Service processing device and method

• US 20050027825A1
• Filed: 12/03/2003
• Published: 02/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Business Innovation Corp. (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Tajima, Yukio, Enomoto, Akihiro, Kirihara, Kazuko, Ozawa, Hidekazu, Hikawa, Yuji
• Granted Patent: US 7,551,303 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00209 Transmitting or receiving image data, e.g. facsimile data, via a computer, e.g. using e-mail, a computer network, the internet, I-fax
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00344 with a management, maintenance, service or repair apparatus monitoring H04N1/00002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0035 User-machine interface; Control console input or output arrangements for computers G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00437 Intelligent menus, e.g. anticipating user selections
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32122 in a separate device, e.g. in a memory or on a display separate from image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0081 Image reader H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0091 Digital copier; digital 'photocopier' H04N2201/0093 and H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0093 Facsimile machine H04N2201/0094 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3222 of processing required or performed, e.g. forwarding, urgent or confidential handling
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3273 Display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3276 of a customised additional information profile, e.g. a profile specific to a user ID
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3278 Transmission

Abstract

A plurality of equipment connected to a network are linked with each other to perform plural processing operations to document data. When, for example, a user defines a desired service linkage job flow by using, for example, a GUI screen displayed on a client terminal, job flow information is transmitted to a script creation server, and a script is created in which processing contents and a storage location of a document as a processing object are defined. The created script can be stored in a storage unit such as, for example, a script management server. When the user selects a desired script among plural scripts stored in the script management server, the selected script is transmitted to a linkage processing server. The linkage processing server interprets the script, makes a processing request to respective devices such as, for example, an image processing device so that the document is processed in accordance with the processing contents described in the script, and links the devices with each other to perform plural processing operations.

Claims

1. A service processing device comprising:

a controller that;

(1) interprets contents of script data that describes at least a location of document data as a processing object, and contents of plural service processing operations to be performed to the document data; and

(2) links plural service processing units that are connected to a network with each other to perform the plural service processing operations to the document data on the basis of a result of the interpreting.

2. A service processing device according to claim 1, wherein the controller also:

(3) sets the location of the document data and the contents of the plural service processing operations to be performed to the document data; and

(4) creates, on the basis of set contents of the plural service processing operations, the script data for performing the plural service processing operations to the document data.

3. A service processing device according to claim 2, further comprising:

a memory that stores plural different items of script data; and

wherein the controller selects at least one of the plural items of script data stored in the storage unit.

4. A service processing device according to claim 1, wherein the plural service processing operations at least include two or more of:

a copy operation, a print operation, a scan operation, a facsimile transmission operation, a facsimile reception operation, an electronic mail delivery operation, a storing operation, a readout operation, an optical character recognition operation, and a noise removal operation.

5. A service processing device according to claim 1, wherein the script data at least includes one or more of:

information expressing a relation among the plural service processing operations, interface information for invoking the plural service processing operations, and information for configuring a graphical user interface relating to the plural service processing operations.

6. A service processing device comprising:

interpreting means for interpreting contents of script data that describes at least a location of document data as a processing object, and contents of plural service processing operations to be performed to the document data; and

linkage processing means for linking plural service processing units that are connected to a network with each other to perform the plural service processing operations to the document data on the basis of an interpretation result of the interpreting means.

7. A service processing device according to claim 6, further comprising:

setting means for setting the location of the document data and the contents of the plural service processing operations to be performed to the document data; and

creating means for creating, on the basis of setting contents set by the setting means, the script data for performing the plural service processing operations to the document data.

8. A service processing device according to claim 7, further comprising:

storage means for storing plural different items of script data; and

selecting means for selecting at least one of the plural items of script data stored in the storage means.

9. A service processing device according to claim 6, wherein the plural service processing operations at least include two or more of:

a copy operation, a print operation, a scan operation, a facsimile transmission operation, a facsimile reception operation, an electronic mail delivery operation, a storing operation, a readout operation, an optical character recognition operation, and a noise removal operation.

10. A service processing device according to claim 6, wherein the script data at least includes one or more of:

information expressing a relation among the plural service processing operations, interface information for invoking the plural service processing operations, and information for configuring a graphical user interface relating to the plural service processing operations.

11. A service processing method comprising the steps of:

interpreting contents of script data that describes at least a location of document data as a processing object and contents of plural service processing operations to be performed to the document data; and

linking plural service processing units that are connected to a network with each other to perform the plural service processing operations to the document data on the basis of an interpretation result of the interpreting step.

