JP4189592B2 - Image data management apparatus, image forming apparatus, and image data management method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image data management apparatus and an image forming apparatus that manage and store image data, and more particularly to a technique that improves operability when reading image data.

A device for managing image data (hereinafter referred to as “image management server”) stores documents such as documents and images in a memory in the form of electronic data.
When storing a document, the image management server stores the document in a form encoded in a data format corresponding to the purpose of use such as file transfer or mail. In other words, the size of the electronic data is reduced by encoding, and the storage memory is efficiently used.

In addition, when browsing a stored document, the user accesses the image management server, designates the document to be browsed, and brings the electronic data of the designated document to his / her terminal etc. I do.
Here, when bringing the electronic data of the specified document to your own terminal, that is, when exchanging data between the image management server and the user's terminal, usually use a socket that connects both Exchange data.

In order to exchange data through a socket, it is necessary for computers performing communication to specify ports having the same number.
A port is an auxiliary address for one computer having a unique identifier, for example, an IP address, to communicate with a plurality of computers simultaneously. A plurality of ports can be specified, and a number from 0 to 65535 is used to specify the port, so it is also called a “port number”. A socket is a network address that combines a computer address and a port.

Since the exchange of data is performed by connecting computers with sockets, the port numbers used by a pair of computers that communicate with each other are managed collectively so that the port numbers are not mistaken, and the sockets are securely connected to the target computers. A technique that enables connection is disclosed (see Patent Document 1). With this technology, the user can access the image management server storing the target document without hesitation.
JP 07-31724 A

However, since the electronic data of the document stored in the image management server is created and stored in a data format corresponding to its purpose of use, it is not necessarily stored in a data format that can be displayed on its own terminal. I don't mean.
Therefore, when browsing the electronic data brought to his / her terminal or the like, the user needs to prepare various browsers so that all data formats of the stored electronic data can be displayed. Or, if the browser of your terminal does not support the data format of the electronic data that you want to view, the browser of your terminal can display the data format of that electronic data It is necessary to convert to a data format and view it.

Furthermore, when data conversion cannot be performed, it may be necessary to stop browsing the document.
In other words, when browsing the contents of a document, the user has created the electronic data of the document in any data format before browsing the contents, and the electronic data of the data format is It is necessary to consider whether or not it can be displayed in a browser or editor that is normally used.

  Therefore, the present invention constructs a data providing system in which only the content of a document to be used is considered without considering the data format of the document before achieving the user's original purpose of browsing the document. An object of the present invention is to provide an image data management device and the like.

In order to solve the above problems, an image data management apparatus according to the present invention includes an acquisition unit that acquires image data created in a predetermined data format, an image data storage unit that stores the image data, and data of the image data. Sending information storage means for storing sending information for associating a format with sending port information indicating a port for sending image data, and a request acquiring means for obtaining request information relating to a request for sending image data, including the sending port information Determining means for determining the data format of the image data to be transmitted from the transmission information stored in the transmission information storage means and the transmission port information included in the request information, and stored in the image data storage means Conversion means for converting the image data created in the predetermined data format into the data format determined by the determination means, and the conversion means The converted image data, characterized by comprising a transmitting means for transmitting the port indicated by the delivery port information included in the request information.

  The image data management apparatus according to the present invention has the above-described configuration, so that when image data is requested from an external application, the image data is converted in accordance with the request and the converted image is converted. Since the data can be passed, the external application can display the received image data immediately. That is, the user can refer to the image data without being aware of the data format of the image data stored in the image data management device or the like, and the convenience is improved.

  Here, the image data acquisition means is means for reading image data from an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or the like inside the image data management apparatus or an external device, and the image data is data read by a scanner or F A Various data such as data received by X.

As a result, image data in a predetermined data format can be sent according to the number of the port to which the external application is connected, so the external application can send the required data without specifying the data format of the requested image data. Image data created in the format can be received.
The request information acquired by the request acquiring means includes a data format of image data to be the delivery, the request acquiring means, upon acquiring the request information, sends stored in the transmission information storage means Of the information, the data format associated with the transmission port information included in the acquired request information may be rewritten to the acquired data format.

