JP5453150B2 - Image forming system and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming system and an image forming apparatus.

  An image forming apparatus having a transmission function (facsimile transmission, e-mail transmission, etc.) such as a facsimile machine or a multifunction machine has address book data in which destinations are registered in advance, and displays the address book based on the address book data. Some devices send data (facsimile data, e-mail, etc.) to a destination selected from the address book (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  Furthermore, there is a system in which a specific management image forming apparatus has a shared address book, and other image forming apparatuses acquire and use the shared address book from the management image forming apparatus (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

JP 2001-273221 A JP 2007-068892 A

  However, when the above-described shared address book is used, since the address book including all destinations is stored in the management image forming apparatus in a concentrated manner and functions as a server, a large storage capacity is required for storing the address book. Therefore, it is necessary to increase the capacity of the non-volatile storage device of the management image forming apparatus as compared with other image forming apparatuses, and the load related to providing the address book is concentrated on the management image forming apparatus. There is a possibility that a delay occurs in the processing of the job in the image forming apparatus.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and can distribute and share the address book data to distribute the storage capacity necessary for holding the address book data and the load of the address book data transfer. It is an object of the present invention to obtain a forming system and an image forming apparatus usable in the image forming system.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is configured as follows.

An image forming system according to the present invention includes a plurality of image forming apparatuses that are connected to a network and each hold address book data that is distributed and shared . Each of the plurality of image forming apparatuses detects a display device that displays an address book, a storage device that stores address book data, a network interface connected to a network, and a user operation for displaying the address book. Then, using the network interface, a device search unit that searches for another image forming apparatus having address book data, and address book data is stored in one or more other image forming apparatuses discovered by the device search unit. The address book requesting unit that requests and temporarily stores the address book data stored in the other image forming apparatus from the one or more other image forming apparatuses, and the address book requesting part One or a plurality of address book data stored in another image forming apparatus and a storage device of the image forming apparatus By combining the address book data stored to generate one of the address book data, and a data processing unit for displaying the address book on the display device in the generated single address book data.

  As a result, the address book data can be distributed and shared, and the storage capacity necessary for holding the address book data and the load of the address book data transfer can be distributed. In any image forming apparatus, the user can use the same address book.

  In addition to the above-described image forming system, the image forming system according to the present invention may be configured as follows. In this case, each of the plurality of image forming apparatuses transmits a Probe message including a keyword serving as a predetermined search key by multicast when searching by the device search unit, and receives a ProbeMatch message; A keyword storage device that stores one or a plurality of keywords including a keyword that serves as a predetermined search key, a second communication processing unit that receives a Probe message from the first communication processing unit of another image forming device, and the received Probe A message analysis unit that extracts a keyword that serves as a search key from a message, a keyword determination unit that determines whether or not the keyword that serves as a search key matches a keyword stored in the keyword storage device, and a search key Keys whose keywords are stored in the keyword storage The ProbeMatch message only if it matches the over-de, and a third communication processing unit that transmits to the transmission source of the image forming apparatus Probe message. The device search unit identifies the image forming apparatus that has transmitted the ProbeMatch message received by the first communication processing unit as an image forming apparatus having address book data.

  As a result, it is possible to efficiently search for an image forming apparatus having address book data by keyword search using a WS-Discovery communication protocol.

An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes a display device that displays an address book, a storage device that stores address book data that is one of distributed and shared address book data and has a record for each destination. When a network interface connected to the network and a user operation for displaying the address book are detected, the network interface is used to distribute and share other image forming apparatuses connected to the network . A device search unit that searches for another image forming apparatus having the address book data and a network interface, and transmits an address book request to one or more other image forming apparatuses discovered by the device search unit, from the one or more other image forming apparatus, it is stored in the other image forming apparatus, the dispersion co An address book request unit that stores other address book data received temporarily to, one or more is stored in the other image forming apparatuses acquired by the address book request section, it is distributed shared The other address book data and the address book data stored in the storage device of the image forming apparatus are combined to generate one address book data, and the address book is displayed on the display device using the generated one address book data. A data processing unit to be displayed.

