Patent Publication Number: US-2005132287-A1

Title: Multifunction apparatus and distribution server

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to a multifunction apparatus that utilizes a menu necessary for an operation by receiving the menu via a network. The invention also relates to a distribution server that distributes such a menu to the multifunction apparatus.  
      2. Description of Related Art  
      In recent years, it has become customary for multifunction apparatuses to obtain an address book in order to distribute scanned data to terminals (PCs) via a network. The distribution server generates such an address book for the scanned data distribution. In the address book, terminals and document management servers are defined. The multifunction apparatus obtains the address book by pressing an address obtaining button displayed on a panel, and obtains an address as a distribution destination of the scanned data. Then, the document scanning process is performed and the scanned data is transmitted, via the distribution server, to the distribution destination having the selected address.  
      Upon registering a menu, an apparatus has been also introduced, in which a user creates a menu screen that minimizes the number of operations to reach a desired menu and stores the menu (e.g., Related Art 1). 
          [Related Art 1] Japanese Patent Laid Open Application H9-54668 (paragraph 0018; FIG. 1)        

      However, with the above-described conventional technology, it is impossible to display jobs customized for each individual. Therefore, the user has to look for a desired menu from menus shared by a plurality users of the same multifunction apparatus. In addition, storing the menu information (to be used by the users) within the apparatus requires a storage memory.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention addresses the above-described problems. The purpose of the invention is to provide a multifunction apparatus and a distribution server that do not burden the memory capacity of the multifunction apparatus and that are more time saving for the user to find a desired menu from a plurality of menus.  
      According to the present invention, data to be displayed on an operation screen is layered into a plurality of menus according operation steps and is stored, for each job, in a distribution server, the operation screen being used to input a menu selection as an instruction from the user. Corresponding to an operation on a multifunction apparatus, the menus are sequentially delivered from the distribution server to the multifunction apparatus, starting from a menu in the top layer. The multifunction apparatus displays, corresponding to the operation, menus by downloading each operation screen one after another. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The present invention is further described in the detailed description which follows, with reference to the noted plurality of drawings by way of non-limiting examples of exemplary embodiments of the present invention, in which like reference numerals represent similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings, and wherein:  
       FIG. 1  illustrates a network configuration to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied;  
       FIG. 2  is a functional block diagram illustrating a multifunction apparatus of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 3  is a schematic view of the multifunction apparatus of  FIG. 2 ;  
       FIG. 4  is a plane view of a panel provided in the multifunction apparatus of  FIG. 2 ;  
       FIG. 5  is a functional block diagram illustrating a distribution server of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 6  illustrates a data configuration of menus stored in the distribution server;  
       FIG. 7  is a partial data configuration illustrating in detail the menus of  FIG. 6  stored in a tree-shaped configuration;  
       FIG. 8 ( a ) is a configuration of an initial screen displayed on the multifunction apparatus;  
       FIG. 8 ( b ) is a configuration of a menu screen displaying top menus;  
       FIG. 8 ( c ) is a configuration of a menu screen displaying menus one layer below the top menus;  
       FIG. 9  is a flowchart illustrating a process for the multifunction apparatus to issue an online menu obtaining request;  
       FIG. 10  is a flowchart illustrating a process for the multifunction apparatus and the distribution server after the online menu obtaining request is issued; and  
       FIG. 11  is a flowchart illustrating a process for the multifunction apparatus and the distribution server after executing a job (e.g., scanning). 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      The embodiments of the distribution server system, provided by the multifunction apparatus and distribution server of the present invention, are explained in the following, in reference to the above-described drawings.  
       FIG. 1  illustrates a network configuration of the distribution server system. A plurality of multifunction apparatuses  100  and distribution servers  200  are connected to network  10 . Although network  10  can be configured with a local area network (LAN) or the Internet, this embodiment employs a LAN for network  10 . Multifunction apparatus  100  can be connected to network  10 , and has a plurality of functions such as copier, printer, scanner, facsimile transmission/reception, and Internet communication functions. The multifunction apparatus of the present invention is not limited to the above-described functions.  
