JP2004303205A - Image forming apparatus with stored document information editable by external device, and document service providing method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming and processing apparatus which provides extended bibliographic information for a client connected through a network, overwrites and stores the extended bibliographic information changed by the client, and manages a plurality of extended bibliographic information for one document, and also to provide a document service providing method. <P>SOLUTION: This image forming apparatus having a plurality of hardware resources used in an image forming process, and a plurality of programs for carrying out processing related to image formation, carries out the image forming process according to document bibliographic information composed of bibliographic information on the document and extended bibliographic information extending the bibliographic information, and provides the service related to the document, for a client connected through the network. The apparatus has: a document managing means for managing the document and the document bibliographic information in a related manner with document identification information for identifying the document; an extended bibliographic information providing means for providing the client with the extended bibliographic information; and an extended bibliographic information storage means for storing the extended information notified by the client. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  According to the present invention, the present invention provides extended bibliographic information to a client connected via a network, overwrites the extended bibliographic information changed by the client, and stores a plurality of extended bibliographic information for one document (image data). An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming processing apparatus and a document service providing method capable of managing information.

  2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, an image forming apparatus in which functions of respective apparatuses such as a printer, a copier, a facsimile, and a scanner are housed in one housing is generally known. Such a composite type image forming apparatus includes a display unit, a printing unit, an imaging unit, and the like in one housing, and provides three types of applications corresponding to a printer, a copying machine, and a facsimile machine, respectively. The apparatus operates as a printer, copier, scanner or facsimile apparatus.

  Such a conventional image forming apparatus is connected to a client via a network, for example, and executes processing of a treatment in accordance with an instruction from the client. For example, an image forming apparatus that stores a document (image data) on a hard disk or the like outputs a specified document (image data) using a print function or the like in accordance with an instruction from a client.

  However, in a conventional image forming apparatus, when outputting a stored document, the document can only be output by a preset processing method. Therefore, when changing the monochrome printing to color and trying to output the same document (image data), the client user again specifies the document (image data) and specifies the printing method (processing method). There was a problem that you had to specify.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide, to a client, extended bibliographic information specifying a processing method included in the bibliographic information to a client in a mechanism in which a document (image data) is formed based on bibliographic information, An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus and a document service providing method capable of overwriting and storing the extended bibliographic information obtained and managing a plurality of extended bibliographic information for one document (image data).

  In order to solve the above problem, the present invention has a plurality of hardware resources used in image forming processing and a plurality of programs for performing processing related to image formation, and stores bibliographic information on documents and bibliographic information. An image forming apparatus that performs an image forming process according to document bibliographic information composed of extended bibliographic information and provides a service related to the document to a client connected via a network, wherein the document and the document are provided. Document management means for managing bibliographic information in association with document identification information for identifying the document; extended bibliographic information providing means for providing the client with the extended bibliographic information; and the extended information notified from the client And extended bibliographic information storage means for storing

  Further, in order to solve the above problem, according to the present invention, when the document identification information is specified by the client, the extended bibliographic information providing means is associated with the document identification information using the document management means. The extended bibliographic information is specified, and the extended bibliographic information is provided to the client.

  Further, in order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the present invention provides the extended bibliographic information storage unit, wherein the extended bibliographic information storage unit specifies the extended bibliographic information associated with the document identification information designated by the client using the document management unit. The extended bibliographic information changed by the client is stored in the extended bibliographic information.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the present invention provides the extended bibliographic information storage unit, wherein the document management unit specifies the document associated with the document identification information designated by the client using the document management unit, Storing the document changed by the client.

  Further, in order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the present invention, when notified of the document from the client, saves the document, and provides document identification information providing means for providing document identification information assigned to the document, Document registration means for storing the extended bibliographic information notified from a client together with the provided document identification information is provided.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a document list providing unit that provides the client with a list of the documents.

  Further, in order to solve the above problem, the present invention has a plurality of hardware resources used in image forming processing and a plurality of programs for performing processing related to image formation, and bibliographic information on documents and the bibliographic information. An image forming apparatus that performs the image forming process in accordance with document bibliographic information including extended bibliographic information obtained by expanding information, and a document service providing method for providing a service related to the document to a client connected via a network Receiving, from the client, document identification information identifying the document, and an extended bibliographic information acquisition requesting step for requesting acquisition of the extended bibliographic information; and extended bibliographic information associated with the notified document identification information. Expanding the bibliographic information into a predetermined data structure; and transmitting the expanded bibliographic information to the client. And having a step.

  In order to solve the above problem, the present invention provides an extended bibliographic information writing request step in which the client is notified of the document identification information and the extended bibliographic information and is requested to write the extended bibliographic information. Writing the notified extended bibliographic information to the extended bibliographic information associated with the notified document identification information; and writing to notify the client that the notified extended bibliographic information has been written. And a completion notification step.

  Further, in order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the present invention provides a storage document list acquisition request step in which the client is required to acquire the document list, and a document list for notifying the client of the document identification information list. A notification step, wherein the document identification information and the extended bibliographic information are notified from the client, and an extended bibliographic information writing request step in which writing of the extended bibliographic information is requested; and Extended bibliographic information to the notified extended bibliographic information, and a registration completion notifying step of notifying the client that the notified extended bibliographic information has been registered. I do.

