Image capturing apparatus

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to an image capturing apparatus such as a scanner for reading an image on an original, and its control method.

[0004] 2. Related Background Art

[0005] In recent years, a system in which a scanner for reading an image on an original is connected to a local area network (LAN) or the like to which a plurality of terminals are connected, and image data obtained by the scanner is transferred to remote terminals has been proposed.

[0006] In such system, since destination terminals are normally distant from the scanner connected to the network, the scanner must designate the destination.

[0007] Normally, since the scanner does not have any display that allows the user to sufficiently confirm an image obtained by reading an original, the user cannot confirm the outline of the overall image, and an image in an unwanted format may be sent or an incomplete image may be transmitted.

[0008] It is only after the user at the designated destination outputs the received image data as a visible image that he or she notices that the received image is not a desired one. In order to obtain a desired image, the user at the scanner must repeat operation for reading an image on the original using the scanner.

[0009] It is an object of the present invention to provide an image capturing apparatus and its control method, which are free from the aforementioned problems.

[0010] It is another object of the present invention to provide an image capturing apparatus and its control method, which can confirm the read image before the image is transferred to a required destination.

[0011] It is still another object of the present invention to provide an image capturing apparatus and its control method, which can confirm an image using a device placed in the neighborhood of the image capturing apparatus, and can then transfer that image data.

[0012] The above and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0013] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a network system to which a digital hybrid machine is connected;

[0014] FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of a display example on an LCD display;

[0015] FIGS. 3 and 4 are flow charts showing the control sequence upon push scan; and

[0016] FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram showing the arrangement of a digital hybrid machine.

[0017] <System Arrangement>

[0018] FIG. 1 shows the arrangement of a communication network system to which a digital hybrid machine as an image capturing apparatus according to the present invention is connected. Referring to FIG. 1, a network client 1-1 is composed of a personal computer with a LAN interface, and can use the resources on the network under the control of a network server 1-2, as a client terminal in the network system. The network server 1-2 is comprised of a personal computer or the like, and manages the entire network.

[0019] A digital hybrid machine 101 is connected to a LAN together with the network server 1-2 and client 1-1, and comprises a scanner 1-3 for scanning and reading an image on an original, a printer 1-4 for printing an image, a control panel 1-5 as a combination of a touch panel and LCD panel having a resolution and size that can display an image for one A4 original page in a reduced scale, and an accessory 1-6 such as a finisher or the like. Also, a digital hybrid machine 102 has the same arrangement as that of the digital hybrid machine 101.

[0020] A groupware server 1-7 manages various applications that share information via the network. A mail server 1-8 is comprised of a workstation or the like, manages exchange of E-mails among terminals such as personal computers and the like connected to the LAN, and controls exchange of E-mails with a terminal connected to a terminal on the LAN via a telephone line (Internet). A terminal 1-9 is composed of a personal computer, a PDA (personal data assistant) or a dedicated terminal, and serves as a browser for browsing data on a server connected via a telephone line or the like.

[0021] The individual terminals have LAN interfaces and build an intercommunication environment.

[0022] FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the digital hybrid machine 101. A CPU 41 controls the entire hybrid machine 101, i.e., controls original scan by the scanner 1-3 and image printout by the printer 1-4, and transmission of image information onto the LAN via a LAN interface 44 by executing a program stored in a main memory 42. A secondary memory 43 is a device such as a hard disk, flexible disk, or the like for storing data files and program files. The accessory 1-6 such as a finisher or the like is attached to an accessory interface 45. The control panel 1-5 is constructed by combining an LCD panel for displaying an image, and a touch panel for making operation inputs, as described above, and can instruct the start of push scan (scan operation from the scanner 1-3 side for the LAN) and can designate an output destination and the like.

[0023] FIG. 2 shows an example of the display screen on the LCD panel of the control panel 1-5. FIG. 2 shows a case wherein the image to be displayed exceeds the panel size. In such case, a vertical scroll bar 2-1 is displayed. For example, when the operator presses the upward or downward arrow portion of the vertical scroll bar 2-1, a given portion of the touch panel that overlaps the LCD display is pressed. With this operation, the digital hybrid machine 101 vertically scrolls the frame in the direction of the pressed arrow. A horizontal scroll bar 2-2 is displayed to scroll the frame horizontally. Note that means for designating scrolling may comprise buttons or the like provided to the control panel 1-5 in place of the touch panel integrated with the display. When the image to be displayed falls within the panel size, neither scroll bars nor arrows are displayed.

