Information processing system, method and recording medium

• US 8,339,649 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2011
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Ohishi, Tsutomu, Tanaka, Hiroyuki, Fujisaki, Kazumi
• Primary Examiner(s): SINGH, SATWANT K
• Application Number:
  US13/051,821
• Publication Number:
  US 20110188084A1
• Time in Patent Office: 648 Days
• Field of Search: 358 111- 118, 709/220, 705/27
• US Class Current: 358/1.16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1293 Printer information exchange with computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1296 Printer job scheduling or printer resource handling
• 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 1/00209 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 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00944 using hot folders, i.e. folders or directories which trigger an action when written to or accessed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00946 Details of actions associated with a hot folder
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00973 from a remote device, e.g. receiving via the internet instructions input to a computer terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2166 for mass storage, e.g. in document filing systems information retrieval G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32101 Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32358 using picture signal storage, e.g. at transmitter H04N1/17 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0043 Point to multipoint H04N2201/0039 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0046 Software interface details, e.g. interaction of operating systems
• 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 forming apparatus that functions as a client of a distributed file system is provided, in which the image forming apparatus includes: a distributed file system process part for mounting a file system of a server apparatus on the image forming apparatus to enable the image forming apparatus to access the file system of the server apparatus as the distributed file system of the image forming apparatus; and a storing process part for accessing the file system of the server apparatus and storing, in the file system, information that is stored in a storage unit used by the image forming apparatus.

Claims

1. An information processing system comprising:

a first information processing apparatus configured to perform a first information processing;

a second information processing apparatus having a plurality of output destinations, and configured to perform a second information processing;

a data storage portion in the second information processing apparatus that can receive and store data from the first information processing apparatus, the data storage portion including a plurality of data storing parts, each of which corresponds to a specific second information processing process and wherein some of the plurality of data storing parts correspond to said output destinations;

a processing portion in the second information processing apparatus, the processing portion being configured to perform the specific second information processing when the data from the first information processing apparatus is received and stored by one of the data storing parts, the specific second information processing comprising determining if the one of the data storing parts corresponds to one of said output destinations, determining second information in the one of the data storing parts that is associated with the one of said output destinations, and outputting data to the one of said output destinations according to the second information.

2. The information processing system according to claim 1 wherein the second information processing apparatus is an image forming apparatus.

3. The information processing system according to claim 2 wherein the data storage portion comprises a file system.

4. The information processing system according to claim 3 wherein the plurality of data storing parts comprise a plurality of file directories.

5. An information processing method comprising the steps of:

performing a first information processing in a first information processing apparatus;

sending data from the first information processing apparatus to a second information processing apparatus having a plurality of output destinations, and a data storage portion including a plurality of data storing parts, each of which corresponds to a specific second information processing process, wherein some of the plurality of data storing parts correspond to said output destinations;

performing the specific second information processing when the data from the first information processing apparatus is received and stored by one of the data storing parts, the specific second information processing comprising

determining if the one of the data storing parts corresponds to one of said output destinations,

determining second information in the one of the data storing parts that is associated with the one of said output destinations, and

outputting data to the one of said output destinations according to the second information.

6. The information processing method according to claim 5 wherein the specific second information processing is an image forming process.

7. The information processing method according to claim 6 wherein the second information processing apparatus performs the specific second information processing corresponding to a selected one of the plurality of data storing parts using an application program.

8. An information processing system comprising:

an information processing apparatus configured to perform information processing;

a data storage portion in the information processing apparatus that can receive and store data from another information processing apparatus, the data storage portion including a plurality of output destinations, and a plurality of data storing parts, each of which corresponds to a specific information processing process and wherein some of the plurality of data storing parts correspond to said output destinations;

a processing portion in the information processing apparatus, the processing portion being configured to perform the specific information processing when the data from the first information processing apparatus is received and stored by one of the data storing parts, the specific second information processing comprising determining if the one of the data storing parts corresponds to one of said output destinations, determining second information in the one of the data storing parts that is associated with the one of said output destinations, and outputting data to the one of said output destinations according to the second information.

9. The information processing system according to claim 8 wherein the information processing apparatus is an image forming apparatus.

10. The information processing system according to claim 9 wherein the data storage portion comprises a file system.

11. The information processing system according to claim 10 wherein the plurality of data storing parts comprise a plurality of file directories.

12. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing an information processing program for causing an image forming apparatus to perform information processing, comprising:

first information processing means for performing a first information processing in a first information processing apparatus;

data sending means for sending data from the first information processing apparatus to a second information processing apparatus having a plurality of output destinations, and a data storage portion including a plurality of data storing parts, each of which corresponds to a specific second information processing process, wherein some of the plurality of data storing parts correspond to said output destinations;

second information processing means for performing the specific second information processing process when the data from the first information processing apparatus is received and stored by one of the data storing parts, the specific second information processing comprising determining if the one of the data storing parts corresponds to one of said output destinations, determining second information in the one of the data storing parts that is associated with the one of said output destinations, and outputting data to the one of said output destinations according to the second information.