       FIG. 2  is a detailed functional block diagram illustrating multifunction apparatus  100 . In  FIG. 2 , through CPU  101  and via internal bus  102 , multifunction apparatus  100  connects FAX controller  103 , scanner controller  104 , printer controller  105 , panel controller  106 , and network interface controller  107 . Via modem  108 , fax controller  103  exchanges image data with image memory  113 , in order to perform facsimile transmission and reception. Scanner controller  104  performs a document scanning process by controlling scanner  109  and stores image data in image memory  113 . Printer controller  105  controls printer  110  to print the image data stored in image memory  113 . Panel controller  106  retrieves menu information stored in memory  114  and displays the data on panel  111 . Network interface controller  107  controls network controller  112  that exchanges data generated by distribution server  200  and client  300  on network  115 . Client  300  is another multifunction apparatus that is served by distribution server  200 .  
       FIG. 3  is a schematic illustration of multifunction apparatus  100 . In multifunction apparatus  100 , scanner  109  and printer  110  are housed within body  140 , together with other components such as CPU  101 , memory  114 , and modem  108 . Panel  111 , having LCD  141 , is located at the left side of the top surface of multifunction apparatus  100 . At the right side of panel  111 , document feeder  142  for feeding a document to scanner  109  is located. At the left side surface of multifunction apparatus  100 , finisher trays  143  and  144 , which receive ejected printed paper from printer  110 , are aligned parallel in an approximately horizontal plane. Paper tray  145 , which feeds paper to printer  110 , is located at the bottom of multifunction apparatus  100 .  
       FIG. 4  is a plane view of panel  111  and LCD  141 . The lower end of LCD  141  includes a memory button, function button, quick dial button, and Internet button. The Internet button is pressed when an operator needs to switch the mode to the input mode for Internet facsimile communication.  
      A plurality of one-touch buttons  146  are aligned below the above-described buttons. Below one-touch buttons  146 , a redial/pause button, speed dial button, sub-address/on-hook button, clear/monitor volume button, set button, and monitor button are provided. In addition, numeric part  148 , having numeric keys  147 , is located further below. Each numeric key  147  has alphabet letters applied to allow the alphabet input. At the right side of numeric part  148 , stop button  149  and start button  151  are provided. The user inputs various data using numeric keys  147 .  
       FIG. 5  is a functional block diagram of distribution server  200 . Distribution server GUI processor  201  provides a work support screen when a user&#39;s personal job or a group job is registered in distribution server  200  from a personal computer. Via distribution server interface processor  202 , multifunction apparatus  100  and distribution server GUI processor  201  control menu information processor  203 , job capability processor  204 , and log information processor  205 . Menu information processor  203  registers menus in hard disk  207 , the menus having stored in a tree-shape configuration. Menu information processor  203  also retrieves a menu requested by multifunction apparatus  100  from hard disk  207  and distributes the menu. Job capability processor  204  writes/reads data in/from hard disk  207 , the data being job capability information (copying, printing, scanning, FAX transmission, etc.) to be processed by multifunction apparatus  100  on network  115 . Log information processor  205  writes/reads data in/from hard disk  207  (as log information), the data being a function performed by distribution server  200 . Hard disk  207  stores and manages menu information, job capability information, and log information in a multi-use data format such as XML and CSV file, in order to exchange data with other systems. Network interface controller  206  exchanges data with multifunction apparatus  100 , client  300 , other distribution servers, and other systems that are on network  115  via network controller  208 .  
       FIG. 6  illustrates a specific example of tree-shaped menus stored in hard disk  207 . A menu includes “display text”  301  (text displayed in an operation screen), “next screen name”  302  (screen name of the next screen one layer below the current operation screen (menu screen)), and “action”  303  (command for multifunction apparatus  100  to execute at the currently displayed menu).  
       FIG. 6  illustrates menus T 1  and T 2  in the top layer (screen name TOP). In particular, menu T 1  includes “display text”  301 : “scan document at MFP and transmit it to server”, which means “multifunction apparatus  100  reads the document using scanner  109  and transmit the data to a specific server”.  
      “Next screen name”  302  of menu T 1  is “ScanSend”. “ScanSend” is named after subordinate menus (one layer below menu T 1 ) that are related to “scan document at MFP and transmit it to server”.  
      “Action”  303  of menu T 1  is “obtain next menu from server”. This is for a situation where multifunction apparatus  100  obtains the menus one layer below from distribution server  200 , as the next action (operation).  
