, which stores the registered user information, in association with each other,wherein the image processing apparatus further comprisesa determining portion to determine whether user data including the obtained apparatus identification information is stored in the user data storage portion or not,a transmitting portion to transmit the registered user information associated with the obtained apparatus identification information and the user data to the connected apparatus, when the determining portion determines that the user data including the obtained apparatus identification information is stored in the user data storage portion, anda registered user information requesting portion to request transmission of the registered user information to the connected apparatus, when the determining portion determines that the user data including the obtained apparatus identification information is not stored in the user data storage portion, andwherein the connected apparatus comprisesa storage portion to store registered user information,a receiving portion to receive the registered user information from one of the image processing apparatuses,a requesting portion to request allowance for storing the received registered user information to the storage portion, when the receiving portion receives the registered user information, anda registered user information transmitting portion to transmit the registered user information stored in the storage portion to the image processing apparatus, which requests transmission of the registered user information, in response to the request.

9. The image processing system of claim 8, wherein the image processing apparatus further comprises a registered user information obtaining portion to obtain registered user information stored in the connected apparatus, anda comparing portion to compare user identification information in the registered user information obtained from the connected apparatus with the user identification information in the registered user information stored in the user data storage portion.

10. The image processing system of claim 8, wherein the connected apparatus further comprises an apparatus identification information input acceptance portion to accept an input of apparatus identification information for identifying the connected apparatus, andan apparatus identification information registration request portion to request registration of the apparatus identification information of the connected apparatus from any one of the image processing apparatuses.

11. The image processing system of claim 8, wherein the image processing apparatus further comprises a detecting portion to detect a connected apparatus which is additionally connected to the network.

12. The image processing system of claim 8, wherein the image processing apparatus comprises the user data storage portion.

13. The image processing system of claim 8, further comprising a server connected to the network, wherein the server comprises the user data storage portion.

14. The image processing system of claim 8, wherein the apparatus identification information is an IP address or a name of the apparatus.

15. The image processing system of claim 8, wherein the requesting portion includes a display portion to display a screen for allowance of storing the received registered user information to the storage portion.

16. An image processing system comprising a plurality of image processing apparatuses connected to a network, wherein each of said image processing apparatuses comprisesa registered user information storage portion to store registered user information including user identification information for identifying each user,an obtaining portion to obtain apparatus identification information for identifying a connected apparatus which is additionally connected to the network,a user data storage portion to store user data including the registered user information stored in the registered user information storage portion and apparatus identification information for identifying the image processing apparatus, which stores the registered user information, in association with each other,a determining portion to determine whether user data including the obtained apparatus identification information is stored in the user data storage portion or not,a transmitting portion to transmit the registered user information associated with the obtained apparatus identification information and the user data to the connected apparatus, when the determining portion determines that the user data including the obtained apparatus identification information is stored in the user data storage portion, anda registered user information requesting portion to request transmission of the registered user information to the connected apparatus, when the determining portion determines that the user data including the obtained apparatus identification information is not stored in the user data storage portion, andwherein the connected apparatus comprisesa storage portion to store registered user information,a receiving portion to receive the registered user information from one of the image processing apparatuses,a registration portion to store the received registered user information to the storage portion, when the receiving portion receives the registered user information, anda registered user information transmitting portion to transmit the registered user information stored in the storage portion to the image processing apparatus, which requests transmission of the registered user information, in response to the request.

17. The image processing system of claim 16, wherein the image processing apparatus further comprises a registered user information obtaining portion to obtain registered user information stored in the connected apparatus, anda comparing portion to compare user identification information in the registered user information obtained from the connected apparatus with the user identification information in the registered user information stored in the user data storage portion.

18. The image processing system of claim 16, wherein the connected apparatus further comprises an apparatus identification information input acceptance portion to accept an input of apparatus identification information for identifying the connected apparatus, andan apparatus identification information registration request portion to request registration of the apparatus identification information of the connected apparatus from any one of the image processing apparatuses.

19. The image processing system of claim 16, wherein the image processing apparatus further comprises a detecting portion to detect a connected apparatus which is additionally connected to the network.

20. The image processing system of claim 16, further comprising a server connected to the network, wherein the server comprisesa user data storage portion to store user data including the registered user information stored in the registered user information storage portion and apparatus identification information for identifying the image processing apparatus, which stores the registered user information, in association with each other.

21. The image processing system of claim 16, wherein the apparatus identification information is an IP address or a name of the apparatus.

