A scan unit may be a stand-alone device or may be included in an image forming apparatus (IFA) that also includes a copier, a printer, and a facsimile. A document that is scanned by the scan unit may undergo image processing to generate a corresponding image file for transmission to a destination or a recipient. A user may select multiple destinations or recipients of the image file and the image file may be provided to the selected multiple destinations or recipients.
Various examples will be described below by referring to the following figures.
Hereinafter, various examples will be described with reference to the drawings. Like reference numerals in the specification and the drawings denote like elements, and thus a redundant description may be omitted.
A scan unit may be a stand-alone device or may be included in an image forming apparatus that also includes a copier, a printer, a facsimile, and other components. In operation, a user may provide a document to be scanned to the scan unit, select parameters for a scanning operation, and select multiple destinations (e.g., recipients) to receive the scanned document. The scan unit scans the document to create digital image data, the selected parameters are applied to the digital image data to obtain a scanned file, and the scanned file is transmitted to each of the selected multiple destinations.
A size of the scanned file corresponds to the selected parameters that are applied to the digital data. For example, a resolution parameter of 600 dots-per-inch (dpi) will result in a larger scanned file than a resolution parameter of 300 dpi. Similarly, a lossless compression parameter will result in a larger scanned file than a lossy compression parameter. And while the scanned file having the larger size may have a higher image quality than the scanned file having a smaller size, the larger size file may be unnecessary or undesired for a certain destination.
In various examples as described below, a scanned document may be provided to different destinations (e.g., recipients) using files of different sizes. In that case, a first file having a first size may be provided to a first destination while a second file having a second size that is smaller than the first size may be provided to a second destination. By providing files of different sizes, system performance and user convenience may be enhanced by using the second file having a smaller size. In the following description, a size of a file refers to the amount of data included in the file or how much data the file contains. For example, a first file may have a first size of 5 MB while a second file that is smaller than the first file may have a size of 2 MB. Of course, these are merely examples of different sizes and a second file may be considered smaller than a first file for any case in which the second file contains less data than the first file.
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Depending on a destination of the scanned document, the image forming apparatus 100 will generate a different output format. For example, as illustrated in table 60, the image forming apparatus 100 will generate an output having a file format for the destinations of the email server 20, the network storage device 30, the cloud-based storage device 40, and the portable storage device 50. In contrast, the image forming apparatus 100 will generate an output that does not have a file format for the internal destinations of the facsimile unit, the local storage unit, and the print unit. In the cases of the facsimile unit, the local storage unit, and the print unit, the image forming apparatus 100 will generate an output having a format corresponding to those destinations (e.g., a printing format for the print unit).
In an example, a user may wish to transmit a scanned document to multiple destinations that each receives an output having the file format. For example, the user may wish to provide a scanned document to the portable storage device 50 and to the cloud-based storage device 40. In that case, the cloud-based storage device 40 may have a limitation as to a maximum size of a file that may be received whereas the portable storage device 50 may not have a size limitation. In various examples as described below, a user may provide a first file to the portable storage device 50 and a second file, having a smaller file size than the first file, to the cloud-based storage device 40. In that case, a possibility of an overloading, a transmission failure, etc. due to the larger size file being transmitted to the cloud-based storage device 40 having the size limitation is reduced.
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The scan unit 110 may irradiate light onto a document and receive the light reflected therefrom to read the imagery on the document. As an example, an image sensor such as a charge coupled device (CCD) type sensor, a contact-type image sensor (CIS), or any other suitable type of image sensor may be used therein for image reading from a document. In various examples, the scan unit 110 may have a flatbed structure in which an image sensor is to move to read an image from a document page placed fixedly on a specific location, a document feed structure in which document sheets are to be fed to allow a fixedly positioned image sensor to read images therefrom, or a combination thereof.