  As a result, once an external application specifies the format of the image data and requests the image data, the port number and data format are saved. After that, the external application only needs to specify the port number. Thus, it is possible to receive image data created in a required data format without specifying the data format of the requested image data.

The predetermined data format may be one type of data format. Thereby, when converting image data of a predetermined data format into image data of another data format, only one CODEC (Compressor DECompressor) is required to be decompressed, so that the structure of the image data management apparatus is simplified. Can do.
Furthermore, in order to solve the above-described problem, the image forming apparatus of the present invention stores an acquisition unit that acquires image data created in a data format unique to the image forming apparatus for forming an image, and stores the image data. Image data storage means, transmission information storage means for storing transmission information for associating the data format of the image data with transmission port information indicating a port for transmitting the image data , and image data stored in the image data storage means an image forming unit for forming an image on the basis, including the delivery port information, a request acquisition means for acquiring the requested information about the request for transmission of image data, the image data stored in said image data storage means, said request converting means and said converting means for converting the image data of the data format and the delivery port information associated with the transmission information included in the information The converted image data, characterized by comprising a transmitting means for transmitting the port indicated by the delivery port information included in said request information.

  As a result, image data in various data formats can be transmitted, so that the user can acquire image data in a data format as required.

<Overview>
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a relationship between an image data management apparatus according to the present invention and a user terminal.
In the present embodiment, the image data management apparatus is an MFP (Multi Function Peripheral) 1000, and a user uses various software such as PageScope (registered trademark) Cabinet and MS Word as a browser on each terminal 2000. It shall be. Further, not only the terminal 2000 but also the router 2001 may be used.

The MFP 1000 and the terminal 2000 are connected via a network 9000, and the user reads the electronic data of the document stored in the MFP 1000 into his / her terminal 2000 and refers to the document with the browser on the terminal.
In the present invention, when the user reads the electronic data of the target document into his / her terminal 2000 or the like, the data format is already in a format that can be displayed by the browser on the terminal. You can refer to the document. This is because in the MFP 1000, the data format required by the user's browser is determined by the port number accessed by the browser, and the data format is converted.

The MFP 1000 can determine the data format based on the port number because the port used by external application software such as the user's browser is determined.
<Configuration>
Hereinafter, an MFP 1000 that is an image data management apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of the MFP.
The MFP 1000 includes a panel 1100, a printer 1200, a scanner 1300, a FAX 1400, a control unit 1500, a data creation unit 1600, an image data storage unit 1700, and a data communication unit 1800.
A control unit 1500 includes a CPU, a memory, and the like (not shown), and performs general control processing necessary for the MFP 1000 and controls processing unique to the present invention.

The function of each unit described below is realized by executing a program stored in the memory of the MFP 1000 by the CPU.
The panel 1100 is a so-called operation panel, and has functions such as accepting a switching operation between a scanner function and a FAX function, notifying the control unit 1500, and displaying the state of the MFP 1000, for example.

The printer 1200 has a function of printing image data. Data transmitted from the terminal 2000 connected via the network 9000 or data stored in the image data storage unit 1700 can be printed via the control unit 1500. The image data storage unit 1700 will be described later.
The scanner 1300 has a function of reading a document such as a document or an image. Further, the read document can be stored in the image data storage unit 1700 as electronic data via the control unit 1500.

  The FAX 1400 has a function of performing FAX transmission / reception. The image data read by the scanner 1300, the image data stored in the image data storage unit 1700, and the like can be faxed via the control unit 1500. Further, the image data received by FAX can be printed by the printer 1200 via the control unit 1500 or stored in the image data storage unit 1700.

  The image data storage unit 1700 has a function of storing image data. The stored image data is stored in response to a storage request from another device, image data of a document printed by the printer 1200, image data of a document read by the scanner 1300, image data of a document transmitted / received by the FAX 1400, or the like. Various data such as image data.

However, it is assumed that these image data are created in a predetermined data format. The predetermined data format is obtained by encoding the data as it is scanned from the document, and has a smaller data amount than the original data. This is to improve the storage speed and to efficiently use the storage area.
Further, the predetermined data format may be a plurality of data formats as long as it can be converted into a target data format. However, in this embodiment, it is assumed that all image data is created in one data format (hereinafter referred to as “internal data format”) and stored in the image data storage unit 1700.

