Server for implementing image processing functions requested by a printing device

• US 9,065,958 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2013
• Issued: 06/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Aoki, Kazuma, Yanagi, Satoru, Kokubo, Masatoshi, Matsuda, Makoto, Ohara, Kiyotaka, Miyazawa, Masafumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Dulaney, Benjamin O
• Application Number:
  US14/134,727
• Publication Number:
  US 20140104652A1
• Time in Patent Office: 551 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.15
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1293 Printer information exchange with computer
• 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 1/00278 with a printing apparatus, e.g. a laser beam printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00281 with a telecommunication apparatus, e.g. a switched network of teleprinters for the distribution of text-based information, a selective call terminal details of transmission H04N1/00095; establishing a communication with one of a facsimile machine or another apparatus sharing a single line H04N1/32704; interfacing cordless telephone terminals with an accessory to increase the functionality of user interface H04M1/72409
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00344 with a management, maintenance, service or repair apparatus monitoring H04N1/00002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00472 using a pop-up window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00474 outputting a plurality of functional options, e.g. scan, copy or print
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00798 Circuits or arrangements for the control thereof, e.g. using a programmed control device or according to a measured quantity
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00931 Synchronising different operations or sub-apparatus, e.g. controlling on-times taking into account different warm-up times
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00933 Timing control or synchronising H04N1/00928, H04N1/00931, H04N1/00954 and H04N1/0096 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00954 Scheduling operations or managing resources H04N1/0096 takes precedence; program initiating or switching G06F9/48; allocation of computer resources G06F9/50
• 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 1/32122 in a separate device, e.g. in a memory or on a display separate from image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/001 Sharing resources, e.g. processing power or memory, with a connected apparatus or enhancing the capability of the still picture apparatus
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3212 of data relating to a job, e.g. communication, capture or filing of an image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3222 : of processing required or performed, e.g. forwarding, urgent or confidential handling
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3223 : of type information, e.g. reception or copy job

Abstract

An image processing device is configured to provide a service relating to at least one of (1) the image data generated by the function of the image processing device and (2) image data representing the image to be formed, in response to a request from the image processing device. The image processing device may include a parameter designating unit, a service request unit, and a function implementation unit that is adapted to implement the function of the image processing device based on the service providing parameter designated by the parameter designating unit. The service providing device is provided with a service provision executing unit that is adapted to execute a process to provide the service to the image processing device after receiving the request from the service request unit provided to the image processing device.

Claims

1. A server comprising:

a storage unit configured to store computer readable instructions and information for displaying a parameter input window for generating a parameter list for each of one or more services, the parameter list including one or more setting items to provide a service, and each of the one or more setting items including settable parameters; and

a control unit that executes the computer readable instructions to control an operation of the server, the control unit being configured to;

obtain specification information of an image processing device connected via a network, wherein the image processing device is configured to perform a plurality of image processing functions and wherein each of the one or more services uses a predetermined one of the plurality of image processing functions;

retrieve the information for displaying the parameter input window from the storage unit, wherein the information for displaying the parameter input window includes function information indicating the predetermined one of the plurality of image processing functions used by a corresponding service;

generate a parameter list for the corresponding service based on settable parameters corresponding to the obtained specification information and the retrieved information for displaying the parameter input window, the generating including setting at least one of the settable parameters based on the function information and at least one of the settable parameters based on the specification information, the parameter list being used by the image processing device for displaying a window through which parameters are input; and

transmit a parameter request including the parameter list to the image processing device, the parameter request requesting a selection of a specific parameter from the settable parameters in the parameter list for each of the one or more setting items,

wherein;

the one or more setting items are categorized in one of a server-side item set and a device-side item set,

settable parameters for the server-side item set have been set in the information for displaying the parameter input window,

settable parameters for the device-side item set have not been set in the information for displaying the parameter input window,

predetermined information has been set in the information for displaying the parameter input window, the predetermined information indicating that the specification information of the image processing device is to be used to generate the parameter list, and

the control unit is configured to generate the parameter list by setting the settable parameters corresponding to the obtained specification information as the settable parameters for the device-side item set in the information for displaying the parameter input window based on the predetermined information.