12. A service processing method according to claim 11, further comprising:

setting the location of the document data and the contents of the plural service processing operations to be performed to the document data; and

creating, on the basis of setting contents set at the setting step, the script data for performing the plural service processing operations to the document data.

13. A service processing method according to claim 12, further comprising:

selecting at least one item of script data from plural different items of script data stored in a data storage unit.

14. A service processing method according to claim 11, wherein the plural service processing operations at least include two or more of:

a copy operation, a print operation, a scan operation, a facsimile transmission operation, a facsimile reception operation, an electronic mail delivery operation, a storing operation, a readout operation, an optical character recognition operation, and a noise removal operation.

15. A service processing method according to claim 11, wherein the script data at least includes one or more of:

information expressing a relation among the plural service processing operations, interface information for invoking the plural service processing operations, and information for configuring a graphical user interface relating to the plural service processing operations.

16. A service processing device comprising:

a controller that;

(1) interprets contents of script data that describes at least a location of document data as a processing object and contents of plural service processing operations to be performed to the document data;

(2) executes at least one of the service processing operations to the document data on the basis of a result of the interpreting; and

(3) causes the service processing device to transmit the script to another service processing device for performing a next service processing operation after executing the at least one service processing operation.

17. A service processing device according to claim 16, wherein the controller also:

(3) sets the location of the document data and the contents of the plural service processing operations to be performed to the document data; and

(4) creates, on the basis of the set contents of the plural service processing operations, the script data for performing the plural service processing operations to the document data.

18. A service processing device according to claim 17, further comprising:

a memory that stores plural different items of script data; and

wherein the controller selects at least one piece of the plural items of script data stored in the memory.

19. A service processing device according to claim 16, wherein the plural service processing operations at least include two or more of:

a copy operation, a print operation, a scan operation, a facsimile transmission operation, a facsimile reception operation, an electronic mail delivery operation, a storing operation, a readout operation, an optical character recognition operation, and a noise removal operation.

20. A service processing device according to claim 16, wherein the script data at least includes one or more of:

information expressing a relation among the plural service processing operations, interface information for invoking the plural service processing operations, and information for configuring a graphical user interface relating to the plural service processing operations.

21. A service processing device comprising:

interpreting means for interpreting contents of script data that describes at least a location of document data as a processing object and contents of plural service processing operations to be performed to the document data;

executing means for executing at least one of the service processing operations to the document data on the basis of an interpretation result of the interpreting means; and

transmission means for transmitting the script to another service processing device for performing a next service processing operation after the executing means executes the at least one service processing operation.

22. A service processing device according to claim 21, further comprising:

setting means for setting the location of the document data and the contents of the plural service processing operations to be performed to the document data; and

creating means for creating, on the basis of setting contents set by the setting means, the script data for performing the plural service processing operations to the document data.

23. A service processing device according to claim 22, further comprising:

storage means for storing plural different items of script data; and

selecting means for selecting at least one piece of the plural items of script data stored in the storage means.

24. A service processing device according to claim 21, wherein the plural service processing operations at least include two or more of:

a copy operation, a print operation, a scan operation, a facsimile transmission operation, a facsimile reception operation, an electronic mail delivery operation, a storing operation, a readout operation, an optical character recognition operation, and a noise removal operation.

25. A service processing device according to claim 21, wherein the script data at least includes one or more of:

information expressing a relation among the plural service processing operations, interface information for invoking the plural service processing operations, and information for configuring a graphical user interface relating to the plural service processing operations.

26. A service processing method comprising the steps of:

interpreting contents of script data that describes at least a location of document data as a processing object and contents of plural service processing operations to be performed to the document data;

executing at least one of the service processing operations to the document data on the basis of an interpretation result of the interpreting step; and

transmitting, after execution of the at least one service processing operation is ended, the script to another service processing device for performing a next service processing operation.

27. A service processing method according to claim 26, further comprising:

setting the location of the document data and the contents of the plural service processing operations to be performed to the document data; and

creating, on the basis of setting contents set at the setting step, the script data for performing the plural service processing operations to the document data.

28. A service processing method according to claim 27, further comprising:

selecting at least one item of script data from plural different items of script data stored in a data storage unit.

29. A service processing method according to claim 26, wherein the plural service processing operations at least include two or more of:

a copy operation, a print operation, a scan operation, a facsimile transmission operation, a facsimile reception operation, an electronic mail delivery operation, a storing operation, a readout operation, an optical character recognition operation, and a noise removal operation.

30. A service processing method according to claim 26, wherein the script data at least includes one or more of:

information expressing a relation among the plural service processing operations, interface information for invoking the plural service processing operations, and information for configuring a graphical user interface relating to the plural service processing operations.