Patent ID: 6825942
Filing Date: 2004-11-30
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
A network scanner apparatus comprising:a scanner for previously inputting an image to obtain an input image to be used in a plurality of applications that can be input by single scanning, the input image being capable of being converted in a plurality of different manners; temporary storage means for temporarily storing the input image input by the single scanning of the scanner; attribute control means for controlling at least attribute information concerning the input image stored in the temporary storage means, the attribute information including a current pointer for specifying the input image; selection means for permitting a user at the origin of image request to select a desired one of the already stored images stored in the temporary storage means based on the current pointer included in the attribute information controlled by the attribute control means in accordance with one of the applications; transfer image determination means for determining which image is to be transferred, based on the current pointer of the image selected by the selection means, to the origin of the image request, the transfer image determination means having a determination section for requiring the attribute information from the attribute control means to determine which image is to be transferred to the origin of image request, and an information exchange section for updating the current pointer corresponding to the image to be transferred in the attribute controlled by the attribute control means based on a determination result of the determination section; image transfer control means for taking out image information corresponding to the current pointer updated by the information exchange section among the attribute information controlled by the attribute control means based on a determination result of the determination section; conversion means for reading out the image corresponding to the image information taken out by the image transfer control means at the time of request from the origin of the image request based on the current pointer updated by the information exchange section among the already stored images stored in the temporary storage means, and for converting or non-converting the image to a predetermined image in accordance with the one of the applications; and image transfer means for transferring the predetermined image converted or non-converted by the conversion means for use in the one of the applications to the origin of the image request via a network.