Image reading system, image reading setting determination apparatus, reading setting determination method, recording medium, and program

• US 6,850,653 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2001
• Issued: 02/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Abe, Koichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Kanji
• Application Number:
  US09/924,143
• Publication Number:
  US 20020067515A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,274 Days
• Field of Search: 382/312, 382/313, 382/305, 382/318, 382/298, 345/418, 358/528, 358/449, 358/451, 358/474, 358/296, 711/1, 711/100, 271/9.06
• US Class Current: 382/312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00241 using an image reading device as a local input to a computer input via network, e.g. network scanners H04N1/00225
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32358 using picture signal storage, e.g. at transmitter H04N1/17 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0049 By wire, cable or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0081 Image reader H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3298 Checking or indicating the storage space

Abstract

An image reading system is provide, which includes a reading apparatus for reading an original, and a host computer. The host computer includes a storage unit, a reading setting selection unit for selecting a reading setting in the reading apparatus, a setting changeing unit for changing the reading setting if the size of the image data is larger than the available area in the storage unit, a change content notification unit for notifying users of change contents before the setting change unit changes the reading setting, and a selection unit for choosing between continuing or not continuing the processing after notification from the change content notification unit. The setting changeing unit changes the reading setting in accordance with the contents from the content notification unit if the selection unit chooses to continue the processing, but holds the reading setting without changing the setting if the processing not continued.

Claims

1. An image reading system comprising a reading apparatus capable of reading an original and a host computer, said host computer and said reading apparatus being connected to each other through an interface capable of two-way communication,

said host computer including:

a storage unit having a finite capacity and capable of reading and writing data;

a reading setting selection unit capable of selecting a reading setting in said reading apparatus;

a setting changing unit for checking a size of an available area in said storage unit when reading is started in said reading apparatus, comparing the size of the available area with a size of image data read by said reading apparatus, and changing the reading setting in said reading setting selection unit if the size of the image data is larger;

a change content notification unit for notifying a user of change contents before said setting changing unit changes the reading setting; and

a selection unit for choosing between continuing processing and not continuing the processing after a notification is provided from said change content notification unit,

wherein said setting changing unit changes the reading setting in accordance with the contents from said change content notification unit if said selection unit chooses to continue the processing, and holds the reading setting without changing the setting if said selection unit does not choose to continue the processing.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said setting changing unit adjusts the size of image data read by said reading apparatus by changing the reading setting, compares the size of the available area with the size of the image data read by said reading apparatus, and changes the reading setting to make the size of the image data become smaller than the size of the available area if the size of the image data is larger.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the reading setting includes a reading scheme setting that allows selection of a color multilevel mode, a grayscale multilevel mode, or a monochrome binary mode, an original size setting that allows selection of an original size, and a resolution setting that allows selection of a reading resolution.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein said setting changing unit changes the reading setting by changing settings in an order of the original size, reading scheme, and resolution.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein if there is no reading setting that makes the size of the image data become smaller than the size of the available area, the original reading processing performed by said reading apparatus is stopped.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said change content notification unit comprises a first selection unit for choosing to continue processing and a second selection unit for choosing not to continue processing, changes the setting in said reading setting selection unit if said first selection unit chooses to continue processing, and does not change the setting in said reading setting selection unit if said second selection unit chooses not to continue processing.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein after the reading setting is changed by said setting changing unit, reading is automatically continued.

8. A setting determination apparatus comprising:

a storage unit having a finite capacity and capable of reading and writing data;

a reading setting selection unit capable of selecting a reading setting in said reading apparatus;

a setting changing unit for checking a size of an available area in said storage unit when reading is started in said reading apparatus, comparing the size of the available area with a size of image data read by said reading apparatus, and changing the reading setting in said reading setting selection unit if the size of the image data is larger;

a change content notification unit for notifying a user of change contents before said setting changing unit changes the reading setting; and

a selection unit for choosing between continuing processing and not continuing the processing after a notification is provided from said change content notification unit,

wherein said setting changing unit changes the reading setting in accordance with the contents from said change content notification unit if said selection unit chooses to continue the processing, and holds the reading setting without changing the setting if said selection unit does not choose to continue the processing.

