JP3864122B2 - Image processing system - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image processing system including a plurality of image processing apparatuses having a function of storing documents and distributing the documents in response to a request from a host computer.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, image forming apparatuses (hereinafter referred to as “multifunction machines”) having a plurality of functions of apparatuses such as a copy machine, a printer, and a facsimile apparatus have been known. By using such a multi-function device, it is not necessary to install each device separately, so that cost reduction and space saving can be achieved.
[0003]
In addition, it has a large-capacity storage device, saves the documents output by the above functions, and prints out the stored documents directly when necessary, or stores them in response to requests from the host computer. One having a document distribution function for transmitting a document to a host computer is known. This function eliminates the need for a special file server and suppresses an increase in network load due to data transmission / reception with the server.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, if a failure occurs in the large-capacity storage device, this function cannot be used, and in some cases, the stored document cannot be recovered. When taking a document backup to deal with a failure, another server or other device is required, or if there are a large number of devices, the backup operation takes a considerable amount of time and effort. There is.
[0005]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an image processing system comprising an image processing apparatus having a document distribution function and improving the reliability of stored documents while suppressing an increase in labor and network load at the time of backup. It is to be.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, in an image processing system in which a plurality of image processing devices are connected to a host computer via a network, each image processing device reads an original and converts it into image data. and means, the controller controls the whole, the controller includes a communication means for transmitting and receiving another image processing apparatus and the image data and commands which are connected to a network, the image data and the output from said image reading means storage means for storing the image data received from another image processing apparatus connected to the network, detecting means for detecting the another image processing apparatus connected to a network, the storage in response to a request from the host computer A network in which the image data stored in the means is detected by the detecting means Comprising a document delivery means for delivering the other image processing apparatus, and the most important feature image processing system for redundantly storing the image file in an image processing apparatus in the plurality of image processing apparatuses.
[0007]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, the controller further includes a clock, and controls transmission / reception of an image with another image processing apparatus including a storage unit according to the time of the clock. The processing system is the main feature.
[0008]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, the controller determines the order in which image data is transmitted / received to / from these apparatuses according to the detection results of other image processing apparatuses having storage means that exist in the detected system. The main feature of the image processing system according to claim 1 or 2 is that image data is transmitted to and received from other image processing apparatuses in accordance with the order.
[0009]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
As an image processing system for implementing the present invention, a system in which a plurality of multifunction peripherals are connected to a host computer via a network will be described. FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of an image processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The multifunction machine 10 includes a large-capacity storage device such as a hard disk, accumulates documents output by copy, fax, and printer applications, and distributes the accumulated documents in response to requests from the host computer.
[0010]
The host computer 20 is a terminal device such as a workstation or a personal computer, and issues a print request to the multifunction device and a stored document distribution request. The network 30 is a communication line for connecting each MFP 10 and the host computer 20 and transmitting / receiving image data and other various data.
[0011]
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the multifunction machine shown in FIG. The scanner 100 scans a document, converts it into a digital image signal, and outputs RGB data. The image processing unit 200 is a unit that realizes a copy function, and performs processing such as filtering and color correction on the RGB data input from the scanner 100 and outputs signals of CMYK colors to the printer 300. The printer 300 forms an image according to output data from the image processing unit 200, the controller 400, and the FAX control unit 600.
[0012]
The controller 400 is a unit that mainly realizes a printer function and overall control, and includes a CPU, a ROM (or flash memory) storing a program, a memory used as a work area, an HDD that stores image data, and interfaces thereof. The operation of the entire apparatus is controlled according to a program stored in advance in the ROM.
[0013]
An operation unit 500 is an input device for an operator to select a copy mode, set the number of copies, and the like, and a display device for displaying a setting state and instructing a user to make settings, and various keys and a touch panel on the display unit. And a liquid crystal display for display. A FAX control unit 600 is a unit that realizes a FAX function, and performs transmission processing of an image read by the scanner 100 and output of a received image to the printer 300.
[0014]
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the controller 400 shown in FIG. The CPU 410 controls the controller 400 and the entire image forming apparatus based on a program written in the ROM 440.
