Image processing system

• US 6,532,077 B1
• Filed: 10/03/1996
• Issued: 03/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Arakawa, Naoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Jingge
• Application Number:
  US08/720,910
• Time in Patent Office: 2,350 Days
• Field of Search: 382/312, 382/318, 382/319, 382/305, 382/306, 358/453, 358/407, 358/408, 358/442, 358/463, 358/1.13, 358/1.14, 707/104.1
• US Class Current: 358/1.13
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/40 Picture signal circuits H04N1/387 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

A plurality of original documents which are fed in sequence by a document feeder are prescanned. The prescanned image is stored, and a plurality of original document images are previewed on the basis of the stored image data. An original document image which should be subjected to image processing is selected from the plurality of previewed original document images, and the image of the original document selected from among the plurality of original documents which are fed in sequence by the document feeder is finally scanned.

Claims

1. An image processing method, comprising:

a step of recognizing a user;

a step of providing ID information for identifying a set of a plurality of original documents in accordance with the user recognition step;

a step of prescanning the plurality of original documents at a low resolution;

a step of storing image data of the plurality of prescanned original documents and the provided ID information;

a step of transmitting the stored image data of the set of the plurality of prescanned original documents to an external unit;

a step of receiving processing information for specifying an image processing job for each of the plurality of prescanned original documents from the external unit;

a step of registering the processing information received from the external unit in a table with relation to the ID information;

a step of inputting ID information for specifying the set of the plurality of original documents to be processed in an image processing job-based on a manipulation by the recognized user;

a step of setting the processing information corresponding to the input ID information, which is registered in the table;

a step of finally scanning the plurality of original documents at a high resolution; and

a step of processing image data of each of the plurality of finally scanned original documents based on the set processing information corresponding to the input ID information.

2. An image processing method according to claim 1, further comprising:

a step of displaying the plurality of prescanned original documents based on the transmitted image data of the plurality of original documents.

3. An image processing method according to claim 2, further comprising:

a step of selecting one or more original documents to be finally scanned from among the plurality of displayed original documents.

17. An image processing method according to claim 1, further comprising:

a step of transferring the processed image data of the finally scanned original documents to the external unit.

4. An image processing method for a scanner server system comprising a scanner for photoelectrically reading an original document image, and a server for storing image data from the scanner and transmitting the image data to an external unit through a network, said image processing method comprising:

a step of recognizing users;

a step of providing ID information for identifying a set of a plurality of original documents in accordance with the user recognition step;

a step of prescanning the plurality of original documents at a low resolution by the scanner;

a step of storing image data of the plurality of prescanned original documents and the provided ID information in the server;

a step of transmitting the stored image data of the set of the plurality of prescanned original documents from the server to the external unit through the network;

a step of receiving processing information for specifying an image processing job for each of the plurality of prescanned original documents from the external unit through the network;

a step of registering the processing information received from the external unit in the server with relation to the ID information;

a step of inputting ID information for specifying a set of a plurality of original documents to be processed in an image processing job based on a manipulation by the recognized user;

a step of setting the processing information corresponding to the input ID information, which is registered in the server;

a step of finally scanning the plurality of original documents at a high resolution by the scanner; and

a step of processing image data of each of the plurality of finally scanned original documents based on the set processing information corresponding to the input ID information.

5. An image processing method according to claim 4, further comprising:

a step of displaying the plurality of original documents based on the transmitted image data of the plurality of prescanned original documents.

6. An image processing method according to claim 5, further comprising:

a step of selecting one or more original documents to be finally scanned from among a plurality of displayed original documents.

18. An image processing method according to claim 4, further comprising:

a step of transferring the processed image data of the finally scanned original documents from the server to the external unit.

7. An image processing method, comprising:

a step of recognizing a user;

a step of providing ID information for identifying a plurality of original documents in accordance with the user recognition step;

a step of feeding the plurality of original documents in sequence by a document feeder;

a step of prescanning at a low resolution the plurality of original documents which are fed in sequence by the document feeder;

a step of storing image data of the plurality of prescanned original documents and the provided ID information;

a step of transmitting the stored image data of the plurality of prescanned original documents to an external unit for previewing the plurality of original documents at the external unit;

a step of receiving selection information for specifying one or more original documents which should be processed in an image processing job among the plurality of previewed original documents from the external unit;

a step of registering the selection information received from the external unit in a table with relation to the ID information;

a step of inputting ID information for specifying the plurality of original documents based on a manipulation by the recognized user;

a step of setting the selection information corresponding to the input ID information, which is registered in the table;

a step of refeeding the plurality of original documents in sequence by the document feeder; and

a step of finally scanning at a high resolution the one or more original documents specified by the set selection information corresponding to the input ID information among the plurality of original documents which are refed in sequence by the document feeder.