  Thus, the address book data can be distributed and shared with other image forming apparatuses, and the storage capacity necessary for holding the address book data and the load of the address book data transfer can be distributed.

  In addition to the image forming apparatus described above, the image forming apparatus according to the present invention may be configured as follows. In this case, when searching by the device search unit, the image forming apparatus transmits a Probe message including a keyword that serves as a predetermined search key by multicast, and receives a ProbeMatch message, and a predetermined search key A keyword storage device that stores one or a plurality of keywords including the keyword to be used, a second communication processing unit that receives a Probe message from another image forming device connected to the network, and a search key from the received Probe message A message analysis unit that extracts a keyword to be used, a keyword determination unit that determines whether or not a keyword that is a search key matches a keyword stored in the keyword storage device, and a keyword that is a search key is a keyword storage To keywords stored in the device The ProbeMatch message only when the match, and a third communication processing unit that transmits to the transmission source of the image forming apparatus Probe message. The device search unit identifies the image forming apparatus that has transmitted the ProbeMatch message received by the first communication processing unit as an image forming apparatus having address book data.

  Accordingly, it is possible to efficiently search for another image forming apparatus having address book data by keyword search using the WS-Discovery communication protocol.

  The image forming apparatus according to the present invention may be configured as follows in addition to any of the image forming apparatuses described above. In this case, the storage device stores address book data for each user in association with the user ID. The address book request unit transmits a user ID together with a request for address book data, and receives address book data associated with the user ID from one or more image forming apparatuses.

  As a result, even when different address books are used for each user, the address book data can be distributed and shared, and the storage capacity necessary for holding the address book data and the load of the address book data transfer can be distributed.

  The image forming apparatus according to the present invention may be configured as follows in addition to any of the image forming apparatuses described above. In this case, the image forming apparatus, when an input device that detects a user operation and a record in the displayed address book is edited by a user operation, among the received address book data, address book data including the record And an address book editing unit that transmits an edit request for the record to the image forming apparatus that has transmitted the specified address book data.

  As a result, even if the record edited by the user is not the address book data of this image forming apparatus, the contents edited by the user are reflected in the address book data of any image forming apparatus including the record edited by the user. The Therefore, the user can use the address book without being aware of which image forming apparatus holds each record of the displayed address book.

  The image forming apparatus according to the present invention may be configured as follows in addition to any of the image forming apparatuses described above. In this case, when the data processing unit combines the one or more address book data acquired by the address book requesting unit with the address book data stored in the storage device, the data processing unit 1 One address book data is generated as one record. When one record generated from a plurality of records having the same content is edited, the address book editing unit includes a plurality of address book data including a plurality of records that are the basis of the record among the received address book data. And the editing request for the record is transmitted to the image forming apparatus that is the transmission source of the specified plurality of address book data.

  The image forming apparatus according to the present invention may be configured as follows in addition to any of the image forming apparatuses described above. In this case, when a new record is added by the user operation to the input device that detects the user operation and the displayed address book, the image forming apparatus stores the new record in the address book stored in the storage device. And an address book editing unit to be added to the data.

  As a result, the record added by the user is immediately added to the address book data of the image forming apparatus.

  The image forming apparatus according to the present invention may be configured as follows in addition to any of the image forming apparatuses described above. In this case, if the new record cannot be added to the address book data stored in the storage device, the address book editing unit issues a request to add the new record to the image forming apparatus that has transmitted the received address book data. Send.

  This ensures that the new record is added to the address book data of any image forming apparatus.

  The image forming apparatus according to the present invention may be configured as follows in addition to any of the image forming apparatuses described above. In this case, if the address book editing unit cannot add a new record because the number of registered address book data stored in the storage device has reached the upper limit, the number of registered address book data records Then, address book data to which a record can be added is specified, and a request for adding the new record is transmitted to the image forming apparatus that is the transmission source of the specified address book data.

