JP5005566B2 - Image forming apparatus, data management method, and data management program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, a data management method, and a data management program, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus, a data management method, and a data management program for managing image data read from a paper document.

  With the recent increase in awareness of global environmental protection or consideration of effective use of office space, it is common to digitize paper documents and manage them in a document management device or the like. An image processing apparatus such as an MFP (Multi Function Peripheral) machine in an office also has a large-scale storage capacity device inside, and a function for electronically storing a copied or scanned paper document or data received by FAX as document data ( Some document management functions are implemented (for example, Patent Document 1).

On the other hand, there has conventionally been a computer system called a document management system or a document management database (hereinafter referred to as “document management system”) constructed using a general-purpose computer.
JP 2005-51308 A

  However, both (the document management function in the image acquisition apparatus and the document management system using a computer) exist independently of each other, and appropriate cooperation has not been achieved.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and aims to provide an image forming apparatus, a data management method, and a data management program capable of appropriately cooperating with a document management system outside the apparatus. To do.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention registers reading means for reading image data from a paper document and data management means of a computer connected via a network, and the data management means stores the image data. Data registration means for acquiring the first identification information assigned to the data, assigning the second identification information for each of the first identification information, the first identification information and the second identification information; An association recording unit that records the association in the storage device, and a first print control unit that synthesizes an identification image indicating identification information based on the second identification information with the image data and causes the printing apparatus to print the image. It is characterized by.

  In such an image forming apparatus, it is possible to appropriately cooperate with a document management system outside the apparatus.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus, a data management method, and a data management program that can appropriately cooperate with a document management system outside the apparatus.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a system configuration in the embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, one or more devices 10 and document management devices 20a, 20b, and 20c (hereinafter collectively referred to as “document management device 20”) are LAN (Local Area Network) or the Internet. They are connected via a network 30 (whether wired or wireless).

  The device 10 is an image forming apparatus (multifunction machine) that realizes a plurality of image forming functions such as a copy function, a printing function, a scanner function, and a FAX function in a single casing.

  The document management apparatus 20 is a general-purpose computer such as a PC (Personal Computer), and includes document management units 21a, 21b, and 21c (hereinafter collectively referred to as “document management unit 21”). The document management unit 21 is a so-called document management database system that systematically records document data in a storage device of each computer and provides operation means (read, write, delete, etc.) for the document data. In the present embodiment, each document management unit 21 has a different document data management form or management system. More simply, each document management unit 21 is realized by different document management software. However, the document data management form by each document management unit 21 may be the same.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration example of a device according to the embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, a device 10 includes a CPU 101, a ROM 102, a RAM 103, an HDD 104, a LAN controller 105, a facsimile device 106, an image reading device 107, a printing device 108, an operation panel 109, and the like, which are mutually connected by a bus B. Composed.

  In the ROM 102 and the HDD 104, various programs and data used by the programs are recorded. The RAM 103 is used as a storage area for loading a program, a work area for the loaded program, and the like. The CPU 101 realizes functions to be described later by processing a program loaded in the RAM 103.

  The LAN controller 105 realizes communication via the network 30. The facsimile machine 106 transmits and receives faxes. The image reading device 107 reads image data from a paper document. The printing apparatus 108 prints image data read by the image reading apparatus 107, image data received via the network 30, and the like on a printing paper. The operation panel 109 is hardware including a button, a liquid crystal panel, and the like for receiving input from the user and notifying information to the user.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a software configuration example of the device according to the embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, a device 10 includes software such as an application 11, a document management service 12, a paper document management service 13, an electronic document management service 14, a service management service 15, a document operation component 16, a document box 17, and a document management client 18. It has a component. Each software component realizes its function by causing the CPU 101 to execute the implemented processing.

  The application 11 is a software component that provides a predetermined function to the user, and a plurality of entities can exist depending on the provided function. In the present embodiment, the application 11 provides a refresh copy function.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the refresh copy function. The process for realizing the refresh copy function includes a document registration process and a document output process. In the figure, (A) shows a document registration process, and (B) shows a document output process.

