Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to an image forming system, and in particular to management of print data using a radio frequency identification (RFID) chip having a specific ID. 
   2. Related Background Art 
   Conventionally, in order to copy a print, the print is scanned and an image of the print is copied on print paper using a copying machine or the like. In addition, in a case where the print is one printed by a printer, a file stored in a computer is retrieved to print the print anew. As exemplifying such a print system in which a computer and a printer are connected in this way, there is known a technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-105689. 
   However, if the copying machine is used for the copy, naturally, the image quality of an image on a copied print may be deteriorated compared with that of the original print, or the image on the copied print may be inclined. In addition, in the case in which a print is printed by a printer, it takes a considerably long time to retrieve an original file for the print. Moreover, it is difficult to identify the original file if there are other files having similar contents. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is an object of the present invention to solve the problems described above. 
   It is another object of the present invention to prevent image quality from being deteriorated in the copying of an image and to prevent a copied image from being inclined, and to reduce time and labor required for retrieval processing of copy subject data by a user. 
   In order to solve such problems, according to an aspect of the present invention, an image forming system includes: 
   image forming means that forms an image relating to subject data on a recording medium having holding means that holds identification information specific to the recording medium; 
   detecting means that detects the identification information held by the holding means of the recording medium; 
   database means that, in accordance with an image forming operation for an image relating to desired subject data by the image forming means, stores first identification information, which is detected by the detecting means from the holding means of a first recording medium on which the image relating to the desired subject data is recorded, and the desired subject data in association with each other; 
   retrieving means that retrieves subject data corresponding to second identification information detected by the detecting means from plural subject data stored in the database means at a timing independent from the image forming operation for the image relating to the desired subject data; and 
   control means that controls, in accordance with a result of the retrieval by the retrieving means, the image forming means to form an image relating to the subject data corresponding to the second identification information retrieved by the retrieving means on a second recording medium different from the first recording medium. 
   Other objects and features of the present invention will be apparent form the following detailed description of the invention when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram schematically showing a main structure of an image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is an external view of the image forming system according to the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a block diagram schematically showing an internal structure of the image forming system according to the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is an external view of a printer; 
       FIG. 5  is a block diagram showing an internal structure of an output paper ID detector and a print request ID detector; 
       FIG. 6  is an external view of a print paper; 
       FIG. 7  is a block diagram showing an internal structure of an RFID: 
       FIG. 8  is a block diagram showing a structure of an image forming system according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 9  is a block diagram showing a structure of an image forming system according to a third embodiment of the present invention; and 
       FIG. 10  is a block diagram showing a structure of an image forming system according to a further embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be hereinafter described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts. 
     FIG. 1  is a block diagram schematically showing a main structure of respective image forming systems according to first to fourth embodiments of the present invention. A user file  11  is a file of an image or a document which a user can use. A print application  10  is an application to be operated by the user and is provided for selection of a file to be printed from the user file  11 . In addition, the print application  10  is provided with a function for converting the selected file into print data and delivering the print data to a printer service unit  30 . 
   A database file  21  is a file in which print data and IDs of print paper are recorded in association with each other. A database application  20  includes a registration function, a reference function, and a deletion function. The registration function of the database application  20  allows registration of the print data and the IDs in a one-to-multiple relation. In other words, the registration function allows registration of plural IDs for one body of print data. By supplying an ID to the database application  20 , the reference function of the database application  20  allows sending back of print data corresponding to the ID. By supplying an ID to the database application  20 , the deletion function of the database application  20  allows deletion of print data corresponding to the ID. 
   A print control unit  40  is firmware which controls all operations relating to printing. An output paper ID monitor unit  50  is capable of: communicating with an RFID  80 , which is attached to a print paper  90  which has just undergone printing shown in  FIG. 6 , in a non-contact manner with each other; always monitoring an output paper ID detector  70  ( FIGS. 4 and 5 ), which reads out ID information specific to the RFID  80 ; and when the ID is detected, immediately informing the print control unit  40  of the ID. 
   A print request ID monitor unit  60  is capable of communicating with the RFID  80 , which is attached to the print paper  90  on which an image which a user desires to copy is printed, in a non-contact manner with each other; always monitoring a print request ID detector  71  ( FIG. 5 ), which reads out ID information specific to the RFID  80 ; and when the ID is detected, immediately informing a printer service unit  30  of the ID. 
