Patent Publication Number: US-2022215503-A1

Title: Information processing device, and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium therefor

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 from Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-000249 filed on Jan. 4, 2021. The entire subject matter of the application is incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The present disclosures relate to a technology for importing workflow information. 
     There has been known a control program that stores workflow information associated with devices, and when a device is selected, displays the workflow information associated with the selected device. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to such a program, however, the workflow information is created in an information processing device that is configured to store and execute the workflow information, and importing workflow information created outside the information processing device into that device to use the same is not considered. 
     According to aspects of the present disclosure, a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium for an information processing device provided with a communication interface, a memory and a computer, and is connected to one or more image processing devices through the communication interface. When one or more pieces of workflow information defining settings and processes for the image processing device are stored in a particular storage area accessible by the computer and when workflow information satisfying a particular condition is included among the one or more pieces of workflow information stored in the particular storage area, the non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing computer-executable instructions can cause, when executed by the computer, the information processing device to perform reading the workflow information satisfying the particular condition from the particular storage area, and importing the read workflow information in a workflow information storage area in the memory. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a control configuration of an image processing system according to the present disclosures. 
         FIG. 2  is a flowchart illustrating a workflow export process. 
         FIGS. 3A and 3B  show examples of screens displayed in the workflow export process. 
         FIGS. 4 and 5  show a flowchart illustrating a workflow import process. 
         FIG. 6  shows an example of a screen displayed after the workflow import process is executed. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to the accompanying drawings, an embodiment according to the present disclosures will be described in detail. 
       FIG. 1  shows a control configuration of an image processing system  1  according to an embodiment of the present disclosures. The image processing system  1  has a PC  100  (an example of an “information processing device”), an MFP  200 , a PC  220 , and a server  250 . The initialism “MFP” is an abbreviation for a multifunction peripheral. 
     The MFP  200  is a multifunctional peripheral having at least printing and scanning functions, and in some models, a facsimile function as well. 
     The PC  100  is equipped with a user IF  110 , a display  120 , a CPU  140  (an example of a “computer”), a memory  150  and a communication IF  160 . The user IF  110 , the display  120 , the CPU  140 , the memory  150 , and the communication IF  160  are connected to each other via a bus  170 . It is noted that the “IF” is an abbreviation for an interface. 
     The user IF  110  is typically provided with a keyboard and a mouse. 
     The display  120  includes a display device, such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display, and a drive circuit configured to drive the display device. When a touch panel type display is used as the display  120 , the user can perform input operations by touching the input buttons displayed on the screen. In such a case, therefore, the display  120  also serves as the user IF  110 . 
     The CPU  140  executes various application programs (hereinafter referred to as “applications”) including information processing programs (an example of “programs”), firmware, and the like. 
     The memory  150  includes a ROM, a RAM, an HDD, an SSD, and optical disk drive. A data storage area  150   a  of the memory  150  is an area for storing data necessary for the CPU  140  to execute information processing programs and the like. A control program area  150   b  of the memory  150  is an area for storing an OS, information processing program, and various other applications and firmware. 
     The memory  150  may be a computer-readable storage medium. A computer-readable storage medium is a non-transitory medium, which includes recording media such as CD-ROMs and DVD-ROMs, in addition to the examples above. A non-transitory medium is also a tangible medium. On the other hand, electrical signals carrying programs downloaded from servers on the Internet, or the like, are computer-readable signal media, which is a type of computer-readable media, but are not included in the non-transitory computer-readable storage media. 
     In this description, a process of the CPU  140  according to instructions described in the program will be indicated basically. In other words, processes of “determination,” “extraction,” “selection,” “calculation,” “decision,” “identification,” “acquisition,” “reception,” “control,” “setting,” and the like in the following description represent the processes of the CPU  140 . The processes executed by the CPU  140  include hardware control via the OS. In addition, “acquisition” is used in a concept that does not require a request. In other words, the process of receiving data without a request by the CPU  140  is also included in the concept of “acquisition of data by the CPU  140 . Further, “data” in this specification is represented by a computer-readable bit string. It is noted that data with the same substantive meaning content but different formats will be treated as the same data. The same applies to “information” in this specification. In addition, processes of “command,” “response,” “request,” and the like is performed by communicating information indicating “command,” “response,” “request,” and the like. The words “instruction,” “response,” “request,” and the like may be described in the sense of the information itself indicating the “instruction,” “response,” “request,” and the like. 
