Abstract:
A computer readable medium storing a program causing a computer to execute a process for performing an information processing, the process including: determining, in a case where the computer performs a processing on information related to identification information of an external apparatus, whether an external apparatus corresponding to identification information of an external apparatus, the identification information being stored in a storage, is connected to a segment of an inter network to which the computer is connected; and controlling the computer to perform or inhibit the processing based on a result of the determining.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a computer readable medium, to an information processing apparatus, to an image reading apparatus, and to an information processing system. 
         [0003]    2. Related Art 
         [0004]    In recent years, connection environment to the Internet has been enriched. Users can utilize various services provided by servers on the Internet. Users are limited by using passwords and digital certificates when utilizing the services. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    To achieve the foregoing object, the invention provides the following information processing programs, the following image reading programs, the following information processing apparatuses, the following image reading apparatuses, and the following image processing systems. 
         [0006]    According to an aspect of the present invention, a computer readable medium storing a program causing a computer to execute a process for performing an information processing, the process comprising: determining, in a case where the computer performs a processing on information related to identification information of an external apparatus, whether an external apparatus corresponding to identification information of an external apparatus, the identification information being stored in a storage, is connected to a segment of an inter network to which the computer is connected; and controlling the computer to perform or inhibit the processing based on a result of the determining. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    Exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail based on the following figures, wherein: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating an image processing system according to a first embodiment of the invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the image processing system according to the first embodiment of the invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating an image processing system according to a second embodiment of the invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a block diagram illustrating an image input unit according to the second embodiment of the invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a block diagram illustrating a client PC according to the second embodiment of the invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a diagram illustrating an image input unit connection management table created by an Internet storage service according to the second embodiment of the invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a diagram illustrating document data created by the Internet storage service according to the second embodiment of the invention so that a cabinet ID and an image input unit ID are embedded therein; 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  is a diagram illustrating browsing condition information created by the Internet storage service according to the second embodiment of the invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the image processing system according to the second embodiment of the invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 10  is a diagram illustrating a practical example of the operation of the image processing system according to the second embodiment of the invention; and 
           [0018]      FIG. 11A  is a diagram illustrating the second embodiment of the invention,  FIG. 11B  is a diagram illustrating a first modification thereof and  FIG. 11C  is a diagram illustrating a second modification thereof. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     First Embodiment 
       [0019]      FIG. 1  illustrates an information processing system according to a first embodiment of the invention. This information processing system  10  is constituted by connecting an external apparatus  15  to an information processing apparatus  16  through a LAN (Local Area Network) segment  14  serving as a segment of an internetwork (referred to also as a private network). Although  FIG. 1  illustrates a case where the single external apparatus  15  and the single information processing apparatus  16  are connected to the LAN segment  14 , a plurality of external apparatuses  15  and a plurality of information processing apparatuses  16  can be connected to the LAN segment  14 . 
         [0020]    The “segment of the internetwork” is a region separated by a firewall, or is a region in which the higher-order bits of IP addresses are the same. A communication format in a segment can be either a wireless communication format or a wired communication format. 
         [0021]    The information processing system  16  includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit)  160  configured to control each of components of the apparatus  16 , a communication portion  161  connected to the LAN segment  14 , a storage  162  having a ROM (Read-Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and a HDD (Hard Disk Drive), which store programs and data used by the CPU  160 , an input portion  163  having a keyboard and a mouse, and a processing portion  164  configured to perform processing, such as browsing, editing and printing of information such as image data. The information processing apparatus  16  can be implemented by, for example, a Personal Computer (PC), or a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA). In a case where the processing portion performs printing processing of an image, a printer may be connected to the exterior of the PC or the PDA. 
         [0022]    The storage  162  stores programs, such as information processing programs, executed by the CPU  160 , external apparatus IDs (IDentification), each of which serves as identification information uniquely identifying an external apparatus  15 , and data, such as image data according to the external apparatus ID. It is sufficient to associate each external apparatus ID with image data (or information) by some method. For example, the external apparatus IDs can be stored in a storage area, a storage medium, or storage unit different from a storage area, a storage medium, or storage unit, which stores associated image data. Alternatively, the external apparatus IDs can be embedded in image data. Alternatively, the external apparatus IDs can be added to image data as attribute information. 
