KR20050043275A - The system and method for remote print and image scannig - Google Patents

Abstract

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing and image scanning system and method for directly connecting to the Internet to perform image data transmission and reception, and to handle and print images. The present invention relates to a printing apparatus and an image scanning apparatus without a computer. It provides an environment to realize various services by connecting to the Internet. The present invention has a function of directly connecting to an image scanning apparatus and a printing apparatus, and at the same time, has a function of transmitting and receiving data so that various services can be realized by accessing the Internet through a printing apparatus and an image scanning apparatus rather than a computer. Doing.

Description

Printing and image scanning system capable of transmitting and receiving data and its method {The system and method for remote print and image scannig}

The present invention relates to a printing, image scanning system and method capable of transmitting and receiving data which executes image transmission and reception at the same time by directly connecting to the Internet, and executes image processing and printing. Recently, with the spread of the Internet, various services using the Internet have been proposed. In particular, many attempts have been made to maximize the advantages of long-distance data communication by connecting a plurality of computers or terminal devices via a LAN and executing various types of communication.

In general, a technology related to a remote control device has been used as a technology for controlling and managing a remote control object. The remote control device provided in the prior art is based on a personal computer (PC) or uses a separate server.

In order to perform Internet data transmission and reception, operating systems such as Windows series such as Windows NT and Windows CE or embedded Linux can be used, and the programming standards such as Java (JABA) and HTTP can be supported by these operating systems. do. Remote control via the Internet enables data transmission and reception through TCP / IP (Communication Control Protocol / Internet Protocol) and CGI (Common Gateway Interface).

As part of data transmission and reception via the Internet, e-mail may be used as a general method for transmitting data. The e-mail system consists of a mail server and a mail client (e-mail software). A mail server is usually provided for each domain. For example, a mail server is used to send and receive e-mail between mail servers using a mail terminal operated by a mail client such as a personal computer, a cellular phone, or a portable information terminal (PDA).

When one user (sender) sends an e-mail to another user (recipient), the e-mail sent by the sender is a mail of the destination domain, for example, using a mail transfer protocol such as SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol). Is sent to the server. Each mail server has a dedicated directory (mail box) prepared in advance for each user, and the e-mail arriving at the mail server is classified and stored in the mail box of each destination.

When receiving an e-mail, the mail client extracts the e-mail from the mailbox and stores it in the mail terminal by using a mail receiving protocol such as, for example, POP3 (Post Office Protocol Version 3). The format of e-mail is extended by MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) and the like, whereby binary files such as image files, music files or program files can be attached to text.

On the other hand, since the data transmission and reception through the Internet as described above can be applied to a general home, the technique for performing the printing of image data, which has been conventionally performed via a computer, directly by accessing the Internet without a computer, and the like, It is being tried. However, the conventional invention merely simplifies printing and has a problem in that it is insufficient to realize more various services.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and in a small system used in a general home, it is possible to realize various services by connecting a printing apparatus and an image scanning apparatus to the Internet integrally without a computer. It aims to provide an environment.

In order to solve the above problems, the printing apparatus of the present invention is characterized by comprising a printing apparatus and an image scanning apparatus having a function of directly connecting to the Internet. Therefore, the image scanning apparatus and the printing apparatus each have a function of directly connecting to the Internet and a function of transmitting and receiving data. At the same time, various functions via the Internet are realized by including storage means such as image data storage means, address storage means, connection timing storage means, and the like for transmitting and receiving e-mails and various programs. DETAILED DESCRIPTION A detailed description of preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. First of all, in adding reference numerals to the components of each drawing, it should be noted that the same reference numerals are used as much as possible even if displayed on different drawings.

1 is a system block diagram according to the present invention with a focus on a printing apparatus.

As described above, the printing apparatus according to the present invention is characterized by having a function of directly connecting to the Internet and receiving data. That is, the printing apparatus according to the present invention has a function of transmitting data by connecting to a specific server via the Internet and at the same time performing a function of communicating image data received from an image scanning apparatus such as a scanner.

The printing apparatus 10 includes a printing apparatus control unit 100 for executing control of a mechanical unit that performs printing centering on the central processing unit 110, an operation panel 160 for a user to execute key input, and a central processing unit. A storage device 150 for storing various data processed by the device 110, a computer interface 120 for performing input / output when performing data communication between the PC 20 and the printing device 10, and the scanner 30 And a scanner interface unit 130 for performing data communication between the image scanning apparatus and the printing apparatus 10, and an internet interface unit 140 for connecting to the Internet to execute data transmission and reception.

