Patent ID: 7443525

Claim:
An image data processing method for processing image data acquired by an image scanning apparatus according to commands issued by a host computer, the method comprising: scanning image data using the image scanning apparatus; attempting to store the image data in a primary storage medium in the image scanning apparatus; sending a storage result report from the image scanning apparatus to the host computer, the storage result report being indicative of the result of storing the image data in the primary storage medium, the storage result report not including the image data acquired by the image scanning apparatus; determining by the host computer a processing method to be performed on the image data based on the received storage result report; and processing the image data using the image scanning apparatus according to the determined processing method; wherein the storage result report includes information indicating whether the image data was stored successfully in the primary storage medium; and wherein the image scanning apparatus comprises a temporary storage medium configured to temporarily store the acquired image data before an attempt is made to store it in the primary storage medium, and if a storage result report indicating that the image data was not stored successfully in the primary storage medium is received, then the processing method determined by the host computer includes a method for sending the image data stored in the temporary storage medium directly to the host computer without storing the image data in the primarily storage medium.