  In order to solve the above problem, the present invention provides a document storage requesting step in which the client is requested to store the document, and a document identification method notification for notifying the document identification information assigned to the notified document. An extended bibliographic information registration requesting step in which the assigned document identification information and the extended bibliographic information are notified from the client, and registration of the extended bibliographic information is requested; and An extended bibliographic information registration step of registering, and a registration completion notifying step of notifying the client that the notified extended bibliographic information has been registered are provided.

  Further, in order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the present invention provides a storage document list acquisition request step in which the client is required to acquire the document list, and a document list for notifying the client of the document identification information list. A notification step; a notification of the document identification information and the extended bibliographic information from the client; and a new extended bibliographic information registration requesting step of requesting registration of the extended bibliographic information. A document identification information new creation stage to be created, a document bibliography information creation stage to create document bibliography information associated with the created document identification information, and registration notifying the client that the notified extended bibliography information has been registered And a completion notification step.

  As described above, in the image forming apparatus and the document service providing method, the extended bibliographic information is provided to the client connected via the network, the extended bibliographic information changed by the client is overwritten, and one document (image Data) can manage a plurality of extended bibliographic information.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  An image forming apparatus that fuses various image forming functions according to an embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter, referred to as a fusion machine) has a functional configuration as shown in FIG. 1, for example. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of a multifunction peripheral that fuses various image forming functions according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, the multifunction device 1 is configured to include a software group 2, a multifunction device activation unit 3, and hardware resources 4.

  The multifunction peripheral starting unit 3 is first executed when the power of the multifunction peripheral 1 is turned on, and activates the application layer 5 and the platform 6. For example, the multifunction peripheral starting unit 3 reads the programs of the application layer 5 and the platform 6 from a hard disk device (hereinafter referred to as HDD) or the like, and transfers each read program to a memory area to start.

  The hardware resources 4 include an FCU (fax control unit) 80, a plotter 11, a scanner 12, and other hardware resources 13.

  Further, the software group 2 includes an application layer 5 and a platform 6 activated on an operating system (hereinafter referred to as an OS) such as UNIX (registered trademark). The application layer 5 includes programs for performing processes specific to user services related to image formation, such as a printer, a copy, a facsimile, and a scanner.

  The application layer 5 includes a printer application 21 that is a printer application, a copy application 22 that is a copy application, a fax application 23 that is a fax application, a scanner application 24 that is a scanner application, and a web service application. A certain web service processing application 25. The Web service processing application 25 causes at least one or more Web service functions (WSFs) to execute processing according to processing contents specified by an HTTP request according to HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol), and sets the processing result in an HTTP response. And provide it as a Web service. The Web service processing application 25 corresponds to extended bibliographic information providing means, extended bibliographic information storing means, document identification information providing means, document registering means, and document list providing means.

  Further, the platform 6 interprets the processing request from the application layer 5 and generates a request for acquiring the hardware resource 4, and manages one or more hardware resources 4 to control the control service layer 9. And a handler layer 10 for managing the hardware resources 4 in response to the acquisition request from the SRM 39.

  The control service layer 9 includes a network control service (hereinafter, referred to as NCS) 31, a delivery control service (hereinafter, referred to as DCS) 32, an operation panel control service (hereinafter, referred to as OCS) 33, and a fax control service (hereinafter, referred to as FCS) 34. , An engine control service (hereinafter, referred to as ECS) 35, a memory control service (hereinafter, referred to as MCS) 36, a user information control service (hereinafter, referred to as UCS) 37, a system control service (hereinafter, referred to as SCS) 38, and the like. It is configured to include a service module. The above-described MCS 36 corresponds to a document management unit.

  In addition, the platform 6 is configured to have an API 53 that can receive a processing request from the application layer 5 by a function defined in advance. The OS executes each software of the application layer 5 and the platform 6 as a process in parallel.

  The process of the NCS 31 provides a service that can be used in common to applications that require network I / O, and distributes data received from the network by each protocol to each application, or distributes data from each application. Mediation when sending to the network side.

  For example, the NCS 31 controls data communication with a client connected via a network by using HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol Daemon) by HTTP.

  The process of the DCS 32 controls distribution of stored documents and the like. The process of the OCS 33 controls an operation panel serving as information transmission means between the operator and the main body control. The FCS 34 process provides an API from the application layer 5 for performing fax transmission / reception using the PSTN or ISDN network, registration / quotation of various fax data managed in a backup memory, fax reading, fax reception printing, and the like. I do.

  The process of the ECS 35 controls engine units such as the plotter 11, the scanner 12, and the hardware resources 13. The process of the MCS 36 performs memory control such as acquisition and release of a memory, use of an HDD, and compression and decompression of image data. The process of the UCS 37 manages user information.

  The process of the SCS 38 performs processes such as application management, operation unit control, system screen display, LED display, hardware resource management, and interrupt application control.

  The process of the SRM 39 controls the system and manages the hardware resources 4 together with the SCS 38. For example, the process of the SRM 39 performs arbitration in accordance with an acquisition request from an upper layer using the hardware resources 4 such as the plotter 11 and the scanner 12, and controls execution.