[0015]
The memory 420 is a work area for temporarily storing printer images. The HDD (hard disk) 430 is a large-capacity storage device used for temporarily storing image data in a document and for long-term storage. The ROM 440 is a storage device for a control program executed by the CPU 410.
[0016]
The NVRAM 450 is a non-volatile memory for storing parameters unique to the device. The ASIC 460 includes an interface with each device of the controller 400 and the outside. The clock unit 470 is a clock unit and has a timer function.
[0017]
FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the ASIC 460 shown in FIG. The CPU I / F 461 is connected to the CPU 410, generates various control signals to be supplied to the CPU 410, and outputs signals output from the CPU 410 to each module. The network I / F 462 is connected to the network 30 and exchanges data with the host computer 20 and other multifunction devices 10.
[0018]
The operation unit I / F 463 is connected to the operation unit 500 and exchanges data with the operation unit CPU. The local bus I / F 464 is an interface for exchanging data with the ROM 440 and the NVRAM 450 connected to the local bus.
[0019]
The memory I / F 465 is an interface for controlling data writing to the memory 420 and data reading from the memory 420. The image bus I / F 466 is an interface for transmitting and receiving image data.
[0020]
The HDD I / F 467 is an interface for controlling data writing to the hard disk 430 and data reading from the hard disk 430. The clock unit I / F 468 is an interface for reading and setting the time from the clock unit 470.
[0021]
FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a software configuration of the multifunction machine shown in FIG. As shown in the figure, the multi-function device 20 includes a scanner 100, a printer 300, a software group 700, and other hardware resources 800. The software group 700 includes a platform 720 and an application 710.
[0022]
The platform 720 includes a general-purpose OS 721, a system resource manager (SRM) 723 having a system control service (SCS) 722, an engine control service (ECS) 724, and an MCS (memory control system). 726, FCS (FAX Control Service) 727, and NCS (Network Control Service) 728.
[0023]
The general-purpose OS 721 is a general-purpose operating system such as UNIX (registered trademark), and executes each software of the platform 720 and the application 710 in parallel as processes.
[0024]
The SCS 722 performs application management, operation unit control, system screen display (job list screen, counter display screen, etc.), LED display, resource management, and interrupt application control.
[0025]
The SRM 723, together with the SCS 722, controls the system and manages resources, and performs arbitration in accordance with requests from higher layers that use hardware resources such as engines such as the scanner 100 and the printer 300, memory 420, and HDD files. , Execute control.
[0026]
The ECS 724 controls engines such as the scanner 100, printer 300, and other hardware resources 800, and performs image reading and printing operations, status notification, jam recovery, and the like. The MCS 725 performs memory control. Specifically, the MCS 725 acquires and releases an image memory, uses a hard disk (HDD) 430, and the like.
[0027]
The OCS 726 is a module that controls an operation panel serving as an information transmission unit between the operator and the main body control unit. Processing for notifying an operator's key operation event to the main body control unit, and a library function for each application to construct a GUI. Processing to provide, processing to manage the constructed GUI information for each application, display reflection processing on the operation panel, and the like are performed.
[0028]
FCS 727 performs facsimile transmission / reception using the PSTN / ISDN network from each application layer of the system controller, registration / quotation of various facsimile data managed by BKM (backup SRAM), facsimile reading, facsimile reception printing, and fusion transmission / reception. API is provided.
[0029]
The NCS 728 is a module group for providing a service that can be commonly used for applications requiring network I / O. Data received from the network side by each protocol is distributed to each application, and data from the application is distributed. Mediates when sending to the network side.
[0030]
The application 710 includes a printer application 711 that is a printer application having a page description language (PDL), PCL, and postscript (PS), a copy application 712 that is a copy application, and a fax application 713 that is a facsimile application. A scanner application 714 that is a scanner application, a net file application 715 that is a net file application, and a process inspection application 716 that is a process inspection application. Each of the applications 711 to 716 can execute an operation using each process on the platform 720, and therefore the screen display control program is the main component.
[0031]
FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a flow for detecting another image processing apparatus connected to the network. Of the multi-function peripherals constituting the system, a device that plays the role of overall control is a master device, and devices other than the master device that performs operation control by commands from the master device are slave devices.
