Network scanning system

Abstract

An image scanner device connected to a general information processing apparatus can be used on a network at a low cost, and further, the firmware of hardware for this purpose can be a maintenance-free firmware, thus user's convenience can be improved. A scanner/network connection apparatus 100 to connect a scanner 200 to a network 300 has an LCD server to drive a LCD as a display unit, a touch panel task to transmit a touch position on a touch panel, and a SCSI server to connect the scanner 200 to the network. A PC 500 to control the scanner has a virtual LCD driver, a virtual touch panel driver, and a virtual SCSI driver, operating to provide an environment as if the LCD, the touch panel and the image scanner of the scanner/network connection apparatus 100 are connected to the PC 500 . The virtual LCD driver draws a screen image as a user interface for various operations, and the result of drawing is displayed on the LCD of the scanner/network connection apparatus 100 . Thus an interactive operation environment can be provided to the user.

1 . A network scanning system having: a connection apparatus including a scanner interface and a network interface, which are connected to a scanner device connected to a general information processing apparatus, so as to cause said scanner device to function as a network scanner device; and a control apparatus to control said connection apparatus via a network, 
 wherein said connection apparatus comprising:    standard input/output means for receiving bitmap image data generated by drawing processing in said control apparatus via said network interface then displaying the bitmap image data on a predetermined display unit, and outputting an input into a predetermined instruction input unit from a user to said control apparatus via said network interface; and    scanner communication means for receiving an instruction command to said scanner device issued by said control apparatus via said network interface then outputting the command to said scanner interface, and transmitting data received via said scanner interface to said control apparatus via said network interface,    and wherein said control apparatus comprising:    virtual standard input/output means for transmitting bitmap image data drawn in accordance with a request from a scanner control application to said standard input/output means of said connection apparatus, and notifying said application of an input from said standard input/output means, thereby causing said standard input/output means of said connection apparatus to function as a virtual standard input/output device of said control apparatus; and    virtual scanner communication means for transmitting a request command from a scanner driver for said scanner device to said scanner communication means of said connection apparatus, and outputting information from said scanner communication means to said scanner driver, thereby causing said scanner device connected to said connection apparatus to function as a scanner device virtually connected to said control apparatus.    
   
   
       2 . The network scanning system according to  claim 1 , wherein said instruction input unit is a coordinate input panel provided on a display screen of said display unit.  
   
   
       3 . The network scanning system according to  claim 1 , wherein the bitmap image data outputted from said control apparatus includes a display coordinate position and a size of said display unit of said connection apparatus.  
   
   
       4 . The network scanning system according to  claim 1 , wherein a communication protocol between said control apparatus and said connection apparatus is TCP/IP, and wherein an output and an input by said standard input/output means and said scanner communication means use different logic port numbers.  
   
   
       5 . The network scanning system according to  claim 1 , wherein said connection apparatus further comprising: 
 means for receiving plural bitmap image data from said control apparatus and storing the data;    animation display means for, when a start instruction is received from said control apparatus, displaying the stored bitmap image data at predetermined time intervals; and    means for, when a stop instruction is received from said control apparatus, stopping said animation display means.    
   
   
       6 . A scanner connection apparatus, having a network interface, and a scanner interface which is connected to a scanner device connected to a general information processing apparatus, which functions as a standard input/output device for a control apparatus connected to a network and which outputs image data read by said scanner device to said control apparatus in accordance with a request from said control apparatus, comprising: 
 standard input/output means for receiving bitmap image data generated by drawing processing in said control apparatus via said network interface then displaying the bitmap image data on a predetermined display unit, and outputting an input into a predetermined instruction input unit from a user to said control apparatus via the network interface; and    scanner communication means for receiving an instruction command to said scanner device issued by said-control apparatus via said network interface then outputting the command to said scanner interface, and transmitting data received via said scanner interface to said control apparatus via said network interface.    
   