  Specifically, the process of the SRM 39 determines whether the requested hardware resource 4 is available (whether the hardware resource 4 is not used by another acquisition request). The upper layer is notified that the resource 4 is available. The process of the SRM 39 performs scheduling for using the hardware resource 4 in response to an acquisition request from the upper layer, and the content of the request (for example, paper transport and image forming operation by the printer engine, memory reservation, file generation, etc.). Is implemented directly.

  The handler layer 10 also includes a fax control unit handler (hereinafter, referred to as FCUH) 40 that manages a fax control unit (hereinafter, referred to as FCU) described below, and an image that manages the memory allocated to the process and the memory allocated to the process. A memory handler (hereinafter referred to as IMH) 41. The SRM 39 and the FCUH 40 make a processing request to the hardware resource 4 using the engine I / F 54 that can transmit a processing request to the hardware resource 4 by a function defined in advance.

  The multifunction device 1 can perform processing required in common by each application on the platform 6 in a unified manner.

  Next, the hardware configuration of the MFP 1 will be described. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of the multifunction peripheral shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the multifunction device 1 includes an operation panel 70, an engine unit 19 including an FCU 80, a plotter 11, a scanner 12, and other hardware 13, and connects an ASIC 61 of a controller 60 to a PCI. (Peripheral Component Interconnect). The FCU 80 normally transmits and receives fax data according to the G3 standard. The FCU 80 may further include the G3 standard and the G4 standard as options.

  The controller 60 connects the ASIC 61 with a MEM-C 62, a hard disk drive (HDD) 63, and the like, and connects the ASIC 61 with the CPU 64 via an NB 65 of a CPU chipset. The reason for connecting via the NB 65 is that the interface of the CPU 64 itself is not disclosed.

  Here, the ASIC 61 and the NB 65 are connected not only via the PCI but also via the AGP 68. The reason why the connection is established via the AGP 68 is that the MFP 1 is connected with a low-speed PCI because the MFP 1 controls the execution of a plurality of processes forming the platform 6 and the application layer 5. This is because the performance is reduced.

  The CPU 64 performs overall control of the multifunction machine 1. Specifically, the CPU 64 activates the NCS 31, DCS 32, OCS 33, FCS 34, ECS 35, MCS 36, UCS 37, and SCS 38 which form the platform 6 on the OS as processes. At the same time, the printer application 21, the copy application 22, the fax application 23, the scanner application 24, and the web service processing application 25 that form the application layer 5 are activated and executed.

  An NB 65 is a bridge for connecting the CPU 64 to the MEM-P 66, the SB 67, and the ASIC 61. The MEM-P 66 is a system memory used as a drawing memory or the like of the multi-function peripheral, and the MEM-C 62 is a copy image buffer. The ASIC 61 is an IC for image processing having a hardware element for image processing.

  The NB 65 is connected to the SB 67 via a PCI bus, and also controls an NIC (Network Interface Card) 71 for controlling network communication, a USB (Universal Serial Bus) 72, an IEEE 1394 73 connectable with an IEEE 1394 dedicated cable, and a parallel cable. Is connected to the connectable Centronics 74.

  The SB 67 is a bridge for connecting the NB 65 to a ROM, a PCI device, and peripheral devices. The SB 67 has a USB host inside, and can capture image data by connecting a USB-connected camera, for example, and can also receive data from another USB target.

  In the multifunction device 1, data transmitted and received via a plurality of standard G3, G3 option, and G4 option ports of the SB 67, the NIC 71, the USB 72, the IEEE139473, the Centronics 74, the serial 75, and the FCU 80 are stored in the HDD 63 and centrally managed. Is done.

  The HDD 63 is a storage for accumulating image data, accumulating programs, accumulating font data, and accumulating forms. The operation panel 70 accepts input operations from the operator and performs display for the operator. An operation unit.

  Therefore, the ASIC 61 is provided with a RAM interface for connecting the MEM-C 62 and a hard disk interface for connecting the HDD 63. When inputting and outputting image data to and from these storage units, The destination is switched to the RAM interface or the hard disk interface.

  The AGP 68 is a bus interface for a graphics accelerator card proposed to speed up graphics processing, and speeds up the graphics accelerator card by directly accessing the system memory at high throughput.

  Hereinafter, a function for providing, as a Web service, the multifunction device 1 having the functional configuration shown in FIG. 1 and the hardware configuration shown in FIG. A configuration example will be described. Here, the Web service means that the MFP 1 performs predetermined processing in response to a service request based on an HTTP request from a client, and provides the processing result to the client as an HTTP response.

  Hereinafter, the document (image data) is stored in the HDD 63 to manage the document and bibliographic information. In particular, in the present invention, providing and taking back extended bibliographic information which is a part of the bibliographic information is provided as a Web service. This is called a repository Web service. A document (image data) is formed on a predetermined medium and output based on bibliographic information including extended bibliographic information.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a first functional configuration of the MFP that provides a repository Web service. Only the main functional configuration for realizing the repository Web service among the functional configurations of the MFP 1 shown in FIG. 1 is illustrated, and other functional configurations are omitted. 3, the MFP 1 distributes processing to a repository Web service providing processing unit 140 that provides a repository Web service, an httpd 102 that performs communication control according to HTTP, and a Web service providing processing unit that responds to an HTTP request. It has a distributor 130, MCS 36, FCU 80, plotter 11, scanner 12, HDD 63, and operation panel 70.