  (A) shows a state in which the paper document 300 is copied by the device 10 and the paper document 300a is output. At this time, the device 10 prints the barcode b1 on the paper document 300a as a marking indicating the paper ID of the paper document 300a. Further, the device 10 associates the image data 310 read from the paper document 300 and the paper ID and stores them in the HDD 104. Here, the paper ID is identification information for uniquely identifying image data printed on paper.

  (B) shows a state in which the paper document 300a is copied by the device 10 and the paper document 300b is output. At this time, the device 10 identifies the paper ID of the paper document 300 by reading the barcode b1 of the paper document 300a, and prints the image data associated with the paper ID and stored in the HDD 104 on the printing paper. Is output as a paper document 300b.

  That is, in the document output process (B) in the refresh copy function, not the image data read from the copy source paper document 300a but the image data 310 stored in the document registration process is the print target. Therefore, for example, even when the writing d1 is performed on the paper document 300a, the writing d1 is not printed on the paper document 300b.

  It should be noted that the document registration process and the document output process may be executed by different applications 11, but in the present embodiment, they are executed by the same application 11 for convenience. In the above example, image data is stored in the HDD 104 in the device 10. However, according to the device 10 in the present embodiment, the image data is stored externally (document management apparatus 20). Is possible.

  Returning to FIG. The document management service 12 uses the paper document management service 13 and the electronic document management service 14 to provide a service related to the association between the paper ID and the stored image data to the application 11. The paper document management service 13 manages information for associating a paper ID with stored image data. The electronic document management service 14 manages information related to stored image data. The service management service 15 manages information for identifying the paper document management service 13 and the electronic document management service 14 in the device 10 using a service management table.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the service management table. In the figure, a service management table 151 manages a local ID, a UUID (Universally Unique Identifier), a service name, a service URI (Uniform Resource Identifier), and the like for each of the paper document management service 13 and the electronic document management service 14. For example, it is recorded in the HDD 104.

  The local ID is an ID that uniquely identifies each record in the service management table 151. The UUID is an ID for uniquely identifying each service. The UUID is unique not only in the device 10 but also on the network. Accordingly, the UUID of the paper document management service 13 and the electronic document management service 14 in a certain device 10 is different from that in the other device 10. The service name is the name of each service. The service name identifies that the first record relates to the paper document management service and the second record relates to the electronic document management service. The service URI is a URI of each service.

  When the document management service 12 uses the paper document management service 13 or the electronic document management service 14, each URI is obtained by making an inquiry to the service management service 15, and the service to be used based on the URI is obtained. Call.

  The document operation component 16 absorbs an interface for different document operations (registration, readout, deletion, update, etc.) for each image data storage destination (document box 17, document management unit 21), and provides a common interface. It is. The document box 17 is a document management database in the device 10, and stores and manages image data using the HDD 104. Therefore, the document box 17 implements the same function as the document management unit 21 inside the device 10. The document management client 18 exists for each document management unit 21 and absorbs a difference in interface or protocol unique to each document management unit 21. Therefore, the document operation component 16 can call each document management unit 21 via a common (unified) interface provided by each document management client 18. The document management client 18 can be added (installed) as a plug-in at any time, and can be deleted (uninstalled). Therefore, when a new document management unit 21 is connected, the document management client 18 corresponding to the document management unit 21 may be installed and installed.

  Hereinafter, a processing procedure of the device 10 will be described. First, an outline of document registration processing and document output processing by the device 10 will be described. FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining an outline of document registration processing by the device. That is, the processing shown in FIG. 6 is executed by the CPU 101 of the device 10 by software that the device 10 has.