   
       7 . A control method for a scanner connection apparatus, having a network interface, and a scanner interface which is connected to a scanner device connected to a general information processing apparatus, which functions as a standard input/output device for a control apparatus connected to a network and which outputs image data read by said scanner device to said control apparatus in accordance with a request from said control apparatus, said method comprising: 
 a standard input/output step of receiving bitmap image data generated by drawing processing in said control apparatus via said network interface then displaying the bitmap image data on a predetermined display unit, and outputting an input into a predetermined instruction input unit from a user to said control apparatus via said network interface; and    a scanner communication step of receiving an instruction command to said scanner device issued by said control apparatus via said network interface then outputting the command to said scanner interface, and transmitting data received via said scanner interface to said control apparatus via said network interface.    
   
   
       8 . A scanner control apparatus which remote-controls via a network a connection apparatus having: a network interface; a scanner interface which is connected to a scanner device connected to a general information processing apparatus; standard input/output means for functioning as a standard input/output device; and scanner connection means for outputting image data read by said scanner device connected to said scanner interface to a network in accordance with a request received via said network interface, said scanner control apparatus comprising: 
 virtual standard input/output means for transmitting bitmap image data drawn in accordance with a request from a scanner control application to said standard input/output means of said connection apparatus, and notifying said application of an input from said standard input/output means, thereby causing said standard input/output means of said connection apparatus to function as a virtual standard input/output device of said scanner control apparatus; and    virtual scanner communication means for transmitting a request command from a scanner driver for said scanner device to said scanner communication means of said connection apparatus, and outputting information from said scanner communication means to said scanner driver, thereby causing said scanner device connected to said connection apparatus to function as a scanner device virtually connected to said control apparatus.    
   
   
       9 . A control method for a scanner control apparatus which remote-controls via a network a connection apparatus having: a network interface; a scanner interface which is connected to a scanner device connected to a general information processing apparatus; standard input/output means for functioning as a standard input/output device; and scanner connection means for outputting image data read by said scanner device connected to said scanner interface to a network in accordance with a request received via said network interface, said method comprising: 
 a virtual standard input/output step of transmitting bitmap image data drawn in accordance with a request from a scanner control application to said standard input/output means of said connection apparatus, and notifying said application of an input from said standard input/output means, thereby causing said standard input/output means of said connection apparatus to function as a virtual standard input/output device of said scanner control apparatus; and    a virtual scanner communication step of transmitting a request command from a scanner driver for said scanner device to said scanner communication means of said connection apparatus, and outputting information from said scanner communication means to said scanner driver, thereby causing said scanner device connected to said connection apparatus to function as a scanner device virtually connected to said control apparatus.    
   
   
       10 . A computer program which functions as a scanner control apparatus which remote-controls via a network a connection apparatus having: a network interface; a scanner interface which is connected to a scanner device connected to a general information processing apparatus; standard input/output means for functioning as a standard input/output device; and scanner connection means for outputting image data read by said scanner device connected to said scanner interface to a network in accordance with a request received via said network interface, said program functions as: 
 virtual standard input/output means for transmitting bitmap image data drawn in accordance with a request from a scanner control application to said standard input/output means of said connection apparatus, and notifying said application of an input from said standard input/output means, thereby causing said standard input/output means of said connection apparatus to function as a virtual standard input/output device of said control apparatus; and    virtual scanner communication means for transmitting a request command from a scanner driver for said scanner device to said scanner communication means of said connection apparatus, and outputting information from said scanner communication means to said scanner driver, thereby causing said scanner device connected to said connection apparatus to function as a scanner device virtually connected to said control apparatus.    
   
   
       11 . The computer program according to  claim 10 , wherein said computer program as said virtual standard input/output means and said virtual scanner communication means is a device driver.  
   
   
       12 . A computer program of the scanner control application according to  claim 10 , which functions as: 
 drawing request means for requiring said virtual standard input/output means of drawing of an operation image;    instruction input means for receiving an instruction by a user from said virtual standard input/output means;    interface means for setting scanning conditions by repeating operations by said drawing request means and said instruction input means;    reading request means for, during setting by said interface means, if the instruction from said virtual standard input/output means relates to start of scanning, requiring said scanner driver of original reading; and    reception means for receiving an original image via said scanner driver by said reading request means.    
   