  The repository Web service providing processing unit 140 is configured in the Web service processing application 25 shown in FIG. 1, stores a document, image data, and the like in the HDD 63 as a Web service function (WSF), and performs an HTTP request according to SOAP. And a SOAP processing unit 170 that processes the contents of the HTTP response, a dispatcher 160A that distributes the processing of the Web service indicated by the HTTP request to the repository execution unit 1400, and an XML (extensible Markup Language) that describes the processing content required by the HTTP request And an XML processing unit 150 that performs a process of describing the processing result from the repository execution unit 1400 in XML in the HTTP response.

  The client 10A controls input data from an input device such as a keyboard or a mouse, and also controls an output data to be displayed on the monitor 109A with an input / output control unit 111A, and a SOAP process for exchanging a message of the MFP 1 in accordance with the SOAP. A request / response processing unit 114 for generating a request according to HTTP and analyzing a response. Further, the SOAP processing unit 112 has an XML processing unit 113 that processes the processing contents of the Web service for the MFP 1 and the processing result of the Web service from the MFP 1 by XML.

  Here, the HTTP request indicates that a Web service related to the retrieval and rewriting of the extended bibliography is requested to the repository execution unit 1400 of the MFP 1 by the data communication according to the HTTP, and the HTTP response is the repository execution unit of the MFP 1 13 shows a response for notifying a processing result by 1400.

  In the client 10A, the request / response processing unit 114 generates a request corresponding to the processing request, the XML processing unit 113 describes the request content (processing content) in XML, and the SOAP processing unit 112 generates an HTTP request according to the SOAP. Transmit to MFP 1. Depending on the processing request, image data, extended bibliographic information, and the like are further set in the HTTP request. When the extended bibliographic information is set, it is described in XML by the XML processing unit 113.

  In the MFP 1, the HTTP request transmitted from the client 10A is received by the httpd 102, the HTTP request is distributed to the repository Web service providing processing unit 140 by the distributor 130, and the HTTP request is processed by the SOAP processing unit 170 according to the SOAP. Then, the processing is distributed to the repository execution unit 1400 by the dispatcher 160A, and the processing content described in XML is processed by the XML processing unit 150 into a format that can be processed by the repository execution unit 1400.

  After being processed in accordance with the processing content in the repository execution unit 1400, the processing result is described in XML by the XML processing unit 150, and the processing result is processed in accordance with the SOAP so that the processing result is indicated by the HTTP response by the SOAP processing unit 170. Is done. Then, it is transmitted to the client 10A as an HTTP response by the httpd102. The processing result is, for example, extended bibliographic information, and the extended bibliographic information described in XML is set in the HTTP response.

  The client 10A should process the HTTP response in accordance with the SOAP by the SOAP processing unit 112, process the processing result described in XML by the XML processing unit 113, and display the processing result in the input / output control unit 111A by the request / response processing unit 114. It processes as a response and outputs it to the monitor 109A to display the processing result. The user of the client 10A can check the contents based on the extended bibliographic information displayed on the monitor 109A.

Depending on the processing, it is not essential to display on the monitor 109A. The processing may be performed only between the client 10A and the multifunction device 1.
Next, a data configuration for managing image data will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a data configuration for managing image data. The HDD 63 is divided into areas, and has an area where image data is stored (see FIG. 4A) and an area where document bibliographic information is stored (see FIG. 4C). Data for associating the image with the bibliographic information is stored in, for example, a nonvolatile RAM (see FIG. 4B).

  FIG. 4A is a diagram illustrating an image storage area for storing a page image of a document. In FIG. 4A, for example, when one document is composed of three pages, a page number is set at the top and a page image for one page is stored in the image storage area 200. When the document is composed of three pages, the set page numbers are set, for example, as “0001”, “0002”, and “0003”.

FIG. 4B is a diagram showing a document management data storage area. In FIG. 4B, a document management data storage area 220 is an area for storing a combination of a document number and a page number. For example, the document number is “1111” and the page numbers are “0001” and “0002”. , "0003"
｛FileID = “1111”,
It is managed as pageID = {“0001”, “0002”, “0003”}.

  FIG. 4C is a diagram showing a bibliographic information storage area. In FIG. 4C, the bibliographic information storage area 240 manages bibliographic information for each document. The bibliographic information of each document includes document bibliographic information and extended bibliographic information. For example, the FAX document 241 has document bibliographic information 242 and extended bibliographic information 243. The document bibliographic information 242 manages information items such as a document number indicated by “fileID = 1111”, an image formation type indicated by “job = FAX”, and an image data type indicated by “documentType = tiff”. The extended bibliographic information 243 manages FAX transmission information.

  Further, the printer document 251 has document bibliographic information 252 and extended bibliographic information 253. The document bibliographic information 252 manages information items such as a document number indicated by “fileID = 1112”, an image formation type indicated by “job = print”, and an image data type indicated by “documentType = raw”. The extended bibliographic information 253 manages print-related information, color information, and the like.

  Depending on the image data type indicated by the document bibliographic information 242 and 252, for example, if image processing has already been performed, this is indicated by “documentType = tiff”. If the document data created by the document creation application of the client 10A is image data that has been processed by the printer driver of the client 10A, this is indicated by “documentType = raw”. In this case, when the image processing is further performed by the plotter 11 of the multifunction peripheral 1, the image data is managed by “documentType = tiff”.

