JP4930119B2 - Image processing apparatus, image processing system, and image processing program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processor, an image processing system and an image processing program, capable of selecting only log image data suitable to be stored as an image log. <P>SOLUTION: When a job acquisition part 10 acquires a job from an application 26 or the like, an image data detection part 12 reads image data contained in the job. When a blank document is contained in the read image data, the detection part 12 reports the detected blank document as predetermined image data out of outflow management to an image data selection part 14. The image data selection part 14 delivers the image data contained in the job, from which the blank document is removed, to a log image generation part 18 to form blank document-free log image data. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an image processing system, and an image processing program.

  Conventionally, an image processing system in which a plurality of clients and an output device such as a printer are connected to a LAN (local area network) and a plurality of users can share the output device has been put into practical use. In such an image processing system, image data to be output is generated by a client, and a job including the image data and its processing procedure is transmitted to an output device shared on a network to transmit the image data. Can be output. In this case, image data and job logs of various jobs such as print jobs are generated for the purpose of preventing information leakage, etc., and these are registered as image logs in a document management server, etc., and later retrieved and viewed from a client Technology has also been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

There may be a case where a plurality of the jobs are generated at the same time, and there is a case where a slip sheet for distinguishing the printed matter output for each job is used. In some cases, a blank cover without character information is used. In such a case, image data judged to be unnecessary for the purpose of the image log, such as a slip sheet or a blank cover, is also stored as an image log.
JP 2006-163904 A

  An object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus, an image processing system, and an image processing program that can select only log image data that is appropriate to be stored as an image log.

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention of the image processing apparatus according to claim 1 is directed to image data that is converted from the image data to log image data when a job including the image data and its processing procedure is executed. Image data selecting means for selecting the log data, and log image generating means for generating log image data based on the image data selected by the image data selecting means.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, the invention according to the first aspect further comprises image data detection means for detecting predetermined image data not subjected to outflow management from image data included in a job, and the image data selection means Image data to be used as log image data is selected except for predetermined image data detected by the data detection means.

  The invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that the invention according to claim 1 or 2 further comprises image data adding means for adding predetermined reduced image data to the image data selected by the image data selecting means. To do.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect of the present invention, the reduced image data includes search word information.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect of the present invention, the image data adding means adds information representing predetermined image data not subjected to outflow management instead of the reduced image data.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing system comprising: an image data selecting unit that selects image data to be log image data from the image data when a job including the image data and a processing procedure thereof is executed; Log image generation means for generating log image data based on the image data selected by the image data selection means; image transfer means for transferring the log image data to management means; and storing the transferred log image data And a management means.

  The invention described in claim 7 is characterized in that the invention described in claim 6 further comprises image data adding means for adding predetermined reduced image data to the image data selected by the image data selecting means.

  The invention according to claim 8 is the invention according to claim 7, wherein the reduced image data includes search word information.

  The invention according to claim 9 is the invention according to claim 7, wherein the image data adding means adds information representing predetermined image data not subjected to outflow management in place of the reduced image data.

  The invention of the image processing program according to claim 10 is an image data for selecting image data to be log image data from the image data when the computer executes a job including the image data and its processing procedure. And a log image generation unit configured to generate log image data based on the image data selected by the image data selection unit.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide an image processing apparatus capable of selecting only log image data appropriate to be stored as an image log.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, as compared with the case where the present configuration is not provided, predetermined image data not subjected to outflow management can be excluded from the image log, and the capacity of the storage unit can be saved.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, log image data that approximates the original image data can be created while saving the capacity of the storage unit as compared with the case without this configuration.

  According to the invention of claim 4, the search accuracy can be improved by the search word information as compared with the case without this configuration.

  According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the capacity of the log image data transferred to the storage unit can be reduced as compared with the case without this configuration.

  According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide an image processing system capable of selecting only log image data appropriate to be stored as an image log.

  According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide an image processing system that creates log image data that approximates the original image data while saving the capacity of the storage unit as compared with the case where the present configuration is not provided.