When a copy of a paper document is designated, image data input is received by scanning the paper document with the image reading device 107 (S11). Subsequently, an input of the storage destination of the input image data is received via the operation panel 109 (S12). In this embodiment, any one of the document box 17 and the document management units 21a, 21b, or 21c is designated as the storage destination. Subsequently, the image data is stored in the designated storage location (S13). Here, when the storage destination is the document management unit 21 (outside the device 10), the image data is transferred via the network and stored in the storage destination. Subsequently, a paper ID for the stored image data is issued (S14), and an association between the image data and its storage destination and the paper ID is generated (S15). Subsequently, image data obtained by combining the image data input from the copy source paper document with the barcode indicating the paper ID is printed by the printing apparatus 108 (S16).
Next, FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining an outline of document output processing by the device. When a paper document in which a barcode indicating a paper ID is combined is set in the apparatus 10 and execution of a refresh copy is instructed, input of image data is accepted by scanning the paper document (S21). Subsequently, the paper ID is extracted from the barcode image included in the image data (S22). Subsequently, the storage location of the image data associated with the paper ID is determined (S23), and the image data is acquired from the storage location (S24). Subsequently, the acquired image data is printed by the printing apparatus 108 (S25).

  Subsequently, each of the document registration process and the document output process will be described in more detail (a process executed by each software component is clarified).

  FIG. 8 is a sequence diagram for explaining the document registration process.

  When an instruction to copy a paper document is input via the operation panel 109, the application 11 causes the image reading device 107 to read (input) image data from the paper document, and the image data (hereinafter, “ The input image is recorded in the RAM 103 (S101). Subsequently, the application 11 displays a screen (storage destination input screen) for inputting the storage location of the input image on the operation panel 109, for example, and accepts designation of the storage location of the input image (S102). In the storage destination input screen, a list of identification names of the document box 17 and the document management units 21a, 21b, and 21c is displayed.

  Subsequently, the application 11 specifies the identification name of the selected storage location, and requests the document operation component 16 to store the input image in the storage location (S103). In response to the request, the document operation component 16 saves the input image recorded in the RAM 103 in the storage location (document box 17 or document management unit 21) corresponding to the identification name (S104). The correspondence information between the identification name and the storage location is recorded in the HDD 104, for example. Although details of step S104 will be described later, the document operation component 16 obtains a storage destination URI (storage destination URI) by this step.

  When the storage of the input image is completed, the document operation component 16 returns the input image storage destination URI and an ID issued to the input image at the storage destination (hereinafter referred to as “image file ID”) to the application 11. (S105). Note that the format of the image file ID may differ depending on the storage destination.

  Subsequently, the application 11 designates the storage URI, the image file ID, and the user ID (registered user ID) of the user who has instructed execution of the registration process, and issues the paper ID for the input image to the document management service 12. (S106). The registered user ID is input by the user in the authentication process before the document registration process is executed. Subsequently, the document management service 12 requests the electronic document management service 14 to register the storage destination URI, the image file ID, and the registered user ID (management of association) (S107). In response to the request, the electronic document management service 14 registers the information requested for registration in the electronic document management table (S108).

  FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the electronic document management table. In the figure, an electronic document management table 141 is a table for managing an electronic document management ID, a storage destination URI, an image file ID, a registered user ID, and the like in association with each input image stored in any storage destination. Yes, for example, recorded in the HDD 104. The electronic document management ID is an ID for uniquely identifying each record in the electronic document management table 141, and is issued (assigned) by the electronic document management service 14 when the record is registered.

  When the registration in the electronic document management table 141 is completed, the electronic document management service 14 returns the electronic document management ID of the newly registered record (record related to the input image) to the document management service 12 (S109). Subsequently, the document management service 12 notifies the returned electronic document management ID and the registered user ID to the paper document management service 13 (S110). The paper document management service 13 registers the notified information in the paper document management table (S111).

  FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a paper document management table. The paper document management table 131 is a table for managing a paper document management ID, a registered user ID, an electronic document management ID, and the like in association with each stored input image, and is recorded in the HDD 104, for example. The paper document management ID is an ID for uniquely identifying each record in the paper document management table 131, and is issued (assigned) by the paper document management service 13 when a record is registered. As will be described later, the paper document management ID is used to generate a paper ID. Therefore, the paper document management table 131 realizes the association between the paper ID and the electronic document management ID (that is, stored image data).

  When the registration in the paper document management table 131 is completed, the paper document management service 13 returns the paper document management ID of the newly registered record and the UUID of itself (paper document management service 13) to the document management service 12. (S112). Subsequently, the document management service 12 specifies the returned paper document management ID and the UUID of the paper document management service 13 and requests the service management service 15 to generate a paper ID (S113). The service management service 15 generates a paper ID by performing reversible conversion on the paper document management ID and the UUID (S114), and returns the paper ID to the document management service 12 (S115). Note that the paper ID may simply be a connection between the paper management ID and the UUID.

  Subsequently, the document management service 12 returns a paper ID to the application 11 (S116). The application 11 generates a barcode image indicating the paper ID, and synthesizes the barcode image with the input image recorded in the RAM 103 (S117). Subsequently, the application 11 causes the printing apparatus 108 to print the input image combined with the barcode image (S118).

  Next, the input image saving process in step S104 will be described. FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram for explaining an input image saving process when the storage destination is an internal document box.

  When the storage destination identification name indicates the document box 17, the document operation component 16 requests the document box 17 to register the input image (S121). The document box 17 registers the input image, and returns the image file ID assigned to the input image to the document operation component 16 (S122). Note that the document operation component 16 knows the URI of the document box 17 in advance. Therefore, in this case, the URI is notified to the application 11 in S105 of FIG.

  FIG. 12 is a sequence diagram for explaining an input image storage process when the storage destination is an external document management unit.

  If the storage destination identification name does not indicate the document box 17, the document operation component 16 is designated based on the correspondence information recorded in the HDD 104 between the storage destination identification name and each document management client 18. The document management client 18 corresponding to the identified name is determined, and the registration of the input image is requested to the document management client 18 (S131).

  The document management client 18 requests the document management unit 21 related to the URI associated with the document management unit 21 to register image data via the network according to the protocol of the document management unit 21 (S132). When the registration of the image data is completed, the document management client 18 acquires an ID assigned to the registered image data from the document management unit 21 (S133). Subsequently, the document management client 18 returns the ID acquired from the document management unit 21 to the document operation component 16 as an image file ID (S134). At this time, the URI of the document management unit 21 is also returned to the document operation component 16. Therefore, in this case, the URI is notified to the application 11 in S105 of FIG.

  Next, the document output process will be described. FIG. 13 is a sequence diagram for explaining the document output process.

  When a refresh copy execution instruction is input via the operation panel 109 for a paper document including a barcode indicating a paper ID, the application 11 reads image data from the paper document (input) to the image reading device 107. The image data (hereinafter referred to as “input image”) is recorded in the RAM 103 (S201). Subsequently, the paper ID is determined based on the barcode image included in the application 11 and the image data (S202). Subsequently, the application 11 designates a paper ID and requests the document management service 12 to acquire electronic document information (information managed in the electronic document management table 141) corresponding to the paper ID (S203).

  The document management service 12 requests the service management service 15 to reversely convert the paper ID (S204). The service management service 15 reversely converts the paper ID to acquire the paper document management ID and the UUID of the paper document management service 13, and returns the paper document management ID and the UUID to the document management service 12 (S205). . The document management service 12 requests the paper document management service 13 corresponding to the returned UUID to obtain an electronic document management ID corresponding to the returned paper document management ID (S206). The paper document management service 13 determines an electronic document management ID corresponding to the designated paper document management ID based on the paper document management table 131, and returns the electronic document management ID to the document management service 12 (S207). .