     Various applications, including information processing programs, can be downloaded from the server  250  via the communication IF  160 . 
     The communication IF  160  is configured to connect the PC  100  to the communication network  300 . In the present embodiment, the MFP  200 , the PC  220 , and the server  250  are connected to the communication network  300 . Therefore, the communication IF  160  is capable of communicating with the MFP  200 , the PC  220 , and the server  250  via the communication network  300 . The communication network  300  may be a network of various forms. For example, the communication network  300  may be a wired or wireless LAN, WAN, USB, Bluetooth (registered trademark), NFC network, or the like. 
     In addition to the function of supplying various applications including information processing programs as described above, the server  250  also has, according to the present embodiment, a function of storing a workflow file (an example of “workflow information”) and supplying the same in response to a request from the PC  100 . The workflow is, in the present embodiment, information that specifies various settings and various processes for various image processing devices including the MFP  200 , and it is possible to apply the specified various settings and various processes to the target image processing device by an extremely simple user operation, for example, just by clicking a WFa icon  132   c  or a WFD icon  132   d  (see  FIG. 6 ) described below. In the present embodiment, the workflow is assumed to specify a target image processing device and execute various settings and various processes on the target image processing device, and accordingly, a workflow is associated with the target image processing device. Any method of association can be used to associate the workflow with the target image processing device. For example, model name identification information (an example of “device identification information”) that identifies the target image processing device by its model name may be included in the workflow or such information may be attached to the workflow. In the present embodiment, a method of associating a workflow with the target image processing device by including the model name identification information in the workflow. 
     The workflow file is stored in a particular area in a storage device of the server  250 , that is, for example, in a workflow storage folder (which is an example of a “particular storage area,” and hereinafter referred to as a “server-side workflow storage folder”). Therefore, when the PC  100  downloads a workflow file from the server  250 , the PC  100  downloads the workflow file stored in the server-side workflow storage folder. It is noted that the workflows can be created and/or edited by users, on the PC  100  as is done conventionally, but the workflow file stored in the server  250  can be created and edited only by an operator with a particular authority, for example, administrator authority (hereinafter referred to as “administrator”), and a user of the PC  100  who does not have the administrator authority cannot create and/or edit the workflow. In addition, a workflow created and edited by the user within the PC  100  can be freely edited by the user of PC  100  within PC  100 , but a workflow file downloaded from the server  250  into the PC  100  cannot be freely edited by the user of the PC  100  within the PC  100  even after downloaded into the PC  100 . Such a configuration is, however, only an example, and the configuration may be modified such that the user of the PC  100  can freely edit the same within the PC  100  after downloading. 
     Further, the server  250  also has a function of storing external files and supplying them to the PC  100  in response to requests from the PC  100 . The information processing program is, according to the present embodiment, a program that performs various controls on various image processing devices including the MFP  200 , and the external file is, in the present embodiment, a file that describes default values of various setting items used by the information processing program in performing various controls on the MFP  200 . The external file, as well as the workflow file stored in the server  250 , can be created and/or edited only by the administrator, and is placed in a particular folder on a storage device of the server  250 , and a particular file name is assigned to the external file. 
     It is noted that, the “workflow file” means a file that contains therein information of a “workflow,” but, in the following description, in some cases, it is difficult to strictly distinguish between the “workflow file” and “workflow.” In such cases, the “workflow file” may be described as the “workflow” or vice versa. 
     The PC  220  is a PC used by the administrator. Therefore, the workflow created in the PC  220  can be uploaded to the server-side workflow storage folder. The control configuration of the PC  220  is the same as that of PC 100 , but only a display  222 , a CPU  224 , and a memory  225  are shown in  FIG. 1  for convenience of explanation. 
       FIG. 2  is a flowchart illustrating a workflow export process to be executed by the PC  220 , in particular by the CPU  224 . The workflow export process is initiated when, for example, an operator of the PC  220  performs an operation, on the display  222 , to instruct the execution of an application setting. It is noted that, “workflow export” means uploading of the workflow file created in the PC  220  to the server-side workflow storage folder of the server  250 . Hereinafter, in the description of each process, “step” is denoted by “S.” 
     In  FIG. 2 , the CPU  224  first determines whether the operator is an administrator or not (S 100 ). In this determination, when the operator is not an administrator (S 100 : NO), the CPU  224  terminates the workflow export process. On the other hand, when the operator is determined to be an administrator (S 100 : YES), the CPU  224  displays a workflow management screen on the display  222  (S 102 ). 
