JP2003169203A - Filing system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To improve the convenience of reprocessing by making it possible to edit a stored document at the time of reprocessing by making it possible to edit the stored document even in page units. Provide a possible filing system. An MFP includes an image input unit for reading image data of a document, a printing unit for printing image data, a communication unit for transmitting and receiving image data via a communication line, and an image input unit. And / or a re-processing unit for re-processing the stored document edited by the PC 3 using a printing unit and / or a communication unit. The PC 3 includes an editing unit for editing the stored document stored in the storage unit of the MFP 1 in page units.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a filing system, and more particularly to a filing system, which is applied to a processing system for performing data processing such as document copying, facsimile communication, and document scanning. The present invention relates to a filing system in which data can be reused for printing, facsimile transmission, etc. without being aware of the processing content when the data is taken.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, documents such as important documents (documents on which images and characters are displayed) and documents that may be used in the future are filed as they are recorded on paper and arranged on a bookshelf or the like. It had been. However, in a business office having a large number of documents, there are problems that a lot of space is taken for storing the documents and it takes time to find a desired document.

For this reason, in recent years, as data processing technology has become more sophisticated and faster, and storage means have become cheaper, documents that need to be stored are read by a scanner device and stored in a large-capacity storage device. The so-called filing system has become widespread.

However, in the conventional filing system, there is a problem that the work is complicated because it is necessary to read the document by the scanner device.

In order to solve this problem, the present inventor has found that the document stored in the file device is a document copied by a copying machine for use in a conference, a document transmitted / received to / from a business partner by a facsimile device, or the like. Focused on the point. Then, the inventor of the present application utilizes the fact that the document to be stored is converted into an electric signal one or more times, and sends the same data as the digitized image data to a storage unit to store and hold the data, and to store the data in the communication line. We proposed a filing system that can be accessed from a client computer connected via a network or a network to search and select stored documents for printing or facsimile transmission.

In such a filing system,
A multi-page document that has been placed on the automatic document feeder (ADF) and processed, or a multi-page document that has been stapled together is regarded as one processing unit, and this is regarded as one storage unit, that is, one document. Is treated as This focuses on the fact that processing is often performed in document units even during reprocessing, and is accepted as an effective storage unit.

[0007]

However, as the number of stored documents increases and the efficiency of reuse increases, a new demand has arisen to use the document in a unit different from the one stored. Specifically, for example, when "I want to print only this page in one document", or "This page of this document and that page of that document are FA
In order to respond to a request such as "I want to do X", the conventional system could only reprocess each document, so each document was printed out separately and made into a paper document, and then the required pages were aligned. A procedure of reprocessing the document is required, and there is a problem that processing efficiency decreases.

The present invention has been made in view of the above, and by making it possible to edit a stored document page by page, it is possible to construct a structure different from the document structure at the time of storage at the time of reprocessing, An object is to provide a filing system that can improve the convenience of reprocessing.

[0009]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention according to claim 1 provides an image input means for reading image data of a document, a printing means for printing the image data, A communication unit for transmitting and receiving image data via a communication line, a storage unit for storing the image data input via the image input unit and / or the communication unit as a storage document, and storage unit for storing the image data in the storage unit. Means for editing the stored document in page units, and the stored document edited by the editing means,
Alternatively, reprocessing means for performing reprocessing using communication means is provided.

According to the above invention, when reprocessing a document composed of a plurality of pages, by editing such as deleting, repeating or rearranging a specific page, only necessary pages of the stored document can be displayed. By reprocessing or changing the order, the convenience of the filing system when reusing stored documents is improved.

The invention according to claim 2 provides the invention according to claim 1.
In the invention according to the first aspect, the editing means has a function of connecting a plurality of accumulated documents in page units. According to the above invention, by linking a plurality of stored documents in page units, only necessary pages are taken out and linked with other documents, inserted between pages of other documents, or a plurality of documents are linked. The necessary pages are taken out from each to construct a new document and improve the convenience of the filing system when reusing the stored documents.

The invention according to claim 3 is the same as that of claim 1.
Alternatively, in the invention according to claim 2, the editing means displays all pages of the stored document on a display screen to perform editing.

According to the above invention, the editing means displays all the pages of the stored document on the display screen and edits them, thereby displaying all the pages of the stored document selected for reprocessing and editing them in page units. By performing the operation and confirming the processing order of the edited concatenated document to prevent erroneous setting at the time of reprocessing, convenience and reliability of the filing system are improved.

[0014]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Preferred embodiments of the filing system according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration example of a filing system according to the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a digital copying machine (MFP: Multi Function).
nPeripheral), 2 is a file device, 3 is P
C (personal computer) is shown. Digital copier (MFP) 1, filing device 2, and PC 3
Are connected to each other via Intra NET.