  Subsequently, the document management service 12 designates the returned electronic document management ID and requests the electronic document management service 14 to acquire electronic document information for the electronic document management ID (S208). The electronic document management service 14 acquires electronic document information registered for the designated electronic document management ID from the electronic document management table 141, and the acquired electronic document information (storage destination URI, image file ID, etc.) Is returned to the document management service 12 (S209). The document management service 12 returns the returned electronic document information to the application 11 (S210).

  Subsequently, the application 11 acquires image data to be output (hereinafter referred to as “output image”) based on the electronic document information (S211). Details of this step will be described later. Subsequently, the application 11 causes the printing apparatus 108 to print the output image (S212). As a result, the refresh copy result is output.

  Next, the output image acquisition process in step S211 will be described. FIG. 14 is a sequence diagram for explaining an output image acquisition process when the acquisition destination is an internal document box.

  When the storage destination URI is related to the document box 17, the document operation component 16 specifies the image file ID for the document box 17 and requests acquisition of image data (S221). The correspondence information between the storage destination URI, the document box 17 and each document management client 18 is recorded in the HDD 104, and the document management component 16 determines the acquisition destination of the image data based on the correspondence information. Subsequently, the document box 17 acquires image data corresponding to the designated image file ID from the HDD 104 and returns it to the document operation component 16 (S222).

  FIG. 15 is a sequence diagram for explaining output image acquisition processing when the acquisition destination is an external document management unit.

  If the storage destination URI is not related to the document box 17, the document operation component 16 acquires the image file ID from the document management client 18 corresponding to the storage destination URI and requests acquisition of the image data (S231). ). The document management client 18 requests the document management unit 21 associated with the document management unit 21 in advance to acquire image data via the network according to the protocol of the document management unit 21 (S232). When the image data is returned from the document management unit 21 (S233), the document management client 18 returns the returned image data to the document operation component 16 (S234).

  As described above, according to the device 10 in the present embodiment, the image data scanned at the time of copying can be managed by the external document management unit 21. At this time, the device 10 assigns unique identification information (paper document management ID) in the device 10 to each image file ID whose format may differ depending on the document management unit 21, and generates based on the paper document management ID. The paper ID is combined with the image data output as the copy result. Therefore, regardless of the format of the image file ID assigned to each image data in the external document management unit 21, a barcode indicating the paper ID based on the specification determined by the device 10 can be combined with the copy result. At the same time, the association between the paper ID and the image file ID in the external document management unit 21 can be appropriately managed. As a result, the device 10 can determine the image file ID corresponding to the paper ID indicated by the barcode when reading the barcode from the paper document in which the barcode indicating the paper ID is combined. By acquiring image data from the external document management unit 21 based on the image file ID, the refresh copy function can be realized using the external document management unit 21.

  Further, the device 10 manages identification information (URI) for identifying a storage destination for each image data managed by the external document management unit 21 or the like. Therefore, even when connected to a plurality of document management units 21, image data corresponding to the paper ID can be appropriately acquired when a refresh copy is output.

  Note that the image indicating the paper ID may not be a barcode. For example, a tint block pattern may be used.

  As mentioned above, although the Example of this invention was explained in full detail, this invention is not limited to such specific embodiment, In the range of the summary of this invention described in the claim, various deformation | transformation・ Change is possible.

It is a figure which shows the system configuration example in embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the hardware structural example of the apparatus in embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the software structural example of the apparatus in embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating a refresh copy function. It is a figure which shows the structural example of a service management table. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the outline | summary of the document registration process by an apparatus. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the outline | summary of the document output process by an apparatus. It is a sequence diagram for demonstrating a document registration process. It is a figure which shows the structural example of an electronic document management table. It is a figure which shows the structural example of a paper document management table. It is a sequence diagram for demonstrating the preservation | save process of an input image when a storage destination is an internal document box. FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram for explaining an input image storage process when the storage destination is an external document management unit. It is a sequence diagram for demonstrating a document output process. FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram for explaining an output image acquisition process when an acquisition destination is an internal document box. FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram for explaining an output image acquisition process when an acquisition destination is an external document management unit.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Device 11 Application 12 Document management service 13 Paper document management service 14 Electronic document management service 15 Service management service 16 Document operation component 17 Document box 18 Document management client 20a, 20b, 20c Document management apparatus 21a, 21b, 21c Document management part 30 Network 101 CPU
102 ROM
103 RAM
104 HDD
105 LAN Controller 106 Facsimile Device 107 Image Reading Device 108 Printing Device 109 Operation Panel B Bus