       FIG. 3A  shows a workflow management screen  222   a  displayed on the display  222 . Since the workflow management screen  222   a  is the screen when a “Workflow Management” tab  222   a   5  is selected as shown in  FIG. 3A , the administrator has performed the operation of selecting the “Workflow Management” tab  222   a   5  before the process advances to S 102 . The workflow management screen  222   a  shows a plurality of workflows created in the PC  220 , together with icons, workflow names and product names (model names), and the like. The workflow to be exported is indicated by placing a check mark in the check box displayed to the left of the icon. In the example shown in  FIG. 3A , a check box  222   a   1  for the workflow of which workflow name is “WFD” (hereinafter referred to as “workflow WFD”) is marked with the check mark, thus the workflow WFD is the export target. When an “export” button  222   a   2  is operated, the workflow management screen  222   a  transitions to a workflow export screen  222   b  shown in  FIG. 3B . 
     Returning to  FIG. 2 , the CPU  224  selects a workflow to be exported according to a user operation, i.e., an operation to put the check mark in a check box (S 104 ). Then, the CPU  224  continues the selection process of S 104  until the “export” button  222   a   2  is operated (S 106 : NO). When the “export” button  222   a   2  is operated (S 106 : YES), the CPU  224  advances the process to S 108 . At this time, the workflow export screen  222   b  of  FIG. 3B  is displayed on the display  222 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3B , a “select folder” button  222   b   1  and the “export” button  222   b   2  are displayed on the workflow export screen  222   b . The “select folder” button  222   b   1  is used to select a folder to which the workflow file selected on the workflow management screen  222   a  is to be exported. When the “select folder” button  222   b   1  is operated, for example, a folder selection screen (not shown) for selecting a folder pops up, and the administrator can select a folder from the folder selection screen to which folder the workflow file is to be exported. In the present embodiment, the administrator selects the server-side workflow storage folder because the folder to which the workflow file is to be exported is the server-side workflow storage folder of the server  250  as described above. In the present embodiment, “E:\Workflow\userA” is used as the folder path of the server-side workflow storage folder, so the path is displayed as the storage location in the workflow export screen  222   b . On the other hand, the “export” button  222   b   2  displays the path to the saved location. On the other hand, the “export” button  222   b   2  is a button for instructing the export of the selected workflow file to the selected folder. 
     Returning to  FIG. 2 , the CPU  224  specifies the output destination (i.e., the export destination) according to the user operation on the workflow export screen  222   b  (i.e., the click operation of the “select folder” button  222   b   1 ) and the input operation on the folder selection screen that pops up accordingly (S  108 ). Then, the CPU  224  continues the designation process of S 108  until (S  110 : NO) the “export” button  222   b   2  is operated When the “export” button  222   b   2  is operated (S  110 : YES), the CPU  224  advances the process to S  112 . 
     In S 112 , the CPU  224  determines whether the export is successful or not. In this determination, when the export is successful (S 112 : YES), the CPU  224  exports (S 114 ) the file of the workflow selected in S 104  to the output destination specified in S 108  above, and then terminates the workflow export process. On the other hand, when the export fails (S 112 : NO), the CPU  224  displays an error display including a message informing that the export has failed on the display  222  (S 116 ), then returns the process to S 102  above and causes the process from S 102  to be executed again. 
     In this way, according to the workflow export process, it is possible to export the selected workflow file which is selected from among the workflows created in the PC 220  to the server-side workflow storage folder. 
       FIGS. 4 and 5  show a flowchart illustrating the workflow import process executed by the PC  100 , in particular, by the CPU  140 . The workflow import process is included in the information processing program. When the information processing program is started, the CPU  140  accesses the server  250  at a particular timing and downloads the above external file from the server  250 . The external file contains the folder path of the server-side workflow storage folder when there is a workflow to be imported. Thus, when the folder path of the server-side workflow storage folder is described in the downloaded external file, the CPU  140  starts the workflow import process. The particular timing may be a timing immediately after starting the information processing program. Further, the particular timing may be a timing when an initial screen (hereinafter referred to as a “home screen”) is about to be displayed while the information processing program is being executed. 