  According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide an image processing system capable of improving the search accuracy by using the search word information as compared with the case without this configuration.

  According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide an image processing system capable of reducing the volume of log image data transferred to the storage unit as compared with the case where this configuration is not provided.

  According to the invention of claim 10, it is possible to provide an image processing program capable of selecting only log image data appropriate to be stored as an image log.

  Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention (hereinafter referred to as an embodiment) will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows a functional block diagram of an embodiment of an image processing apparatus according to the present invention. 1, the image processing apparatus includes a job acquisition unit 10, an image data detection unit 12, an image data selection unit 14, an image data addition unit 16, a log image generation unit 18, a log image transfer unit 20, an image data output unit 22, and The storage unit 24 is included.

  The job acquisition unit 10 is realized by a central processing unit (for example, a CPU can be used) and a program for controlling the processing operation of the CPU, and includes image data such as characters, graphics, and photographs from the application 26 and its processing procedure. Get configured job. Note that the application 26 is general software having a function of outputting image data to be output by the image data output unit 22 as a job together with a processing procedure.

  The image data detection unit 12 is realized by, for example, a CPU and a program that controls the processing operation of the CPU, and detects predetermined image data that is not subjected to outflow management. Here, the predetermined image data not subjected to outflow management is log image data for later detecting that it has been output from the image data output unit 22 among the image data included in the job acquired by the job acquisition unit 10. The image data does not need to be saved. For example, a slip sheet for distinguishing the printed matter output for each job, a blank cover without character data etc., a utility print in which setting data, error history, etc. of the printing apparatus etc. are written are not controlled. This is an example of the image data. The predetermined image data not subjected to outflow management can be detected by designating the type of image data and necessity of outflow management in advance in the job. The blank image data may be detected by blank sheet detection.

  The image data selection unit 14 is realized by, for example, the CPU and a program for controlling the processing operation of the CPU, and among the image data included in the job, predetermined image data that is detected by the image data detection unit 12 and is not subjected to outflow management. The remaining image data removed is selected as log image data. In addition, it is good also as a structure which a user designates with respect to the image data selection part 14 the predetermined image data which does not carry out outflow management. In this case, the image data detection unit 12 is not necessary.

  The image data adding unit 16 is realized by, for example, a CPU and a program for controlling the processing operation of the CPU, and adds predetermined reduced image data to the image data selected by the image data selecting unit 14. The reduced image data is obtained by reducing predetermined image data detected by the image data detection unit 12 and not subjected to outflow management to be smaller than the set size of the log image data. As a result, the image not selected by the image data selection unit 14 is left as log image data, and the storage capacity of the storage unit 24 is saved by reducing the image data. Instead of the reduced image data, information representing predetermined image data that is not subjected to outflow management may be added. Further, whether or not the image data adding unit 16 adds predetermined reduced image data is determined based on a user instruction.

  The log image generation unit 18 is realized by, for example, a CPU and a program that controls the processing operation of the CPU, and generates log image data based on the image data selected by the image data selection unit 14. The log image data may include predetermined reduced image data added by the image data adding unit 16. Here, the log image data is image information for recording the image data output by the image data output unit 22 and searching later. The log image data is stored in the storage unit 24 as an image log together with a job log which is a job execution record including image data and processing procedures thereof. The contents of the job log include, for example, the job execution date and time, the execution time, the number of prints in the print job, the distinction between color and black and white, the paper size, and the presence or absence of a paper jam.

  The log image transfer unit 20 is realized by, for example, a CPU and a program that controls the processing operation of the CPU. The log image transfer unit 20 receives the log image data generated by the log image generation unit 18 and transfers the log image data to the storage unit 24. When the storage unit 24 is provided in a device (management server or the like) different from the log image generation unit 18, the log image data is transferred to the management server via a communication unit such as a network through a communication interface. .

  The image data output unit 22 is realized by, for example, a CPU, a program for controlling processing operations of the CPU, and an output interface, and outputs image data based on a job received by the job acquisition unit 10. Although the output destination is not particularly limited, for example, there are a printing apparatus, a facsimile apparatus, and the like connected via communication means such as a network.