Claims (9)

Reading means for reading image data from a paper document;
Storage location accepting means for accepting designation of the storage location of the image data;
The image data is registered in the data management means related to the storage destination among the data management means of a plurality of computers connected via a network, and is assigned to the image data by the data management means, Data registration means for obtaining first identification information that may differ in format for each data management means;
For each of the first identification information, second identification information unique in the image forming apparatus is assigned, and the association between the first identification information, the second identification information, and the storage destination is recorded in the storage device. An association recording means;
An image forming apparatus comprising: a first print control unit configured to synthesize an identification image including the second identification information with the image data and print the image on a printing apparatus. Determination means for determining the first identification information corresponding to the second identification information and the storage destination based on the identification image read from the paper document on which the identification image is printed by the reading means;
Data acquisition means for acquiring image data related to the first identification information determined by the determination means from the data management means related to the storage location determined by the determination means;
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a second print control unit that causes the printing apparatus to print the acquired image data.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an internal data registering unit that stores image data read by the reading unit in a storage device included in the image forming apparatus. A data management method executed by an image forming apparatus,
Reading procedure to read image data from paper document,
A storage location acceptance procedure for accepting designation of the storage location of the image data;
The image data is registered in the data management unit associated with the storage destination in each data management unit of a plurality of computers connected via a network, and is assigned to the image data by the data management unit, A data registration procedure for acquiring first identification information that can be different in format for each data management means,
Association for assigning second identification information unique to the image forming apparatus for each of the first identification information, and recording an association between the first identification information, the second identification information, and the storage destination in a storage device Recording procedure;
A data management method comprising: a first print control procedure for combining an identification image indicating identification information including the second identification information with the image data and printing the image on a printing apparatus. A determination procedure for determining the first identification information corresponding to the second identification information and the storage destination based on the identification image read from the paper document on which the identification image is printed by the reading procedure;
A data acquisition procedure for acquiring image data related to the first identification information determined by the determination procedure from the data management unit related to the storage location determined by the determination procedure;
5. The data management method according to claim 4, further comprising a second print control procedure for causing the printing apparatus to print the acquired image data.   6. The data management method according to claim 4, further comprising an internal data registration procedure for storing the image data read by the reading procedure in a storage device provided in the image forming apparatus. In the image forming device,
Reading procedure to read image data from paper document,
A storage location acceptance procedure for accepting designation of the storage location of the image data;
The image data is registered in the data management means related to the storage destination among the data management means of a plurality of computers connected via a network, and is assigned to the image data by the data management means, A data registration procedure for acquiring first identification information that can be different in format for each data management means,
Association for assigning second identification information unique to the image forming apparatus for each of the first identification information, and recording an association between the first identification information, the second identification information, and the storage destination in a storage device Recording procedure;
A data management program for executing a first print control procedure for combining an identification image indicating identification information including the second identification information with the image data and causing a printing apparatus to print the identification image. A determination procedure for determining the first identification information corresponding to the second identification information and the storage destination based on the identification image read from the paper document on which the identification image is printed by the reading procedure;
A data acquisition procedure for acquiring image data related to the first identification information determined by the determination procedure from the data management unit related to the storage location determined by the determination procedure;
8. The data management program according to claim 7, further comprising a second print control procedure for causing the printing apparatus to print the acquired image data.   9. The data management program according to claim 7, further comprising an internal data registration procedure for storing the image data read by the reading procedure in a storage device included in the image forming apparatus.

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