  Thereby, a new record is automatically added to the available address book data.

  The image forming apparatus according to the present invention may be configured as follows in addition to any of the image forming apparatuses described above. In this case, when the data processing unit combines the one or more address book data acquired by the address book requesting unit with the address book data stored in the storage device, the data processing unit 1 One address book data is generated as one record.

  Thereby, it can prevent that the record of the same content is displayed repeatedly.

  According to the present invention, in a system having a plurality of image forming apparatuses, the address book data can be distributed and shared to distribute the storage capacity necessary for holding the address book data and the load of the address book data transfer.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image forming system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the image forming apparatus in FIG. FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram for explaining the operation of each apparatus when an address book is displayed in any of the image forming apparatuses in the system shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram for explaining device search in the system shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a Probe message used in the system shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a ProbeMatch message used in the system shown in FIG.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

Embodiment 1 FIG.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image forming system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. In the system shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of image forming apparatuses 1 (four in this case) are connected to a network 2.

  The image forming apparatus 1 is an apparatus having a transmission function, such as a facsimile machine or a multifunction machine. The transmission function includes facsimile transmission, electronic mail transmission, and the like. The e-mail transmission includes a ScanToEmail function for sending document data obtained by image scanning of a document by e-mail, a BoxToEmail function for sending document data in a document box (not shown) in the image forming apparatus 1 by e-mail, and the like. .

  The image forming apparatus 1 is registered with keywords indicating attributes of the image forming apparatus 1 such as model, function, group to which the image forming apparatus 1 belongs, and the like. Among these image forming apparatuses 1, one or a plurality of image forming apparatuses 1 having address book data have a keyword (here, “AddressBookSharing” as an example) indicating that they have address book data.

  The network 2 is a computer network composed of a LAN (Local Area Network) and / or a WAN (Wide Area Network).

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 in FIG. The image forming apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 2 is a multifunction machine and has address book data 15a.

  In FIG. 2, the image forming apparatus 1 includes an operation panel 11, a printing device 12, an image reading device 13, a facsimile device 14, a storage device 15, firmware 16, a communication device 17, and a computer 18.

  The operation panel 11 is a user interface device having a display device such as a liquid crystal display and an input device that electrically detects a physical user operation. As the input device, a key switch, a transparent touch panel arranged on the screen of the display device, or the like is used. The address book is displayed on the display device of the operation panel 11.

  The printing device 12 includes document data generated by the image reading device 13, document data stored in a document box (not shown), and document data according to a print job execution request received from a host device (not shown) via the network 2. Is an internal device for printing a document image based on the above.

  The image reading device 13 irradiates light on one or both sides of a document fed by an automatic document feeder or a document placed by a user and receives reflected light or the like to read an image of the document. An internal device that outputs document data.

  The facsimile apparatus 14 has a modem, generates a facsimile signal from the document data generated by the image reading apparatus 13 or the document data stored in the document box, transmits the facsimile signal via a telephone line, and transmits the facsimile signal. It is an internal device that receives and generates document data from the received signal.

  The storage device 15 is a device for storing address book data 15a, keyword list 15b, document data, etc. for each registered user. As the storage device 15, a device that drives a readable / writable nonvolatile recording medium such as a hard disk drive or a nonvolatile memory is used.

  The address book data 15a has one record for each registered destination, and each record has a destination name, a facsimile number as a facsimile destination, and / or an electronic destination as an electronic mail destination. Have an email address.

  The keyword list 15b is a list having one or a plurality of keywords indicating the attributes of the image forming apparatus 1. The keywords in the keyword list 15b are registered in advance in the image forming apparatus 1 or added by a request from an external apparatus. When adding a keyword from an external device, the keyword to be added is supplied to the image forming apparatus 1 by SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) or a Web service.