[0032]
When information about another device is required, such as when the power is turned on, information on the own device is first transmitted on the network 30 (S1). When no other device is activated on the network 30 and there is no response, it is determined that there is no master machine (n in S2), the own machine is set as the master machine, and the detection is finished (S3). .
[0033]
If there is another device on the network 30 (y in S2), the master device always returns a list of devices (S4) because there is always a master device. When the device list is received from the master device, the device is set as a slave device (S5), and the slave device updates the device list and ends (S6).
[0034]
FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a flow of executing system data backup. The backup is automatically executed at the time designated in advance by the built-in clock unit 468 (S11). Since transmission / reception of image data places a load on the network 30, it is set in a time zone with low traffic such as midnight or a holiday.
[0035]
The master machine determines the order in which the data of which apparatus is backed up to which apparatus in accordance with the stored apparatus list (S12). When the order is determined, the backup destination and backup start command are transmitted to the backup source apparatus (S13).
[0036]
Upon receiving the backup destination and backup start command, the backup source device transmits the image data of the document to be backed up to the backup destination (S14). When transmission is repeated and transmission of the image data of all documents is completed (y in S15), the backup source apparatus transmits a backup completion notification to the master machine (S16).
[0037]
When the master machine receives the completion notification and all backups have not been completed, the master machine further transmits a backup destination and backup start command to the next apparatus. If all backups are completed (y in S17), the process ends.
[0038]
【The invention's effect】
According to the first aspect of the present invention, the document image data in the storage device is transmitted to another image processing device and stored in the storage device of the device, so that it can be stored in a plurality of image processing devices in the system. Since the contents of the same document exist, the possibility that the document data cannot be recovered as a whole system even if a storage device of a certain device fails is reduced, and the entire system comprising an image processing device having a document distribution function Reliability can be improved.
[0039]
According to the second aspect of the present invention, each controller in the system has a built-in clock, and the controller controls transmission / reception of images according to the time of the clock, so that backup work can be performed automatically and periodically. Can be done, and backup effort is not required. In addition, a time zone in which the amount of data on the network is large can be avoided, and the load on the network can be distributed.
[0040]
According to invention of Claim 3, the controller of each image processing apparatus determines the order which performs transmission / reception of image data with another image processing apparatus according to the detection result of the image processing apparatus which exists in a system, Since image data is transmitted / received to / from other image processing apparatuses in the determined order, the network load can be distributed by distributing the image transmission / reception timing between the apparatuses.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of an image processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the multifunction machine shown in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the controller shown in FIG. 2;
4 is a block diagram of the ASIC shown in FIG. 3. FIG.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a software configuration of the multifunction peripheral illustrated in FIG. 2;
FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a flow for detecting another image processing apparatus connected to a network.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a flow of executing system data backup.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Image processing apparatus 20 Host computer 30 Network 100 Scanner (reading means)
400 controller 410 CPU (control means)
420 Memory (storage means)
462 Network I / F (communication means)

Claims (3)

In an image processing system in which a plurality of image processing apparatuses are network-connected to a host computer,
Each image processing device
Image reading means for converting a document into read image data;
It has a controller that controls the entire system,
The controller
Communication means for transmitting / receiving image data and commands to / from other image processing apparatuses connected to the network ;
Storage means for storing image data output from the image reading means and image data received from another image processing apparatus connected to the network ;
Detecting means for detecting other image processing devices connected to the network ;
Document distribution means for distributing image data stored in the storage means in response to a request from the host computer to another image processing apparatus on the network detected by the detection means;
With
An image processing system characterized in that image files in an image processing apparatus are accumulated redundantly in a plurality of image processing apparatuses. The image processing system according to claim 1, wherein the controller further includes a clock, and controls transmission / reception of an image with another image processing apparatus including a storage unit according to the time of the clock. The controller determines the order in which image data is transmitted / received to / from these apparatuses according to the detection results of the other image processing apparatuses including the storage means present in the detected system, and performs other image processing according to the order. The image processing system according to claim 1, wherein image data is transmitted to and received from the apparatus.

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