[0024] In this digital hybrid machine 101, an image read by the scanner 1-3 can be output to the printer 1-4 in accordance with an instruction from the control panel 1-5. Also, in accordance with an instruction from the control panel 1-5, an image read by the scanner 1-3 can be sent to another digital hybrid machine connected via the LAN, and can be printed by the printer function of that digital hybrid machine. Furthermore, in accordance with an instruction from the control panel 1-5, an image read by the scanner 1-3 can be sent to another digital hybrid machine connected via the LAN, and can be displayed on the display of the control panel of that hybrid machine. Moreover, in accordance with an instruction from the control panel 1-5, an image read by the scanner 1-3 can be converted into a file, and can be sent to a personal computer connected via the LAN as a file attached to an E-mail. Then, the attached image can be displayed and confirmed using a user interface of a mail application of that personal computer.

[0025] <Operation Sequence Upon Push Scan>

[0026] When a push scan instruction is input from the control panel 1-5 to execute such operation, the digital hybrid machine 101 operates in the sequence shown in FIG. 3. This sequence is implemented when the CPU 41 executes a program in the main memory 42. Upon issuing the push scan instruction, an instruction for displaying the scanned image on the control panel or printing it via the printer before the image is transmitted to the designated destination is simultaneously issued.

[0027] When the push scan instruction is input, an image is read by the scanner 1-3 in step S31.

[0028] In step S32 it is checked based on the instruction input in advance if the image is displayed or printed. If the instruction for displaying the image on the control panel is input, the flow advances to step S33 to measure the image size. In step S34 it is checked based on the result of step S33 if the scanned image displayed on the LCD panel used in the current control panel 1-5 falls within the display screen, i.e., the entire image can be displayed. If the image can fall within the display screen, the image is displayed on the LCD panel in step S36. If the image falls outside the display screen, the flow advances to step S35 to switch the image display method to image display with scroll bars, and to display the image on the LCD panel.

[0029] If it is determined in step S32 that the image is printed out, the flow advances to step S37, and the image is printed by the printer 1-4.

[0030] FIG. 4 shows the processing sequence when the scanned image is output in accordance with designation at the control panel 1-5 after the scanned image is displayed on the control panel in step S35 or S36 in FIG. 3. The sequence shown in FIG. 3 is started when the operator designates the output destination and route of an image at the control panel 1-5. This designation is made by displaying a plurality of output methods that can be selected by a menu, and making the operator select one of them.

[0031] To attain processing upon outputting the scanned image from another machine, the network address of a nearby digital hybrid machine (e.g., 102) is input to the digital hybrid machine 101 in advance by operating the control panel 1-5, and is registered in the secondary memory 43.

[0032] Also, to attain processing upon displaying the scanned image on a nearby PC, a mail address accessible from that PC is input to and registered in the secondary memory 43 by operating the control panel 1-5.

[0033] When the nearby PC is connected to the LAN but cannot access the mail server 1-8 and has a web browser, the network address and a URL for image display of the network server 1-2 are registered.

[0034] Upon registering such information, symbols are set in correspondence with the distances and directions from the digital hybrid machine 101, so that the operator can easily determine the locations of the individual machines.

[0035] The flow of the processing upon confirmation displaying (previewing) the scanned image will be explained below with reference to FIG. 4.

[0036] It is checked in step S40 if it is instructed to output the image for confirmation. If the image is not output, image scan is resumed by repeating the sequence shown in FIG. 3.

[0037] On the other hand, if the image is output, the selected output method is checked in step S41.

[0038] If printing by the own machine is selected, the scanned image is printed by the printer 1-4 in step S42.

[0039] If printing by another digital hybrid machine (e.g., 102) registered in advance is selected, information indicating the location of that machine is displayed on the control panel 1-5, the image read by the scanner 1-3 is converted into a file, and that file appended with a predetermined print instruction is transmitted to the other digital hybrid machine 102 connected via the LAN in step S43. Upon receiving the image file and print instruction, the other digital hybrid machine 102 prints the image by its printer in step S44.

[0040] In the digital hybrid machine 102, a program for monitoring its own LAN port is always running as a background. This program performs the following operation in response to an interrupt at the port.

