INFORMATION PROCESSING SYSTEM, METHOD AND RECORDING MEDIUM

• US 20110188084A1
• Filed: 03/18/2011
• Published: 08/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hiroyuki Tanaka, Kazumi Fujisaki, Tsutomu Ohishi
• Original Assignee: Hiroyuki Tanaka, Kazumi Fujisaki, Tsutomu Ohishi
• Inventors: FUJISAKI, Kazumi, OHISHI, Tsutomu, TANAKA, Hiroyuki
• Granted Patent: US 8,339,649 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 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 destinations, each of which corresponds to a specific second information processing process and wherein some of the plurality of data storing destinations correspond to an output destination;

a processing portion in the second information processing apparatus, the processing portion configured to perform the specific second information processing corresponding to a selected one of the plurality of data storing destinations, and wherein when the selected one of the plurality of data storing destinations corresponds to an output destination, the data storage portion outputs data to the output destination corresponding to the selected one of the plurality of data storing destinations.

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 destinations 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 data storage portion including a plurality of data storing destinations, each of which corresponds to a specific second information processing process, wherein some of the plurality of data storing destinations correspond to an output destination;

performing the specific second information processing process corresponding to a selected one of the plurality of data storing destinations using the second information processing apparatus; and

outputting, by the data storage portion, data to the output destination corresponding to the selected one of the plurality of data storing destinations when the selected one of the plurality of data storing destinations corresponds to an output destination.

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 destinations 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 data storing destinations, each of which corresponds to a specific information processing process and wherein some of the plurality of data storing destinations correspond to an output destination;

a processing portion in the information processing apparatus, the processing portion configured to perform the specific information processing corresponding to a selected one of the plurality of data storing destinations, and wherein when the selected one of the plurality of data storing destinations corresponds to an output destination, the data storage portion outputs data to the output destination corresponding to the selected one of the plurality of data storing destinations.

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 destinations comprise a plurality of file directories.

12. A 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 data storage portion including a plurality of data storing destinations, each of which corresponds to a specific second information processing process, wherein some of the plurality of data storing destinations correspond to an output destination;

second information processing means for performing the specific second information processing process corresponding to a selected one of the plurality of data storing destinations using the second information processing apparatus; and

outputting means for outputting, by the data storage portion, data to the output destination corresponding to the selected one of the plurality of data storing destinations when the selected one of the plurality of data storing destinations corresponds to an output destination.