The communication unit 120 may enable the image forming apparatus 100 to communicate with another device, e.g., the email server 20, the network storage device 30, the cloud-based storage device 40, or the portable storage device 50. The communication unit 120 may include various communication modules. For example, the communication unit 120 may include a wireless communication module or a wired communication module. The wireless communication module may be a module that supports, for example, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth, Ultra-Wide Band (UWB), Long Term Evolution (LTE), Long Term Evolution-Advanced (LTE-A), 5G, Near Field Communication (NFC), etc., and the wired communication module may be a module that supports Local Area Network (LAN), Universal Serial Bus (USB), High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), etc. The communication unit 120 may be a transceiver.
The UI unit 130 may include an input unit to receive a variety of user inputs, e.g., a user input to perform a scan job, a user input to select a parameter of the scan job, a user input to select multiple destinations for the scan job, a selection to provide a smaller file to a destination, and the like. Examples of an input unit include a keyboard, a keypad, a physical button, a touch pad, a touch screen, a camera, a microphone, a reader to recognize a sticker, a barcode, etc., and any other type of device that can receive a variety of forms of user input.
The UI unit 130 may also include an output unit to output or provide a presentation of a UI to a user during a scan job and/or to output or provide information on, e.g., a result of the scan job or a status of the image forming apparatus 100. Examples of the output unit include a display panel, a speaker, and any other type of device that can provide a variety of outputs. In an example in which the input unit of the UI unit 130 is the touch screen, the output unit may be the same component as the input unit. In various examples, the output unit may display various menus with which to select parameters of a scan job, destinations of a scan job, an option to select a smaller size file of the scan job for a selected destination, and the like.
The storage unit 140 may include any computer-readable storage medium that stores data in a non-transitory form. In various examples, the storage unit 140 may be, for example, a random-access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), and/or any other type of storage medium. The storage unit 140 may have stored therein a variety of information, for example, a set of instructions that are to be executed by the processor 150, menus to be displayed by the UI unit 130, digital image data generated by the scan unit 110 during a scan job, a first file generated by the processor 150 using the digital image data, and the like. The processor 150 may execute an instruction stored in the storage unit 140. The processor 150 may also read other information stored in the storage unit 140. In addition, the processor 150 may store information in the storage unit 140 and may update information stored in the storage unit 140.
The processor 150 may control an operation of the image forming apparatus 100. For example, the processor 150 may receive a selection from the UI unit 130 to perform a scan job using the scan unit 110. Based on receipt of the scan job selection, the processor 150 may control the UI unit 130 to display menus for setting parameters of the scan job such as a resolution, a file type, a compression density, a compression factor, a color scheme, etc. The processor 150 may also control the UI unit 130 to display an address menu to select a destination of the scan job. In an example in which the user selects multiple destinations, the processor 150 may further control the UI unit 130 to display a menu with which the user may select to provide a smaller file to a destination.
Based on receipt of the input parameters, the processor 150 may control the scan unit 110 to start the scan job. In that case, the scan unit 110 may scan a document to output digital image data of the scanned document. Based on the digital image data and using the input parameters, the processor 150 may generate a first file having a first size. Furthermore, in a case in which the user has selected to provide a smaller file to a destination, the processor 150 may generate a second file having a second size that is smaller than the first size based on the digital image data. The processor 150 may also control the communication unit 120 to transmit the generated files to the corresponding destinations.
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The user interface displayed in operation S303 may include different menus to select various parameters or settings for the scan job.
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The third option 430 may be selected if the user desires to enter specific or custom parameters for the scan job. In that case, the user may set each of the available parameters as desired for the scan job. In the example illustrated in
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In an example, the file size and quality menu 620 may allow a user to select an option having certain pre-set parameters for the smaller file.