  The extended bibliographic information 243 and 253 are stored as structure data.

  An example in which the bibliographic information described above is described in XML will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 12 describes the bibliographic information of FIG. 4C in XML. The XML sentence 600 shown in FIG. 12 corresponds to the document bibliographic information 242, the XML sentence 601 corresponds to the extended bibliographic information 243, the XML sentence 602 corresponds to the document bibliographic information 252, and the XML sentence 603 It corresponds to bibliographic information 253.

  The XML sentence 600 indicates that <fileId> is 1111, <job> is FAX, and <documentType> is tiff, which corresponds to the document bibliographic information 242. The XML sentence 601 corresponding to the extended bibliographic information 243 indicates <address> and <channelType>.

  The XML sentence 602 indicates that <fileId> is 1112, <job> is print, and <documentType> is raw, and corresponds to the document bibliographic information 252. The XML sentence 603 corresponding to the extended bibliographic information 253 indicates <printInfo>, <copyVolume>, <parperSize>, and <stampColor>.

  In this way, image data processed or processed by various processing methods is centrally managed.

  Next, a processing flow relating to extended bibliographic information will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an extended bibliographic information acquisition process. In FIG. 5, the client 10A transmits an HTTP request indicating an extended bibliographic information acquisition request specifying a document ID to be acquired to the repository execution unit 1400 of the MFP 1 according to the SOAP (step S11).

  Upon receiving the extended bibliographic information acquisition request specifying the document ID, the repository execution unit 1400 issues an extended bibliographic information acquisition request specifying the document ID to the MCS 36 (step S12). The MCS 36 reads the bibliographic information of the target document specified by the document ID from the HDD 63 in response to the extended bibliographic information acquisition request (Step S13). The MCS 36 notifies the repository executing unit 1400 of the read bibliographic information in a bibliographic information structure (step S14).

  The repository execution unit 1400 expands the data of the structure of the extended bibliographic information obtained from the document bibliographic information notified from the MCS 36 into XML (step S15), and sends the extended data described in XML by the HTTP response to the client 10A according to the SOAP. Bibliographic information is provided (step S16). The extended bibliographic information set in the HTTP response is described in XML by the XML processing unit 150 of the MFP 1.

  The client 10A ends the extended bibliographic information acquisition process by receiving the HTTP response in which the extended bibliographic information is set.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a process of changing extended bibliographic information. 6, the client 10A changes the extended bibliographic information according to a user's instruction (step S21), and sends an HTTP request indicating an extended bibliographic information write request including the document ID and the extended bibliographic information to the repository of the MFP 1 in accordance with the SOAP. It transmits to execution part 1400 (Step S22).

  The repository execution unit 1400 sets the extended bibliographic information written in XML in the HTTP request in a structure on the memory (step S23), and issues an extended bibliographic information writing request including the document ID and the extended bibliographic information structure. The MCS 36 is notified (step S24). The MCS 36 overwrites and saves the extended bibliographic information structure of the document matching the document ID (step S25).

  The MCS 36 notifies the repository execution unit 1400 that writing to the extended bibliographic information has been completed (step S26). The repository execution unit 1400 notifies the client 10A that the writing to the extended bibliographic information has been completed by an HTTP response in accordance with the SOAP (step S27).

  The client 10A ends the extended bibliographic information change process by receiving the HTTP response indicating that the writing to the extended bibliographic information has been completed.

  FIG. 7 illustrates a processing example of a FAX stored document in the extended bibliographic information change processing described with reference to FIG. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a process of changing the extended bibliographic information in the case of a fax storage document. In FIG. 7, first, a facsimile transmission document is stored in the MFP 1 (step S31). Next, the client 10A transmits a request for acquiring a list of stored documents to the repository execution unit 1400 of the multifunction device 1 (Step S32). The repository execution unit 1400 requests the MCS 36 to obtain a list of stored documents (step S33).

  The MCS 36 acquires the document ID from the document management data storage area 220 shown in FIG. 4B or the bibliographic information storage area 240 shown in FIG. 4C, and stores the document ID list of the acquired document ID in the repository execution unit 1400. Is notified (step S34). The repository execution unit 1400 transmits an HTTP response indicating the list of the document IDs to the client 10A according to the SOAP (Step S35).

  The client 10A selects the facsimile document stored in the MFP 1 in Step S36 from the document list provided from the MFP 1 (Step S36). Then, the client 10A creates extended bibliographic information of FAX transmission information (step S37), and transmits an HTTP request indicating a write request for extended bibliographic information including the document ID and the extended bibliographic information to the repository execution unit 1400 (step S37). S38). The extended bibliographic information is described in XML by the XML processing unit 113 of the client 10A.

  The repository execution unit 1400 of the multifunction peripheral 1 expands the extended bibliographic information described in XML as a structure on the memory (step S39), and specifies the document ID and the extended bibliographic information structure to the MCS 36. An information writing request is made (step S40). The MCS 36 saves the data in the extended bibliographic information structure of the document that matches the designated document ID (step S41), and notifies the repository execution unit 1400 that the registration of the extended bibliographic information has been completed (step S42). ). The repository execution unit 1400 transmits an HTTP response indicating that the registration of the extended bibliographic information has been completed to the client 10A (step S43).