The MFP 1 has a copy function, a scanner function,
It has a facsimile function, a document file storage function, and the like, and performs reprocessing of stored documents (printing of stored documents, fax transmission, etc.) according to a reprocessing instruction of the PC 3.
The file device 2 stores the document files transmitted from the MFP 1 and the PC 3. The PC 3 is provided with an application for reprocessing and editing the stored documents stored in the MFP 1.
The accumulated document of No. 1 is reprocessed. In the present specification, reprocessing refers to print processing of stored documents stored in the memory, transmission processing to the outside, and the like.

FIG. 2 shows an MFP: (Multi Func
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a device (region peripheral) 1 of FIG. The MFP 1 shown in FIG.
OM12, RAM13, hard disk 14, scanner 15, plotter 16, timer 11a, display operation unit 18,
Keypad 18a, display port 18b, speaker 18
c, modem 17, NCU 19, and I / F 20. CPU 11, ROM 12, RAM 13, hard disk 14, scanner 15, plotter 16, timer 1
1a, the display operation unit 18, the modem 17, the NCU 19, and the I / F 20 are connected to each other via a system bus.

According to the control program stored in the ROM 12, the CPU 11 uses the RAM 13 as a work area for temporarily storing image data, sensor signals and the like, and controls various parts of the apparatus to perform various processes. The timer 11a is a timer function used when the CPU 11 controls each part of the device, and the timer 11a is used when counting the timing for synchronizing each part of the device, for example.

Stored documents and processing conditions are stored in the hard disk 14, and an application identifier indicating which application (copy, fax, printer, scanner) was processed at the time of storage in association with this stored document, A stored document ID for identifying the stored document, a page ID in the stored document, a stored document and thumbnail images corresponding to each page in the stored document are stored. The application identifier stored in the hard disk 14 and the stored document I
The D, page ID, thumbnail image, etc. are read by the PC 3 and displayed in a predetermined format on the editing screen of the PC 3 (see FIG. 4). The stored documents and processing conditions are
The configuration is not limited to being stored in the hard disk 14 inside the MFP 1, and may be stored in the file device 2 connected via a network (Intra NET).

The scanner 15 is, for example, an automatic document feeder (AD) for a sheet-shaped document set on a document table.
After separately feeding by F) and positioning on the contact glass (reading position), by a known reading method,
The document (a document including images and characters) is irradiated with light from an exposure lamp, and the reflected light from the image surface is photoelectrically converted by a CCD to read image data.

The plotter 16 optically writes the image data read / received and latched in the RAM 13 constituting the image memory unit onto a photosensitive member charged while being rotationally driven by a known electrophotographic recording system, for example. The toner image to which toner has been attached (toner developed) is transferred to and fixed on the paper conveyed from the paper feed cassette to the electrostatic latent image, and the paper is discharged to the outside of the apparatus.

The modem 17 and NCU 19 are connected to the modem 1
7 modulates and demodulates image data and various procedure signals,
The NCU 19 executes line control with the PSTN (public line) 19a to connect / disconnect the line, thereby performing facsimile communication for transmitting / receiving facsimile data to / from a destination facsimile terminal. The MFP 1 is
An image processing unit that functions as a DCR (encoding / decoding) for encoding / compressing image data and for decoding / decompressing the image data may be provided, and when copying, enlarge / reduce to an image of a size designated by the user. The image processing may be performed on the image data.

Network I / F (interface)
Reference numeral 20 is for connecting the MFP 1 to the Intra NET 23, and the user can access the stored document from the PC 3 of FIG. 1 via the network I / F (interface) 20.

The display operation section 18 is composed of a key port 18a, a display port 18b, and a speaker 18c prepared in an operation port provided on the upper front surface of the apparatus main body. The display port 18b has a drive condition,
A display operation LCD (Liquid Crystal) with a touch panel for displaying various information such as a device state and input conditions and for performing selection input such as function selection by a user.
al Display).

When the CPU 11 controls the respective parts 12 to 20 of the apparatus, the scanner 15 functions as an image reading device, and a transmission function of transmitting image data by facsimile communication and a copy (recording and outputting the read image data). It can be used as a copying machine having a copy function and a recording function for recording and outputting received image data.

Further, the MFP 1 may be configured so that it can be used alone as a printer device that receives image data from the PC 3 and records and outputs it, or as a scanner device that sends read image data to the PC 3, and these image data can be used. It may be reprocessed.

Next, a description will be given of the processing in the MFP 1 in the case of reprocessing the stored document after storing the document. Here, an example will be described in which the document accumulated during the copy process is reprinted. However, the same applies to other reprocesses such as the case where the document accumulated during the FAX transmission process is re-FAX transmitted. Can be explained in a flow.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of an operation screen when the copy function of the display operation unit 18 is used. In the figure, 31 is a document accumulation key, 32 is a mode / image density selection key,
33 is an edit key, 34 is a post-processing key such as sort, stack, staple, and punch, and 35 is a start key.