   The printer service unit  30  is software which communicates with the print application  10 , the database application  20 , the print control unit  40 , and the print request ID monitor unit  60  and controls operations of the entire system. The printer service unit  30  performs control of normal printing and extra copy printing. 
   Functions of the print application  10 , the database application  20 , and the printer service unit  30  can be realized by software using a computer as described later. The user file  11  and the database file  21  are accumulated in a storage unit such as a hard disk drive in a computer as described later and are used when executing the respective applications. 
   Here, operation for normal printing will be described. The user executes the print application  10 , selects a file which the user desires to print from the user file  11 , and instructs the print application  10  to print the file. When the printing instruction is received, the print application  10  reads out the designated user file  11 , converts the user file  11  into print data, and delivers the print data to the printer service unit  30 . 
   The printer service unit  30  transfers the delivered print data to the print control unit  40 . The print control unit  40  creates a bitmap image on the basis of the transferred print data and controls a print mechanism of a printer  200  in  FIG. 2 , described later, to print the bitmap image on the print paper  90 . In parallel with this print operation, the ID of the print paper  90  to be outputted is monitored through the output paper ID monitor unit  50 . 
   The output paper ID monitor unit  50  monitors an output signal of the output paper ID detector  70  and, when the print paper  90  passes, detects the ID of the paper. When the ID information is detected, the output paper ID monitor unit  50  informs the print control unit  40  of the ID information. When the printing is completed, the print control unit  40  informs the printer service unit  30  of the completion of the printing together with the ID information informed from the output paper ID monitor unit  50 . 
   The printer service unit  30  informs the database application  20  of the ID information informed from the print control unit  40  together with the print data. The database application  20  registers the informed print data and ID information in the database file  21  in association with each other. Then, when the registration of the print data and the ID information in the database file  21  is completed, the printer service unit  30  informs the print application  10  of the completion of the print operation based upon the delivered print data. When the notification of the completion of the print operation is received from the printer service unit  30 , the print application  10  informs the user of completion of the printing. 
   Next, an operation for extra copy printing will be described. 
   A user brings an RFID part of the print paper  90 , on which an image for which the user desires to print extra copies is printed, close to the print request ID detector ( FIG. 4 )  71 , and causes the print request ID detector  71  to read the ID. The print request ID detector  71  informs the printer service unit  30  of the ID information. The printer service unit  30  sends the informed ID information to the database application  20  and instructs the database application  20  to retrieve print data corresponding to this ID information from the database file  21 . 
   The database application  20  retrieves the registered database file  21 . If the print data corresponding to this ID information exists, the database application  20  sends the related print data to the printer service unit  30 . If the print data does not exist, the database application  20  returns information indicating failure of retrieval to the printer service unit  30 . If the print data is sent back from the database application  20 , the printer service unit  30  transfers the print data to the print control unit  40 . 
   The print control unit  40  creates a bitmap image on the basis of the transferred print data and controls the print mechanism of the printer  200  to execute printing on the print paper  90 . In parallel with this print operation, the ID of the print paper  90  to be outputted is monitored through the output paper ID monitor unit  50 . When the ID is detected, the output paper ID monitor unit  50  informs the print control unit  40  of the ID information. 
   When the printing is completed, the print control unit  40  informs the printer service unit  30  of the completion of the printing together with the ID information informed from the output paper ID monitor unit  50 . The printer service unit  30  sends the ID information informed from the print control unit  40  to the database application  20 . The database application  20  registers the print data, for which extra copies have been printed, and the informed ID information in the database file  21  in association with each other. 
   In other words, every time one image of print data registered in the database file  21  is printed, ID information for the print data is registered anew. 
     FIG. 2  shows an external view of the image forming system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 3  is a block diagram schematically showing an internal structure of the image forming system according to this embodiment. 
   As shown in  FIG. 3 , the functions of the print application  10 , the user file  11 , the database application  20 , the database file  21 , and the printer service unit  30  are included in a computer  100 , and the functions of the print control unit  40 , the output paper ID monitor unit  50 , and the print request ID monitor unit  60  are included in the printer  200 . The computer  100  and the printer  200  are connected via a network. 
   The user file  11  and the database file  21  are saved in a hard disk in the computer  100 . 
     FIG. 4  is an external view of the printer  200 . 