On the other hand, the storage device 150 includes a system memory unit that the central processing unit 110 needs to execute processing, a reception address memory unit for storing an address of a receiver receiving data by accessing the Internet, and accessing the Internet. A transmission address memory section for storing the address of the other party to which data is transmitted, a connection timing memory section 154 for designating a timing for automatically connecting to the Internet to perform data communication, and attribute information of image data. And a parameter memory unit for storing the electronic mail, an e-mail memory unit for storing the electronic mail, a communication history memory unit for storing the history of data transmission and reception, printing and the like, and an image data memory unit for storing the image data.

The image data memory unit may be divided into a print image data memory unit for executing printing and a scanning image data memory unit for storing image data read from the image scanning apparatus, but it is assumed that the image data memory unit is commonly used.

The operation panel 160 is responsible for an interface between the user and the printing apparatus, and the user can access the specific server 40 by inputting a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) to be connected to the operation panel 160.

The user may program the Internet to be automatically connected by the central processing unit 110. In addition, by storing the data through the periodic server 40 connection, the server 40 can be managed by the database of the image data transmitted from the printing apparatus. At this time, timing related data for periodically connecting to the Internet are stored in the connection timing memory unit.

The central processing unit 110 can directly print the image data when the image data received from the server 40 via the Internet or the image data sent from the user's PC 20 is not a directly printable data format. Built-in program to convert data format. If necessary, the central processing unit 110 may compress the image data received from the image scanning apparatus into a predetermined format and store the image data in the image data memory unit.

When data obtained through the Internet contains an address specifying a home page, the address is stored in the transmission address memory unit so that the home page can be accessed later if necessary. In addition, the central processing unit 110 writes a history of the result when the data is transmitted and received and simultaneously stores the history in the communication history memory unit.

On the other hand, if the user wants to transmit the image data to a specific server, the user may also adopt an e-mail method used as a general means for data transmission. Therefore, the user receives the image data or the e-mail from the designated address, stores the necessary portion in the storage means, executes the printing of the image data or the image file attached to the e-mail, and the image data stored in the image data storage device. Can be created as an attached file, and information such as attribute information, creation date and time, sender, etc. of this image data can be created and transmitted as an e-mail body.

Fig. 2 is a processing flowchart in the case of transmitting image data, and shows a processing procedure in the case of transmitting image data scanned by the image scanning device to a specific address via the Internet.

First, the user registers the address of the counterpart server that receives the image data prior to the transmission of the image data (S1). The receiving address is normally registered in the form of each address, and a plurality of addresses may be registered. The registration of the address is usually executed from a host computer or a printing panel installed in the printing apparatus performed by a PC. When a plurality of addresses are registered, it is necessary to select which address to transmit from among them.

When registration of the destination address is completed, the user sets a parameter of the image data to be transmitted (S2). The parameters include resolution, size, format of data, presence or absence of data compression, and the like of image data. If a parameter is specified together with the image data when the image is read, the image can be read and registered or changed at the same time.

When the parameter setting is completed, the user scans the original through the image scanning apparatus (S3). Scanning instructions of the document are executed by an operation panel of the printing apparatus or input from a computer, or by an operation panel of the image scanning apparatus. In the case of scanning by operation panel operation of the image scanning apparatus, it is necessary to inform the printing apparatus from the image scanning apparatus whether or not scanning is started. This means that the image data generated by the image scanning apparatus is finally processed by being transmitted to the printing apparatus (S4). Therefore, it should be noted that the image scanning apparatus is integrated with the printing apparatus for image data transmission.

If image data compression is necessary, the image data transmitted from the image scanning apparatus to the printing apparatus is compressed by the data compression program and stored in the image data memory unit (S5).

In the server transmission of image data through the Internet, the user can access the server by inputting a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) to access the operation panel of the printing apparatus, and the data is transmitted through TCP / IP (Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol). Transmission and reception are possible. In addition, in the case of adopting the above-described e-mail system, normal mail is created. The e-mail is preferably configured to include parameters related to attributes of the image data stored in the parameter memory, information on when to create the data, creator, and the like, in the main body, and the image data as an attached file.

The image data is transmitted to a specified address among addresses stored in the transmission address memory section via TCP / IP (Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol) or electronic mail (S6). If there is a confirmation of data reception completion from the transmission target, it can proceed to the next step, but if the data transmission fails, it can be retransmitted periodically with a waiting time (S7).

In the next step, the transferred image data is deleted if necessary, and a communication history is created and stored in the communication history memory unit (S8). The communication history includes information such as the result of transmission, transmission date and time, transmission contents, and transmission destination.