When performing copy processing, various printing conditions can be set by pressing the keys 32 to 34. When the document accumulation key 31 is pressed after setting various printing conditions, documents to be processed are accumulated. When various option items for copy processing are set and the start key 35 is pressed to start copying, at the same time as printing conditions including image data and various option settings are set on the hard disk 1.
Accumulated in 4.

FIG. 4 is a PC for accessing the MFP 1 from the PC 3 and searching / processing the stored document in the MFP 1.
3 is an operation screen of No. 3. This operation screen is displayed when the application for reprocessing and editing stored in the PC 3 is activated. When the application for reprocessing and editing is started, the hard disk 1 of the MFP 1
The application identifier, the stored document ID, the page ID, the thumbnail image, etc. stored in the PC 4 are stored in the PC 3
Read out and displayed in a fixed format on the operation screen shown in FIG.

The operation screen shown in FIG. 4 shows a storage application selection area 41 for displaying which application (copy, fax, printer, or scanner) the stored document was processed at the time of storage divided into directories, and the processing of each application. It comprises an accumulated document display area 42 for displaying accumulated documents and a page edit area 61 for displaying all pages of the selected accumulated document. In the figure, the selected object is displayed in diagonal lines.

In the accumulated document display area 42, each document is displayed by a display method such as thumbnail display, icon display, or list display. The example shown in FIG. 4 shows the case of thumbnail display. An accumulated document ID for identifying the accumulated document is displayed at the top of each page. When a document to be reprinted is selected in the accumulated document display area 42 and printing is instructed by clicking the mouse on the sub-screen 43, a print setting screen as shown in FIG. 5 is displayed.

On this print setting screen, a copy number designation field 51 for designating the number of print copies and a concatenation designation field 52 designated when printing a plurality of documents together are displayed. In this print setting screen, the number of copies to be designated is designated in the number-of-copies designation field 51, and printing is started. Further, when a plurality of documents are selected and they are desired to be connected and printed as one document, the connection designation column 52 is checked and printing is started.

In the page edit area 61, all pages of the document selected in the accumulated document display area 42 are displayed.
As the display method of the accumulated document display area 42, thumbnail display, icon display, list display, and the like are performed as in the accumulated document display area 42. In the example shown in FIG. 6, a thumbnail display is shown. An accumulated document ID for identifying the accumulated document and a page ID in the accumulated document are displayed at the top of each page.

In the accumulated document display area 42, every time the selected document is changed, the page displayed in the page edit area 61 is switched. In the accumulated document display area 42,
When a plurality of documents are selected, all pages of the documents are displayed in the page edit area 61 in the selected order as shown in FIG. In this page editing area 61, the page can be moved by dragging the mouse to a desired position, and the page editing function sub-screen 71 displayed by clicking can delete, copy, and paste. . When page editing is completed and a print instruction is given in the stored document display area 42 by clicking the mouse or the like, printing is performed by the MFP 1 in the order displayed in the page edit area 61.

Next, with reference to FIG. 7, the print processing (reprocessing) of the stored document of the filing system will be described. FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining the print processing (reprocessing) of the stored document of the filing system.

In FIG. 7, first, in the PC 3, when a print instruction is given by the user on the operation screen (step S1), the information of the page displayed in the page edit area 61 of the operation screen is read into the memory ( In step S2), the stored document ID specifying the stored document and the page ID specifying the page in the document are stored in association with each other in order to create print order data (step S3).
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the format of print order data. In the example shown in FIG. 8, a stored document ID for identifying a stored document and a page ID for identifying a page in the document are associated in the printing order. Stored.

Then, it is judged whether or not all pages are stored (step S4), and the same processing is repeated until all pages are stored (steps S1 to S).
4). When the storage of all pages is completed, the print instruction and the print order data are transmitted to the MFP 1 as a reprocessing instruction (step S5).

When the MFP 1 receives the reprocessing instruction from the PC 3 (step P1), the printing condition of the stored document to which the first page of the printing order data belongs is read from the hard disk 14 and the printing condition is determined (step P2).
Here, the print condition of the stored document to which the first page belongs is used as the print condition. However, in FIG. 4, the print condition change is instructed to change the condition on a print condition change screen (not shown), or The print condition of the stored document to which the page belongs may be set.

Next, the pages of the stored document corresponding to the stored document ID and the page ID of the print order data are sequentially read from the hard disk 14 (step P3), the pages of the corresponding stored document are expanded in the RAM 13, and the print image is printed. Is created and printed out from the plotter 16 (step P
4). Then, it is determined whether or not all pages have been printed (step P5), and the same processing is repeatedly executed until the printing of all pages is completed (steps P3 to P5). When all pages have been printed, the printing process ends (step P6).