9. A setting determination method comprising:

(a) the step of selecting a reading setting in a reading apparatus;

(b) the step of checking a size of an available area in a storage unit when the reading apparatus starts reading, comparing the size of the available area with a size of image data read by the reading apparatus, and changing the reading setting if the size of the image data is larger;

(c) the step of notifying a user of a change content before the reading setting is changed in the setting changing step;

(d) the step of choosing between continuing processing and not continuing the processing after notification in the change content notification step; and

(e) the step of changing the reading setting in accordance with the content in the change content notification step if continuation of the processing is selected in the selection step, and holding the reading setting without changing if continuation of the processing is not selected in the selection step.

10. A computer-readable recording medium on which a program is recorded, the program causing a computer to execute

(a) the step of selecting a reading setting in a reading apparatus;

(b) the step of checking a size of an available area in a storage unit when the reading apparatus starts reading, comparing the size of the available area with a size of image data read by the reading apparatus, and changing the reading setting if the size of the image data is larger;

(c) the step of notifying a user of a change content before the reading setting is changed in the setting changing step;

(d) the step of choosing between continuing processing and not continuing the processing after notification in the change content notification step; and

(e) the step of changing the reading setting in accordance with the content in the change content notification step if continuation of the processing is selected in the selection step, and holding the reading setting without changing if continuation of the processing is not selected in the selection step.

11. The medium according to claim 10, wherein the program causes the computer to further execute the step of automatically continuing reading operation after the reading setting is changed in the setting changing step.

12. A program for causing a computer to execute

(a) the step of selecting a reading setting in a reading apparatus;

(b) the step of checking a size of an available area in a storage unit when the reading apparatus starts reading, comparing the size of the available area with a size of image data read by the reading apparatus, and changing the reading setting if the size of the image data is larger;

(c) the step of notifying a user of a change content before the reading setting is changed in the setting changing step;

(d) the step of choosing between continuing processing and not continuing the processing after notification in the change content notification step; and

(e) the step of changing the reading setting in accordance with the content in the change content notification step if continuation of the processing is selected in the selection step, and holding the reading setting without changing if continuation of the processing is not selected in the selection step.

13. The program according to claim 12, wherein the program causes the computer to further execute the step of automatically continuing reading operation after the reading setting is changed in the setting changing step.

14. An image reading apparatus which can be used by being connected to an external controller through an interface capable of two-way communication, wherein

said external controller including:

a storage unit having a finite capacity and capable of reading and writing data;

a reading setting selection unit capable of selecting a reading setting in said reading apparatus;

a setting changing unit for changing the reading setting in said reading setting selection unit; and

a change content notification unit for providing a notification of a content of a change made by said setting changing unit,

wherein when reading is started, a size of an available area in said storage unit is checked, the size of the available area is compared with a size of image data to be read, and if the size of the image data is larger, a change content is notified by said change content notification unit, and said setting changing unit changes the reading setting and continues reading operation.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the size of the available area is compared with the size of the image data read by the reading apparatus, and if the size of the image data is larger, said setting changing unit changes the reading setting to make the size of the image data become smaller than the size of the available area.

16. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the reading setting includes a reading scheme setting that allows selection of a color multilevel mode, a grayscale multilevel mode, or a monochrome binary mode, an original size setting that allows selection of an original size, and a resolution setting that allows selection of a reading resolution.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said setting changing unit changes the reading setting by changing settings in an order of the original size, reading scheme, and resolution.

18. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein if there is no reading setting that makes the size of the image data become smaller than the size of the available area, the original reading processing is stopped.

19. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said change content notification unit comprises a first selection unit for choosing to continue processing and a second selection unit for choosing not to continue processing, changes the setting in said reading setting selection unit if said first selection unit chooses to continue processing, and does not change the setting in said reading setting selection unit if said second selection unit chooses not to continue processing.

20. An image reading method comprising:

the check step of checking a size of an available area in a storage unit having a finite capacity when an image reading apparatus starts reading;

the comparison step of comparing the size of the available area with a size of image data read by said image reading apparatus;

the changing step of changing a reading setting in the image reading apparatus if the size of the image data is larger;

the notification step of providing a notification of a change content in the changing step; and

the reading continuation step of continuing reading operation in the image reading apparatus after the notification is provided.