  Upon receiving the HTTP response indicating that the registration of the extended bibliographic information has been completed, the client 10A ends the extended bibliographic information new registration process in the case of the FAX stored document.

  As described above, the MFP 1 can manage a document to be faxed from the client 10A and its extended bibliographic information. In this case, the document transmitted from the client 10 </ b> A is managed by the MFP 1, but is not transmitted by FAX by the FCU 80 of the MFP 1.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a process of newly registering image data and extended bibliographic information created by a client. 8, when a document to be stored is created by the client 10A (step S51) and extended bibliographic information of printing conditions is created (step S52), the client 10A issues a document storage request including the created document. The HTTP request is transmitted to the repository execution unit 1400 of the MFP 1 (step S53). The document transmitted by the HTTP request may be a document created by a document creation application, or may be image data generated by a printer driver in the MFP 1 of the client 10A. May be.

  Upon receiving the HTTP request indicating the document storage request from the client 10A, the repository execution unit 1400 issues a document storage request including the document to the MCS 36 (Step S54). The MCS 36 stores the specified document in the HDD 63, and notifies the repository execution unit 1400 of the document ID acquired for the document (Step S55).

  The repository execution unit 1400 transmits an HTTP response indicating the document ID notified from the MCS 36 to the client 10A according to the SOAP (Step S56).

  When the document ID is provided from the MFP 1, the client 10A transmits an HTTP request indicating a registration request for the extended bibliographic information including the document ID and the extended bibliographic information to the repository execution unit 1400 of the MFP 1 according to the SOAP. (Step S57). The extended bibliographic information is described in XML by the XML processing unit 113.

  The repository execution unit 1400 expands the extended bibliographic information described in XML in the HTTP request as a structure on the memory (step S58), and writes an extended bibliographic information writing request specifying the document ID and the extended bibliographic information structure. Is performed on the MCS 36 (step S59). The MCS 36 stores the data in the extended bibliographic information structure of the document that matches the document ID (step S60), and notifies the repository execution unit 1400 that the extended bibliographic information has been registered (step S61). The repository execution unit 1400 transmits an HTTP response indicating that the extended bibliographic information has been registered to the client 10A according to the SOAP (step S62).

  Upon receiving the HTTP response indicating that the extended bibliographic information has been registered, the client 10A ends the new registration processing of the image data and the extended bibliographic information created by the client.

  As described above, a document to be printed from the client 10A and its extended bibliographic information can be managed by the MFP 1. In this case, the document transmitted from the client 10 </ b> A is managed by the MFP 1, but is not printed out by the plotter 11 of the MFP 1.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a process of newly registering extended bibliographic information for an existing stored document. In FIG. 9, after storing the FAX transmission document in the multifunction device 1 (step S71), an HTTP request indicating a request for acquiring a stored document list is transmitted to the repository execution unit 1400 of the multifunction device 1 according to SOAP (step S72). The repository execution unit 1400 issues a request to the MCS 36 to obtain a list of stored documents (step S73).

  The MCS 36 acquires a document ID from the document management data storage area 220 or the bibliographic information storage area 240, and notifies the repository execution unit 1400 of the list of the document ID (step S74). The repository execution unit 1400 transmits an HTTP response indicating the list of document IDs notified from the MCS 36 to the client 10A according to the SOAP (Step S75).

  The client 10A selects the FAX document stored in step S71 from the document list (step S76), and creates extended bibliographic information of FAX transmission information (step S77). An HTTP request indicating a request for new registration of extended bibliographic information is transmitted to the repository execution unit 1400 of the MFP 1 according to the SOAP (step S78). The HTTP request contains the document ID and the extended bibliographic information described in XML by the XML processing unit 113.

  The repository execution unit 1400 expands the extended bibliographic information described in XML as a structure on the memory (step S79), and issues a new registration request for extended bibliographic information specifying the document ID and the extended bibliographic information structure. This is performed for the MCS 36 (step S80).

  The MCS 36 generates a new document ID in the document management data storage area 220, and sets the page number of the document ID sent from the client 10A as management data of the new document (step S81). Further, the MCS 36 creates bibliographic information of the new document, and stores the data of the extended bibliographic information in the bibliographic information storage area 240 (step S82). Then, the MCS 36 notifies the repository execution unit 1400 that the new registration of the extended bibliographic information has been completed (step S83).

  When the registration completion is notified from the MCS 36, the repository execution unit 1400 notifies the client 10A of the registration completion by the HTTP response according to the SOAP (step S84). The client 10A receives the HTTP response indicating the registration completion from the repository execution unit 1400, and ends the new registration processing of the extended bibliographic information for the existing stored document.

  From the above, it is possible to newly register another extended bibliographic information relating to the image data as bibliographic information of a new document (that is, add only bibliographic information) without changing the already stored image data and extended bibliographic information. it can.

  In the processing flow described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 9, at the beginning of each process, the repository execution unit 1400 issues a document ticket giving the right to use a document or information on a document, and the client 10A issues the document ticket from the repository execution unit 1400. By setting the document ticket and transmitting the HTTP request, security for the document can be guaranteed. For example, a document ticket as shown in FIG. 10 is issued and managed by the repository execution unit 1400.

  FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining a document ticket. FIG. 10A shows the structure of a document ticket. The document ticket stores the ticket ID and the data size of the document ticket.

  FIG. 10B shows document ticket information for collating a document ticket. The document ticket information is held by the repository execution unit 1400. The document ticket information includes document ticket content information and document ticket management information. The document ticket content information in FIG. 10B has, as information, a ticket ID, an expiration date of the document ticket, the number of files, and an array of a structure in which a file ID as a document ID and a password are paired. The document ticket management information has a current ticket number and the number of issued tickets as information. Note that the document ticket and the document ticket information are associated by a ticket ID.

  In the above, the processing according to the SOAP has been described. However, the same repository Web service can be provided by an HTTP request and an HTTP response that do not specify the SOAP. A functional configuration of the MFP 1 that can provide a repository Web service by an HTTP request and an HTTP response without specifying SOAP will be described.

  FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating a second functional configuration of the MFP that provides the repository Web service. Only the main functional configuration for realizing the repository Web service among the functional configurations of the MFP 1 shown in FIG. 1 is illustrated, and other functional configurations are omitted. 11, the MFP 1 includes a repository Web service providing processing unit 140 that provides a repository Web service, a Web server 500 that controls message exchange based on an HTTP request and an HTTP response, the MCS 36, the FCU 80, the plotter 11, It has a scanner 12, an HDD 63, and an operation panel 70.

  The repository Web service provision processing unit 140 is configured in the Web service processing application 25 shown in FIG. 1, and stores a document data (image data) or the like in the HDD 63 as a Web service function (WSF), and an HTTP request. And an XML processing unit 150 that processes XML (eXtensible Markup Language) that describes the processing contents required by the repository execution unit 1400 and performs a process of describing the processing result from the repository execution unit 1400 in XML.

  The Web server 500 includes an httpd 102 for performing communication control according to HTTP, a distributor 130 for distributing processing to a Web service providing processing unit corresponding to an HTTP request, and an HTTP using a GET method or a POST method received via the network 115. An HTTP request processing unit 501 that processes a request, a dispatcher 160B that distributes Web service processing indicated by the HTTP request to the repository execution unit 1400, and an HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) 124 that indicates a processing result notified from the repository execution unit 1400. And an HTML creating unit 502 that creates the HTML.

  In such a multifunction device 1, the XML processing unit 150 processes XML (extensible Markup Language) describing the processing content requested by the HTTP request, and creates the XML 126 based on the processing result from the repository execution unit 1400. Then, it notifies the XML creation unit 502 of the XML 126. The HTML creation unit 502 converts the XML 126 into the HTML format by the XSL processor 503 based on the XSL 125 indicating a predetermined style list. The HTML creation unit 502 creates an HTML 124 indicating a processing result according to the HTML format.

  By providing the Web server 500 with the XSL 125 according to the characteristics of the processing in the execution unit of each Web service, it is possible to provide a display screen for each Web service when displaying the processing result to the client 10B. Become. Since the XML processing unit 150 converts the input / output data to the repository execution unit 1400, the same repository Web service can be provided by the same repository execution unit 1400 in the first functional configuration shown in FIG.

  In the description of the processing in FIGS. 4 to 9 which is realized in the first functional configuration shown in FIG. 3, the processing content described in XML set in the HTTP response is compared with the processing content transmitted by the GET method or the POST method. In other words, the processing result described in XML set in the HTTP response may be read as the processing result described in HTML, and the client 10A may be read as the client 10B.

  According to the present invention, the clients 10A and 10B can acquire only the extended bibliographic information from the multifunction peripheral 1. Thereby, the clients 10A and 10B can refer to the extended bibliographic information. Further, the extended bibliographic information changed by the clients 10A and 10B can be overwritten and stored in the multifunction device 1. For example, image data for color printer output can be changed to monochrome printer output without generating the image data itself again.

  In addition, the clients 10A and 10B can manage the document to be transmitted or printed by facsimile and the extended bibliographic information in the MFP 1.

  Further, without changing the already stored image data and extended bibliographic information, another extended bibliographic information on the image data can be newly registered as bibliographic information of a new document (that is, only bibliographic information is added). .

  Therefore, the clients 10A and 10B can receive and write back only the extended bibliographic information specifying the processing method of the bibliographic information from the multifunction peripheral 1 as a repository Web service. The extension bibliographic information can be changed and added. The clients 10A and 10B do not need to prepare a document (image data) every time the extended bibliographic information is changed or added, so that data transfer can be performed efficiently.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of a multifunction peripheral that fuses various image forming functions according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the multifunction peripheral illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a first functional configuration of the multifunction peripheral that provides a repository Web service. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a data configuration for managing image data. It is a figure explaining the acquisition processing of extended bibliographic information. It is a figure explaining the change processing of extended bibliographic information. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a process of changing extended bibliographic information in the case of a fax storage document. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a new registration process of image data and extended bibliographic information created by a client. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a new registration process of extended bibliographic information for an existing stored document. It is a figure for explaining a ticket. FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating a second functional configuration of the MFP that provides the repository Web service. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a data configuration (XML) for managing image data.

