Information processing system, image input/output apparatus, and data processing method

• US 8,482,764 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2008
• Issued: 07/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Shimizu, Yasushi
• Primary Examiner(s): SINGH, SATWANT K
• Application Number:
  US12/330,516
• Publication Number:
  US 20090153899A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,673 Days
• Field of Search: 358 113- 116
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1204 resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/121 Facilitating exception or error detection and recovery, e.g. fault, media or consumables depleted
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1261 by using alternate printing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1291 Pool of printer devices: self-managing printing devices in a network, e.g. without a server
• 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 1/00233 details of image data reproduction, e.g. network printing or remote image display using an image reproducing device as a local output from a computer H04N1/00238; digital output from computer to printer unit G06F3/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00347 with another still picture apparatus, e.g. hybrid still picture apparatus circuits or arrangements for control or supervision between image input and image output device H04N1/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32678 Performing substitution, e.g. substitute reception or substituting a corrupted line of data H04N1/32384 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0015 Control of image communication with the connected apparatus, e.g. signalling capability
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 Connection via a network
• 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 information processing system in which a plurality of image input/output apparatus can communicate with one another via a communication medium is provided. The information processing system includes a transfer unit configured to transfer a job from a first image input/output apparatus to a second image input/output apparatus; and a generating unit configured to generate a job handle used to identify a job on the first image input/output apparatus from the second image input/output apparatus, the job handle allowing the job to be manipulated. When the job is to be transferred by the transfer unit, the job handle generated by the generating unit is transmitted from the first image input/output apparatus to the second image input/output apparatus before the transfer of the job.

Claims

1. An information processing system in which a plurality of image input/output apparatus can communicate with one another via a communication medium, comprising:

a transfer unit configured to transfer a job from a first image input/output apparatus to a second image input/output apparatus;

a generating unit configured to generate a job handle used to identify the job which is to be transferred by said transfer unit and is currently on the first image input/output apparatus, the job handle allowing the second image input/output apparatus to manipulate the job;

a job handle sending unit configured to send the job handle generated by said generating unit from the first image input/output apparatus to the second image input/output apparatus before said transfer unit transfers the job from the first image input/output apparatus to the second image input/output apparatus;

a request sending unit configured to, if the second image input/output apparatus is requested to manipulate a job which is currently on the first image input/output apparatus and which is to be transferred by said transfer unit, send a request from the second image input/output apparatus to the first image input/output apparatus, for manipulating the job, based on the job handle sent by said job handle sending unit; and

a control unit configured to, if the second image input/output apparatus is requested to manipulate a job which has been transferred from the first image input/output apparatus to the second image input/output apparatus and which is currently on the second input/output apparatus, manipulate the job.

2. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein a request for cancelling the job can be sent by the second image input/output apparatus before transfer of the job by identifying the job which is currently on the first image input/output apparatus based on the job handle.

3. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein a request for cancelling transfer of the job from the first image input/output apparatus to the second image input/output apparatus can be sent by the second image input/output apparatus before transfer of the job by identifying the job which is currently on the first image input/output apparatus based on the job handle.

4. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein a request for changing a property of the job can be sent by the second image input/output apparatus before transfer of the job which is currently by identifying the job on the first image input/output apparatus based the job handle.

5. The information processing system according to claim 4, wherein the property of the job is information about a transfer destination of the job.

6. The information processing system according to claim 4, wherein the property of the job is a password of the job.

7. The information processing system according to claim 1, further comprising a data processing apparatus which supplies the first image input/output apparatus with a job to which a user ID is attached,

wherein the first image input/output apparatus comprises:

an input unit configured to allow a user to input a user ID, and

an authentication unit configured to authenticate the user ID input via said input unit; and

said transfer unit transfers a job from the first image input/output apparatus to the second image input/output apparatus when the user ID of the job is authenticated by said authentication unit.

8. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein:

the first image input/output apparatus further comprises a holding unit configured to store the job handle generated by said generating unit, and

after the job is transferred, the first image input/output apparatus identifies the job on the second image input/output apparatus based on the job handle stored in said holding unit.

9. A source image input/output apparatus capable of communicating with another image input/output apparatus, comprising:

a transfer unit configured to transfer a job to a destination image input/output apparatus which is a transfer destination of the job;

a generating unit configured to generate a job handle used to identify the job which is to be transferred by said transfer unit and is not transferred yet, the job handle allowing the destination image input/output apparatus to manipulate the job;

a transmitting unit configured to transmit the job handle generated by said generating unit to the destination image input/output apparatus before said transfer unit transfers the job; and

a request receiving unit configured to receive a request for manipulating the job which is to be transferred by said transfer unit and is not transferred yet, from the destination image input/output apparatus, the request being sent by the destination image input/output apparatus based on the job handle transmitted by said transmitting unit, and the request not being sent by the destination image input/output apparatus if the destination image input/output apparatus is requested to manipulate a job which has been transferred by said transfer unit to the destination image input/output apparatus and which is currently on the destination input/output apparatus.

10. The image input/output apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

an input unit configured to allow a user to input a user ID; and

an authentication unit configured to authenticate the user ID input via said input unit, wherein

the job has a user ID authenticated by said authentication unit.

11. The image input/output apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a holding unit configured to store the job handle, wherein

after the job is transferred, the job on the destination image input/output apparatus is identified based on the job handle stored in said holding unit.

12. A destination image input/output apparatus capable of communicating with another image input/output apparatus, comprising:

a receiving unit configured to receive a job handle used to identify a job which is to be transferred by and is currently on a source image input/output apparatus which is a transfer source of the job, before receiving the job;

a request sending unit configured to, if the destination image input/output apparatus is requested to manipulate a job which is currently on the source image input/output apparatus and which is to be transferred by said transfer unit, send a request for manipulating the job, to the source image input/output apparatus, based on the job handle received by said receiving unit; and

a control unit configured to, if the destination image input/output apparatus is requested to manipulate a job which has been transferred from the source image input/output apparatus to the destination image input/output apparatus and which is currently on the destination input/output apparatus, manipulate the job.

13. The image input/output apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the manipulation of the job is cancellation of the job.

14. The image input/output apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the manipulation of the job is cancellation of transfer of the job.

15. The image input/output apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the manipulation of the job is change of a property of the job.

16. The image input/output apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the property of the job is information about a transfer destination of the job.

17. The image input/output apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the property of the job is a password of the job.

18. A data processing method for an information processing system in which a plurality of image input/output apparatus can communicate with one another, the data processing method comprising:

transferring a job from a first image input/output apparatus to a second image input/output apparatus;

generating a job handle used to identify the job which is to be transferred from the first image input/output apparatus to the second image input/output apparatus and is currently on the first image input/output apparatus, the job handle allowing the second image input/output apparatus to manipulate the job;

sending the generated job handle from the first image input/output apparatus to the second image input/output apparatus before the job is transferred from the first image input/output apparatus to the second image input/output apparatus;

if the second image input/output apparatus is requested to manipulate a job which is currently on the first image input/output apparatus and which is to be transferred from the first image input/output apparatus to the second image input/output apparatus, sending a request from the second image input/output apparatus to the first image input/output apparatus, for manipulating the job, based on the sent job handle; and

if the second image input/output apparatus is requested to manipulate a job which has been transferred from the first image input/output apparatus to the second image input/output apparatus and which is currently on the second input/output apparatus, manipulating the job.