In addition, although it can be said that this encoding method has reversibility, it is optimal, as long as it satisfies the accuracy required when converted into another data format after decompression. For example, JBIG (Joint BiLevel-Image expert Group) or a unique encoding method may be used.
Next, the data communication unit 1800 has a function of exchanging data with the outside. It is possible to recognize which port is specified by the socket connected from the application of the external device. Data transmitted from the data communication unit 1800 to the user terminal 2000 is displayed on the browser 2100.

The data creation unit 1600 has a function of creating a file having a data format requested by the user from the files stored in the image data storage unit 1700. The created file is transmitted to the user's terminal 2000 through the data communication unit 1800.
The data creation unit 1600 includes a data format determination unit 1610, a port number management table storage unit 1620, and a data format conversion unit 1630.

  The data format determination unit 1610 has a function of receiving the port number recognized by the data communication unit 1800 via the control unit 1500 and determining the data format of data to be transmitted to the port having the received port number. The method of determining the data format from the port number is determined using a port number management table (see FIG. 3), which is a correspondence table between port numbers and data formats. Details of the port number management table will be described in the item <Data>.

The port number management table storage unit 1620 stores a port number management table 3000, and has a function of referring to, updating, and the like.
Next, the data format conversion unit 1630 has a function of reading data stored in the image data storage unit 1700 and converting the read data into data of another data format. The created data is transferred to the data communication unit 1800 and transmitted.

That is, the data encoded in the internal data format is once decompressed, and the decompressed data is encoded again in the data format determined by the data format determination unit 1610 to create converted data.
If the internal data format and the data format determined by the data format determination unit 1610 are the same data format, the data format is transferred to the data communication unit 1800 without being decompressed.

<Data>
Hereinafter, main data used in the above-described MFP 1000 will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration and example contents of the port number management table 3000.
It is assumed that this port number management table 3000 has been created in advance.
The port number management table 3000 includes a port number 3100, a data format 3200, and an application 3300.

A port number 3100 is a number for identifying a port, and a number used in the MFP 1000 is set.
The data format 3200 represents the data format of data to be sent to the port indicated by the corresponding port number.
The application 3300 represents an application that receives data sent to the port indicated by the port number 3100, that is, a browser used by the user.

The items of the application 3300 are the configuration requirements of the port number management table for convenience of explanation, but the port number 3100 and the data format 3200 are essential items.
For example, data created in the data format “PDF (Portable Document Format)” is transmitted to the port having the port number 3100 of “80”. The port with the port number “90” has a data format “PDF & TIFF (Tagged Image File Format)”, that is, a document having the same content and a data format “PDF” and “TIFF”. Send out two data of the created data.

  The data sent to the port number “80” is created in the data format “PDF” and displayed by the application 3300 “PageScopeCabinet”. The data sent to the port number “90” is created in the data formats “PDF” and “TIFF”, and the data in the data format necessary for the terminal connected to the router by the application 3300 “PageScopeRouter”. Will be resent.

<Operation>
Hereinafter, the operation of the MFP 1000 will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a process flowchart and data exchange between the MFP 1000 and the terminal 2000.
First, the user designates a document file stored in the MFP 1000 using his / her terminal 2000. This designation needs to be designated through an application that can access the MFP 1000, for example, “PageScopeCabinet”. Further, when the user designates a document file, it is not necessary to be aware of the file extension representing the data format.

The application of the terminal 2000 that has received the file specification creates a socket and connects to the MFP 1000 (step S301). In this connection, the IP address (Internet Protocol Address) and port number of the MFP 1000 are designated.
The MFP 1000 accepts a connection from the terminal 2000, and establishes a connection between the MFP 1000 and the terminal 2000 (step S302). As a result, data can be exchanged between the data communication unit 1800 of the MFP 1000 and the browser 2100 of the user terminal 2000.

After the connection is established, the data communication unit 1800 recognizes the connected port number (step S303).
In addition, the terminal 2000 transmits a document identifying the document file requested by the user, for example, a file name to the MFP 1000 (step S304).
The file name is transmitted to the MFP 1000, and the data communication unit 1800 receives the file name (step S305).

