Printing system

• US 20070244963A1
• Filed: 06/12/2007
• Published: 10/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Fukazawa, Koshi, Maekawa, Yohei, Hibino, Masaaki
• Granted Patent: US 7,908,485 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/201
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/608 Secure printing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00222 details of image data generation or reproduction, e.g. scan-to-email or network printing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00233 details of image data reproduction, e.g. network printing or remote image display using an image reproducing device as a local output from a computer H04N1/00238; digital output from computer to printer unit G06F3/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4413 involving the use of passwords, ID codes or the like, e.g. PIN
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/444 to a particular document or image or part thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0043 Point to multipoint H04N2201/0039 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0049 By wire, cable or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0055 By radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence

Abstract

An imaging system is provided with an authentication data storage that stores a plurality of pieces of authentication data in relationship to user IDs respectively representing owners of the plurality of communication devices. Further included is a reading system that reads out one of the plurality of pieces of the authentication data corresponding to a user ID if the user ID is transmitted from the external device in relationship to the image data, and a searching system searches for a communication device with which a connection authentication is established using the authentication data read out by the reading system within a predetermined communication area with respect to the imaging system. An imaging system forms an image represented by the image data transmitted in relationship to the user ID from the external device when the communication device is detected by the searching system.

Claims

1. A data management system capable of communicating with a plurality of imaging devices through a network, said data management system managing image data stored in a database, the image data stored in the database being processed by said plurality of imaging devices, said data management system comprising:

a data registration system that receives, from an external device connected to the network, image data and recipient information representing a recipient who receives the image represented by the image data, said data registration system registering the image data with the database in relationship to the recipient information;

a plurality of user ID obtaining systems that obtains a plurality of user IDs from a plurality of wireless external devices assigned with the user IDs via wireless communication; and

a data transmitting system that determines a target imaging device to be used for forming an image represented by the image data based on the IDs obtained by the plurality of user ID obtaining systems and the recipient information of the image data, said data transmitting system transmitting the image data to the target imaging device.

2. The data management system according to claim 1,

wherein said user ID obtaining systems are provided in the plurality of imaging devices, respectively, and

wherein said data transmitting system determines the target imaging device as the imaging device having the user ID obtaining system that has obtained the user ID corresponding to the recipient information of the image data.

3. The data management system according to claim 2,

wherein each of the imaging devices includes an image data obtaining system that transmits a request for sending image data to said data transmitting system, wherein, when a request for image formation is input by a user, said image data obtaining system transmits a user ID of a wireless communication device obtained by the user ID obtaining system and a request for transmitting image data which is stored in said database in relationship to the user ID, said image data obtaining system then obtaining image data as a reply to the request for transmitting image data, and

wherein said data transmitting system retrieves the image data stored in the database in relationship to the user information corresponding to the user ID transmitted, together with the request for image data, from the image data obtaining system through the network, said data transmitting system transmitting the retrieved image data to the image data obtaining system from which the request for the image data was received.

4. The data management system according to claim 3, wherein the image data obtaining system is capable of obtaining an image formation request, which was transmitted from the wireless communication device in accordance with a predetermined operation by a user, through the wireless communication system.

5. A database server capable of communicating with a plurality of imaging devices through a network, said database server including a database for storing image data, the image data stored in the database being processed by said plurality of imaging devices, said database server comprising:

a data registration system that receives, from an external device connected to the network, image data and recipient information representing a recipient who receives the image represented by the image data, said data registration system registering the image data with the database in relationship to the recipient information; and

a data transmitting system that retrieves the image data stored in the database in relationship to the recipient information corresponding to the user ID transmitted, together with the request for image data, from an image data obtaining system through the network, said data transmitting system transmitting the retrieved image data to the image data obtaining system from which the request for the image data was received.

6. The database server according to claim 5, wherein, when said data transmitting system receives the request for sending a list of the image data registered with the database from the imaging device through the network, said data transmitting system transmits a list of image data stored in the database in relationship to the user information corresponding to the user ID which is transmitted together with the request for the list of the image data to the imaging device from which the request for the list was received.

7. An user ID obtaining device for a data management system capable of communicating with a plurality of imaging devices through a network, the data management system managing image data stored in a database, the image data stored in the database being processed by said plurality of imaging devices, the data management system comprising a data registration system that receives, from an external device connected to the network, image data and recipient information representing a recipient who receives the image represented by the image data, said data registration system registering the image data with the database in relationship to the recipient information,

wherein said user ID obtaining device comprises a wireless communication device through which said user ID obtaining device obtains a plurality of user IDs from a plurality of wireless external devices assigned with the user IDs, respectively, the data management system including a data transmitting system that determines a target imaging device to be used for forming an image represented by the image data based on the IDs obtained by the user ID obtaining device and the recipient information of the image data, said data transmitting system transmitting the image data to the target imaging device.