3 is a system block diagram according to the present invention with a focus on an image scanning apparatus. As described above, the present invention is characterized in that an image scanning apparatus having a function of directly connecting to the Internet and transmitting data is included.

The image scanning apparatus according to the present invention has a function of executing data reception by connecting to a specific server through the Internet and at the same time, is connected to a printing apparatus so that data communication can be performed. In addition, the image scanning apparatus of the present invention is provided with the same type of function as the printing apparatus described above to realize various functions.

The image scanning apparatus 30 includes a scanning control unit 210 for performing mechanical control of the image scanning apparatus centering on the central processing unit 220, an operation panel 270 for a user to perform key input, and a central processing. A storage device 230 for storing various data processed by the device 220, a computer interface 240 for performing input / output when performing data communication between the PC 20 and the image scanning device 30, and an image scanning device And a printing apparatus interface unit 250 for executing data communication between the printer 30 and the printing apparatus 10, and an internet interface unit 260 for connecting to the Internet to execute data transmission and reception.

On the other hand, the storage device 230 is a system memory unit that the central processing unit 220 needs to execute a process, a reception address memory unit for storing an address of a receiver receiving data by connecting to the Internet, and accessing the Internet. A transmission address memory section for storing the address of the other party transmitting the data, a connection timing memory section for designating a timing for automatically connecting to the Internet to perform data communication, and a parameter memory for storing attribute information of image data, and the like. And an e-mail memory section for storing e-mail, a communication history memory section for storing history of data transmission and reception, printing, and the like, an image data memory section for storing image data, and the like.

The image data memory unit may be divided into a print image data memory unit for executing printing and a scanning image data memory unit for storing image data read from the image scanning apparatus, but it is assumed that the image data memory unit is commonly used. The operation panel 160 is responsible for the interface between the user and the image scanning apparatus.

The user may program the Internet to be automatically connected by the central processing unit 220. In addition, by storing the data through the periodic server 40 connection, the server 40 can manage the database of the image data transmitted from the image scanning device. At this time, timing related data for periodically connecting to the Internet are stored in the connection timing memory unit. If necessary, the central processing unit 110 may compress the image data into a predetermined format and store the image data in the image data memory unit 158.

When data obtained through the Internet contains an address specifying a home page, the address is stored in the transmission address memory unit 153 so that the home page can be accessed later if necessary. In addition, the central processing unit 110 writes a history of the result when the data is transmitted and received, and simultaneously stores the history in the communication history memory unit 157. When receiving image data or e-mail from a designated address in accordance with an Internet connection, the user can store the necessary data in a memory unit and print it by transmitting the image data or image file attached to the e-mail to a printing apparatus.

4 is a flowchart illustrating printing in accordance with data reception, and shows a case in which the printing apparatus prints on the basis of data received from a specific address via the Internet.

First, the user registers the transmission address of the counterpart server that transmits the image data before receiving the image data (S1). The transmission address is normally registered in the form of each address, and a plurality of addresses may be registered. The registration of the address is usually executed from a host computer or a printing panel installed in the printing apparatus performed by a PC. When a plurality of addresses are registered, it is necessary to select which address to transmit from among them.

It is preferable that the transmission address is normally registered in each address form, and a plurality of addresses are registered. Input of the transmission address is executed from an operation panel provided in the host computer or the printing apparatus. When a plurality of addresses are registered, it is necessary to select which address to receive from among them.

After registration of the transmission address, the parameters of the image data are set (S2). The parameters include image resolution, size, format of data, presence or absence of data compression, and the like. This step is to specify basic parameters of the image data, and the parameters are changed later when image data is received.

If the automatic data reception is performed periodically according to the specified timing, when the data in the e-mail format is received, the timing of reading the mail is specified (S3). This can be executed by a program having an automatic mail receiving function, and can be automatically received and stored by the information adding means added to the mail.

Examples of the information adding means include a header part of the electronic mail. The mail header section describes various attributes of the e-mail such as the sender, the recipient, the route, and the date of the mail, and includes information necessary for automatic mail reception, thereby enabling periodic reception of image data only by reading the header.

As described above, when periodic image data is received, the user reads the received e-mail and then analyzes the contents of the mail (S4). If a parameter is specified in the main body or image data of the e-mail, the parameter is stored in the parameter memory unit as necessary. Since the image data is normally attached in the form of an attached file, it is stored in the image data memory section (S5). At this time, if the transmitted image data is compressed, the transferred image data is decompressed by the decompression program and stored in the image data memory unit.

