Network management system, computer system, copy server, file server, network copy file management method, and computer readable medium

Abstract

Image data gathered by a scanner portion is stored into an image file, and stored into a hard disc. A client terminal requests a copy server to send management information of the image files in the hard disc. A control portion that receives the file management information request reads out file management information on the image files in a requested directory, from the hard disc, and sends it to a client terminal. An operator selects an image file on the basis of the management information, and the copy server is requested to down load a corresponding image file.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A network copy file management system comprising a copy system, a terminal and a third network device which are interconnected through a common network, 
 (A) the copy system comprising: 
 an image reading portion that reads out an original copy to obtain image data;  
 an image file storing portion that converts image data obtained by the image reading portion into a image file format and stores the image file on a disk;  
 a management information responding portion that, upon request of a terminal, transmits the requested multiple pieces of management information of image files within a predetermined range to the terminal through the network; and  
 an image file transmitting portion that, upon request of a terminal, reads out the requested image files from the disk and transmits the files to the third network device specified by the terminal through the network; and  
   (B) the terminal comprising: 
 a management information requesting portion that requests management information of image files within a predetermined range from the copy system through the network;  
 a display portion that displays multiple pieces of management information transmitted from the copy system upon request;  
 an input portion that accepts data input by an operator, the data specifying any of image files indicated respectively by multiple pieces of management information displayed on the display portion, and data input by an operator, the data specifying a third network device to which image file is to be transmitted; and  
 an image file transmission requesting portion that requests the copy system to transmit any of image files specified by data input accepted by the input portion of image files indicated respectively by multiple pieces of management information displayed on the display portion to the specified third network device through the network.  
   
     
     
         2 . A network copy file management system according to  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of directories are defined in the disk and the image file is stored in any of the directories.  
     
     
         3 . A network copy file management system according to  claim 2 , wherein the predetermined range is the range of the directory.  
     
     
         4 . A network copy file management system according to  claim 3 , wherein when low hierarchical directory is defined within the predetermined range, the management information responding portion transmits management information of the low hierarchical directory to the terminal, and the display portion displays a directory structure based on management information of the directory.  
     
     
         5 . A network copy file management system according to  claim 1 , wherein the display portion displays management information of a third network device communicable with the copy system.  
     
     
         6 . A network copy file management system according to  claim 5 , wherein 
 the input portion accepts data input by an operator, the data specifying any of image files of management information of the third network device displayed on the display portion, and    the image file requesting portion requests the copy system to transmit any of the image files specified by the data input accepted by the input portion to the third network device.    
     
     
         7 . A network copy file management system according to  claim 6 , wherein the input portion comprises a pointing device.  
     
     
         8 . A network copy file management system according to  claim 1 , wherein the image file is a JPEG file, and the image file storing portion generates JPEG data by JPEG compressing the image data to store the JPEG data into the JPEG file.  
     
     
         9 . A network copy file management system according to  claim 1 , wherein the image file storing portion generates JPEG data for fine image by JPEG compressing the image data and generates JPEG data for rough image by JPEG compressing the image data whose resolution has been reduced, and combines the JPEG data for fine and rough images to store the data into one JPEG file.  
     
     
         10 . A network copy file management system according to  claim 9 , wherein when an original copy of a plurality of pages exists, the image file storing portion combines JPEG data for fine and rough images generated for each page to store the data into one JPEG file.  
     
     
         11 . A network copy file management system according to  claim 1 , wherein the image file is a TIFF file, and the image file storing portion stores the image data into the TIFF file.  
     
     
         12 . A network copy file management system according to  claim 1 , wherein the image file storing portion generates JPEG data for rough image by JPEG compressing the image data whose resolution has been reduced and combines the image data and the JPEG data for rough image to store the data into one TIFF file.  
     
     
         13 . A network copy file management system according to  claim 12 , wherein when an original copy of a plurality of pages exists, the image file storing portion combines image data of each page and JPEG data for rough image generated for each page to store the data into one TIFF file.  
     
     
         14 . A network copy file management system according to  claim 1 , wherein management information of the image file transmitted to the terminal by the management information responding portion is a file name of the image file.  
     
     
         15 . A network copy file management system according to  claim 9 , wherein 
 the copy system further comprises a rough image JPEG file responding portion for extracting, upon request of the terminal, the rough image JPEG data from the requested image files and storing the extracted rough image JPEG data into a rough image JPEG file to transmit the file to the terminal,    the terminal further comprises a rough image JPEG file requesting portion for requesting the rough image JPEG file regarding the image file within a predetermined range from the copy system, and    the display portion displays rough image based on the rough image JPEG data in the rough image JPEG file transmitted from the copy system, upon request.    
     
     
         16 . A network copy file management system according to  claim 12 , wherein 
 the copy system further comprises a rough image JPEG file responding portion for extracting, upon request of the terminal, the rough image JPEG data from the requested image files and storing the extracted rough image JPEG data into a rough image JPEG file to transmit the file to the terminal,    the terminal further comprises a rough image JPEG file requesting portion for requesting the rough image JPEG file regarding the image file within a predetermined range from the copy system, and    the display portion displays rough image based on the rough image JPEG data in the rough image JPEG file transmitted from the copy system, upon request.    
     
     
         17 . A network copy file management system according to  claim 10 , wherein 
 the copy system further comprises a rough image JPEG file responding portion for extracting, upon request of the terminal, the rough image JPEG data for the requested page from the requested image files and storing the extracted rough image JPEG data into a rough image JPEG file to transmit the file to the terminal,    the terminal further comprises a rough image JPEG file requesting portion for requesting the rough image JPEG file for any page regarding any of image files specified by data input accepted by the input portion from the copy system, and    the display portion displays rough image based on the rough image JPEG data in the rough image JPEG file transmitted from the copy system, upon request.    
     
