Method and apparatus for processing data

• US 20090024665A1
• Filed: 07/09/2008
• Published: 01/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Morita, Naoya
• Granted Patent: US 8,126,860 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45512 Command shells

Abstract

A function control unit controls a function of processing data. An output unit outputs status information indicating a status of data processing by the function. A storing unit stores therein function information and next function information. A determining unit determines whether to execute a next function indicated by the next function information corresponding to the function information indicating the function that caused the status of data processing, based on the status of data processing. A requesting unit requests, when it is determined to execute the next function, a function control unit that controls the next function to execute the next function.

Claims

1. An apparatus for processing data using a plurality of functions of processing the data, the apparatus comprising:

a function control unit that controls a function of processing data, the function control unit being provided for each of the functions;

an output unit that outputs status information indicating a status of data processing by the function controlled by the function control unit;

a storing unit that stores therein function information indicating the function and next function information indicating a next function to be executed next to the function in an associated manner;

a determining unit that determines whether to execute the next function indicated by the next function information corresponding to the function information indicating the function that caused the status of data processing indicated by the status information, based on the status of data processing; and

a requesting unit that requests, when the determining unit determines to execute the next function, a function control unit that controls the next function to execute the next function.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a next output unit that outputs next status information indicating a next status of data processing by a function executed by the function control unit in response to a request from the requesting unit;

a next determining unit that determines whether to execute the next function indicated by the next function information corresponding to the function information indicating a function that caused the next status of data processing indicated by the next status information, based on the next status of data processing; and

a next requesting unit that requests, when the next determining unit determines to execute the next function indicated by the next function information, a function control unit that controls the next function to execute the next function.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising an integrated creating unit that creates, for every data processing using a plurality of functions, a plurality of storing units, a plurality of determining units, a plurality of next determining units, a plurality of requesting units, an a plurality of next requesting units based on the functions for the data processing.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the storing unit stores therein a plurality of pieces of function information and the next function information in an associated manner,

the output unit outputs a plurality of pieces of status information each indicating a status of data processing by each of the functions indicated by each of the pieces of the function information, and

the determining unit determines, when it is determined to start a next function based on a plurality of statuses of data processing indicated by the pieces of status information, to execute a function indicated by the next function information corresponding to the pieces of function information that caused the pieces of statuses of data processing.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the storing unit stores therein the function information and a plurality of pieces of next function information in an associated manner, and

the determining unit determines, when it is determined to execute a next function based on the status of data processing indicated by the status information, to execute a plurality of functions indicated by the pieces of next function information corresponding to the function information that caused the status of data processing.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a priority storing unit that stores therein a priority of each of the pieces of next function information, wherein

the determining unit determines whether to execute a next function indicated by the next function information based on the priority.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a condition-information storing unit that stores therein start condition information for starting a function for each of the pieces of next function information, wherein

the determining unit determines to execute a next function indicated by the next function information when the start condition indicated by the start condition information is satisfied for each of the pieces of next function information.

8. A method of processing data using a plurality of functions in an image-data processing apparatus that includes a storing unit that stores therein function information indicating the function and next function information indicating a next function to be executed next to the function in an associated manner, the method comprising:

controlling including a function control unit for each of the functions controlling a function of processing data;

outputting including an output unit outputting status information indicating a status of data processing by the function controlled by the function control unit;

determining including a determining unit whether to execute the next function indicated by the next function information corresponding to the function information indicating the function that caused the status of data processing indicated by the status information, based on the status of data processing; and

requesting including a requesting unit requesting, when it is determined to execute the next function, a function control unit that controls the next function to execute the next function.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

next outputting including a next output unit outputting next status information indicating a next status of data processing by a function executed by the function control unit in response to a request at the requesting;

next determining including a next determining unit determining whether to execute the next function indicated by the next function information corresponding to the function information indicating a function that caused the next status of data processing indicated by the next status information, based on the next status of data processing; and

next requesting including a next requesting unit requesting, when it is determined to execute the next function indicated by the next function information at the next determining, a function control unit that controls the next function to execute the next function.

10. The method according to claim 8, further comprising creating including an integrated creating unit creating, for every data processing using a plurality of functions, a plurality of storing units, a plurality of determining units, and a plurality of requesting units.