In order to print the image data, the printing apparatus converts the data into a form which can be directly printed (S6). For example, the printing apparatus corresponds to a rasterization process in the case of an inkjet printer, and a paging process in the case of a page printer. However, if the printing apparatus itself has this function, this processing may not be executed.

When printing according to data conversion is completed normally, reception completion is reported to the reception address as necessary (S7). After the reception completion report, the image data is deleted if necessary, and a communication history is created and stored in the communication history memory unit (S8). The communication history includes information such as a reception result, a reception date and time, a reception content, a destination, and the like.

Although FIG. 2 illustrates a data transmission method and FIG. 4 illustrates a data reception method, it is obvious that the data reception method in FIG. 2 and the data transmission method in FIG. 4 may also be implemented by the same method as described above. The description will be omitted.

The technical spirit of the present invention has been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, but this is by way of example only and not intended to limit the present invention. In addition, it is obvious that any person skilled in the art can make various modifications and imitations without departing from the scope of the technical idea of the present invention.

According to the present invention, it is possible to perform data transmission and reception by integrating a printing apparatus and an image scanning apparatus without accessing a computer so as to connect to the Internet. Accordingly, automatic transmission and reception of image data such as e-mail transmission or faxing can be performed. It became possible.

1 is a system block diagram according to the present invention with a focus on a printing apparatus;

2 is a flowchart of processing in the case of transmitting image data

3 is a system block diagram according to the present invention with a focus on an image scanning apparatus;

4 is a flowchart showing printing in accordance with data reception

********* Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawing *********

10: printing apparatus 20: personal computer

30: image scanning apparatus 40: server

110: central processing unit 120: computer interface unit

130: scanner interface unit 140: Internet interface unit

150: storage device 160: operation panel

170: printing device control unit 210: scanning control unit

220: central processing unit 230: memory unit

240: computer interface 250: printing device interface

260: Internet interface unit 270: Operation panel

Claims (7)

A printing and image scanning system capable of transmitting and receiving remote data, the system comprising: a computer on which a document or image creation operation is performed by a user; A printing apparatus for receiving and processing the computer work result and the image scanning result; An image scanning apparatus for performing an image scanning operation by a user and transmitting and receiving data with an external system on the result of the operation; A server for receiving and storing a job result from the printing apparatus or the image scanning apparatus or transmitting the stored data; Print and image scanning system comprising a. The printing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the printing apparatus comprises: an interface unit configured to transmit and receive data with an external system; A printing apparatus control unit which controls a mechanical unit which performs printing; A central processing unit for processing a print job result; An operation panel in charge of an interface with a user; A memory unit for storing a work result by the central processing unit; Print and image scanning system comprising a. The printing and image scanning system of claim 2, wherein the interface unit comprises a computer interface unit, a scanning device interface unit, and an internet interface unit. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image scanning apparatus comprises: an interface unit configured to transmit / receive data with an external system; An image scanning device controller which controls a machine that performs image scanning; A central processing unit for processing an image scanning operation result; An operation panel in charge of an interface with a user; A memory unit for storing a work result by the central processing unit; Print and image scanning system comprising a. The printing and image scanning system of claim 4, wherein the interface unit comprises a computer interface unit, a printing apparatus interface unit, and an internet interface unit. A data transmission method in a printing and image scanning system capable of remote data transmission and reception, Registering a reception address of a counterpart server that receives the image data prior to transmission of the image data; Setting a parameter of image data to be transmitted when a reception address registration is completed; When the parameter setting is completed, the user performs scanning of the original through the image scanning apparatus; Transmitting image data from the image scanning apparatus to the printing apparatus; Storing in the image data memory unit; Transferring the image data to a designated reception address among addresses stored in the transmission address memory section; If data transmission fails, periodically retransmitting a waiting time; Deleting the transmitted image data if necessary, creating a communication history, and storing the communication history in a communication history memory unit; Method of transmitting data in a printing and image scanning system comprising a. A data receiving method in a printing and image scanning system capable of remote data transmission and reception, Registering a transmission address of a counterpart server for transmitting the image data; Setting parameters of the image data when the transmission address registration is completed; Executing a designation of a timing when periodically performing automatic data reception; When the periodic image data reception is performed, the user interprets the received contents; Saving the parameters among the received data in the image data memory ; Converting the image data into data in a directly printable form for printing; Reporting completion of reception to a transmission address as necessary when printing is normally completed; After the reception completion report, deleting image data if necessary, creating a communication history and storing the communication history in a communication history memory unit; Method of transmitting data in a printing and image scanning system comprising a.