2. The server according to claim 1, wherein,

the information for displaying a parameter input window includes a plurality of templates, and

the control unit is further configured to:

receive service identification information identifying a service from the image processing device; and

retrieve one of the plurality of templates corresponding to the service identified by the received service identification information from the storage unit.

3. The server according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to:

receive specific parameters selected from the settable parameters in the parameter list from the image processing device; and

transmit the specific parameters received from the image processing device and a print command to the image processing device.

4. The server according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to:

receive specific parameters selected from the settable parameters in the parameter list from the image processing device; and

transmit the specific parameters received from the image processing device and a scan command to the image processing device.

5. The server according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to perform a print job which is different from a UI job in which the control unit is configured to generate and transmit the parameter list.

6. The server according to claim 1, wherein the parameter list is data described in Markup Language.

7. The server according to claim 1, wherein, the parameter list includes a plurality of settable parameters and information regarding whether to be selected in an initial state for each settable parameter.

8. The server according to claim 1, wherein the one or more services include at least one of a data storage service, a print service and a copy application service.

9. The server according to claim 1, wherein the one or more setting items include at least one of:

settable parameters regarding a scanner setting which the image processing device uses when scanning an image; and

settable parameters regarding a print setting which the image processing device uses when printing an image.

10. The server according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to obtain the specification information of the image processing device from an information management device.

11. The server according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to obtain the specification information of the image processing device from the image processing device.

12. The server according to claim 1, wherein the information for displaying the parameter input window comprises at least one template.

17. The server according to claim 12, wherein the at least one template is used for a corresponding at least one service.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium that stores computer readable instructions to cause a control unit of a server, which includes a storage unit configured to store information for displaying a parameter input window for generating a parameter list for each of one or more services, the parameter list including one or more setting items to provide a service, and each of the one or more setting items including settable parameters, to execute steps of:

obtaining specification information of an image processing device connected via a network, wherein the image processing device is configured to perform a plurality of image processing functions and wherein each of the one or more services uses a predetermined one of the plurality of image processing functions;

retrieving the information for displaying a parameter input window from the storage unit, wherein the information for displaying the parameter input window includes function information indicating the predetermined one of the plurality of image processing functions used by a corresponding service;

generating a parameter list for the corresponding service based on settable parameters corresponding to the obtained specification information and the retrieved information for displaying the parameter input window, the generating including setting at least one of the settable parameters based on the function information and at least one of the settable parameters based on the specification information, the parameter list being used by the image processing device for displaying a window through which parameters are input; and

transmitting a parameter request including the parameter list to the image processing device, the parameter request requesting a selection of a specific parameter from the settable parameters in the parameter list for each of the one or more setting items,

wherein,

the one or more setting items are categorized in one of a server-side item set and a device-side item set,

settable parameters for the server-side item set have been set in the information for displaying the parameter input window,

settable parameters for the device-side item set have not been set in the information for displaying the parameter input window,

predetermined information has been set in the information for displaying the parameter input window, the predetermined information indicating that the specification information of the image processing device is to be used to generate the parameter list, and

the instructions further cause the control unit to execute the step of generating the parameter list by setting the settable parameters corresponding to the obtained specification information as the settable parameters for the device-side item set in the information for displaying the parameter input window based on the predetermined information.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 13, wherein,

the information for displaying a parameter input window includes a plurality of templates, and

the instructions further cause the control unit to execute steps of:

receiving service identification information identifying a service from the image processing device; and

retrieving one of the plurality of templates corresponding to the service identified by the received service identification information.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 13, wherein the instructions further cause the control unit to execute steps of:

receiving specific parameters selected from the settable parameters in the parameter list from the image processing device; and

transmitting the specific parameters received from the image processing device and a print command to the image processing device.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 13, wherein the instructions further cause the control unit to execute steps of:

receiving specific parameters selected from the settable parameters in the parameter list from the image processing device; and

transmitting the specific parameters received from the image processing device and a scan command to the image processing device.