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The file size and quality menu 620 may also allow a user to select an option to input custom parameters. In that case, the UI unit 130 may display a user interface similar to the user interface displayed upon selection of the third option 430 in
Based on an input of the selection setting button 610 to send a smaller file to a destination, the recipients menu 630 may also be activated. The recipients menu 630 allows a user to select a destination to receive the smaller file. Based on a selection of the recipients menu 630, a list of available destinations 631 may be displayed on the UI unit 130. The list of available destinations 631 is generated based on the list of destinations 540 the user selected from the destination setting menu 500 as well as a consideration of whether a destination included on the list of destinations 540 is able to receive a smaller file. That is, with reference to table 60 of
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Based on the displayed list of available destinations 631, a user may select which of the available destinations are to receive the smaller file. In the example of
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In operation S319, the processor 150 determines if a smaller file option was selected in operation S307. Based on determining that the smaller file option was selected in operation S307, the processor 150 performs image processing to generate a second file in operation S321. For example, the image processing of operation S321 may include applying the smaller file setting parameters received in operation S307 to the digital image data obtained from the storage unit 140. In operation S323, the storage unit 140 receives the second file generated by the processor 150 and stores the second file. In an example, the process of
In operation S325, the processor 150 determines which destinations are to receive the first file or the second smaller file based on the user's selection received on the list of available destinations 631. Based on that determination, the processor 150 may associate the first file and the second file with a network address, a URL of a cloud-based storage device, an email address, or local address of a portable storage device associated with the corresponding destination. The processor 150 may also generate general job-related information such as a list of destinations, a time of transmittal, etc. and store the job-related information in a job log. Upon completion of operation S325, the processor 150 controls the communication unit 120 to transmit the appropriate files to the corresponding destinations in operation S327. In an example in which a first destination is to receive the first file and a second destination is to receive the second file, the transmission operation may proceed sequentially beginning with transmission of the first file to the first destination.
In the alternative, if the processor 150 determines in operation S319 that the smaller file option was not selected in operation S307, the processor 150 may associate the first file with all selected destinations and prepare the first file for transmission in operation S325. In that case, the communication unit 120 transmits the first file to all destinations in operation S327.
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In operation S805, the processor determines if a smaller file option has been selected. Based on a selection of the smaller file option, the processor generates a second file by applying parameters associated with the smaller file option to the digital image data output by the scan unit and stores the generated second file in operation S807. In operation S809, the processor prepares the generated first file and second file for transmission to their corresponding destinations. For example, the processor may associate the first file and the second file with a network address, a URL of a cloud-based storage device, an email address, or local address of a portable storage device associated with the corresponding destination. In operation S815, the processor controls transmission of the first file and the second file to their corresponding destinations. For example, the processor may control a communication unit to transmit the first file and the second file.
Based on a determination in operation S805 that the smaller file option is not selected, the processor prepares the generated first file for transmission to each of the selected destinations. For example, the processor may associate the first file with an address of a network storage device, a URL of a cloud-based storage device, an email address, or a local address of a portable storage device associated with each of the selected destinations. In operation S813, the processor controls transmission of the first file to each of the selected destinations. For example, the processor may control a communication unit to transmit the first file.
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In various examples, the computer readable recording medium may include a read-only memory (ROM), a random-access memory (RAM), a flash memory, CD-ROMs, CD-Rs, CD+Rs, CD-RWs, CD+RWs, DVD-ROMs, DVD-Rs, DVD+Rs, DVD-RWs, DVD+RWs, DVD-RAMs, BD-ROMs, BD-Rs, BD-R LTHs, BD-Res, a magnetic tape, a floppy disk, a magneto-optical data storage device, an optical data storage device, a hard disk, a solid-state drive (SSD), and may store instructions or software, related data, data files, and data structures, and the computer readable recording medium may be any device capable of providing instructions or software, related data, data files, and data structures to the processor or the computer so that the processor or the computer may execute an instruction.
Examples of the disclosure have been illustrated and described. However, the disclosure is not limited to the above-described examples, and various changes in form and details may be made without departing from the spirit and scope as defined, by the following claims and their equivalents.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/US2021/049782 | 9/10/2021 | WO |