Upon receiving the file name, the data communication unit 1800 passes the recognized port number and file name to the data creation unit 1600 via the control unit 1500 and requests that the data format be converted.
The data creation unit that has received the request to convert the data format passes the received port number to the data format determination unit 1610. Further, the data creation unit passes the received file name to the data format conversion unit 1630.

Upon receiving the port number, the data format determination unit 1610 determines the data format and notifies the data format conversion unit 1630 of the determined data format. This determination is performed by requesting the port number management table storage unit 1620 to refer to the port number management table 3000. For example, if the port number is “80”, the data format is determined as “PDF”.
Receiving the file name, the data format conversion unit 1630 reads the file with the received file name from the image data storage unit 1700. The read file is converted into the data format received from the data format conversion unit 1610 (step S306).

The data conversion unit 1630 that has converted the data passes the converted file data to the data communication unit 1800. If the data format of the read file is the same as the data format after conversion, conversion is not performed and the read file data is passed to the data communication unit 1800.
The data communication unit 1800 that has received the converted data sends the converted file data to the port to which the terminal 2000 is connected (step S307).

The converted file data sent from the MFP 1000 passes through the communication line (step S308) and is received by the terminal 2000 (step S309).
After the file data is received by terminal 2000, the socket connecting MFP 1000 and terminal 2000 is discarded.
The received file data is displayed as it is on the browser 2100 of the terminal 2000 (step S310) and is referred to by the user.

<Supplement>
The image data management apparatus according to the present invention has been described above based on the embodiment. However, the image data management apparatus can be partially modified, and the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. is there.
(1) In the embodiment, the image data storage unit 1700 is provided inside the MFP 1000, but may be provided outside the image data management apparatus. In this case, data transmission / reception with an external image data storage unit is required.
(2) In the embodiment, the file data stored in the image data storage unit 1700 is created in an internal data format, but may be created in a different data format for each file. However, it must be possible to convert to the required data format. That is, a CODEC (Compressor DECompressor) corresponding to each data format is required.
(3) In the embodiment, the port number management table 3000 is created in advance, but a communication history may be used.

For example, when a file in a certain data format is requested through a socket in which a certain port number is designated, the data generation unit 1600, when the data format 3200 corresponding to the designated port number 3100 is undefined, A corresponding data format 3200 is defined in the requested data format, and image data converted into the data format is transmitted.
If the data format 3200 corresponding to the designated port number 3100 has been defined, the image data in the defined data format is transmitted regardless of the requested data format.

Further, when there is a data request in which the data format 3200 designates an undefined port number 3100, the image data is transmitted without performing data conversion.
That is, the correspondence between the port number and the data format is determined by the first request for the port.
(4) A program for causing the CPU to execute each control process (see FIG. 2 and the like) for realizing each function of the image data management apparatus or the like shown in the embodiment is recorded on a recording medium or various communication paths, etc. It can also be distributed and distributed via Such a recording medium includes an IC card, an optical disk, a flexible disk, a ROM, a flash memory, and the like. The distributed and distributed programs are used by being stored in a memory or the like that can be read by the CPU in the device, and each of the image data management apparatuses and the like shown in the embodiment is executed by the CPU executing the program. Function is realized.

  The program for realizing the present invention does not have to include all modules for causing the computer to execute the processing described above. For example, a communication program, a program included in an operating system (OS), and the like The computer may execute each process of the present invention using various general-purpose programs that can be separately installed in the information processing apparatus. Therefore, it is not always necessary to record all the modules on the recording medium of the present invention, and it is not always necessary to transmit all the modules. Further, there are cases where predetermined processing can be executed using dedicated hardware.

  It is useful as a technique for constructing a system in order to improve the user interface of applications such as various browsers and promote the use of files stored in a file server.

It is a figure which shows the relationship between the image data management apparatus concerning this invention, a user's terminal, etc. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram illustrating a configuration of an MFP. FIG. It is a figure which shows the structure and content example of a port number management table. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a process flowchart between the MFP and the terminal and data exchange.

