Document generation apparatus, document generation system, document upload method, and storage medium

• US 8,769,041 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2011
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Sato, Yuichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Taha, Shaq
• Application Number:
  US13/157,096
• Publication Number:
  US 20110320561A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,118 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A document generation apparatus includes a determination unit, an upload unit, and a transmission unit to generate a document and upload the generated document to an external service via a network. The determination unit determines whether a document generated according to a document generation request from a client apparatus can be uploaded to the external service. The upload unit uploads the document to the external service, if the determination unit determines that the document can be uploaded to the external service. The transmission unit transmits, to the client apparatus, the document and information for uploading the document from the client apparatus to the external service, if the determination unit determines that the document cannot be uploaded to the external service.

Claims

1. A document generation apparatus capable of generating a document and uploading the generated document to an external service via a network, the document generation apparatus comprising:

a processor coupled to a memory;

a document generation unit configured to generate a document according to a document generation request from a client apparatus;

an upload unit configured to upload the document to the external service;

a transmission unit configured to transmit to the client apparatus;

a determination unit configured to determine whether the document can be uploaded to the external service,

wherein, when the determination unit determines that the document can be uploaded to the external service, the upload unit uploads the document from the document generation apparatus to the external service, and

wherein, when the determination unit determines that the document cannot be uploaded to the external service, the transmission unit transmits, to the client apparatus, the document and information for uploading the document from the client apparatus to the external service to cause the client apparatus to upload the document to the external service,

wherein the determination unit, the upload unit, and the transmission unit are stored in at least one memory;

a storage unit configured to store a maximum number of simultaneous uploads to the external service that can be performed by the upload unit; and

an acquisition unit configured to acquire, in response to reception of an instruction from the client apparatus to upload the document to the external service, the maximum number of simultaneous uploads stored in the storage unit and a number of uploads to the external service that are currently being performed,

wherein the determination unit is configured to compare the number of uploads to the external service that are currently being performed and the maximum number of simultaneous uploads,

wherein the determination unit determines that the document can be uploaded to the external service when the number of uploads to the external service that are currently being performed is smaller than the maximum number of simultaneous uploads, and

wherein the determination unit determines that the document cannot be uploaded to the external service when the number of uploads to the external service that are currently being performed is not smaller than the maximum number of simultaneous uploads.

2. The document generation apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the determination unit is configured to compare a free memory amount of the document generation apparatus to a threshold value, and

wherein the determination unit determines that the document can be uploaded to the external service when the free memory amount is equal to or more than the threshold value, and

wherein the determination unit determines that the document cannot be uploaded to the external service when the free memory amount is less than the threshold value.

3. The document generation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a retention unit configured to retain a maximum waiting time for which the determination unit can repeatedly determine whether the document can be uploaded to the external service,

wherein, when the determination unit determines that the document cannot be uploaded to the external service and a waiting time is equal to or longer than the maximum waiting time, the transmission unit transmits, to the client apparatus, the document and the information for uploading the document from the client apparatus to the external service to cause the client apparatus to upload the document to the external service.

4. The document generation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a generation unit configured to generate, when the determination unit determines that the document cannot be uploaded to the external service, an upload program to cause the client apparatus to upload the document to the external service,

wherein the information for uploading the document to the external service that is transmitted to the client apparatus includes the upload program generated by the generation unit.

5. The document generation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, in addition to transmitting the document and the information for uploading the document from the client apparatus to the external service, the transmission unit is configured to transmit, to the client apparatus, a screen to be displayed on a display unit of the client apparatus for indicating that upload processing of the document to the external service is currently being performed at the client apparatus.

6. A document generation system comprising:

a document generation apparatus according to claim 1; and

a client apparatus configured to request document generation, wherein the client apparatus includes a second upload unit configured to upload the document to the external service according the information for uploading, to the external service, the document received by the client apparatus from the document generation apparatus.

7. The document generation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when the determination unit determines that the document cannot be uploaded to the external service, the transmission unit immediately transmits, to the client apparatus, the document and information for uploading the document from the client apparatus to the external service.

8. The document generation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when the determination unit determines that the document cannot be uploaded to the external service, the transmission unit waits for a predetermined time to transmit, to the client apparatus, the document and information for uploading the document from the client apparatus to the external service.

9. A method for a document generation apparatus capable of generating a document and uploading the generated document to an external service via a network, the method comprising:

generating a document according to a document generation request from a client apparatus;

determining whether the document can be uploaded to the external service;

uploading, when it is determined that the document can be uploaded to the external service, the document from the document generation apparatus to the external service;

transmitting, when it is determined that the document cannot be uploaded to the external service, to the client apparatus, the document and information for uploading the document from the client apparatus to the external service to cause the client apparatus to upload the document to the external service;

storing a maximum number of simultaneous uploads to the external service that can be performed; and

acquiring, in response to reception of an instruction from the client apparatus to upload the document to the external service, the stored maximum number of simultaneous uploads and a number of uploads to the external service that are currently being performed,

wherein determining includes comparing the number of uploads to the external service that are currently being performed and the maximum number of simultaneous uploads,

wherein determining includes determining that the document can be uploaded to the external service when the number of uploads to the external service that are currently being performed is smaller than the maximum number of simultaneous uploads, and

wherein determining includes determining that the document cannot be uploaded to the external service when the number of uploads to the external service that are currently being performed is not smaller than the maximum number of simultaneous uploads.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein, when it is determined that the document cannot be uploaded to the external service, transmitting includes immediately transmitting, to the client apparatus, the document and information for uploading the document from the client apparatus to the external service.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein, when it is determined that the document cannot be uploaded to the external service, transmitting includes waiting for a predetermined time to transmit, to the client apparatus, the document and information for uploading the document from the client apparatus to the external service.

12. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a program which, when run on a document generation apparatus capable of generating a document and uploading the generated document to an external service via a network, causes the document generation apparatus to execute a method, the method comprising:

generating a document according to a document generation request from a client apparatus;

determining whether the document can be uploaded to the external service;

uploading, when it is determined that the document can be uploaded to the external service, the document from the document generation apparatus to the external service;

transmitting, when it is determined that the document cannot be uploaded to the external service, to the client apparatus, the document and information for uploading the document from the client apparatus to the external service to cause the client apparatus to upload the document to the external service;

storing a maximum number of simultaneous uploads to the external service that can be performed; and

acquiring, in response to reception of an instruction from the client apparatus to upload the document to the external service, the stored maximum number of simultaneous uploads and a number of uploads to the external service that are currently being performed,

wherein determining includes comparing the number of uploads to the external service that are currently being performed and the maximum number of simultaneous uploads,

wherein determining includes determining that the document can be uploaded to the external service when the number of uploads to the external service that are currently being performed is smaller than the maximum number of simultaneous uploads, and

wherein determining includes determining that the document cannot be uploaded to the external service when the number of uploads to the external service that are currently being performed is not smaller than the maximum number of simultaneous uploads.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 12, wherein, when it is determined that the document cannot be uploaded to the external service, transmitting includes immediately transmitting, to the client apparatus, the document and information for uploading the document from the client apparatus to the external service.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 12, wherein, when it is determined that the document cannot be uploaded to the external service, transmitting includes waiting for a predetermined time to transmit, to the client apparatus, the document and information for uploading the document from the client apparatus to the external service.