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the editing function (deletion, repetition, rearrangement of a specific page, etc.) for editing the stored document to be reprocessed page by page is provided. Therefore, it is possible to reprocess only the necessary pages of the stored document or change the order, and it is possible to improve the convenience of the filing system when reusing the stored document.

Further, according to the present embodiment, when a plurality of stored documents are linked and reprocessed, a function of linking with other documents page by page is provided, so that only necessary pages are extracted. It can be linked with other documents, inserted between pages of other documents, or can be configured as a new document by extracting only the required pages from multiple documents. It is possible to improve convenience.

Further, according to the present embodiment, since all pages of the stored document selected for reprocessing are displayed, the editing operation can be easily performed page by page, and the edited concatenated pages can be combined. Since the processing order of the documents can be confirmed, erroneous settings at the time of reprocessing can be prevented, and the convenience and reliability of the filing system can be improved.

The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and can be carried out by appropriately modifying it without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, in the present embodiment, the PC 3 performs the editing for reprocessing the stored document stored in the MFP 1, but the MFP 1 may perform the editing for reprocessing the stored document. . That is, the configuration may be such that the filing system is constructed by the MFP 1 alone.

[0045]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the invention, the image input means for reading the image data of the document, the printing means for printing the image data, and the communication line are used. A communication unit for transmitting and receiving image data, a storage unit for storing the image data input via the image input unit and / or the communication unit as a storage document, and a storage document stored in the storage unit. Since it is provided with the editing means for editing in page units and the reprocessing means for reprocessing the accumulated document edited by the editing means by using the printing means and / or the communication means, a plurality of When reprocessing a document consisting of pages, by enabling editing such as deleting, repeating, and rearranging specific pages, you can reprocess only the required pages of the stored document or change the order. It is possible to or subjected to change,
It is possible to improve the convenience of the filing system when reusing the stored documents.

According to the invention of claim 2, in the invention of claim 1, the editing means has a function of connecting a plurality of stored documents in page units. By linking the stored documents of each page in units of pages, you can extract only the necessary pages and link them with other documents, insert them between the pages of other documents, or only the required pages from multiple documents. It can be taken out and constructed as a new document, and the convenience of the filing system at the time of reuse of the stored document can be improved.

The invention according to claim 3 is the same as claim 1
Alternatively, in the invention according to claim 2, since the editing means displays all the pages of the stored document on the display screen for editing, the editing means displays all the pages of the stored document on the display screen. All pages of the stored document selected for reprocessing can be displayed by performing editing in order to make it possible to easily perform page-by-page editing operations and to confirm the processing order of edited linked documents. Therefore, erroneous setting at the time of reprocessing can be prevented, and the convenience and reliability of the filing system can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration example of a filing system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a digital copying machine (MFP: Multi) of FIG.
It is a block diagram which shows the structure of Function Peripheral.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of an operation screen when the copy function of the display operation unit of FIG. 2 is used.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of an operation screen of the PC when the MFP accesses the MFP from the PC to search and process a stored document in the MFP.

5 is a diagram showing an example of a print setting screen of FIG.

6 is a diagram for explaining editing of a stored document on the operation screen of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a printing process (reprocessing) of a stored document of the filing system.

FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining a case in which a stored document ID and a page ID for specifying a page in the document are stored in the memory in association with each other in order.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 MFP (digital copier) 2 file devices 3 PC (personal computer) 11 CPU 11a timer 12 ROM 13 RAM 14 hard disk 15 Scanner 16 plotter 17 modem 18 Display operation unit 18a keypad 18b Display port 18c speaker 19 NCU 19a PSTN 20 I / F 23 Intra NET

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI theme code (reference) G06T 11/60 100 G06T 11/60 100C H04N 1/21 H04N 1/21 F term (reference) 2C187 AC07 AD03 AD04 AD14 CC08 CD18 DB15 FA01 5B050 AA10 BA06 BA10 BA16 CA05 CA08 FA02 FA03 FA19 GA08 5B075 ND06 ND27 NK10 PQ02 PQ03 PQ05 UU06 5C073 AB03 AB04 AB09 AB12 5C076 AA19 AA22 CA02

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An image input unit for reading image data of a document, a printing unit for printing the image data, a communication unit for transmitting and receiving the image data via a communication line, the image input unit, and And / or a storage unit that stores image data input via the communication unit as a storage document, an editing unit that edits the storage document stored in the storage unit page by page, and an editing unit that edits the storage document. And a reprocessing unit for reprocessing the stored document using the printing unit and / or the communication unit. 2. The filing system according to claim 1, wherein the editing unit has a function of connecting a plurality of accumulated documents in page units. 3. The filing system according to claim 1, wherein the editing unit edits by displaying all pages of the stored document on a display screen.