Image reading device and image processing method utilizing the same

• US 7,746,495 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2006
• Issued: 06/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kumagai, Takekazu, Ejiri, Seishi, Tsukamoto, Takeshi, Toyama, Masaki, Yamamuro, Soichi, Kondo, Masaya, Saruwatari, Masaru, Kajita, Koji, Kadowaki, Toshihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, ANH-VINH THI
• Application Number:
  US11/548,228
• Publication Number:
  US 20070097425A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,358 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.15, 358/1.1, 358/1.2, 358/1.16, 358/442, 358/402, 358/444, 358/468, 379/100.01, 379/100.12, 345/156, 345/160, 345/163, 345/168
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00095 Systems or arrangements for the transmission of the picture signal
• 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 1/00228 Image push arrangements, e.g. from an image reading device to a specific network destination push-based network services H04L67/55
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00408 Display of information to the user, e.g. menus
• 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 1/00432 using tabs
• 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 1/4413 involving the use of passwords, ID codes or the like, e.g. PIN
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

An image processing apparatus provided with a reader for reading an original image, a connection unit for connection with a network to which plural computers are connected, and a transfer unit for transferring the image data, read by the reader, to a computer through the connection unit, the apparatus comprising a specifying unit for specifying a desired one among the computers connected through the connection unit, and a designation unit for designating image reading by the reader, wherein the transfer unit is adapted to transfer the image data, read by the reader in response to the designation by the designation unit, to a computer specified by the specifying unit.

Claims

1. An image reading apparatus comprising:

a reading unit, adapted to read an image and to generate image data corresponding to the image;

a connecting unit, adapted to connect said image reading apparatus to a network connectable to a plurality of external devices;

a checking unit, adapted to check, in a case where a processing for outputting the image data generated by said reading unit is selected, whether each of the plurality of external devices to which the image data from the reading unit may be output exists on the network currently, the checking by the checking unit being performed before the reading unit reads the image;

a display unit, adapted to identify which of the plurality of external devices have been checked as currently existing on the network and to display the identified external device(s);

a selecting unit, adapted to select an external device from among the external device(s) displayed by said display unit; and

an outputting unit, adapted to output the image data from said reading unit to the external device selected by said selecting unit.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a directory designating unit adapted to designate a directory for storing the image data in the selected external device,

wherein said output unit outputs the image data from said reading unit with a directory name representing the designated directory designated by said directory designating unit.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a setting unit adapted to set a file name to the image data generated by said reading unit,

wherein said output unit outputs the image data with the file name set by said setting unit.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said setting unit sets the file name based on a default setting or a manipulation by a user.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display unit displays a name of the external device(s) in accordance with name information obtained from a predetermined computer on the network.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display unit displays size information of the image data to be output by said output unit.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said display unit displays the size information based on a format of the image data.

8. A controlling method of an image reading apparatus connectable to a network, to which a plurality of external devices also are connectable, said method comprising:

reading an image and generating image data corresponding to the image;

checking, in a case where a processing for outputting the generated image data is selected, whether each of the plurality of external devices to which the generated image data may be output exists on the network currently, the checking being performed before the image is read;

identifying which of the plurality of external devices have been checked as currently existing on the network and displaying the identified external device(s);

selecting an external device from among the displayed external device(s); and

outputting the generated image data to the selected external device.

9. A computer readable program stored in a storage medium, comprising:

reading an image and generating image data corresponding to the image;

checking, in a case where a processing for outputting the generated image data is selected, whether each of a plurality of external devices to which the generated image data may be output exists on a network currently, the checking being performed before the image is read;

identifying which of the plurality of external devices have been checked as currently existing on the network and displaying the identified external device(s);

selecting an external device from among the displayed external device(s); and

outputting the generated image data to the selected external device.