Network scanner system

• US 7,262,887 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2004
• Issued: 08/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Ogaki, Takeshi, Kamiyama, Tadanobu, Takeda, Yoshiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Moe; Aung S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Worku; Negussie
• Application Number:
  US10/950,791
• Publication Number:
  US 20050052697A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,064 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.15, 358/1.9, 358/474, 358/444, 358/1.18, 382/305, 382/306, 379/406.08, 379/406.01, 379/100.17, 379/93.31, 379/93.32, 379/93.34, 379/88.25
• US Class Current: 358/474
• 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 1/00222 details of image data generation or reproduction, e.g. scan-to-email or network printing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00225 details of image data generation, e.g. scan-to-email or network scanners using an image reading device as a local input to a computer H04N1/00241
• 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 1/00411 the display also being used for user input, e.g. touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00795 Reading arrangements details of scanning heads H04N1/024; scanning arrangements therefor H04N1/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00811 according to user specified instructions, e.g. user selection of reading mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00822 Selecting or setting a particular reading mode, e.g. from amongst a plurality of modes, simplex or duplex, or high or low resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00962 Input arrangements for operating instructions or parameters, e.g. updating internal software program loading in general G06F9/445; network-specific protocols involving the movement of software or configuration parameters H04L67/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32502 in systems having a plurality of input or output devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32523 a plurality of output devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0068 Converting from still picture data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0075 by a user operated remote control device, e.g. receiving instructions from a user via a computer terminal or mobile telephone handset
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0081 Image reader H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/33314 of reading or reproducing mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/33321 Image or page size, e.g. A3, A4
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/33328 Resolution

Abstract

An image input section pre-inputs an image. A temporary storage section temporarily stores the image input by the image input section. An attribute control section controls at least attribute information of the input information temporarily stored in the temporary storage section. A selection section permits a user at the origin of image request to select a desired one of already stored images stored in the temporary storage section in accordance with the attribute information controlled by the attribute control section. An image transfer section reads out the desired image selected by the selection section from the temporary storage section at the time of the request by origin of the image request and transfers the desired image to the origin of the image request via a network.

Claims

1. A network scanning method comprising:

inputting an image to obtain an input image to be used in a plurality of applications that can be input by single scanning, the input image being capable of being converted in a plurality of different manners;

temporarily storing the input image input by the single scanning;

controlling at least attribute information concerning the input image temporarily stored, the attribute information including a current pointer for specifying the input image;

permitting a user at an origin of image request to select a desired one of the temporarily stored images based on the current pointer included in the attribute information in accordance with one of the applications;

determining which image is to be transferred, based on the current pointer of the image selected, to the origin of the image request, by utilizing the attribute information to determine which image is to be transferred to the origin of image request, and updating the current pointer corresponding to the image to be transferred in the attribute controlled, based on a determination result of the determining step;

taking out image information corresponding to the current pointer updated among the attribute information based on a determination result of the determining step;

reading out the image corresponding to the image information taken out at the time of request from the origin of the image request based on the current pointer updated among the temporarily stored images, and converting or non-converting the image to a predetermined image in accordance with the one of the applications; and

transferring the predetermined image converted or non-converted by the converting step for use in the one of the applications to the origin of the image request via a network.

2. A network scanner method according to claim 1, wherein the converting step includes converting, when the desired image is selected, the input image temporarily stored to a reduced image, in order to display the input image temporarily stored at the origin of the image request.

3. A network scanner method according to claim 1, wherein the attribute information includes time information in which an image is input by the inputting step, and wherein the permitting step automatically selects an image from the temporarily stored images on the basis of the time information and in accordance with a preset standard.

4. A network scanner method according to claim 1, wherein the attribute information includes a user name, a size of an image, a read density and color/monochromic distinction.

5. A network scanner method according to claim 1, further comprising:

discriminating a type of document from the input image input by the inputting step for each unit of the input image,

wherein the attribute information is controlled and information concerning the type of document is discriminated,

wherein the permitting step permits a user at the origin of the image request to select a desired one of temporarily stored images on the basis of a current pointer included in the attribute information and information concerning the type of document; and

wherein the reading out step determines which one of a cover sheet, a cover and a document with a specific mark corresponds to the type of document of the desired image selected is, in accordance with a preset standard, and on the basis of the information concerning the type of document controlled and the current pointer included in the attribute information, thereby reading out the desired image that is being temporarily stored at the time of the request from the origin of the image request to transfer the desired image to the origin of the image request via the network.