       (Operation of First Embodiment) 
       [0023]    Next, an operation of the information processing system  10  according to the first embodiment is described below by referring to a flowchart illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0024]    The CPU  160  performs the following control operation according to the information processing program stored in the storage  162 . When a user operates the input portion  163  of the information processing apparatus  16  to issue a processing instruction, the CPU  160  receives the processing instruction in step S 1 . Then, the CPU  160  acquires IDs of external apparatuses connected to the same LAN segment  14  through a LAN communication controller  61 B according to a predetermined communication protocol in step S 2 . 
         [0025]    The CPU  160  determines in step S 3  whether the external apparatus ID stored in the storage  162  is included among the external IDs acquired in step S 2 . If the external apparatus ID stored in the storage  162  is included among the external IDs acquired in step S 2  (Yes in step S 3 ), the processing portion  164  performs processing on the image data stored in the storage  162  in step S 4 . If the external apparatus ID stored in the storage  162  is not included among the external IDs acquired in step S 2  (No in step S 3 ), the CPU  160  inhibits the processing portion  164  in step S 5  from performing the processing. 
         [0026]    In a case where it is not confirmed that the external apparatuses corresponding to the external apparatus IDs stored in the storage  162  are connected to the same LAN segment  14 , that is, not only in the case where the external apparatus IDs stored in the storage  162  are not included in the external IDs acquired in step S 2 , but also, for example, in a case where the CPU  160  fails to acquire the IDs of the external apparatuses connected to the same LAN segment  14 , the CPU  160  may be adapted to inhibit the processing portion  164  from performing the processing. 
       Second Embodiment 
       [0027]      FIG. 3  illustrates an information processing system according to a second embodiment of the invention. This information processing system  1  is configured to have an internet storage  2  providing an Internet storage service, and also have a plurality of LAN segments  4  ( 4   a ,  4   b ,  4   c ) connected to the Internet storage  2  through the Internet (also referred to as an external network or a public network). The “Internet storage service” is to provide a storage (or external storage unit) through the Internet. 
         [0028]    The LAN segments  4  connect the image input apparatuses  5  ( 5   a ,  5   b ,  5   c ) serving as the external apparatuses or image reading apparatuses, to client personal computers (hereunder referred to as client PCs)  6  ( 6   a ,  6   b ,  6   c ) serving as the information processing apparatuses, respectively. The image input apparatuses  5  and the client PCs  6  are also connected to the Internet  3 . Although  FIG. 3  illustrates a case where the single image input apparatus  5  and the signal client PC 6  are connected to each of the LAN segments  4 , a plurality of the image input apparatuses  5  and a plurality of the client PCs can be connected to each of the LAN segments  4 . 
         [0029]    The Internet storage  2  is configured so that a plurality of cabinets  20  ( 20   a ,  20   b , . . . ), each of which stores documents of a corresponding one of customers, can be set therein. According to the Internet storage service, image data including document data can be stored from the image input apparatus  5  directly in the cabinet  20 . Also, the same cabinet  20  can be set by the different LAN segments  4 . 
         [0030]    For example, a scanner, and a compound machine can be used as the image input apparatus  5 . The compound machine is a unit having a plurality of functions of copying, printing, scanning and faxing. The compound machine includes not only that constituted by a single unit but also that constituted by a plurality of units. 
       (Image Input Apparatus) 
       [0031]      FIG. 4  is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the image input apparatus. Each of the image input apparatuses  5  ( 5   a ,  5   b ,  5   c ) includes a CPU  50  configured to control each of components of the image input apparatus  5 , an Internet communication controller  51 A connected to the Internet  3 , a LAN communication controller  51 B connected to each of the LAN segments  4 , a storage  52  having a ROM, a RAM, and a HDD, an input portion  53  having a touch panel, a display  54  constituted by a liquid crystal display, and a reading portion configured to optically read an image from an original using a photoelectric transducer. 