22. An image processing system comprising: a plurality of image processing apparatuses connected to a network,wherein each of said image processing apparatuses comprisesa registered user information storage portion to store registered user information including user identification information for identifying each user, andan obtaining portion to obtain apparatus identification information for identifying a connected apparatus which is additionally connected to the network; and the image processing system further comprisinga user data storage portion to store user data including the registered user information stored in the registered user information storage portion and apparatus identification information for identifying the image processing apparatus, which stores the registered user information, in association with each other,wherein the image processing apparatus further comprisesa determining portion to determine whether user data including the obtained apparatus identification information is stored in the user data storage portion or not,a transmitting portion to transmit the registered user information associated with the obtained apparatus identification information and the user data to the connected apparatus, when the determining portion determines that the user data including the obtained apparatus identification information is stored in the user data storage portion, anda registered user information requesting portion to request transmission of the registered user information to the connected apparatus, when the determining portion determines that the user data including the obtained apparatus identification information is not stored in the user data storage portion, andwherein the connected apparatus comprisesa storage portion to store registered user information,a receiving portion to receive the registered user information from one of the image processing apparatuses,a registration portion to store the received registered user information to the storage portion, when the receiving portion receives the registered user information, anda registered user information transmitting portion to transmit the registered user information stored in the storage portion to the image processing apparatus, which requests transmission of the registered user information, in response to the request.

23. The image processing system of claim 22, wherein the image processing apparatus further comprises a registered user information obtaining portion to obtain registered user information stored in the connected apparatus, anda comparing portion to compare user identification information in the registered user information obtained from the connected apparatus with the user identification information in the registered user information stored in the user data storage portion.

24. The image processing system of claim 22, wherein the connected apparatus further comprises an apparatus identification information input acceptance portion to accept an input of apparatus identification information for identifying the connected apparatus, andan apparatus identification information registration request portion to request registration of the apparatus identification information of the connected apparatus from any one of the image processing apparatuses.

25. The image processing system of claim 22, wherein the image processing apparatus further comprises a detecting portion to detect a connected apparatus which is additionally connected to the network.

26. The image processing system of claim 22, wherein the image processing apparatus comprises the user data storage portion.

27. The image processing system of claim 22, further comprising a server connected to the network, wherein the server comprises the user data storage portion.

28. The image processing system of claim 22, wherein the apparatus identification information is an IP address or a name of the apparatus.

29. An image processing apparatus, which is one of a plurality of image processing apparatuses connected to a network, comprising: a registered user information storage portion to store registered user information including user identification information for identifying each user;an obtaining portion to obtain apparatus identification information for identifying a connected apparatus which is additionally connected to the network;a user data storage portion to store user data including the registered user information stored in the registered user information storage portion and apparatus identification information for identifying the image processing apparatus, which stores the registered user information, in association with each other;a determining portion to determine whether user data including the obtained apparatus identification information is stored in the user data storage portion or not;a transmitting portion to transmit the registered user information associated with the obtained apparatus identification information and the user data to the connected apparatus, when the determining portion determines that the user data including the obtained apparatus identification information is stored in the user data storage portion;a registered user information requesting portion to request transmission of the registered user information to the connected apparatus, when the determining portion determines that the user data including the obtained apparatus identification information is not stored in the user data storage portion;a receiving portion to receive registered user information stored in the connected apparatus from the connected apparatus; andan additionally registration portion to additionally store user data associated with the received registered user information and the apparatus identification information of the connected apparatus in response to reception of the registered user information.

30. The image processing apparatus of claim 29, further comprising: a registered user information obtaining portion to obtain registered user information stored in the connected apparatus; anda comparing portion to compare user identification information in the registered user information obtained from the connected apparatus with the user identification information in the registered user information stored in the user data storage portion.

31. The image processing apparatus of claim 29, further comprising a detecting portion to detect a connected apparatus which is additionally connected to the network.

32. The image processing system of claim 29, wherein user data storage portion is included in a server connected to the network.

33. An image processing apparatus additionally connected to a network, in which a plurality of image processing apparatuses are connected, comprising: an apparatus identification information input acceptance portion to accept an input of apparatus identification information for identifying the image processing apparatus;a registration request portion to transmit a registration request including the accepted apparatus identification information to one of the image processing apparatuses in the network;a storage portion to store registered user information;a receiving portion to receive registered user information corresponding to the accepted apparatus identification information from one of the image processing apparatuses in the network;a requesting portion to request allowance for storing the received registered user information to the storage portion, when the receiving portion receives the registered user information; anda registered user information transmitting portion to transmit the registered user information stored in the storage portion to one of the image processing apparatuses, which requests transmission of the registered user information, in response to reception of the request from the image processing apparatus.

34. The image processing apparatus of claim 33, wherein the requesting portion includes a display portion to display a screen for allowance of storing the received registered user information to the storage portion.

35. An image processing apparatus additionally connected to a network, in which a plurality of image processing apparatuses are connected, comprising: an apparatus identification information input acceptance portion to accept an input of apparatus identification information for identifying the image processing apparatus;a registration request portion to transmit a registration request including the accepted apparatus identification information to one of the image processing apparatuses in the network;a storage portion to store registered user information;a receiving portion to receive registered user information corresponding to the accepted apparatus identification information from one of the image processing apparatuses in the network;a registration portion to store the received registered user information to the storage portion, when the receiving portion receives the registered user information; anda registered user information transmitting portion to transmit the registered user information stored in the storage portion to one of the image processing apparatuses, which requests transmission of the registered user information, in response to reception of the request from the image processing apparatus.