6. A network scanner method comprising:

inputting an image to obtain an input image to be used in a plurality of applications that is input by single scanning, the input image being capable of being converted in a plurality of different manners;

instructing an input mode at the time of inputting the image by the single scanning;

temporarily storing the input image input by the single scanning;

controlling attribute information concerning the image temporarily stored and information concerning the input mode instructed, the attribute information including a current pointer for specifying the input image;

permitting a user at an origin of image request to select a desired one of the temporarily stored images based on the current pointer included in the attribute information and input mode instruction information controlled in accordance with one of the applications;

determining which image is to be transferred, based on the current pointer of the image selected, to the origin of the image request, by utilizing the attribute information to determine which image is to be transferred to the origin of image request, and updating the current pointer corresponding to the image to be transferred in the attribute information controlled based on a determination result of the determining step;

taking out image information corresponding to the current pointer updated among the attribute information controlled;

reading out the image corresponding to the image information taken out at the time of request from the origin of the image request based on the current pointer updated among the temporarily stored images, and determining the image in accordance with the input mode instruction information controlled and output mode instruction information from the origin of the image request, and converting, when the input mode instruction information and output mode instruction information are different from each other in instruction content, the image in accordance with the output mode instruction information; and

transferring the desired image that has been read out at the time of the request from the origin of the image request based on the current pointer included in the attribute information and converted, in accordance with the output mode instruction information via a network to the origin of the image request.

7. A network scanner method according to claim 6, wherein the image conversion step executes either conversion from a color image to a monochrome image or correction of density information of the desired image in accordance with a preset standard and on the basis of the output mode instruction information when the input mode instruction information and output mode instruction information are different from each other in instruction content.

8. A network scanner method according to claim 6, wherein the image conversion step executes either conversion of a size or pixel density of the desired image in accordance with a preset standard and on the basis of the output mode instruction information when the input mode instruction information and output mode instruction information are different from each other in instruction content.

9. The network scanner method according to claim 6, wherein the current pointer is an instruction pointer for instructing which image is to be transferred, when the user makes a selection via the permitting step.

10. A network scanner method comprising:

inputting an image to obtain an input image to be used in a plurality of applications that is input by single scanning, the input image being capable of being converted in a plurality of different manners;

temporarily storing the input image input by the single scanning;

controlling at least attribute information concerning the input image temporarily stored, the attribute information including a current pointer for specifying the input image;

permitting a user to select, at an origin of image request, a desired one of the temporarily stored images on the basis of the current pointer included in the attribute information, in accordance with one of the applications;

determining which image is to be transferred based on the current pointer of the image selected, to the origin of the image request, by utilizing the attribute information to determine which image is to be transferred to the origin of image request, and updating the current pointer corresponding to the image to be transferred in the attribute information based on a determination result of the determining step;

taking out image information corresponding to the current pointer updated, among the attribute information;

reading out the image corresponding to the image information taken out, at the time of request from the origin of the image request based on the current pointer updated, among the temporarily stored images, and converting or non-converting the image to a predetermined image in accordance with the one of the applications; and

transferring the predetermined image converted or non-converted by the converting step for use in the one of the applications to the origin of the image request via a network.

11. The network scanner method according to claim 10, wherein the current pointer is an instruction pointer for instructing which image is to be transferred, when the user makes a selection via the permitting step.

12. The network scanner method according to claim 11, wherein the permitting step outputs image information for each of the temporarily stored images, to be displayed on separate locations on a single display screen at the origin of image request.

13. The network scanner method according to claim 10, wherein the user at the origin of image request selects the desired one of the temporarily stored images along with a request for a particular image format, and wherein the converting step converts the image to the predetermined image in accordance with the particular image format.

14. The network scanner method according to claim 13, wherein the particular image format differs in pixel density from an image format of the image selected.