Image processing device having scanned-document distributed-transmission capability

• US 8,605,335 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2009
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Yamada, Akihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Cordero, Marivelisse Santiago
• Assistant Examiner(s): WALLACE, JOHN R
• Application Number:
  US12/488,428
• Publication Number:
  US 20100002271A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,635 Days
• Field of Search: 358/448
• US Class Current: 358/448
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00214 details of transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00217 only involving computer data transmission protocols, e.g. SMTP, WAP or HTTP communication protocol aspects and techniques in packet data networks H04L69/00; network-specific arrangements or communication protocols supporting networked applications H04L67/00
• 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 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

An image processing device, such as multifunction peripheral, includes a reading section, a judging section and a transmission section. The reading section reads an image on each of a plurality of objects and outputs a plurality of pieces of image data. Each piece of image data represents the image on each of the plurality of objects. The judging section judges whether each piece of image data meets a predetermined criterion. The transmission section transmits one or more pieces of image data that are judged by the judging section to meet the predetermined criterion to a predetermined destination set in relation with the criterion.

Claims

1. An image processing device comprising:

a storage device configured to store a transmission management table having a plurality of transmission criteria associated with a plurality of destinations in an one-to-one correspondence, said transmission management table being used to determine a destination for a transmission of a plurality of pieces of image data;

a reading section configured to read an image on each of a plurality of objects and output a plurality of pieces of image data for each of the plurality of objects, respectively, each piece of image data representing the image on each of the plurality of objects;

a judging section configured to judge whether each piece of image data meets one or more of the plurality of transmission criteria;

a destination determining section configured to determine, for each piece of image data judged by the judging section to meet one or more of the plurality of transmission criteria, a destination by referring to the transmission management table for the associated destination for the respective transmission criteria; and

a transmission section configured to transmit each piece of image data judged by the judging section to meet one or more of the plurality of transmission criteria to the destination determined by the destination determining section without transmitting image data that does not meet any of the plurality of transmission criteria, wherein the plurality of transmission criteria and the plurality of destinations are stored in the transmission management table in advance of the reading section reading data associated with transmission of the image data.

2. The image processing device according to claim 1, wherein the transmission section is configured to transmit two or more pieces of image data en bloc to same destination.

3. The image processing device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of transmission criteria includes a plurality of conditions, and when a piece of image data meets any one of the plurality of conditions, the judging section judges that the piece of image data meets the at least one of the plurality of transmission criteria.

4. The image processing device according to claim 3, wherein:

the judging section is further configured to perform a pattern recognition with respect to each of the plurality of pieces of image data to indicate that each object includes character information and image information;

the plurality of conditions includes a condition about character information and a condition about image information; and

the judging section judges whether each piece of image data meets each of the plurality of transmission criteria by judging whether character information and image information included in a piece of image data are in coincidence with the condition about character information and the condition about image information, respectively.

5. The image processing device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of transmission criteria includes a plurality of conditions, and when a piece of image data meets all of the plurality of conditions, the judging section judges that the piece of image data meets the at least one of the plurality of transmission criteria.

6. The image processing device according to claim 5, wherein:

the judging section is further configured to perform a pattern recognition with respect to each of the plurality of pieces of image data to indicate that each object includes character information and image information;

the plurality of conditions includes a condition about character information and a condition about image information; and

the judging section judges whether each piece of image data meets each of the plurality of transmission criteria by judging whether character information and image information included in a piece of image data are in coincidence with the condition about character information and the condition about image information, respectively.

7. The image processing device according to claim 1, wherein when the judging section judges that a piece of image data meets one of the plurality of transmission criteria and when a data extraction range is set in relation with the one of the plurality of transmission criteria, the transmitting section transmits an extracted part of the piece of image data to the associated destination for the respective transmission criteria.

8. The image processing device according to claim 1, further comprising a print section that prints a piece of image data, wherein a piece of image data that is judged by the judging section not to meet any of the plurality of transmission criteria is printed by the print section.

9. The image processing device according to claim 1, further comprising a disposal section that disposes of a piece of image data, wherein a piece of image data that is judged by the judging section not to meet any of the plurality of transmission criteria is disposed of by the disposal section.

10. The image processing device according to claim 1, further comprising a second storage device, wherein a piece of image data that is judged by the judging section not to meet any of the plurality of transmission criteria is stored in the second storage device.

11. The image processing device according to claim 1, further comprising a transmission destination entering section that accepts a user'"'"'s entry to designate a transmission destination and transmits a piece of image data to the designated transmission destination when the piece of image data does not meet any one of the plurality of transmission criteria.

12. The image processing device according to claim 1, further comprising a transmission destination changing section that accepts a user'"'"'s entry to change a transmission destination and transmits a piece of image data to the changed transmission destination even when the piece of image data meets any one of the plurality of transmission criteria.

13. The image processing device according to claim 1, wherein the transmission section is configured to transmit the one or more pieces of image data with one of a plurality of transmission methods.

14. The image processing device according to claim 1, wherein the transmission section performs one of data coding, data compression and conversion to a file to be attached to an email depending upon a transmission method employed for transmission of the one or more piece of image data.