  The storage unit 24 is realized by, for example, a random access memory (RAM) used as a working memory of a CPU, a read-only memory (ROM), a magnetic storage device such as a hard disk device, or other computer-readable storage device. Stores programs, jobs, log image data, and the like that control the processing operation of the CPU.

  Note that a part of the configuration of the image processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1 may be configured by dedicated hardware (for example, an ASIC). Each configuration may be distributed in a plurality of devices and connected to each other by communication means. Alternatively, a plurality of image processing apparatuses may be connected to each other by a communication unit and cooperate with each other. Further, it may be incorporated in a copying machine, a fax machine, a scanner, a printing apparatus, a multifunction machine (also called a multi-function copying machine, which has functions of a scanner, a printing apparatus, a copying machine, a fax machine, etc.).

  FIG. 2 shows a configuration example of the image processing system according to the present embodiment. In FIG. 2, the image processing system includes a client computer 100, a multifunction device 200, a management server 300, and communication means 400. Here, each component shown in FIG. 1 may be provided in any of the client computer 100, the multifunction device 200, and the management server 300. For example, the application 26 is applied to the client computer 100, the job acquisition unit 10, the image data detection unit 12, the image data selection unit 14, the image data addition unit 16, the log image generation unit 18, the log image transfer unit 20, and the image data output unit 22. Are configured in the multifunction device 200 and the storage unit 24 is provided in the management server 300.

  With this configuration, the multi-function device 200 that has received a job generated by the client computer 100 via the communication unit 400 executes the job and performs print processing of image data. At this time, the log image generation unit 18 generates log image data based on the image data included in the job. The log image data does not include predetermined image data that is not subjected to outflow management detected by the image data detection unit 12. The log image transfer unit 20 transmits the log image data generated by the log image generation unit 18 to the management server 300. In the management server 300, the received log image data is stored in the storage unit 24. Even when the multifunction device 200 acquires and prints the image data by copying or the like, log image data can be generated by the multifunction device 200 in the same manner as described above and transmitted to the management server 300. In this case, the client computer 100 is unnecessary.

  The management server 300 receives a search request from the client computer 100 or the like, and executes a search of stored log image data. For this search, it is preferable to use, for example, a search by an optical character reading process, a similar image search, or the like.

  In the configuration described above, the management server 300 is operated on an independent computer. However, for example, the MFP 200 may have the function of a management server.

  FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, and 3E are explanatory diagrams of log image data. FIG. 3A shows a document printed by the multifunction machine 200 or the like, and FIGS. 3B, 3C, 3D, and 3E are generated in accordance with the execution of the print job for the document. It is an example of log image data.

  In FIG. 3A, a blank document II is sandwiched between two document images I and III as a slip sheet or the like. The document images I and III may each be a plurality of pages.

  In the example of FIG. 3B, the original images I and III are used as log image data, and the blank original II is removed. This is because, for example, the image data detection unit 12 detects the blank document II as predetermined image data that is not subjected to outflow management, and notifies the image data selection unit 14 so that the image data selection unit 14 uses the document image I as log image data. And III are selected. The user may instruct in advance that the blank image II is not included in the log image data as the contents of the job.

  In the example of FIG. 3C, original images I and III are used as log image data, and a blank original II reduced in size is included. This is realized by, for example, reducing and adding the blank document II detected by the image data detection unit 12 to the document images I and III selected by the image data selection unit 14 by the image data adding unit 16. In this case, it is preferable that the blank original II is reduced to a size smaller than the original images I and III as log image data. In this example, the image data detection unit 12 notifies the detected blank document II to the image data adding unit 16, or an image indicating that the user preliminarily adds the reduced blank document II as the contents of the job. The data adding unit 16 is instructed. Image data stored in advance may be used for the reduced image of the blank original II, or the blank original II may be reduced by the image data adding unit 16.

