Document reading device capable of sending data to external terminal through network

• US 7,495,808 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2002
• Issued: 02/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd. (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd. (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Sasakuma, Haruna, Nagasawa, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Safaipour; Houshang
• Application Number:
  US10/317,137
• Publication Number:
  US 20030123104A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,266 Days
• Field of Search: 358/474, 358/1.15, 358/403, 358/407
• US Class Current: 358/474
• 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 1/00408 Display of information to the user, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00411 the display also being used for user input, e.g. touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00413 using menus, i.e. presenting the user with a plurality of selectable options H04N1/00464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00482 outputting a plurality of job set-up options, e.g. number of copies, paper size or resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/33307 prior to start of transmission, input or output of the picture signal only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/33369 Storage of mode or retrieval of prestored mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0015 Control of image communication with the connected apparatus, e.g. signalling capability
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0068 Converting from still picture data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/33378 Type or format of data, e.g. colour or B/W, halftone or binary, computer image file or facsimile data

Abstract

PC link software stored in a personal computer searches for software installed in the personal computer and determines a file format that can be handled in the resulting software for sending to MFP. When MFP receives a destination for scanned image data, file formats displayable at that destination are displayed to allow the user to select in which format the data is sent. Therefore such a situation can be prevented in that the sent image data cannot be displayed at a personal computer.

Claims

1. A document reading device capable of sending image data obtained by reading a document to an external terminal through a network, comprising:

a receiving portion receiving application information held by said external terminal through said network;

a determining portion determining one or a plurality of data formats that can be processed in said external terminal, based on the received application information;

a registering portion registering data for specifying said external terminal and a data format determined by said determining portion in an associated manner;

a selecting portion presenting data formats registered in an associated manner in said registering portion to allow the user to select therefrom a data format in sending image data, when image data is sent to said external terminal; and

a control portion performing control such that said read document is read into image data in a data format selected in said selecting portion and is sent to said external terminal.

2. The document reading device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an inquiry portion inquiring of said external terminal about information regarding an application included in said external terminal.

3. The document reading device according to claim 1, wherein

when a TIFF data format is selected in said selecting portion, an optimum one is selected out of a plurality of TIFF data formats determined by said determining portion as being able to be processed in said external terminal.

4. The document reading device according to claim 1, wherein

when a TIFF data format is selected in said selecting portion, the user is prompted to select an application that can handle a TIFF format and data is sent in a TIFF format suitable for a selected application.

5. The document reading device according to claim 4, wherein

when an application other than applications registered in an application table is selected, a versatile TIFF format is selected out of TIFF formats.

6. The document reading device according to claim 1, wherein

said data for specifying an external terminal is one of a terminal name, an IP address, and a mail address applied to an external terminal.

7. A document reading device capable of sending image data obtained by reading a document to an external terminal through a network, comprising:

a storage unit storing information of different kinds of applications that can handle image data and image data formats in an associated manner;

a display unit displaying the stored application information and image data formats in a list;

a selecting portion allowing the user to select one of the displayed application information or image data formats; and

a control portion performing control such that said read document is read into image data in an image data format corresponding to selected application information or a selected image data format through said selecting portion, and is sent to the external terminal.

8. An image data processing method allowing image data obtained by reading a document to be sent to an external terminal through a network, comprising:

a receiving step of receiving application information held by said external terminal through said network;

a determining step of determining one or a plurality of data formats that can be processed in said external terminal, based on the received application information;

a registering step of registering data for specifying said external terminal and a data format determined at said determining step in an associated manner;

a selecting step of presenting data formats registered in an associated manner at said registering step to allow the user to select therefrom a data format in sending image data, when image data is sent to said external terminal; and

a control step of performing control such that said read document is read into image data in a data format selected at said selecting step and is sent to said external terminal.

9. A computer readable medium containing an image data processing program product allowing image data obtained by reading a document to be sent to an external terminal through a network, said image data processing program product causing a computer to carry out:

a receiving step of receiving application information held by said external terminal through said network;

a determining step of determining one or a plurality of data formats that can be processed in said external terminal, based on the received application information;

a registering step of registering data for specifying said external terminal and a data format determined at said determining step in an associated manner;

a selecting step of presenting data formats registered in an associated manner at said registering step to allow the user to select therefrom a data format in sending image data, when image data is sent to said external terminal; and

a control step of performing control such that said read document is read into image data in a data format selected at said selecting step and is sent to said external terminal.

10. A document reading device capable of sending image data obtained by reading a document to an external terminal through a network, comprising:

a receiving portion receiving data for specifying said external terminal and information regarding an image data format that can be processed in said external terminal, through said network;

a registering portion registering said data for specifying said external terminal and said image data format in an associated manner;

a selecting portion presenting image data formats registered in an associated manner in said registering portion to allow the user to select therefrom an image data format in sending image data, when image data is sent to said external terminal; and

a control portion performing control such that said read document is read into image data in a data format selected in said selecting portion and is sent to said external terminal.