      When a menu that is one layer below the current menu is present, it is connected in the tree-shape configuration. In the example shown in  FIG. 6 , 3 menus S 1 , S 2 , and S 3  are positioned one layer below the top menu T 1 . In particular, the configuration provides menu S 1 : “scan and transmit to server”, menu S 2 : “change paper size”, and menu S 3 : “select scanning image quality”.  
      In particular, when a job: “scan document at MFP and transmit it to server” is selected, the next operation is one of “scan and transmit to server”, “change paper size”, and “select scanning image quality”. Therefore, the corresponding operation menus (operation screens) are prepared.  
      Menus SS 1 -SS 5  are provided one layer below menus S 2  and S 3 . For example, SS 1  (change the scanning document size to A4) and SS 2  (change the scanning document size to B4) are provided below menu S 2  (“change paper size”).  
      As described above, the operation steps on multifunction apparatus  100  are layered according to the contents of the job. Therefore, each menu for an operation screen, which is displayed on multifunction apparatus  100 , can be layered.  FIG. 7  illustrates an example of layered menu data of  FIG. 6 , written in the XML format.  
      The operation of the distribution server system (multifunction apparatus  100  and distribution server  200 ) having the above configuration is described in the following.  
      As shown in  FIG. 8 ( a ), LCD  141  of panel  111  at multifunction apparatus  100  displays an initial screen. When menu button  401  is pressed from the initial screen shown in  FIG. 8 ( a ), distribution server  200  distributes the menus.  
      As shown in  FIG. 9 , multifunction apparatus  100 , as a client of distribution server  200 , waits for a button to be pressed (S 100 ). When the button is pressed (S 100 ), it is determined whether an online menu obtaining request is made (S 101 ). When menu button  401  is pressed, it is recognized that the online menu obtaining request is made. When another button is pressed, the instructed process is executed (S 102 ).  
       FIG. 10  illustrates a process when the online menu obtaining request is made. Multifunction apparatus  100  requests a menu from distribution server  200  (S 200 ).  
      Distribution server  200  receives the menu request via LAN  115  (S 201 ). Distribution server interface processor  202  delivers the received menu request to menu information processor  203 . Then, menu information processor  203  retrieves the menus of multifunction apparatus  100 , the menus being registered in hard disk  207 . In particular, the each menu is retrieved (among the menus having stored in the tree-shape configuration) and distributed in sequence, from the top layer to the bottom layer, in accordance with the user&#39;s operation.  
      The following describes an operation of distributing and displaying menus in sequence from the top layer to the bottom layer, in reference to FIGS.  8 ( a ), ( b ), and ( c ).  
      Upon receiving the initial menu request from multifunction apparatus  100 , menu information processor  203  retrieves menus T 1  and T 2  in the top layer (from menus of multifunction apparatus  100  shown in  FIG. 6 ) and distributes the retrieved menus to the requester (S 202 ).  
      Multifunction apparatus  100  (requester) receives menus T 1  and T 2  from distribution server  200 , as a response to the menu request (S 203 ). Multifunction apparatus  100  stores menus T 1  and T 2  in memory  114 . Then, CPU  101  retrieves each “display text”  301  from menus T 1  and T 2  and displays on LCD  141 , while retrieving and storing “action”  303  from menus T 1  and T 2  (S 204 ). As a result, LCD  141  of panel  111  displays a screen shown in  FIG. 8 ( b ). To be specific, two jobs “scan document at MFP and transmit it to server” and “retrieve document from server and print it at MFP” are displayed in text. By pre-registering the two jobs in distribution server  200 , as jobs for multifunction apparatus  100 , the menus can be distributed.  
      In this example, the user selects the menu “scan document at MFP and transmit it to server” as a job.  
      A touch sensor provided on LCD  141  detects that the button (item) for “scan document at MFP and transmit it to server” is selected from LCD  141  of multifunction apparatus  100  (S 205 ). Then, the “action” corresponding to the button pressed by the user is retrieved from memory  114  (S 206 ). As shown in  FIG. 6 , “action”  303  of menu T 1  has the content: “obtain next menu from server”, which is obtaining menus S 1 , S 2 , and S 3  in one layer below menu T 1 .  