[0041] If it is determined that an interrupt at the port upon receiving data from the LAN is a print request, image data based on the original image scanned by the scanner 1-3, which follows the print request, is received, and is subjected to image processing such as expansion or the like as needed. Then, the image is printed.

[0042] On the other hand, if display by another digital hybrid machine (e.g., 102) registered in advance is selected, information indicating the location of that machine is displayed on the control panel 1-5, the image read by the scanner 1-3 is converted into a file, and that file appended with a predetermined display instruction is transmitted to the other digital hybrid machine 102 connected via the LAN in step S45. Upon receiving the image file and print instruction, the other digital hybrid machine 102 displays the image on the LCD display of its control panel in step S46, as in printing mentioned above.

[0043] If display using a personal computer (PC) registered in advance is selected, the location of the PC is displayed on the control panel 1-5.

[0044] It is then checked in step S47 if the PC which is to display the image can access the mail server 1-8 and has a function of receiving an E-mail.

[0045] If YES in step S47, the flow advances to step S48. In step S48, image data based on an image on an original scanned by the scanner 1-3 is converted into a file of a predetermined format (e.g., JPEG), and an E-mail attached with that file is sent to the mail address registered in advance.

[0046] Upon receiving this mail, the PC displays the image file attached to the mail on its display as a visible image in step S49.

[0047] On the other hand, if NO in step S47, since the PC registered in advance has a web browser, a URL for image display is displayed on the control panel 1-5, and the flow advances to step S50.

[0048] In step S50, image data based on an image on an original scanned by the scanner 1-3 is converted into a file of a predetermined format (e.g., JPEG), that file is edited to obtain an HTML file (an HTML file with an image), and the HTML file is registered in a predetermined area of the network server 1-2.

[0049] In step S51, a PC which has been registered to display an image using the web browser is connected to the network server 1-2 using the URL displayed on the digital hybrid machine to browse the HTML file on its display, thereby visually displaying the image.

[0050] Note that the image file may be edited by the network server 1-2 to obtain an HTML file.

[0051] Also, after the HTML file is formed by the network server 1-2, URL information may be transmitted from the network server 1-2 to the digital hybrid machine 101, and may be displayed on that machine.

[0052] If the operator determines that the printed or displayed image suffers disturbance or omissions, that image can be scanned again, and can be output in the same sequence as described above.

[0053] After the operator confirms the output image, he or she designates an actual output destination of that image (or designates it in advance), and sends the image to that destination.

[0054] An instruction for granting transmission to the actual output destination may be issued from either the machine which output the image for confirmation or the digital hybrid machine which scanned the image.

[0055] As described above, upon executing so-called push scan for transmitting image data read by the scanner of one digital hybrid machine to another apparatus connected via the network, the image data to be transmitted is temporarily displayed by the digital hybrid machine which scanned the image or a terminal designated by the operator, and after that, the image data is transmitted to a database, terminal or the like as an actual destination. Hence, the scanned image can be confirmed before transmission. More specifically, the scanned image data is output first from the designated output device in the neighborhood of the operator so as to allow the operator to confirm it. Then, the scanned image is output to the actual output destination, thus preventing wrong data suffering image omissions or the like from being output.

[0056] Note that the present invention may be applied to either a system constituted by a plurality of equipments (e.g., a host computer, an interface device, a reader, a printer, and the like), or an apparatus consisting of a single equipment (e.g., a copying machine, a facsimile apparatus, or the like).

[0057] The objects of the present invention are also achieved by supplying a storage medium, which records a program code of a software program that can realize the functions of the above-mentioned embodiments to the system or apparatus, and reading out and executing the program code stored in the storage medium by a computer (or a CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus.

[0058] In this case, the program code itself read out from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above-mentioned embodiments, and the storage medium which stores the program code constitutes the present invention.

[0059] As the storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a floppy disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, CD-R, magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory card, ROM, and the like may be used.

[0060] The functions of the above-mentioned embodiments may be realized not only by executing the readout program code by the computer but also by some or all of actual processing operations executed by an OS (operating system) running on the computer on the basis of an instruction of the program code.

[0061] Furthermore, the functions of the above-mentioned embodiments may be realized by some or all of actual processing operations executed by a CPU or the like arranged in a function extension board or a function extension unit, which is inserted in or connected to the computer, after the program code read out from the storage medium is written in a memory of the extension board or unit.

[0062] The present invention has been explained by way of its preferred embodiment. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims.