METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING IMAGE

Abstract

A destination storing unit stores therein application destination information that contains an application display name that is a display name of a destination of an application of an information processing apparatus. The information processing apparatus is connected to a network and is capable of executing the application and an operating system that has a function of making a request for registration of the application to the image processing apparatus, to operate the image processing apparatus without installing a driver software for the image processing apparatus and to receive data generated by the image processing apparatus.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a network structure of an image processing system and a main structure of an MFP according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a data structure of a registration request;

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining an example of content of an information-processing-application-destination DB;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an overall structure of the MFP according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a sequence chart of an overall flow of processing for registering and displaying destination information by the image processing system according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a procedure of processing for registering information-processing-application-destination information by a UCS of the MFP according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a procedure of processing for extracting the information-processing-application-destination information from the information-processing-application-destination DB by the UCS of the MFP according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a procedure of processing for displaying an application screen and processing for designating a destination by an application of the MFP according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of the procedure of the processing for displaying an application screen and the processing for designating a destination by the application of the MFP according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a schematic of an example of content of an application screen according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a schematic of a popup screen during update of the information-processing-application-destination information;

FIG. 12 is a schematic of an example of an application screen updated from the application screen shown in FIG. 10;

FIG. 13 is a flowchart of a procedure of processing for displaying an application screen and processing for designating a destination by an application of an MFP according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a flowchart of the procedure of the processing for displaying an application screen and the processing for designating a destination by the application of the MFP according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 15 is a schematic of an example of content of a first application screen on which a PC selection button is displayed in the MFP according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 16 is a schematic of an example of content of the first application screen on which the application selection button is displayed in the MFP according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 17 is a block diagram of a network structure of an image processing system and a main structure of an MFP according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 18 is a diagram for explaining an example of a data structure of an information-processing-application-destination DB according to the third embodiment;

FIG. 19 is a diagram for explaining an example of a data structure of an information-processing-application-destination DB for display according to the third embodiment;

FIG. 20 is a sequence chart of a procedure of processing for notifying update when a request for registration or deletion of an information processing application is received according to the third embodiment;

FIG. 21 is a diagram for explaining an example of an application screen according to the third embodiment;

FIG. 22 is a flowchart of a procedure of processing for updating the information-processing-application-destination DB according to the third embodiment;

FIG. 23 is a diagram for explaining an example of an application screen on which a message of update notification is displayed;

FIG. 24 is a sequence chart of a procedure of processing for manually updating an information-processing-application-destination DB for display shown in FIG. 17;

FIG. 25 is a sequence chart of the procedure of the processing for updating the information-processing-application-destination DB for display;

FIG. 26 is a flowchart of a procedure of processing for registering a record in the information-processing-application-destination DB for display;

FIG. 27 is a diagram for explaining an example of an application screen;

FIG. 28 is a diagram for explaining an example of an update screen;

FIG. 29 is a diagram for explaining an example of an application screen updated;

FIG. 30 is a state transition diagram of transition of states that a UCS shown in FIG. 17 can take;

FIG. 31 is a diagram for explaining an example of an initial-setting-menu screen for using a function of an image-processing-control OS installed in each of a PC-A, PC-B, and PC-C at network connection destinations shown in FIG. 17;

FIG. 32 is a sequence chart of a procedure of processing for automatically updating the information-processing-application-destination DB for display 1750 when setting content in an information-processing-application-related-information management DB shown in FIG. 17 is changed;

FIG. 33 is a diagram for explaining an example of a screen for changing setting information;

FIG. 34 is a sequence chart of a procedure of processing for automatically updating the information-processing-application-destination DB for display 1750 when network setting information in a network-setting management DB shown in FIG. 17 is changed;

FIG. 35 is a diagram for explaining an example of a network setting screen;

FIG. 36 is a sequence chart of a procedure of processing for automatically updating the information-processing-application-destination DB for display when an application being executed is switched;

FIG. 37 is a diagram for explaining an example of an application screen of a scanner application displayed when a scanner key provided in an operation unit of an operation panel is pressed;

FIG. 38 is a diagram for explaining an example of an application screen of a facsimile (FAX) application displayed when a FAX key of an operation panel shown in FIG. 17 is pressed;

FIG. 39 is a sequence chart of a procedure of processing for automatically updating the information-processing-application-destination DB for display when a user logs in and succeeds in authentication;

FIG. 40 is a diagram for explaining transition of a login screen displayed on the operation panel;

FIG. 41 is a sequence chart of a procedure of processing for automatically updating the information-processing-application-destination DB for display when the system returns to a normal mode from an energy saving mode;