     In  FIG. 4 , the CPU  140  first determines whether a device has been selected (S 10 ). In this determination, when no device has been selected (S 10 : NO), the CPU  140  prompts the user to select a device. When the user designates a device to be selected, the CPU  140  selects the device as instructed (S 12 ), and then advances the process to S 14 . On the other hand, when the device has already been selected (S 10 : YES), the CPU  140  skips S 12  and advances the process to S 14 . 
       FIG. 6  shows an example of the home screen  130  displayed on the display  120  as the CPU  140  executes the information processing program. It is noted that the home screen  130  shows the state after the above workflow WFD has been imported in the workflow import process. Therefore, when the workflow import process is started for the first time, since the above workflow WFD has not yet been imported, the WFD icon  132   d , which instructs the execution of the workflow WFD, is not displayed on the home screen, while the WFa icon  132   c  is displayed on the home screen. It is because the WFa icon  132   c  is an icon for instructing the execution of a workflow named “WFa” (hereinafter referred to as the “workflow WFa”), and the workflow WFa is a workflow created by the user in PC  100  as described above. 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , the home screen  130  has a selected device display area  131  where a selected devices to be controlled are displayed. In the selected device display area  131  shown in  FIG. 6 , the MFP  200  that has already been selected as the control target is displayed with an icon  131   a . The MFP  200  is an MFP with the model name “MFP-A” and the IP address “11.22.33.44.” The “select product” button  131   b  is a button to be operated when no device to be controlled is selected, or when the currently selected device is to be changed to another device. When the “select product” button  131   b  is operated, image processing devices connected to the communication network  300  are listed, and any of them can be selected as the device to be controlled. 
     The home screen  130  has a function list area  132 . The function list area  132  is an area that lists the functions of the device displayed in the selected device display area  131 . Since the device with the model name “MFP-A” is a multifunction peripheral equipped with a print function and a scan function, the function list area  132  displays a print icon  132   a  indicating the print function and a scan icon  132   b  indicating the scan function. In addition, the above-described WFa icon  132   c  and the above-described WFD icon  132   d  are also displayed in the function list area  132 . It is noted that the WFD icon  132   d  is not displayed in the function list area  132  at the time when the workflow import process is first started and the process proceeds to S 14 , as described above. In addition to the icons  132   a  through  132   d , a “create workflow” button  132   f  is also displayed in the function list area  132 . The “create workflow” button  132   f  is a button that is operated when the user creates a workflow in the PC 100 , as in the workflow WFa above. When the “create workflow” button  132   f  is operated, the CPU  140  displays a workflow creation screen (not shown) on the display  120 . When the user creates the workflow on the workflow creation screen and instructs to store the workflow, the CPU  140  stores the file of the created workflow in a particular area on the memory  150 , for example, in a workflow storage folder (an example of a “workflow information storage area” and hereinafter referred to as a “PC-side workflow storage folder”). 
     Returning to  FIG. 4 , in S 14 , the CPU  140  downloads the workflow file stored in a specific folder of the server  250 , i.e., the above server-side workflow storage folder, to the temporary storage area of the memory  150 . When the process advances to S 14 , the external file contains the folder path of the above server-side workflow storage folder. Therefore, in S 14 , the CPU  140  downloads the workflow file existing in the folder indicated by the folder path to the temporary storage area of the memory  150 . 
     Next, the CPU  140  determines whether the model name indicated by the above model name identifying information contained in the workflow file downloaded to the temporary storage area of the memory  150  is the same as the model name of the device currently being selected (S 16 ). In this determination, when the model name indicated by the model name identifying information and the model name of the currently selected device are different (S 16 : NO), the CPU  140  advances the process to S 36  ( FIG. 5 ). On the other hand, when the model name indicated by the model name identifying information and the model name of the currently selected device are the same (S 16 : YES), the CPU  140  advances the process to S 18 . Where there are multiple downloaded workflow files, the CPU  140  determines whether any of the model names indicated by the model name identifying information contained in each workflow file is the same as the model name of the currently selected device. When there is no identical model name, the workflow import process is terminated. On the other hand, when there is an identical model name, the process advances to S 18 . In some cases, there may be multiple identical model names. In such a case, the CPU  140  should perform the process from S 18  onward for each of the multiple workflow files. 