Explanation of reference numerals

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Multifunction machine 2 Software group 3 Multifunction machine start part 4 Hardware resources 5 Application layer 6 Platform 7 Shared function layer 8 Wrapping layer 9 Control service layer 10 Handler layer 11 Plotter 12 Scanner 13 Hardware resource 21 Printer application 22 Copy application 23 Fax Application 24 Scanner application 25 Web page application 26 SOAP communication application 27 Web service function (WSF)
28 Shared Function (SF)
31 Network Control Service (NCS)
32 Delivery Control Service (DCS)
33 Operation Panel Control Service (OCS)
34 Fax Control Service (FCS)
35 Engine Control Service (ECS)
36 Memory Control Service (MCS)
37 User Information Control Service (UCS)
38 System Control Service (SCS)
39 System Resource Manager (SRM)
40 Fax control unit handler (FCUH)
41 Image Memory Handler (IMH)
51-53 Application Program Interface (API)
54 Engine I / F
60 Controller 61 CPU
62 System memory (MEM-P)
63 North Bridge (NB)
64 South Bridge (SB)
65 AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port)
66 ASIC
67 Local memory (MEM-C)
68 Hard Disk Drive (HDD)
70 Operation panel 80 Fax control unit (FCU)
102 httpd
123 Web browser 130 Distributor 140 Repository Web service providing processing unit 150 XML processing unit 160 Dispatcher 170 SOAP processing unit 500 Web server 501 HTTP request processing unit 502 HTML creation unit 503 XSL processor
600, 601, 602, 603 XML statement

Claims (11)

A document bibliography including a plurality of hardware resources used in image formation processing and a plurality of programs for performing processing related to image formation, and including bibliographic information on documents and extended bibliographic information obtained by expanding the bibliographic information. An image forming apparatus that performs an image forming process according to information and provides a service related to the document to a client connected via a network,
Document management means for managing the document and its document bibliographic information in association with each other by document identification information for identifying the document,
Extended bibliographic information providing means for providing the extended bibliographic information to the client;
An extended bibliographic information storage unit for storing the extended information notified from the client. When the document identification information is specified by the client, the extended bibliographic information providing means specifies the extended bibliographic information associated with the document identification information using the document management means, and The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is provided to a client. The extended bibliographic information storage unit specifies the extended bibliographic information associated with the document identification information specified by the client using the document management unit, and the extended bibliographic information changed by the client to the extended bibliographic information. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The extended bibliographic information storage unit specifies the document associated with the document identification information specified by the client using the document management unit, and stores the document changed by the client in the document. The image processing device according to claim 1. When notified of the document from the client, while saving the document, document identification information providing means for providing the document identification information assigned to the document,
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a document registration unit configured to store the extended bibliographic information notified from a client together with the provided document identification information. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a document list providing unit that provides the client with the document list. Document bibliographic information including a plurality of hardware resources used in image forming processing and a plurality of programs for performing processing related to image formation, and including bibliographic information on documents and extended bibliographic information obtained by expanding the bibliographic information. A document service providing method for providing a service relating to the document to a client connected via a network, with the image forming apparatus performing the image forming process according to
An extended bibliographic information acquisition requesting step in which the client is notified of document identification information that specifies the document, and is required to acquire the extended bibliographic information;
A data expanding step of expanding the extended bibliographic information associated with the notified document identification information into a predetermined data structure;
And a notifying step of notifying the client of the expanded bibliographic information that has been expanded. An extended bibliographic information write requesting step in which the client is notified of the document identification information and the extended bibliographic information, and is requested to write the extended bibliographic information,
An extended bibliographic information writing step of writing the notified extended bibliographic information to the extended bibliographic information associated with the notified document identification information;
The document service providing method according to claim 7, further comprising: a write completion notification step of notifying the client that the notified extended bibliographic information has been written. A request for obtaining a list of stored documents from which the client is requested to obtain a list of the documents,
A document list notification step of notifying the client of the list of the document identification information,
An extended bibliographic information write requesting step in which the client is notified of the document identification information and the extended bibliographic information, and is requested to write the extended bibliographic information,
An extended bibliographic information writing step of writing the notified extended bibliographic information to the extended bibliographic information associated with the notified document identification information;
8. The document service providing method according to claim 7, further comprising a registration completion notification step of notifying the client that the notified extended bibliographic information has been registered. A document storage requesting step in which the client requests storage of the document;
A document identification method notification step of notifying the document identification information assigned to the notified document,
An extended bibliographic information registration requesting step in which the client is notified of the assigned document identification information and the extended bibliographic information, and the registration of the extended bibliographic information is requested;
An extended bibliographic information registration step of registering the notified extended bibliographic information;
8. The document service providing method according to claim 7, further comprising a registration completion notification step of notifying the client that the notified extended bibliographic information has been registered. A request for obtaining a list of stored documents from which the client is requested to obtain a list of the documents,
A document list notification step of notifying the client of the list of the document identification information,
A request for registering the extended bibliographic information, wherein the document identification information and the extended bibliographic information are notified from the client;
A document identification information new creation step of newly creating the document identification information;
A document bibliographic information creating step of creating document bibliographic information associated with the created document identification information;
8. The document service providing method according to claim 7, further comprising a registration completion notification step of notifying the client that the notified extended bibliographic information has been registered.

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