   
       13 . A network scanning system having: a connection apparatus including a scanner interface and a network interface, which are connected to a scanner device connected to a general information processing apparatus, so as to cause said scanner device to function as a network scanner device; and a control device to control said connection apparatus via a network, 
 wherein said connection apparatus comprising:    command execution means for receiving an instruction command from said control apparatus via said network interface and executes the command for said scanner interface; and    output means for outputting data, received from said scanner interface as a result of execution by said command execution means, to said control apparatus via said network interface,    and wherein said control apparatus comprising:    virtual scanner communication means for outputting a request command from a scanner driver for said scanner device, which operates on said control apparatus, to said connection apparatus, and receiving information from said connection apparatus then outputting the information to said scanner driver, thereby causing said connection apparatus to function as a scanner device virtually connected to said control apparatus.    
   
   
       14 . A scanner connection apparatus which connects a scanner device connected to a generation information processing apparatus to a network, comprising: 
 a network interface;    a scanner interface connected to said scanner device;    command execution means for receiving an instruction command from a predetermined control apparatus on said network via said network interface, and executing the command for said scanner interface; and    output means for outputting data, received from said scanner interface as a result of execution by said command execution means, to said control apparatus via said network interface.    
   
   
       15 . A control method for a scanner connection apparatus having a scanner interface which is connected to a scanner device connected to a general information processing apparatus and a network interface connected to a network, comprising: 
 a command execution step of receiving an instruction command from a predetermined control apparatus on said network via said network interface, and executing the command for said scanner interface; and    output step of outputting data, received from said scanner interface as a result of execution at said command execution step, to said control apparatus via said network interface.    
   
   
       16 . A scanner control apparatus which remote-controls via a network a connection apparatus having: a network interface; a scanner interface which is connected to a scanner device connected to a general information processing apparatus; and scanner connection means for outputting image data read by said scanner device connected to said scanner interface to a network in accordance with a request received via said network interface, said scanner control apparatus comprising: 
 transmission means for transmitting a request command from a scanner driver for said scanner device to scanner communication means of said connection apparatus; and    reception means for receiving information from said scanner communication means and outputting the information to said scanner driver,    wherein by said transmission means and said reception means, said scanner control apparatus causes said scanner device connected to said connection apparatus to function as a scanner device virtually connected to said control apparatus.    
   
   
       17 . A control method for a scanner control apparatus which remote-controls via a network a connection apparatus having: a network interface; a scanner interface which is connected to a scanner device connected to a general information processing apparatus; and scanner connection means for outputting image data read by said scanner device connected to said scanner interface to a network in accordance with a request received via said network interface, said method comprising: 
 a transmission step of transmitting a request command from a scanner driver for said scanner device to scanner communication means of said connection apparatus; and    a reception step of receiving information from said scanner communication means and outputting the information to said scanner driver,    wherein at said transmission step and said reception step, said scanner device connected to said connection apparatus is caused to function as a scanner device virtually connected to said control apparatus.    
   
   
       18 . A computer program which functions as a scanner control apparatus which remote-controls via a network a connection apparatus having: a network interface; a scanner interface which is connected to a scanner device connected to a general information processing apparatus; and scanner connection means for outputting image data read by said scanner device connected to said scanner interface to a network in accordance with a request received via said network interface, 
 said program functions as:    transmission means for transmitting a request command from a scanner driver for said scanner device to scanner communication means of said connection apparatus; and    reception means for receiving information from said scanner communication means and outputting the information to said scanner driver,    wherein by said transmission means and said reception means, said program causes said scanner device connected to said connection apparatus to function as a scanner device virtually connected to said control apparatus.    
   
   
       19 . The computer program according to  claim 18 , wherein said transmission means and said reception means are device driver programs.