FIG. 42 is a sequence chart of a procedure of processing for automatically updating the information-processing-application-destination DB for display when a timer set time has elapsed;

FIG. 43 is a sequence chart of an overall flow of processing for searching for an information-processing-application destination from the information-processing-application-destination DB for display;

FIG. 44 is a diagram for explaining an example of an application screen;

FIG. 45 is a diagram for explaining an example of a search screen;

FIG. 46 is a flowchart of a procedure of search processing by the UCS;

FIG. 47 is a diagram for explaining an example of a search-result table and a relation between a master table and the search-result table;

FIG. 48 is a diagram for explaining an example of a search-result-display screen;

FIG. 49 is a sequence chart of a flow of scan processing according to the third embodiment;

FIG. 50 is a block diagram of a network structure of an image processing system and a main structure of an MFP according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 51 is a diagram for explaining a data structure of a registration request according to the fourth embodiment;

FIG. 52 is a diagram of an example of an operation panel of the MFP;

FIG. 53 is a sequence chart of an overall flow of processing for registering and displaying application information of a PC by the image processing system according to the fourth embodiment;

FIG. 54 is a diagram of an example of a screen of an application displayed on a liquid crystal display (LCD) touch panel of an operation panel;

FIG. 55 is a diagram of an example of a screen of an application displayed on the LCD touch panel of the operation panel;

FIG. 56 is a diagram of an example of a screen of an application after initialization displayed on the LCD touch panel of the operation panel;

FIG. 57 is a sequence chart of a procedure of processing for updating information-processing-application-destination information stored in an information-processing-application-destination DB in the MFP;

FIG. 58 is a sequence chart of a procedure of processing at the time when setting in the MFP is changed;

FIG. 59 is a sequence chart of a procedure of processing at the time when setting of a network in the MFP is changed;

FIG. 60 is a diagram of an example of a network setting screen displayed on the LCD touch panel of the operation panel;

FIG. 61 is a sequence chart of a procedure of processing at the time when an application is selected according to operation by a user in the MFP;

FIG. 62 is a sequence chart of a procedure of processing at the time when the user performs login and logout in the MFP;

FIG. 63 is a sequence chart of a procedure of processing for login and logout at the time when there is a setting about usability of information-processing-application-destination information for the user in the MFP;

FIG. 64 is a sequence chart of a procedure of processing for switching a normal mode and an energy saving mode according to on/off of a power supply key in the MFP;

FIG. 65 is a sequence chart of a procedure of processing until update timing is detected by press of an update key by the user after the application displays an application screen in the MFP;

FIG. 66 is a sequence chart of a procedure of processing at the time when event notification is received from a PC in the MFP;

FIG. 67 is a sequence chart of a procedure of processing for updating information-processing-application-destination information by a UCS of an MFP according to a first modification of the fourth embodiment;

FIG. 68 is a diagram for explaining transition of screens displayed on a LCD touch panel when update confirmation is performed in the first modification of the fourth embodiment;

FIG. 69 is a sequence chart of a procedure of processing for updating information-processing-application-destination information by a UCS of an MFP according to a second modification of the fourth embodiment;

FIG. 70 is a block diagram of a structure of an MFP according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 71 is a diagram of an example of a table structure of a update DB;

FIG. 72 is a sequence chart of a procedure of processing in the MFP and the PC according to the fifth embodiment at the time when a registration request and a deletion request transmitted from the PC are received;

FIG. 73 is a flowchart of a procedure of processing for updating the update DB in a UCS of the MFP according to the fifth embodiment;

FIG. 74 is a sequence chart of a procedure of processing for updating information-processing-application-destination information in the MFP according to the fifth embodiment;

FIG. 75 is a flowchart of a procedure of processing for checking deletion of data stored in the update DB in the MFP according to the fifth embodiment;

FIG. 76 is a flowchart of a procedure of processing for updating information-processing-application-destination information stored in an information-processing-application-destination DB in the MFP according to the fifth embodiment;

FIG. 77 is a block diagram of a structure of an MFP according to a sixth embodiment;

FIG. 78 is a sequence chart of a procedure of processing at the time when a registration request and a deletion request transmitted from a PC are received in the MFP and the PC according to the sixth embodiment;

FIG. 79 is a sequence chart of a procedure of processing for switching the information-processing-application-destination DB to be an object of use in the MFP according to the sixth embodiment; and

FIG. 80 is a block diagram of a hardware configuration of the MFP according to the present invention.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus for processing an image, the image processing apparatus including at least a scanning unit that scans an image and processing the image scanned by the scanning unit, the image processing apparatus comprising a first destination storing unit that stores therein application destination information in which an application display name that is a display name of a destination of an information processing application of an information processing apparatus is included, wherein the information processing application is a software for an information processing, andthe information processing apparatus is connected to a network and is capable of executing the information processing application and an operating system that has a function of making a request for registration of the information processing application to the image processing apparatus, to operate the image processing apparatus without installing a driver software for the image processing apparatus and to receive data generated by the image processing apparatus.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a receiving unit that receives the request for registration of the information processing application including the application display name from the information processing apparatus; anda destination managing unit that extracts the application display name from the request for registration of the information processing application received by the receiving unit and registers extracted application display name in the application destination information stored in the first destination storing unit.