         [0032]    The storage  52  of the image input apparatus  5  stores programs, such as a reading program adapted to read document data (or image data) from an original, and to send the read data to the external apparatus, whose flowchart is illustrated in  FIG. 9 , document data read by the reading portion  55 , an image reading apparatus ID (Identification) representing self-identification information, the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) of the Internet storage service, and data representing the IDs of the cabinets created in the Internet storage  2 . 
       (Client PC) 
       [0033]      FIG. 5  is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the client PC. Each of the client PCs  6  ( 6   a ,  6   b ,  6   c ) has a CPU  60  configured to control each of components of the client PC  6 , an Internet communication controller  61 A connected to the Internet  3 , a LAN communication controller  61 B connected to the LAN segment  4 , the storage  62  including a ROM, a RAM, and a HDD, an input portion  63  having a keyboard, and a mouse, and a display  64  constituted by a liquid crystal display. 
         [0034]    The storage  52  stores programs, such as a document browsing application program (or information processing program), whose flowchart is illustrated in  FIG. 9  to be described later, and a program adapted to detect an image input apparatus ID, and data, such as document data downloaded from the cabinet  20  of the Internet storage  2 . 
         [0035]    An image input apparatus ID represented by a digital watermark is embedded in the document data downloaded from the cabinet  20 . The image input apparatus ID can be detected by an image input apparatus ID detection program, such as a digital watermark detection program. Information representing the image input apparatus ID embedded in the document data is not limited to the digital watermark. For example, the information representing the image input apparatus ID may be added to the document data as attribute information. 
         [0036]    The document browsing application program has the function of downloading document data from the cabinet  20  by utilizing the Internet storage service, the function of acquiring document-data browsing conditions, the function of acquiring the IDs of the image input apparatuses connected to the same LAN segment  4  through the predetermined protocol, the function of determining whether the document data can be browsed, and the function of deleting the acquired browsing condition. Incidentally, the document browsing application program may have the function of detecting an image input apparatus ID provided by an image input apparatus ID detection program. The document browsing application program can be adapted not to have the function of acquiring the IDs of the image input apparatuses connected to the same LAN segment  4  through the predetermined protocol. Also, the information on the IDs of the image input apparatuses connected to the same LAN segment  4  can be acquired by an external program having the function of acquiring the IDs of the image input apparatuses connected to the same LAN segment  4  through the predetermined protocol. 
       (Operation of Second Embodiment) 
       [0037]    Next, operations of the information processing system  1  according to the second embodiment are described with reference to  FIGS. 2 to 9  by being categorized into various cases.  FIG. 9  is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the information processing system  1  according to the second embodiment. Additionally, it is assumed that the document browsing application program is installed in the client PCs  6 . 
       (1) Setting for Starting Utilization of Service 
       [0038]    The CPU  50  of the image input apparatus  5  performs the following operation of setting for starting the utilization of the service according to the reading program stored in the storage  52 . 
         [0039]    A user operates the input portion  53  of the image input apparatus  5  to perform a request for creating a cabinet. The CPU  50  of the image input apparatus  5  performs, in response to the operation by the user, a request for creating a cabinet to the Internet storage service provided by the Internet storage  2  in step S 10 . 
         [0040]    The Internet storage service creates a cabinet  20   a  in the Internet storage  2  in step S 20 . Also, the Internet storage service registers, when the image input apparatus  5  performs a request for creating a cabinet, an image input apparatus, which is designated by the image input apparatus ID included in the request for creating a cabinet as the image input apparatus  5  connected to the cabinet  20   a , in an image input apparatus connection management table in step S 21 . 
         [0041]      FIG. 6  illustrates an example of the image input apparatus connection management table. According to the image input apparatus connection management table, a list of IDs of the image input apparatuses  5  is managed corresponding to each of the cabinets  20 . Let A 1 , A 2 , and A 3  denote the IDs of the image input apparatuses  5   a ,  5   b , and  5   c , respectively.  FIG. 6  illustrates that the image input apparatuses  5   a  and  5   c  respectively having the IDs A 1  and A 2  accesses the cabinet K 1  ( 20   a ). 
         [0042]    Next, the user operates the input portion  53  of the image input apparatus  5  to set the URL of the Internet storage service and a cabinet ID, which specify a storage location of a document, in step S 11 . The CPU  50  causes the storage  52  to store the URL of the Internet storage service and the cabinet ID. According to the cabinet ID, each of the cabinets  20   a ,  20   b , . . . , is uniquely identified. 
         [0043]    Subsequently, the user operates the input portion  53  of the image input apparatus  5  to input data representing the browsing conditions of the document data stored in the cabinet  20   a  in step S 12 . The CPU  50  sends information representing the browsing condition to the Internet storage  2  through the Internet  3 . According to the Internet storage service, the browsing conditions are set according to the information representing the browsing conditions in step S 22 . 
         [0044]    The following three conditions can be set as the browsing conditions. According to the present embodiment, the following condition (a) is assumed to be set. 
         [0000]    (a) The image input apparatus  5  having scanned the original is present in the same LAN segment  4  in which the client PC used at the browsing of the document is present.
 
(b) When the document data is stored in the cabinet  20 , the image input apparatus  5  utilizing the cabinet is present in the same LAN segment  4  in which the client PC used at the browsing of the document is present.
 
(c) When the document data stored in the cabinet  20  is browsed, the image input apparatus  5  utilizing the cabinet  20  is present in the same LAN segment  4  in which the client PC used at the browsing of the document is present.
 
The setting for browsing can be changed by a limited authorized person, as needed. Additionally, the browsing conditions are not limited to the above three conditions.
 
       (2) Uploading of Document 
       [0045]    A user uploads document data to the cabinet  20   a  in step S 13 . That is, the user instructs the image input apparatus  5  to read an original. The reading portion  55  of the image input apparatus  5  reads the original to obtain document data. The document data is stored in the storage  52 . The user designates the document data and instructs the uploading of the designated document data. The CPU  50  reads the designated document data from the storage  52  according to the reading program stored in the storage  52 . Then, the CPU  50  accesses the Internet storage service corresponding to the URL of the Internet storage service stored in the storage  52  through the Internet  3  under the control of the communication controller  51 A. Thus, the document data is stored in the cabinet  20   a  corresponding to the cabinet ID stored in the storage  52 . 
         [0046]    According to the Internet storage service, when the document data is received from the client PC  5 , the cabinet ID and the image input apparatus ID are embedded in the document data as a digital watermark, and the document data is stored in the cabinet  20   a , as shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0047]    According to the Internet storage service, data representing the browsing conditions, the cabinet ID, and the image input apparatus ID are added to the document data as information representing the document (browsing permission information). 
         [0048]    Incidentally, the setting for the browsing conditions can be the document browsing application program. Also, the setting of the browsing conditions can be set not only at the storing of the document, but the start of the utilizing of the service, at the creating of the document, and at the referring to the document. The system can be adapted so that the changing of the set conditions, as needed, cannot be performed except at the first time of setting the conditions. Also, the system can be adapted so that the document browsing application program inhibits the setting and the changing of the browsing conditions. 
         [0049]      FIG. 8  is a diagram illustrating the browsing permission information. Although  FIG. 8  shows information representing the browsing condition, the ID of the cabinet  20 , and the ID of the image input apparatus  5  having uploaded the document data as the browsing permission information, information representing a list of the IDs of the image input apparatuses  5  connected to the cabinet  20  can be used instead of the information representing the image input apparatus ID. 
       (3) Acquisition of Document Data 
       [0050]    The user operates the input portion  63  of the client PC  6  to activate the document browsing application program, document data is downloaded in step S 30  by utilizing the document browsing application program&#39;s function of downloading document data from the cabinet. That is, the document browsing application program designates the URL of the Internet storage service and the cabinet ID to make a request for a list of documents stored in the cabinet to the Internet storage service. Then, according to the Internet storage service, a list of documents stored in the cabinet  20  is transmitted to the client PC  6 . The document browsing application program displays a list of the documents transmitted according to the Internet storage service in the display  64 . 