     In S 18 , the CPU  140  prepares to import the downloaded workflow file, that is, prepares to store the same in a particular area on the memory  150 , for example, the PC-side workflow storage folder described above. Then, the CPU  140  determines whether a workflow file having the same model name identifying information as the workflow file being prepared for import has already been imported in the PC-side workflow storage (S 20 ). When, in this determination, the workflow file has not yet been imported (S 20 : NO), the CPU  140  executes import of the workflow file for which import is being prepared, and then advances the process to S 28  ( FIG. 5 ).  FIG. 6  shows the home screen  130  after the execution of the workflow import process as described above. In the function list area  132  of the home screen  130 , a WFD icon  132   d  is displayed to instruct the execution of the imported Workflow WFD. The WFD icon  132   d  is displayed in a different manner from the WFa icon  132   c  for workflows created in the PC  100  so that it is clear that the WFD icon  132   d  is an icon for an imported workflow. 
     On the other hand, in the determination of S 20 , when the workflow file has already been imported (S 20 : YES), the CPU  140  determines whether there is a difference between the workflow file that has already been imported and the workflow file that is being prepared for import (S 24 ). In this determination, when it is determined that there is no difference (S 24 : NO), the CPU  140  advances the process to S 36  ( FIG. 5 ). On the other hand, when it is determined that there is a difference (S 24 : YES), the CPU  140  updates the workflow file that has already been imported with the workflow file that is being prepared for import (S 26 ), and then advances the process to S 28 . 
     In S 28 , the CPU  140  determines whether the workflow file has been successfully imported/updated. In this determination, when the import/update of the workflow file has failed (S 28 : NO), the CPU  140  displays, on the display  120 , an error display including a message informing that the import/update of the workflow file has failed (S 30 ), and then advances the process to S 32 . On the other hand, when the workflow file is successfully imported/updated (S 28 : YES), the CPU  140  skips S 30  and advances the process to S 32 . 
     In S 32 , the CPU  140  determines whether the specific folder, that is, the server-side WorkFlow storage folder, is a local folder. The local folder is not a folder shared by multiple people, but a folder used only by one particular person. In the determination in S 32 , when the server-side workflow storage folder is a local folder (S 32 : YES), the CPU  140  deletes the workflow file in the server-side workflow storage folder, that is, the imported workflow file (S 34 ), and then advances the process to S 36 . The reason for deleting the imported workflow file in the server-side workflow storage folder in this way is that when the server-side workflow storage folder is a local folder, the imported workflow file cannot be imported by another user after it has been imported. 
     On the other hand, in the determination of S 32 , when the server-side workflow storage folder is not a local folder (S 32 : NO), the CPU  140  skips S 34  and advances the process to S 36 . The reason why the imported workflow file in the server-side workflow storage folder is not deleted in this way is that when the server-side workflow storage folder is not a local folder, the imported workflow file may be imported by another user after importing. 
     In S 36 , the CPU  140  determines whether another device has been selected. In this determination, when another device has been selected (S 36 : YES), the CPU  140  returns the process to S 14 . On the other hand, when another device is not selected (S 36 : NO), the CPU  140  terminates the workflow import process. 
     Thus, according to the workflow import process, a workflow WFD file created outside of the PC  100  can be imported into the PC  100  and used. 
     Aspects of the present disclosures are not necessarily limited to the configuration of the above embodiment, but various changes can be made without departing from aspects of the present disclosures. 
     (1) In the above-described embodiment, only one MFP  200  is used as the image processing device connected to the PC  100 , but multiple MFPs may be connected and any of them may be selected. In such a case, not only MFPs, but also stand-alone printers and scanners may be connected and selected. 
     (2) In the above-described embodiment, the workflow file to be imported into the PC  100  is placed on the storage device in the server  250 , but it may also be placed on the memory  150  of the PC  100 . In this case, the workflow file created by the administrator in the PC  220  can be directly stored in the memory  150  of the PC  100 . 
     (3) In the above-described embodiment, the external file is stored on the storage device in the server  250 , but it may also be stored on the memory  150  of the PC  100 . In this case, the external file should be stored in a particular area on the memory  150  together with the information processing program when it is installed in the PC  100 . Another possible method is for the user of the PC  100  to read the external file and store it in a particular area on the memory  150  after being given a USB memory or other device that stores the external file. 
     (4) In the above embodiment, a display format of the icon is differentiated so that the user can recognize that it is an imported workflow and that it is a workflow created in the PC  100 . However, it is also possible to change the appearance of the icon name displayed below the icon without changing the appearance of the icon itself. In addition to changing the display format of the icon, the display format of the icon name may also be changed. In addition, any method of changing the display style, such as display color, pattern, shape, font, and the like may be used.