3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an operation displaying unit that displays thereon various screens with which a user is capable of performing an input operation; anda display control unit that reads the application display name registered in the application destination information and displays an application screen on which the application display name is rendered to allow the user to input the application display name on the operation displaying unit.

4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein when the request for registration of the information processing application is received by the receiving unit while the application screen is displayed on the operation displaying unit, the display control unit reads the application display name registered in the application destination information updated based on the request for registration of the information processing application, updates the application screen, and displays updated application screen on the operation displaying unit.

5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the receiving unit receives the request for registration of the information processing application including application identification information unique to the information processing application, the application display name, and apparatus identification information unique to the information processing apparatus from each of a plurality of information processing apparatuses,the destination managing unit extracts the application identification information, the application display name, and the apparatus identification information from the request for registration of the information processing application, and stores extracted application identification information, application display name, and apparatus identification information in the first destination storing unit as the application destination information in a corresponding manner, andthe display control unit reads a plurality of pieces of apparatus identification information and corresponding application display names registered in the application destination information, and displays the application screen on the operation display unit for each apparatus identification information.

6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the display control unit reads a plurality of pieces of apparatus identification information and corresponding application display names registered in the application destination information, displays a first application screen to allow the user to instruct a selection of an information processing apparatus corresponding to the apparatus identification information on the operation display unit, and displays a second application screen on which the application display name corresponding to the apparatus identification information of the information processing apparatus for which an selection instruction is received from the first application screen is rendered to allow the user to input the application display name on the operation displaying unit.

7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a second destination storing unit that stores therein application destination information for display generated based on the application destination information, in which application identification information unique to the information processing application, the application display name, and delivery destination information concerning the information processing apparatus that made the request for registration of the information processing application are associated with each other;a receiving unit that receives the request for registration of the information processing application including the application display name and the delivery destination information from the information processing apparatus;a network managing unit that extracts the application display name and the delivery destination information from the request for registration of the information processing application received by the receiving unit, and registers extracted application display name and delivery destination information in the application destination information stored in the first destination storing unit;a destination managing unit that registers the application identification information, the application display name, and the delivery destination information in the application destination information for display stored in the second destination storing unit based on the application destination information stored in the first destination storing unit;an operation displaying unit that displays thereon various screens with which a user is capable of performing an input operation; anda display control unit that reads the application display name registered in the application destination information for display, and displays an application screen on which the application display name is rendered to allow the user to input the application display name on the operation displaying unit.

8. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the application destination information for display includes a master table in which a record that associates the application identification information, the application display name, and the delivery destination information can be sequentially written and a header table in which positional information of the record written in the master table can be classified and registered by a header based on the application name, andthe display control unit reads the header and the application display name registered in the master table from the positional information registered in the header table of the header, and displays an application screen on which the header and the application display name are rendered to allow the user to input the header and the application display name on the operation display unit.

9. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the network managing unit transmits a status of an update of the application destination information to the destination managing unit, andwhen a notification indicating that the application destination information is updated is received from the network managing unit, the destination managing unit updates the application destination information for display by acquiring the application display name and the delivery destination information from the application destination information stored in the first destination storing unit, registering a record that associates acquired application display name, delivery destination information with the application identification information in the master table, and registering the positional information of the application display name in the header table based on a character string of the acquired application display name.

10. The image processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein when a notification indicating that the application destination information is not updated is received from the network managing unit, the destination managing unit notifies the display control unit that there is no change in display, andwhen it is notified from the destination managing unit that there is no change in display, the display control unit does not change the application screen displayed on the operation display unit.

11. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein when an instruction for updating the application destination information for display is received from the user by the operation displaying unit, the display control unit transmits an update request to the destination managing unit, andwhen the update request is received from the display control unit, the destination managing unit updates the application destination information for display.

12. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising: an information storing unit that stores therein information-processing-application-related information and a timer set time, the information-processing-application-related information being information on the information processing application of the information processing apparatus;a network-setting storing unit that stores therein network setting information indicating setting contents concerning the network;an authentication-information storing unit that stores therein authentication information of the user;a system managing unit that performs a change of the information-processing-application-related information, a switching of an application executed in the image processing apparatus, and a control of a normal mode and an energy saving mode; anda timer managing unit that determines whether the timer set time has elapsed, whereinthe network managing unit performs a change of the network setting information, andwhen a login input is performed by the user, the destination managing unit performs an authentication of the user based on the authentication information, and when any one of change of the information-processing-application-related information, change of the network setting information, and switching of an application executed in the image processing apparatus is executed, when the authentication of the user is successful, when the image processing apparatus returns from the energy saving mode to the normal mode, or when it is determined that the timer set time has elapsed, updates the application destination information for display.

13. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein while the application destination information for display is updated, the destination managing unit does not perform an update of the application destination information for display, even when a request for updating the application destination information for display is received.

14. The image processing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein while the application display name is read from the application destination information for display by the display control unit, the destination managing unit does not perform an update of the application destination information for display, even when a request for updating the application destination information for display is received.

15. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a searching unit that searches for, when a search instruction for a destination of the information processing application is received from the user by the operation displaying unit together with a search condition, the application display name corresponding to the destination of the information processing application that satisfies the search condition from the application destination information for display stored in the second destination storing unit, wherein the display control unit displays the application display name searched by the searching unit on the operation display unit.

16. The image processing apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising a search-result storing unit that stores therein a search-result table in which positional information of a record including the application display name in the master table can be registered, wherein the searching unit registers positional information of a record including searched application display name in the search-result table, andthe display control unit reads the application display name registered in the master table based on the positional information registered in the search-result table, and displays read application display name on the operation display unit.

17. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein while the application destination information is updated, the network managing unit does not perform an update of the application destination information, even when the request for registration of the information processing application is received from the information processing apparatus.

18. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising: an image processing unit that processes the image scanned by the scanning unit into a data format that can be processed in the information processing application corresponding to a destination of the application display name for which a designation by the user is received from the operation display unit by the display control unit; anda transmitting unit that transmits scan data that is processed into the data format that can be processed in the information processing application by the image processing unit to the information processing apparatus of the delivery destination information corresponding to the application display name.

19. An image processing apparatus for processing an image, the image processing apparatus including at least a scanning unit that scans an image and processing the image scanned by the scanning unit, the image processing apparatus comprising: a storing unit that that stores therein application destination information in which application identification information unique to an application of an information processing apparatus is associated with an application display name that is a display name of the application, the information processing apparatus being connected to a network and sending a request for registration of the application to the image processing apparatus;a receiving unit that receives the request for registration of the application including the application identification information and the application display name from the information processing apparatus;a timing determining unit that determines whether it is predetermined timing at which the application destination information is not used; andan updating unit that extracts, when it is determined by the timing determining unit that it is the predetermined timing, the application identification information and the application display name from the request for registration of the application received by the receiving unit, and stores extracted application identification information and application display name in the storing unit as the application destination information in association with each other.

20. An image processing method for an image processing apparatus that includes at least a scanning unit that scans an image and processes the image scanned by the scanning unit, the image processing apparatus including a first destination storing unit that stores therein application destination information in which an application display name that is a display name of a destination of an information processing application of an information processing apparatus is included, the information processing application being a software for an information processing the information processing apparatus being connected to a network and capable of executing the information processing application and an operating system that has a function of making a request for registration of the information processing application to the image processing apparatus, to operate the image processing apparatus without installing a driver software for the image processing apparatus and to receive data generated by the image processing apparatus,a second destination storing unit that stores therein application destination information for display generated based on the application destination information, in which application identification information unique to the information processing application, the application display name, and delivery destination information concerning the information processing apparatus that made the request for registration of the information processing application are associated with each other,an operation displaying unit that displays thereon various screens with which a user is capable of performing an input operation, anda display control unit that reads the application display name registered in the application destination information for display, and displays an application screen on which the application display name is rendered to allow the user to input the application display name on the operation displaying unit, the image processing method comprising:receiving the request for registration of the information processing application including the application display name and the delivery destination information from the information processing apparatus;extracting the application display name and the delivery destination information from the request for registration of the information processing application;registering extracted application display name and delivery destination information in the application destination information stored in the first storing unit;registering, based on the application destination information stored in the first storing unit, the application identification information, the application display name, and the delivery destination information in the application destination information for display stored in the second destination storing unit;reading the application display name registered in the application destination information for display stored in the second destination storing unit; anddisplaying an application screen on which read application display name is rendered to allow the user to input the application display name on the operation display unit.