      Accordingly, it is recognized that the online menu obtaining request is made at step S 207  of  FIG. 10 . Then, the control moves to step S 200 . At step S 200 , an obtaining request for menus S 1 , S 2 , and S 3  (one layer below menu T 1 ) is made, according to the “action” to “obtain next menu from server”. For example, by specifying “next screen name”=ScanSend stored in memory  114 , the request is made to distribution server  200 .  
      Upon receiving the menu request (S 201 ), distribution server  200  retrieves menus S 1 , S 2 , and S 3  having the screen name=ScanSend, which are stored in hard disk  207 . Then, distribution server  200  distributes the menus to multifunction apparatus  100  (client) (S 202 ). However, the method of specifying the menu is not limited to the above. For example, the menu request can be made by specifying the layer number or the like, instead of specifying “next screen name”=ScanSend.  
      Similarly, multifunction apparatus  100  receives menus S 1 , S 2 , and S 3  as a response to the menu request, from distribution server  200  (S 203 ). Therefore, “scan and transmit to server” (“display text”  301  of menu S 1 ), “change paper size” (“display text”  301  of menu S 2 ), and “select scanning image quality” (“display text”  301  of menu S 3 ) are displayed on LCD  141  of panel  111  (S 204 ).  FIG. 8 ( c ) illustrates a state where menus S 1 , S 2 , and S 3  are displayed on LCD  141 .  
      At multifunction apparatus  100 , the user selects one of the menu items on LCD  141 . In  FIG. 8 ( c ), menu S 1  button (item), at the very top of the list, “scan and transmit to server” is selected. In this case, the next “action” is “transmit the scanned document to server”. Therefore, the online menu obtaining request is not made (S 207 ).  
      At step S 208 , the “action” of menu S 1  is verified. When the “action” is “scan and transmit to server” (S 208 ), the actual document scanning operation begins. When the “action” is not “scan and transmit to server” (S 208 ), the specified process is executed (S 209 ).  
      In the example of  FIG. 8 ( c ), the “action” is “scan and transmit to server” (S 208 ). Therefore, the actual document scanning operation begins.  
       FIG. 11  is a flowchart illustrating a process where a document is scanned by multifunction apparatus  100  and registered in distribution server  200 . When a document is set in scanner  109  of multifunction apparatus  100 , and when start button  151  is pressed, the document is scanned page by page. Then, the scanned image data is stored in image memory  113  (S 300 ). Thereafter, multifunction apparatus  100  issues a document registration request to distribution server  200 , and the image data is transmitted from image memory  113  to distribution server  200  via LAN  115  (S 301 ).  
      Upon transmitting ACK in response to the document registration request received from multifunction apparatus  100 , distribution server  200  receives the image data (S 302 ) and registers the document by applying a document name in hard disk  207  (S 303 ).  FIG. 5  does not show the configuration for document registration.  
      The above explanation has used an example of “scan and transmit to server” for illustrating the steps of the operation screens. However, operation screens for other jobs (registered in distribution server  200 ) can also be sequentially displayed on multifunction apparatus  100 , according to the menus configured in layers as shown in  FIG. 6 .  
      According to the present embodiment, jobs to be executed by multifunction apparatus  100  are displayed in layers of operation screens according to the operation steps of multifunction apparatus  100 . Menus for displaying the operation screens are also registered in the tree-shape configuration, in distribution server  200 , so that distribution server  200  sequentially transmits the operation screens to multifunction apparatus  100 . Therefore, there is no longer a need to store all of the operation screens in advance in multifunction apparatus  100 . In addition, layered menus, in combination with display text  301  and action  303 , are transmitted to multifunction apparatus  100 . Therefore, multifunction apparatus  100  can quickly take the next action from the user&#39;s operation.  
      It is noted that the foregoing examples have been provided merely for the purpose of explanation and are in no way to be construed as limiting of the present invention. While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is understood that the words which have been used herein are words of description and illustration, rather than words of limitation. Changes may be made, within the purview of the appended claims, as presently stated and as amended, without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention in its aspects. Although the present invention has been described herein with reference to particular structures, materials and embodiments, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the particulars disclosed herein; rather, the present invention extends to all functionally equivalent structures, methods and uses, such as are within the scope of the appended claims.  
      The present invention is not limited to the above described embodiments, and various variations and modifications may be possible without departing from the scope of the present invention.  
      This application is based on the Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-417012 filed on Dec. 15, 2003, entire content of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.