   In the printer  200 , paper is fed from the back of a main body thereof and discharged from the front of the main body after printing. In a course of the printing, specific ID information incorporated in the RFID  80  attached to the print paper  90  is read by the output paper ID detector  70 . In addition, the print request ID detector  71  is provided in the upper front part of the main body separately from the output paper ID detector  70 . When the part of the printed print paper  90  where the RFID  80  is attached is brought close to the upper front part of the main body, the specific ID incorporated in the RFID  80  of the printed print paper  90  is read by the print request ID detector  71 . 
   The output paper ID monitor unit  50  includes the output paper ID detector  70 , and the print request ID monitor unit  60  includes the print request ID detector  71 . 
     FIG. 5  is a block diagram showing an internal structure of the output paper ID detector  70  and the print request ID detector  71 . 
   The output paper ID detector  70  and the print request ID detector  71  each include an antenna  72 , an electric power circuit  73 , and a receiving circuit  74 . The electric power circuit  73  causes a high-frequency current to flow to the antenna  72  connected to the electric power circuit  73 . In other words, the electric power circuit  73  supplies electric power to the antenna  72 . At this point, the amplitude of the high-frequency current to be supplied to the antenna  72  is controlled to be constant. In addition, the electric power circuit  73  detects the high-frequency current and sends a signal of the high-frequency current to the receiving circuit  74 . The receiving circuit  74  restores ID information according to a change in the signal based upon the high-frequency current from the electric power circuit  73 . The output paper ID detector  70  and the print request ID detector  71  each output the ID information restored by the receiving circuit  74 . 
     FIG. 6  is an external view of the print paper  90 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , the RFID  80  is attached to an upper left portion of the print paper  90 .  FIG. 7  is a block diagram showing the internal structure of the RFID  80 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 7 , the RFID  80  includes an antenna  81 , an electric power circuit  82 , a control circuit  83 , a nonvolatile memory  84 , and a transmission circuit  85 . The electric power circuit  82  receives high-frequency power, which is supplied from the output paper ID detector  70  and the print request ID detector  71 , through the antenna  81 . Subsequently, after rectifying the received high-frequency power, the electric power circuit  82  supplies the power to the control circuit  83 , the nonvolatile memory  84 , and the transmission circuit  85 . 
   When the power is supplied, the control circuit  83  reads out specific ID information in the nonvolatile memory  84  after elapse of a predetermined time and converts the ID information into serial data. The transmission circuit  85  supplies a modulation signal to the electric power circuit  82  in accordance with the serial data converted from the ID information in the control circuit  83 . The electric power circuit  82  varies its amount of power consumption in response to the modulation signal from the transmission circuit  85 . This variation in power consumption is sent to the output paper ID detector  70  or the print request ID detector  71  through the antenna  81 . Consequently, the output paper ID detector  70  and the print request ID detector  71  can obtain the ID information of the RFID  80 . 
   In this manner, according to the present embodiment, in the case where the user desires to record an image, which is already printed once, on another recording paper again, the user can print the desired image anew with a simple operation of causing the printer  200  to read the RFID attached to the recording paper on which the desired image is printed. 
   Therefore, it is unnecessary to retrieve desired image data from the user file  11  of the computer  100 . 
     FIG. 8  is a block diagram showing the structure of the image forming system according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In the image forming system of the present embodiment, the component relating to the database is arranged on a network, which differs from the image forming system in the first embodiment. In other words, in the image forming system of the present embodiment, unlike the structure shown in  FIG. 3 , the database application  20  and the database file  21  are arranged in a computer  300  separate from the computer  100 , in which the print application  10  and the printer service unit  30  are provided, and the computer  100  and the computer  300  are connected via a network. Accordingly, both computers  100  and  300  are provided with network service units  101  and  301 , respectively. 
   In addition, the computer  100  including the printer service unit  30 , is also connected to the printer  200  including the print request ID detector  71  and the like via a network. If ID information detected by the print request ID detector  71  is sent to the database application  20  from the printer  200  through the computer  100 , it is possible to execute printing of a file corresponding to the ID information as described above. 
     FIGS. 9 and 10  are block diagrams showing structures of the image forming systems according to the third embodiment and the fourth embodiment of the present invention, respectively. 
   The structure of the image forming system in the third embodiment of the present invention is different from the structure of the image forming system shown in  FIG. 8  in that the printer  200  and the computer  100  are connected via a network. 