         [0051]    The user designates from the list of the documents the document that the user wishes to acquire. Information representing the designated document is sent to the Internet storage service. Then, the Internet storage service sends the designated document data to the client PC 6 . The client PC  6  downloads the document data through the Internet storage service and causes the storage  62  to store the downloaded document data in the storage  62  in step S 24 . Additionally, document data can be downloaded from a plurality of client PCs  6  connected to the different LAN segments  4 . 
       (4) Receipt of Request for Browsing Document 
       [0052]    The user operates the input portion  63  of the client PC  6  to perform operations, such as double-clicking, on documents acquired by the document browsing application program. The document browsing application program accepts a request for browsing a document by performing an operation of opening the document in step S 31 . At that time, Internet connection is unnecessary for browsing the document. 
         [0053]    The document browsing application program reads the cabinet ID and the image input apparatus ID embedded in the document from the document data according to the browsing request, using the image input apparatus ID detection program. Subsequently, the document browsing application program acquires information on the document browsing condition from the cabinet  20   a  corresponding to the cabinet ID read from the document data by performing the function of acquiring the downloaded document browsing condition in steps S 25  and S 32 . 
       (5) Determination of Browsing Permission 
       [0054]    The document browsing application program refers to the browsing condition (in this case, the browsing condition (a)) acquired from the Internet storage service. Then, the document browsing application program determines whether the browsing condition is met. More specifically, the document browsing application program acquires the ID of the image input apparatus having scanned the document, and determines in step S 33  whether the acquired image input apparatus ID is matched with image input apparatus ID embedded in the document. In a case where the image input apparatus ID included in the browsing permission information is matched with the image input apparatus ID embedded in the document data (Yes in step S 33 ), the document browsing application program displays data representing the document in step S 34 . In a case illustrated in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the image input apparatus ID embedded in the document data is A 1 . Also, the image input apparatus ID included in the browsing permission information corresponding to the document data stored in the cabinet is A 1 . Thus, the image input apparatus ID embedded in the document data  56  is matched with the image input apparatus ID included in the browsing permission information. 
         [0055]    In a case where the image input apparatus ID included in the browsing permission information is not matched with the image input apparatus ID embedded in the document data (No in step S 33 ), the document browsing application program outputs an error message and does not display the data representing the document in step S 35 . 
       (6) Deletion of Browsing Condition 
       [0056]    A user deletes the browsing condition in a state in which the data representing the document is displayed by the document browsing application program. Incidentally, this operation is effective only in a case where the document is set to allow the deletion of the browsing condition. Browsing restriction condition can be deleted from a document by the document browsing application program having determined whether the document, the browsing restriction condition of which is deleted, can be browsed. Also, such a document browsing application program can inhibit the deletion of the browsing restriction condition. The inhibition of the deletion of the browsing condition can be performed by setting the Internet storage service. When a document is scanned and is uploaded, the document can be newly registered in the cabinet as the document, the deletion of the browsing restriction condition of which is inhibited. 
         [0057]      FIG. 10  illustrates a case where the display of document data is restricted. As illustrated in  FIG. 10 , in a case where the IDs of the image input apparatuses  5   a  and  5   b  respectively connected to the different LAN segments  4   a  and  4   b  are registered in the cabinet  20   a , whose cabinet ID is “K 1 ”, the client PCs  6   a  and  6   b  respectively connected to the LAN segments  4   a  and  4   b , which are connected to the image input apparatuses  5   a  and  5   b  whose IDs are registered in the cabinet  20   a , can display the document data. However, the document data cannot be displayed by the client PCs other than those connected to the LAN segments  4   a  and  4   b , respectively. Additionally, the client PC  6   c  connected to the LAN segment  4   c , which is connected to the image input apparatus  5   c , whose ID is not registered in the cabinet  20   a , and is not connected to the image input apparatus, whose ID is registered in the cabinet  20   a , can neither take out document data from the client PC 6   b  and nor display the taken-out document data. 