  In the example of FIG. 3D, the character data “blank” indicating that it is blank is added to the reduced blank original II in the example of FIG. The character data is added to the blank original II by the image data adding unit 16 as search word information for facilitating the search processing in the management server 300. Note that reduced image data including character data as search term information may be stored in advance, and the image data adding unit 16 may read and pass it to the log image generation unit 18.

  In the example of FIG. 3E, information (blank page information) indicating that the image data to be added is a blank page document is added instead of the blank page document II in the example of FIG. 3C. In the management server 300 that has received this blank page information, a reduced image of the blank original corresponding to the blank page information is stored in the storage unit 24 in advance, the reduced image of the blank original is read, and the log image received from the MFP 200. Add to data and store. Note that this blank page information is also added by the image data adding unit 16 to the image data selected by the image data selecting unit 14.

  FIG. 4 shows an example of an information input screen for setting the handling of predetermined image data that is not subject to outflow management when an image log is created. The example of FIG. 4 is a screen for the user (administrator) to set in advance the processing of a blank document detected by the image data detection unit 12.

  In FIG. 4, a predetermined process can be selected for each of cases where the detected document type is “blank”, “interleaf”, “utility print”, and “cover”. Note that the user can change the processing content by pressing the change button 28. This processing content is changed using the screen shown in FIG.

  FIG. 5 shows an example of an information input screen for changing the processing content. FIG. 5 shows an example in which a blank original is detected as predetermined image data that is not subject to outflow management. In FIG. 5, a process that can be selected as a setting value is “substitute with a minimum image”, that is, a process of reducing a blank original to a minimum image smaller in size than other log images and including it in log image data. “No”, that is, processing for creating log image data excluding a blank document, “use substitute image optimal for OCR detection (search by optical character reading process)”, that is, “blank” for a blank document reduced to the minimum image, etc. There is a process of adding the character data and a process of “creating as usual”, that is, a process of creating log image data including a blank original. Processing when the user (administrator) selects and presses the selection button 30 provided in FIG. 5 and the image data detection unit 12 detects predetermined image data that does not manage the outflow of a blank document or the like. Can be selected.

  FIG. 6 shows a flow of an operation example of the image processing system according to the present embodiment. This example is an operation example when the image data detection unit 12 detects a blank original. In FIG. 6, when the job acquisition unit 10 acquires a job from the application 26 or the like (S1), the image data detection unit 12 reads image data included in the job (S2). When the read image data includes a blank document, the image data detection unit 12 reads the processing content for the blank document set from the information input screen shown in FIG. 4 (S3).

  If the processing content read in S3 is processing that does not create log image data of a blank document (S4), the detected blank document is notified to the image data selection unit 14 as predetermined image data that is not subject to outflow management. As a result, the image data selection unit 14 passes the image data obtained by removing the blank original from the image data included in the job to the log image generation unit 18 and creates log image data excluding the blank original (S5).

  On the other hand, in S4, when it is a process of creating log image data of a blank document, the image data detection unit 12 determines whether or not the processing content for the blank document is a process that substitutes the minimum image (S4). S6). If the processing is to substitute the minimum image, log image data including a blank original reduced to the minimum image is created (S7). The minimum image may be generated by the image data adding unit 16 by reducing the blank document, or the image data stored in an appropriate storage unit may be read and used.

  In S6, if the process is not a substitute process with the minimum image, log image data including a blank original having the same size as the other log images is created (S8). Step S8 corresponds to the case where the “create as usual” process is selected on the information input screen of FIG.

  The program for executing each step of FIG. 6 described above can be stored in a recording medium, and the program can be provided by communication means. In that case, for example, the above-described program can also be regarded as an invention of a “computer-readable recording medium recording the program”.

  The “computer-readable recording medium on which a program is recorded” refers to a computer-readable recording medium on which a program is recorded, which is used for program installation, execution, program distribution, and the like.

