Image processing apparatus, control method thereof and control program thereof

• US 7,907,295 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2003
• Issued: 03/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ono, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Coles; Edward L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kassa; Hilina S
• Application Number:
  US10/522,314
• Publication Number:
  US 20050225794A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,790 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.15, 358/1.16, 709/238, 370/351, 370/360, 370/370, 370/395.52, 370/401, 395/200.55, 395/200.56
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/35 involving non-standard use of addresses for implementing network functionalities, e.g. coding subscription information within the address or functional addressing, i.e. assigning an address to a function
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5092 by self-assignment, e.g. picking addresses at random and testing if they are already in use
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00209 Transmitting or receiving image data, e.g. facsimile data, via a computer, e.g. using e-mail, a computer network, the internet, I-fax
• 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 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

Disclosed is technology capable of improving operability of a multi-function image processing apparatus with simple inexpensive structure and easily designing necessary system software. After start-up, the apparatus is connected to an IPv6 router on a network, prefix information is acquired from the router, there is generated an IP address unique to each of image processing functions such as printing, scanning and FAXing on basis of the acquired prefix information, the apparatus communicates with other appliance on the network by use of the IP address generated for every image processing function, and each image processing function operates corresponding to a result of the communication. Transfer task transfers data to be inputted and outputted among print task, scan task and facsimile task by use of IP addresses each different for every function, and the respective tasks run on a time-division basis using a task switchover by OS.

Claims

1. A multi-function image processing apparatus that includes a plurality of image processing units that perform a plurality of image processing functions, including a printer unit that performs a printer function and a scanner unit that performs a scanner function, the apparatus comprising:

an IP address generator connected to an Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6) router on a network that repeatedly acquires a prefix information from the IPv6 router and generates a plurality of IP addresses, based on the acquired prefix information, wherein each of the IP addresses is unique to a different one of the plurality of image processing units, and wherein a number of the IP addresses is equal to the number of the image processing units; and

a controller that communicates with at least one appliance on the network using the IP addresses generated for the image processing units and operates each of the image processing units to perform communications between each of the image processing units and the at least one appliance, and that executes a transfer task for transferring packet data,

wherein the transfer task for transferring packet data is managed by an Operating System (OS) using buffer areas allocated to the printer unit and the scanner unit, respectively.

2. The multi-function image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller performs the plurality of image processing functions by executing, on a time-division basis using a task switchover, a plurality of control task programs corresponding respectively to the plurality of image processing functions, and performs the communications using the IP addresses generated for the plurality of image processing units based on the control task program, taking as a unit a control task program corresponding to an image processing function of the plurality of image processing functions.

7. The multi-function image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the IP address generator sends each generated IP address to the router to check for duplication of the IP address, and, if the IP address is a duplicate, the IP address generator generates an IP address different from the duplicate IP address based on the prefix information.

3. A control method performed by a multi-function image processing apparatus that includes a plurality of image processing units that perform a plurality of image processing functions, including a printer unit that performs a printer function and a scanner unit that performs a scanner function, the method comprising:

an IP address generating step of establishing a connection to an Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) router on a network, repeatedly acquiring prefix information from the IPv6 router, and generating a plurality of IP addresses, based on the acquired prefix information, wherein each of the IP addresses is unique to a different one of the plurality of image processing units, and wherein a number of IP address is equal to a number of image processing units;

a controlling step of performing a communication with at least one appliance on the network using the IP addresses generated from the image processing units and operating each of the image processing units, so that the controlling step executes communications between each of the image processing unit and the at least one appliance, and

an executing step of executing a transfer task for transferring packet data managed by the Operating System (OS) using buffer areas allocated to the printer unit and the scanner unit, respectively.

4. The control method according to claim 3, wherein the controlling step involves executing the plurality of image processing functions by executing, on a time-division basis using a task switchover, control task programs corresponding respectively to the plurality of image processing functions, and performing the communications using the IP addresses generated for the plurality of image processing functions based on the control task program, taking as a unit a control task program corresponding to one of the plurality of image processing functions.

8. The method according to claim 3, wherein IP address generating step includes sending each the generated IP address to the router to check for duplication of the IP address, and, if the IP address is a duplicate, the IP address generating step includes generating an IP address different from the duplicate IP address based on the prefix information.

5. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a computer-executable control program for performing a method of controlling a multi-function image processing apparatus that includes a plurality of image processing units that perform a plurality of image processing functions, including a printer unit that performs a printer function and a scanner unit that performs a scanner function, the method comprising:

an IP address generating step of establishing a connection to an Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) router on a network, repeatedly acquiring prefix information from the IPv6 router, and generating a plurality of IP addresses, based on the acquired prefix information, wherein each of the IP addresses is unique to a different one of the plurality of image processing functions, and wherein a number of the plurality of IP addresses is equal to a number of the plurality of image processing units;

a controlling step of performing a communication with at least one appliance on the network using the IP addresses generated for the image processing units and operating each of the image processing units, so that communication between tech of the image processing units and the at least one appliance are performed in the controlling step, and

an executing step of executing a transfer task for transferring packed data managed by an Operating System (OS) using buffer areas allocated to the printer unit and the scanner unit, respectively.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of image processing functions are performed in the controlling step by executing, on a time-division basis using a task switchover, a plurality of control task programs corresponding respectively to the plurality of image processing functions, and performing the communications using the IP addresses generated for the plurality of image processing functions based on the control task program, taking as a unit a control task program corresponding to one of the plurality of image processing functions.