       (First Modification) 
       [0058]      FIG. 11B  illustrates a first modification. Incidentally,  FIG. 11A  illustrates the second embodiment. Although the Internet storage service sets the browsing condition corresponding to a document according to the setting condition set in the cabinet, the first modification causes the document to hold a list of the IDs of the image input apparatuses connected to a cabinet when stored in the cabinet. When a user opens a document acquired by utilizing the document browsing application program, the document browsing application program acquires the document browsing condition. In the first modification, the list of the image input apparatus IDs is acquired. The document browsing application program acquires the list of the IDs of the image input apparatuses connected to the same LAN segment  4  to which the client PC is connected. In a case where the image input apparatus, whose ID is embedded in the document data, is present in the acquired list of the IDs of the image input apparatuses, the data representing the document is displayed. 
       (Second Modification) 
       [0059]      FIG. 11C  illustrates a second modification. Incidentally,  FIG. 11A  illustrates the second embodiment. Although the Internet storage service sets the browsing condition corresponding to a document according to the setting condition set in the cabinet, the second modification causes the document to hold the ID of a cabinet when the data is stored in the cabinet. When a user opens a document acquired by utilizing the document browsing application program, the document browsing application program acquires the document browsing condition. In the second modification, the cabinet ID is acquired. The document browsing application program inquires of the Internet storage service a list of IDs of the image input apparatuses connected to the same LAN segment  4  to which the cabinet designated by the cabinet ID is connected. Then, the document browsing application program acquires the list of IDs of the image input apparatuses. In a case where the image input apparatus, whose ID is acquired from the Internet storage service, is present in the acquired list of the IDs of the image input apparatuses, the data representing the document is displayed. The second modification has an advantage in that even when the image input apparatus having scanned the document or the image input apparatus connected to the same cabinet at the scanning of the document is separated from the Internet storage service by, for example, being discarded, the document can be browsed as long as the image input apparatus utilizing the cabinet is present. Meanwhile, the second modification has a disadvantage in that it is necessary to access the Internet storage service through the Internet every time a document is browsed. 
       (Third Modification) 
       [0060]    The third modification eliminates the defect of the above second modification, which is that it is necessary to access the Internet storage service through the Internet every time a document is browsed. Although the document browsing application program accesses the Internet storage service through the Internet at a first time to acquire the image input apparatus ID from the cabinet corresponding to the cabinet ID, the image input apparatus. ID is held in a cache by the document browsing application program for the moment. Thus, when the image input ID is referred to later, the Internet is not accessed therefor. Options for an effective time of the cache are, for example, days of the number, which is designated by a user during the PC is activated, and a time until which a user explicitly discards the cache. 
       (Fourth Modification) 
       [0061]    The setting of the three browsing conditions having been described above is performed at the start of the utilization of the service. Further, the setting thereof is changed later by utilizing the function of managing the Internet storage service. Meanwhile, according to a fourth modification, the three options for the browsing conditions are indicated at the uploading. Then, a user can select the browsing condition. 
       (Fifth Modification) 
       [0062]    The setting of the browsing condition deletion inhibition, which has been described hereinabove, is set at the start of the utilization of the service. Further, the setting thereof is changed later by utilizing the function of managing the Internet storage service. Meanwhile, options for determining whether the deletion of the browsing condition is deleted are indicated at the uploading. Then, a user can select one of the options. 
       Other Embodiments 
       [0063]    Incidentally, the invention is not limited to each of the above embodiments. Various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Also, the constituent elements of the above embodiments can optionally be combined with one another without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 
         [0064]    For example, it is advisable to embed own identification information in image data read by an image input apparatus from an original or to add the own identification information to the image data as attribute information, thereby sending the image data having the own identification information to an external apparatus such as an Internet storage. 
         [0065]    It is advisable that each of the programs used in the above embodiments is read from a recording medium, such as a CD-ROM, to a storage of the apparatus, or that each of the programs used in the above embodiments is downloaded from a server connected to a network such as the Internet to the storage of the apparatus.