Explanation of symbols

1000 MFP
1100 Panel 1200 Printer 1300 Scanner 1400 FAX
1500 control unit 1600 data creation unit 1700 image data storage unit 1800 data communication unit 2000 terminal 2001 router 3000 port number management table

Claims (9)

Acquisition means for acquiring image data created in a predetermined data format;
Image data storage means for storing the image data ;
Sending information storing means for storing sending information for associating the data format of the image data with sending port information indicating a port for sending the image data;
Request acquisition means for acquiring request information relating to a request for transmission of image data, including the transmission port information ;
Determining means for determining a data format of image data to be transmitted from transmission information stored in the transmission information storage means and transmission port information included in the request information ;
Conversion means for converting said image data image data created is stored in the storage means in a predetermined data format, the data format determined by the determining means,
Sending means for sending the image data converted by the converting means from a port indicated by sending port information included in the request information . The request information acquired by the request acquisition unit includes a data format of the image data to be transmitted,
The request acquiring means, upon acquiring the request information, among the transmission information stored in the transmission information storage means, the data format associated with the delivery port information included in the acquired request information, the The image data management apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the image data management apparatus is rewritten to the acquired data format. 2. The image data management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined data format is one type of data format. An acquisition means for acquiring image data created in a data format specific to an image forming apparatus for forming an image;
Image data storage means for storing the image data ;
Sending information storing means for storing sending information for associating the data format of the image data with sending port information indicating a port for sending the image data;
Image forming means for forming an image based on the image data stored in the image data storage means;
Request acquisition means for acquiring request information relating to a request for transmission of image data, including the transmission port information;
Conversion means for converting the image data stored in the image data storage means into image data in a data format associated with the transmission port information included in the request information and the transmission information ;
An image forming apparatus comprising: sending means for sending the image data converted by the converting means from a port indicated by sending port information included in the request information . The image forming apparatus further includes setting information acquisition means for acquiring setting information including transmission port information indicating a port for transmitting image data and a data format of the image data,
  The setting information acquisition unit, when acquiring the setting information, out of the transmission information stored in the transmission information storage unit, the data format associated with the transmission port information included in the acquired setting information, Rewrite to the data format included in the acquired setting information
  The image data management apparatus according to claim 4. A computer program for causing an image data management apparatus to perform image data management processing,
The image data management process includes:
An acquisition step of acquiring image data created in a predetermined data format;
An image data storage step for storing the image data ;
A transmission information storage step for storing transmission information for associating the data format of the image data with transmission port information indicating a port for transmitting the image data;
A request acquisition step for acquiring request information relating to a request for transmission of image data, including the transmission port information ;
And sending information stored in the delivery information storing step, and a delivery port information included in the request information, a determining step of determining the data format of the image data to be sent,
A conversion step of converting the image data created in the predetermined data format stored in the image data storage step into the data format determined in the determination step;
A computer program comprising: a sending step of sending the image data converted in the converting step from a port indicated by sending port information included in the request information . The request information acquired by the request acquisition step includes a data format of the image data to be transmitted,
  In the request acquisition step, when the request information is acquired, the data format associated with the transmission port information included in the acquired request information among the transmission information stored in the transmission information storage step is changed to the acquired data. Rewrite to format
  The computer program according to claim 6. An image data management method used in an image data management apparatus,
  An acquisition step of acquiring image data created in a predetermined data format;
  An image data storage step for storing the image data;
  A transmission information storage step for storing transmission information for associating the data format of the image data with transmission port information indicating a port for transmitting the image data;
  A request acquisition step for acquiring request information relating to a request for transmission of image data, including the transmission port information;
  A determination step for determining a data format of image data to be transmitted from the transmission information stored in the transmission information storage step and the transmission port information included in the request information;
  A conversion step of converting the image data created in the predetermined data format stored in the image data storage step into the data format determined in the determination step;
  A sending step for sending the image data converted in the converting step from a port indicated by sending port information included in the request information;
  An image data management method comprising: The request information acquired by the request acquisition step includes a data format of the image data to be transmitted,
  In the request acquisition step, when the request information is acquired, the data format associated with the transmission port information included in the acquired request information is stored in the transmission information stored in the transmission information storage step. Rewrite to the acquired data format
  9. The image data management method according to claim 8, wherein:

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