Information processing apparatus, image input apparatus, method of controlling image processing apparatus, method of controlling image input apparatus, image input system, and storage medium

• US 7,042,603 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2001
• Issued: 05/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Electronics Incorporated (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Electronics Incorporated (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Masao, Nozomi, Otani, Kazuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Wallerson, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): Menberu, Beniyam
• Application Number:
  US09/966,771
• Publication Number:
  US 20020093699A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,684 Days
• Field of Search: 358/505, 358/474, 358/527, 358/516, 358/518, 358/519, 358/461, 358/521, 358/530, 358/448, 358/524, 358/523, 358/498, 358/471, 358/1.13, 358/400, 358/487, 358/1.15, 358/442, 358/1.2, 382/254, 355/40, 399/8
• US Class Current: 358/519
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00236 using an image reading or reproducing device, e.g. a facsimile reader or printer, as a local input to or local output from a computer image input to or image output from a computer via a network H04N1/00209
• 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 1/40 Picture signal circuits H04N1/387 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/001 Sharing resources, e.g. processing power or memory, with a connected apparatus or enhancing the capability of the still picture apparatus

Abstract

The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, an image input apparatus, a method of controlling the information processing apparatus, a method of controlling the image input apparatus, an image input system, and a storage medium storing programs for implementing these methods. According to the present invention, the information processing apparatus executes image processing that can be executed by the image input apparatus, on stored image data from the image input apparatus, based on setting information input according to an operator'"'"'s instruction. Therefore, a desired input image can be obtained without the need to reenter the image by the image input apparatus, thereby allowing the operator to input images more efficiently.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus connected to an image input apparatus which is capable of executing predetermined image processing on input image data and outputting the processed image data, the information processing apparatus comprising:

first storing means for storing image data output from the image input apparatus;

instruction input means for inputting setting information for image processing according to an instruction from an operator; and

image processing means for executing image processing that can be executed by the image input apparatus, on the image data stored by said first storing means based on the setting information input by said instruction input means;

selecting means for selecting either a first processing mode in which the image input apparatus executes the image processing on the input image data or a second processing mode in which said image processing means executes the image processing on the image data stored by said first storing means, according to an instruction input by the operator; and

second storing means for storing the image data on which the image processing is executed,

wherein said second storing means is operable, when the second processing mode is selected, to store the image data after said first storing means stores the image data output from the image input apparatus and said image processing means executes the image processing on the image data stored by said first storing means, and operable, when the first processing mode is selected, to store the image data, on which the image input apparatus executes the image processing, output from the image input apparatus, without the image data output from the image input apparatus being stored by said first storing means.

2. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image input apparatus is a scanner apparatus having an image processing section that executes predetermined image processing on image data input by reading an image, and

wherein said first storing means stores image data transmitted from said scanner apparatus.

3. An information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said image processing section of said scanner apparatus executes image processing related to image correction, and said image processing means executes image correction that can be executed by said image processing section of said scanner apparatus.

4. An information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the image correction includes processes related to contrast adjustment, brightness adjustment, and binarization of an image.

5. An information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said scanner apparatus further includes an image input section that feeds an original and inputs image data by reading an image from the fed original.

6. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising display means for displaying the image data processed by said image processing means.

7. An information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said image processing means executes image processing on image data temporarily stored by said first storing means and said display means displays the processed image data, before said instruction input means inputs set values.

8. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising third storing means for storing setting information input by said instruction input means, and

wherein said image processing means executes image processing on second and subsequent image data output from the image input apparatus based on the setting information stored in said third storing means.

9. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image input apparatus is a scanner apparatus, and

wherein the information processing apparatus is a personal computer connected to said scanner apparatus via a communication cable.

10. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising transmitting means for transmitting the setting information used for the image processing by said image processing means, to the image input apparatus.

11. An information processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said transmitting means transmits the setting information to the image input apparatus after first image data stored by said first storing means has been processed by said image processing means.

12. An information processing apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising display means for displaying the image data processed by said image processing means.

13. An information processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the image input apparatus is a scanner apparatus having an image processing section that executes predetermined image processing on image data input by reading an image, and

wherein said first storing means stores image data transmitted from said scanner apparatus.

14. An information processing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said image processing section of said scanner apparatus executes image processing related to image correction based on the setting information transmitted from said transmitting means, and said image processing means executes image correction that can be executed by said image processing section of said scanner apparatus.

15. A method of controlling an information processing apparatus connected to an image input apparatus which is capable of executing predetermined image processing on input image data and outputting the processed image data, the method comprising:

a first storing step of storing image data output from the image input apparatus, in a first storage section;

an instruction input step of inputting setting information for image processing according to an instruction from an operator;

an image processing step of executing image processing that can be executed by the image input apparatus, on the image data stored in the first storage section based on the setting information input in said instruction input step;

a selecting step of selecting either a first processing mode in which the image input apparatus executes the image processing on the input image data or a second processing mode in which the image processing apparatus executes the image processing on the image data stored in the first storage section, according to an instruction from the operator; and

a second storing step of storing the image data on which the image processing is executed, in a second storage section,

wherein the second storage section is operable, when the second processing mode is selected, to store the image data after the first storage section stores the image data output from the image input apparatus and the image processing apparatus executes the image processing on the image data stored in the first storage section, and operable, when the first processing mode is selected, to store the image data, on which the image input apparatus executes the image processing, output from the image input apparatus, without the image data output from the image input apparatus being stored in the first storage section, in said second storing step.

16. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program code for implementing a method of controlling an information processing apparatus connected to an image input apparatus which is capable of executing predetermined image processing on input image data and outputting the processed image data, the program code comprising:

a first storing module for storing image data output from the image input apparatus, in a first storage section;

an instruction input module for inputting setting information for image processing according to an instruction from an operator;

an image processing module for executing image processing that can be executed by the image input apparatus, on the image data stored in the first storage section based on the setting information input by said instruction input module;

a selecting module for selecting either a first processing mode in which the image input apparatus executes the image processing on the input image data or a second processing mode in which the image processing apparatus executes the image processing on the image data stored in the first storage section, according to an instruction from the operator; and

a second storing module for storing the image data on which the image processing is executed, in a second storage section,

wherein the second storage section is operable, when the second processing mode is selected, to store the image data after the first storage section stores the image data output from the image input apparatus and the image processing apparatus executes the image processing on the image data stored in the first storage section, and operable, when the first processing mode is selected, to store the image data, on which the image input apparatus executes the image processing, output from the image input apparatus, without the image data output from the image input apparatus being stored in the first storage section, by said second storing module.