  The recording medium is, for example, a digital versatile disc (DVD), which is a standard established by the DVD Forum, such as “DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD-RAM,” and DVD + RW. Standards such as “DVD + R, DVD + RW, etc.”, compact discs (CDs), read-only memory (CD-ROM), CD recordable (CD-R), CD rewritable (CD-RW), etc. MO), flexible disk (FD), magnetic tape, hard disk, read only memory (ROM), electrically erasable and rewritable read only memory (EEPROM), flash memory, random access memory (RAM), etc. It is.

  The program or a part of the program can be recorded on the recording medium and stored or distributed. Also, by communication, for example, a local area network (LAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a wide area network (WAN), a wired network used for the Internet, an intranet, an extranet, etc., or wireless communication It can be transmitted using a transmission medium such as a network or a combination of these, and can also be carried on a carrier wave.

Furthermore, the above program may be a part of another program, or may be recorded on a recording medium together with a separate program. Moreover, it may be divided and recorded on a plurality of recording media.

1 is a functional block diagram of an embodiment of an image processing apparatus according to the present invention. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the image processing system concerning this invention. It is explanatory drawing of log image data. It is a figure which shows the example of the information input screen for setting the handling of the predetermined image data which does not carry out outflow management. It is a figure which shows the example of the information input screen for changing the processing content of the predetermined | prescribed image data which does not carry out outflow management. It is a flowchart of the operation example of the image processing system concerning this invention.

Explanation of symbols

  10 Job acquisition unit, 12 Image data detection unit, 14 Image data selection unit, 16 Image data addition unit, 18 Log image generation unit, 20 Log image transfer unit, 22 Image data output unit, 24 Storage unit, 26 Application, 28 Change Button, 30 selection button, 100 client computer, 200 MFP, 300 management server, 400 communication means.

Claims (9)

Outflow management based on the type of specified image data input via the setting screen and the necessity of outflow management for each type when executing a job that includes image data and its processing procedure Image data detection means for detecting predetermined image data from the image data included in the job;
Image data selection means for selecting the remaining image data from the image data excluding the image data detected by the image data detection means and not subjected to outflow management as log image data to be recorded for later retrieval When,
Log image generation means for generating log image data based on the image data selected by the image data selection means;
An image processing apparatus comprising: The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image data selected by the image data selection unit is reduced by reducing the image data detected by the image data detection unit and not subjected to outflow management to be smaller than a set size of the log image data. An image processing apparatus comprising image data adding means for adding image data. 3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the reduced image data includes search word information for explaining the reduced image data and facilitating a search process . 3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the image data adding means adds information representing predetermined image data not subjected to outflow management in place of the reduced image data. Outflow management based on the type of specified image data input via the setting screen and the necessity of outflow management for each type when executing a job that includes image data and its processing procedure Image data detection means for detecting predetermined image data from the image data included in the job;
Image data selection means for selecting the remaining image data from the image data excluding the image data detected by the image data detection means and not subjected to outflow management as log image data to be recorded for later retrieval When,
Log image generation means for generating log image data based on the image data selected by the image data selection means;
Image transfer means for transferring the log image data to management means;
Management means for storing the transferred log image data;
An image processing system comprising: The image processing system according to claim 5 , wherein the image data selected by the image data selection unit is reduced by reducing the image data detected by the image data detection unit and not subjected to outflow management to be smaller than a set size of the log image data. An image processing system comprising image data adding means for adding image data. 7. The image processing system according to claim 6 , wherein the reduced image data includes search word information for explaining the reduced image data and facilitating search processing . 7. The image processing system according to claim 6 , wherein the image data adding means adds information representing predetermined image data not subjected to outflow management in place of the reduced image data. Computer
Outflow management based on the type of specified image data input via the setting screen and the necessity of outflow management for each type when executing a job that includes image data and its processing procedure Image data detecting means for detecting predetermined image data not to be detected from image data included in the job,
Image data selection means for selecting the remaining image data from the image data excluding the image data detected by the image data detection means and not subjected to outflow management as log image data to be recorded for later retrieval Log image generation means for generating log image data based on the image data selected by the image data selection means,
An image processing program that functions as an image processing program.

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