Image scanner and image scanning system

• US 9,300,843 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2014
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Ohara, Kiyotaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Demeter, Hilina K
• Application Number:
  US14/208,558
• Publication Number:
  US 20140192385A1
• Time in Patent Office: 747 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00222 details of image data generation or reproduction, e.g. scan-to-email or network printing
• 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 1/00405 Output means output arrangements for computers G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2175 with local image input
• 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 1/444 to a particular document or image or part thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0081 Image reader H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• 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 scanning system may include an image scanner and a terminal. In some arrangements, upon receiving a scan start command to start scanning the document, the image scanner may generate scan image data. Additionally or alternatively, the image scanner may obtain notification information related to a location in the storage where the scan image data is stored and transmit the notification information to a terminal device identified by destination information. The image scanner may subsequently receive a request receive a request for the scan image data from the terminal device based on the notification information and transmit the scan image data stored in the storage at the location indicated by the notification information to the terminal device.

Claims

1. An image scanner, comprising:

a scanner unit configured to scan one or more images on a document;

a processor; and

memory storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause

the image scanner to;

obtain destination information identifying a destination to which scan image data is to be transmitted;

receive a scan start command to start scanning the document;

generate the scan image data based on the scanning unit scanning the document;

store the scan image data in storage before transmitting the scan image data to a terminal device identified by the destination information, wherein the memory storing the computer-readable instructions is included in the storage or is provided separately from the storage, the storage being different from the terminal device identified by the destination information;

generate notification information corresponding to the scan image data, the notification information including location information, the location information identifying a location in the storage where the scan image data is stored;

transmit the notification information to the terminal device identified by the destination information before transmitting the scan image data to the terminal device, the notification information not including the scan image data;

receive a request, transmitted by the terminal device, for the scan image data corresponding to the notification information after the notification information is transmitted; and

transmit the scan image data stored in the storage at the location identified by the location information included in the notification information to the terminal device in response to receipt of the request for the scan image data.

2. The image scanner according to claim 1,

wherein the storage stores one or more pieces of destination information, and

wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed, further cause the image scanner to selectively obtain, from among the one or more pieces of destination information, a piece of destination information which is designated in association with the scan start command.

3. The image scanner according to claim 1, wherein the notification information includes device information identifying the scanning unit.

4. The image scanner according to claim 1, wherein the notification information includes time information indicative of a time at which the scan image data is stored by the scanner.

5. The image scanner according to claim 4, wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed, further cause the image scanner to:

store the time information in association with the scan image data; and

remove the scan image data if a predetermined period has passed from a time indicated by the time information.

6. The image scanner according to claim 5, the computer-readable instructions, when executed, further cause the image scanner to notify the terminal device, to which the notification information was transmitted, of removal of the scan image data.

7. The image scanner according to claim 1, the computer-readable instructions, when executed, further cause the image scanner to remove the stored scan image data after the scan image data is transmitted to the terminal device to which the notification information was transmitted.

8. The image scanner according to claim 1, further comprising an input device,

wherein, the computer-readable instructions, when executed, further cause the image scanner to obtain destination information designated by the input device.

9. An image scanning system comprising:

an image scanner configured to scan an image and generate scan image data based on the scanned image; and

a terminal device configured to display an image corresponding to the image data generated by the image scanner,

wherein the image scanner comprises;

a scanner unit configured to scan one or more images on a document;

a scanner-side processor; and

a scanner-side memory storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed, cause the image scanner to;

obtain destination information identifying a destination to which scan image data is to be transmitted;

receive a scan start command to start scanning the document;

generate the scan image data based on scanning the document scanned by the scanning unit;

store the scan image data in storage before transmitting the scan image data to the terminal device identified by the destination information, wherein the scanner-side memory storing the computer-readable instructions is included in the storage of is provided separately from the storage, the storage being different from the terminal device identified by the destination information;

generate notification information corresponding to the scan image data, the notification information including location information, the location information identifying a location in the storage where the scan image data is stored;

transmit the notification information to the terminal device identified by the destination information before transmitting the scan image data to the terminal device, the notification information not including the scan image data;

receive a request, transmitted by the terminal device, for the scan image data corresponding to the notification information after the notification information is transmitted; and

transmit the scan image data stored in the storage at the location identified by location information included in the notification information to the terminal device in response to receipt of the request for the scan image data, and

wherein the terminal device comprises;

a display unit;

a terminal-side processor; and

terminal-side memory storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the terminal-side processor, cause the terminal device to;

receive the notification information from the image scanner;

display notification corresponding to the received notification information on the display unit;

transmit the request for a scan image data notified by the notification information to the image scanner related to the notification information when the notification information is selected by a user on the display unit;

receive, from the image scanner, the scan image data stored in the storage at the location indicated by location information related to the notification information; and

display an image corresponding to the scan image data received from the image scanner.