8. An image processing method according to claim 7, further comprising:

a step of entering a request for the final scanning of the original documents.

9. An image processing method according to claim 7, further comprising:

a step of processing image data of the plurality of original documents finally scanned at a high resolution.

19. An image processing method according to claim 9, further comprising:

a step of transferring the processed image data of the finally scanned original documents to the external unit.

10. An image processing method for a scanner server system comprising a scanner for photoelectrically reading an original document image, and a server for storing image data from the scanner and transmitting the image data to an external unit through a network, said image processing method comprising:

a step of recognizing a user;

a step of providing ID information for identifying a plurality of original documents in accordance with the user recognition step;

a step of feeding the plurality of original documents in sequence by a document feeder;

a step of prescanning at a low resolution by the scanner the plurality of original documents which are fed in sequence by the document feeder;

a step of storing image data of the plurality of prescanned original documents and the provided ID information in the server;

a step of transmitting the stored image data of the plurality of prescanned original documents from the server to the external unit through the network for previewing the plurality of original documents at the external unit;

a step of receiving selection information for specifying one or more original documents which should be processed in an image processing job among the plurality of previewed original documents from the external unit through the network;

a step of registering the selection information received from the external unit in the server with relation to the ID information;

a step of inputting ID information for specifying the plurality of original documents based on a manipulation by the authenticated user;

a step of setting the selection information corresponding to the input ID information, which is registered in the server;

a step of refeeding the plurality of original documents in sequence by the document feeder; and

a step of finally scanning at a high resolution by the scanner the one or more original documents specified by the set selection information corresponding to the input ID information among the plurality of original documents which are refed in sequence by the document feeder.

11. An image processing method according to claim 10, further comprising:

a step of processing image data of the plurality of original documents finally scanned at a high resolution.

20. An image processing method according to claim 11, further comprising:

a step of transferring the processed image data of the finally scanned original documents from the server to the external unit.

12. An image processing system, comprising:

a recognizer, arranged to recognize a user;

a storer, arranged to store image data of a plurality of original documents scanned at a low resolution by a scanner and ID information for identifying a set of the plurality of original documents in accordance with the user recognition;

a data transmitter, arranged to transmit the image data of the set of the plurality of original documents stored in said storer to an external unit;

a receiver, arranged to receive image processing conditions for each of the plurality of original documents from the external unit;

a register, arranged to register the image processing conditions received by said receiver with relation to the ID information;

an inputter, arranged to input ID information for specifying a set of a plurality of original documents to be processed in an image processing job based on a manipulation by the recognized user;

a setter, arranged to set the image processing conditions corresponding to the ID information input by said inputter, which is registered in said register; and

an image processor, arranged to process image data of each of the plurality of original documents scanned at a high resolution by the scanner in accordance with the set image processing conditions corresponding to the ID information input by said inputter.

13. An image processing system according to claim 12, wherein said image processor selects one or more original documents which should be processed in image processing jobs among the plurality of original documents in accordance with the set image processing conditions.

14. An image processing system according to claim 13, further comprising:

an information provider, arranged to provide the ID information for identifying a set of the plurality of original documents.

21. An image processing system according to claim 12, wherein said data transmitter transmits the image data of the original documents processed by said image processor to the external unit.

15. An image processing system, comprising:

a recognizer, arranged to recognize a user;

a storer, arranged to store image data of a plurality of original documents scanned at a low resolution by a scanner and ID information for identifying the plurality of original documents in accordance with the user recognition;

a data transmitter, arranged to transmit the image data stored in said storer to an external unit for previewing the plurality of original documents at the external unit;

a receiver, arranged to receive selection information for specifying one or more original documents which should be processed in an image processing job among the plurality of original documents from the external unit;

a register, arranged to register the selection information received by said receiver with relation to the ID information; and

an inputter, arranged to input ID information for specifying the plurality of original documents based on a manipulation by the recognized user;

a setter, arranged to set the selection information corresponding to the input ID information, which is registered in said register;

an image processor, arranged to process image data of the one or more original documents specified by the selection information corresponding to the input ID information among the plurality of original documents scanned at a high resolution by the scanner.

16. An image processing system according to claim 15,

wherein said setter sets image processing conditions for the one or more original documents.

22. An image processing system according to claim 15, wherein said data transmitter transmits the image data of the original documents processed by said image processor to the external unit.