   In addition, the structure of the image forming system according to the forth embodiment of the present invention is different from the structure of the image forming system shown in  FIG. 8  in that the print request ID monitor unit  60  is separated from the printer  200 , a request input apparatus  400  including the print request ID monitor unit  60  is provided anew, and the request input apparatus  400  and the computer  300  are connected via a network. Accordingly, computers  100  and  300 , printer  200  and request input apparatus  400  are provided with network service units  101 ,  301 ,  201  and  401 , respectively. 
   It is needless to mention that the image forming system shown in  FIG. 9  or  FIG. 10  realizes the same actions and effects as the image forming systems shown in  FIGS. 3 and 8 . 
   The present invention is not limited to the structures described in the first to fourth embodiments, and it is possible to arrange every part of the block components shown in  FIG. 3  on a network. In addition, a system configuration may be adopted in which the respective block components shown in  FIG. 3  may be arranged on a network in plural. 
   According to the above-mentioned embodiments, in order to copy a print, an RFID part of the print, which a user desires to copy, is made to react to an ID detection unit of a printer or an independent ID detector to recognize print contents from ID information of the print to thereby print the print contents. 
   Therefore, an image quality of an image on a copied print is never deteriorated compared with that on an original print and the image on the copied print is not inclined. In addition, it is unnecessary to retrieve an original file of an image which a user desires to copy. Further, it is also possible to collectively manage documents according to a history of copying in a database. 
   Furthermore, although depending upon a structure of a printer to which the image forming system of the present invention is applied, it is also possible to adopt a single ID detector, which has both the functions of the output paper ID detector  70  and the print request ID detector  71 , as alternative means. Moreover, according to the above-mentioned embodiments, print data and IDs of print paper are recorded in association with each other in the database file  21 . However, the present invention can further register other information on the print data. 
   Examples of the other information on the print data include an ID of a computer which executes print processing and an ID of application software which is controlled the print processing in the computer. 
   When the print processing is executed by a user once, the information on the print data and the print data are registered in association with each other in the database file  21 . In the case in which the user desires to copy this print data later, the user inputs the IDs of the computer and the application software using input means such as a keyboard. The database application  20  retrieves print data corresponding to the inputted information from the database file  20  and informs the printer service unit  30  of a result of the retrieval. In the case in which the print data is returned from the database application  20 , the printer service unit  30  transfers the print data to the pertinent application software and causes the pertinent computer to execute print processing. 
   In addition, it is also possible to incorporate the database application  20  and the database file  21  in the printer  200 . In this case, it is possible to copy a print on the basis of the printing method unique to the present invention with the printer  200  alone. 
   Moreover, when a print is copied, in addition to an ID of print paper on which an image to be copied is printed, an ID of print paper on which the image is copied is also registered in association with the pertinent print data in the database file  21 , whereby it is possible to copy the print data using any one of those kinds of print paper from then on. 
   Note that, in the present invention, a size of print paper is not limited, and the present invention is applicable to print paper of any size. In addition, print data is not limited to image data, and the present invention is applied to text data or the like. 
   In addition, the objects of the present invention are also attained by providing a storage medium having stored therein program code of software, which realizes the functions of the above-mentioned embodiments, to a system or an apparatus, and by causing a computer (or a CPU or an MPU) of the system or the apparatus to read out and execute the program code stored in the storage medium. 
   In this case, the program code itself read out from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above-mentioned embodiments, and the program code itself and the storage medium having stored therein the program code constitute the present invention. 
   As the storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a flexible disk, a hard disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a CD-ROM, a CD-R, a magnetic tape, a nonvolatile memory card, a ROM, or the like can be used. 
   In addition, the present invention includes not only the case in which the functions of the above-mentioned embodiments are executed by causing the computer to execute the read-out program code, but also a case in which an OS (a basic system or an operating system) or the like running on the computer performs actual processing partly or entirely on the basis of an instruction of the program code, realizing the functions of the above-mentioned embodiments by the processing. 
   Moreover, the present invention also includes a case in which, after the program code read out from the storage medium is written in a memory provided in a function extending board inserted in the computer or a function extending unit connected to the computer, a CPU or the like provided in the function extending board or the function extending unit performs actual processing partly or entirely, thereby realizing the functions of the above-mentioned embodiments by the processing. 
   Many widely different embodiments of the present invention may be constructed without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described in the specification, except as defined in the appended claims.

Technology Category: b