     
         18 . A network copy file management system according to  claim 13 , wherein 
 the copy system further comprises a rough image JPEG file responding portion for extracting, upon request of the terminal, the rough image JPEG data for the requested page from the requested image files and storing the extracted rough image JPEG data into a rough image JPEG file to transmit the file to the terminal,    the terminal further comprises a rough image JPEG file requesting portion for requesting the rough image JPEG file for any page regarding any of image files specified by data input accepted by the input portion from the copy system, and    the display portion displays rough image based on the rough image JPEG data in the rough image JPEG file transmitted from the copy system, upon request.    
     
     
         19 . A copy system comprising a scanner for reading out an original copy and a printer for printing based on image date read out by the scanner, the copy system being communicable with a terminal and a third network device through a common network, the copy system comprising: 
 an image file storing portion that converts image data obtained by reading out an original copy by the scanner into an image file format and stores the image file on a disk;    a management information responding portion that transmits the requested multiple pieces of management information of image files within a predetermined range to the terminal through the network when the terminal requests management information of image files within a predetermined range stored on the disk;    an image file transmitting portion that reads out the requested image files from the disk and transmits the files to the third network device specified by the terminal through the network when the terminal requests transmission of image file corresponding to any of plural pieces of management information transmitted to the terminal to the third network device;    a computer readable medium that stores a program causing a computer of the terminal to request management information of image files within a predetermined range from the management information responding potion through the network, causing the computer to display the plural pieces of management information transmitted from the management information responding portion upon this request, and causing the computer to request the image file transmitting portion through the network to transmit the image file corresponding to the specified management information to the specified third network device when any of plural pieces of management information being displayed is specified by an operator of the terminal and a third network device to which the image file is to be transmitted is specified by an operator of the terminal; and    a program transmitting portion that transmits the program stored into the computer readable medium to the terminal through the network upon request of the terminal.    
     
     
         20 . A copy server which constitutes a copy system in which a scanner for reading out an original copy and a printer for printing based on a image date read out by the scanner are connected thereto, the copy server being communicable with a terminal and a third network device through a common network, the copy server comprising: 
 an image file storing portion that converts image data obtained by reading out an original copy by the scanner into an image file format and stores the image file on a disk;    a management information responding portion that transmits the requested multiple pieces of management information of image files within a predetermined range to the terminal through the network when the terminal requests management information of image files within a predetermined range stored on the disk;    an image file transmitting portion that reads out the requested image files from the disk and transmits the files to the third network device specified by the terminal through the network when the terminal requests transmission of image file corresponding to any of plural pieces of management information transmitted to the terminal to the third network device;    a computer readable medium that stores a program causing a computer of the terminal to request management information of image files within a predetermined range from the management information responding potion through the network, causing the computer to display the plural pieces of management information transmitted from the management information responding portion upon this request, and causing the computer to request the image file transmitting portion through the network to transmit the image file corresponding to the specified management information to the specified third network device when any of plural pieces of management information being displayed is specified by an operator of the terminal and a third network device to which the image file is to be transmitted is specified by an operator of the terminal; and    a program transmitting portion that transmits the program stored into the computer readable medium to the terminal through the network upon request of the terminal.    
     
     
         21 . A network copy file management method of managing image file obtained by reading out an original document by a copy system in a network copy system comprising the copy system, a terminal and a third network device which are interconnected through a common network, wherein 
 the terminal requests management information of image files within a predetermined range from the copy system through the network,    the copy system transmits the requested multiple pieces of management information of image files within a predetermined range to the terminal though the network,    the terminal displays the transmitted multiple pieces of management information,    the terminal requests the copy system to transmit image file corresponding to management information specified by an operator of multiple pieces of management information being displayed to the third network device specified by an operator through the network, and    the copy system transmits image files requested by the terminal to the third network device specified by the terminal through the network.    
     
     
         22 . A computer readable medium storing a program which causes a computer which constitutes a copy system that includes a scanner for reading an original copy and a printer for printing based on image data read out by the scanner which are connected each other and that is communicable with a terminal and a third network device through a common network: 
 to convert image data obtained by reading out an original copy by the scanner into an image file format and store the image file on a disk;    to transmit, when the terminal requests management information of image file within a predetermined range stored on the disk, the requested plural pieces of management information of image files within a predetermined range to the terminal through the network; and    to read out the requested image file from the disk and transmit the file to the third network device through the network when the terminal requests transmission of image file corresponding to any of the plural pieces of management information transmitted to the terminal to the specified third network, and    the program causes a computer constituting the terminal:    to request management information of image files within a predetermined range from the computer constituting the copy system through the network;    to display multiple pieces of management information transmitted from the computer constituting the copy system upon request; and    to transmit, upon request of the terminal, an Applet program for requesting the computer constituting the copy system, through the network, to transmit image file corresponding to specified management information to the specified third network device to the terminal when any of the plural pieces of management information being displayed is specified by an operator of the terminal and a third network device to which image file is to be transmitted is specified by an operator of the terminal.    
     
     
         23 . A network copy file management method for managing image files obtained by reading image information on an original document in a network copy file management system including a copy system and a terminal which are interconnected through a network so as to be in direct communication with one another via the network, wherein 
 said terminal requests said copy system to send management information for one or more image files within a predetermined range;    said copy system sends to said terminal one or more data items of the management information for the image files within the predetermined range;    said terminal displays the transmitted data items of the management information;    said terminal requests said copy system to send the image files corresponding to the data items of the management information specified by an operator; and    said copy system sends the requested image files to said terminal.