  The keyword list 15b of the image forming apparatus 1 having the address book data 15a (address book data of one or more users) includes a predetermined keyword (here, “AddressBookSharing”) indicating that the address book data is included, and the address book data The keyword list 15b of the image forming apparatus 1 that does not include the keyword does not include a predetermined keyword indicating that the address book data is included.

  The firmware 16 is a program that is loaded into the computer 18 and executed, and includes a description of processing for sending and receiving SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) messages. The firmware 16 is stored in a non-volatile memory such as a flash memory.

  The communication device 17 is a wired or wireless network interface connected to the computer network 2 and capable of communicating with other devices (such as other image forming devices 1) connected to the network 2.

  The computer 18 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and the like (not shown), loads various programs into the RAM, and executes them on the CPU, thereby realizing various processing units. It is a device to do. The computer 18 includes a communication processing unit 21, a SOAP processing unit 22, a device search unit 23, a keyword determination unit 24, an address book request unit 25, an address book transmission unit 26, and a control unit based on the firmware 16 and a program (not shown). 27 is realized.

  The communication processing unit 21 is a processing unit that controls the communication device 17 and executes the above-described electronic mail transmission according to a communication protocol such as SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol). Further, the communication processing unit 21 is a processing unit that controls the communication device 17 and transmits / receives a SOAP message via the computer network 2 using a predetermined communication protocol. WS-Discovery Probe messages and ProbeMatch messages described later are SOAP messages, and the communication processing unit 21 uses UDP / IP (User Datagram Protocol / Internet Protocol) as a communication protocol for transmitting and receiving those SOAP messages. .

  The SOAP processing unit 22 includes a message transmission unit 22a and a message analysis unit 22b.

  The message transmission unit 22 a generates a SOAP message and transmits it using the communication processing unit 21 and the communication device 17. The SOAP message is text data described in XML (Extensible Markup Language). The message transmission unit 22a generates a Probe message including a keyword serving as a search key when the device search unit 23 searches for a device. The message transmission unit 22a generates a ProbeMatch message for the Probe message received by the communication processing unit 21 and the communication device 17. Note that a keyword serving as a search key is supplied from the device search unit 23. Further, the message transmitting unit 25a may describe a keyword search condition including a plurality of search keys in the Probe message.

  The message analysis unit 22b analyzes the syntax of the SOAP message received by the communication processing unit 21 and the communication device 17, and specifies a request, a response, a notification, and the like described in the message. The message analysis unit 22b performs syntax analysis of the Probe message and the ProbeMatch message received by the communication processing unit 21 and the communication device 17, and specifies a request, a response, a notification, and the like described in the message.

  Between the SOAP processing unit 22 and the SOAP processing unit 22 of another image forming apparatus 1, it is possible to search for a web service device by WS-Discovery and to search for a device by keyword using WS-Discovery. is there.

  When the image forming apparatus 1 performs a device search using a keyword, the message transmission unit 22a generates a Probe message including a keyword that serves as a search key, and causes the communication processing unit 21 to transmit the probe message. The communication processing unit 21 transmits a Probe message to other image forming apparatuses 1 by multicast. When the communication processing unit 21 receives a ProbeMatch message from one or a plurality of image forming apparatuses 1 in which the keyword is hit, the message analysis unit 22b specifies that the received message is a ProbeMatch message.

  On the other hand, when another image forming apparatus 1 performs a device search using a keyword, the communication processing unit 21 receives a Probe message from the other image forming apparatus 1, and the message analyzing unit 22b receives the Probe message from the received Probe message. Extract keywords as search keys. In this embodiment, the Probe message is a keyword search request to the image forming apparatus 1. When the keyword serving as the search key matches the keyword in the keyword list 15b stored in the storage device 15, the message transmission unit 22a generates a ProbeMatch message. The communication processing unit 21 transmits the ProbeMatch message to another image forming apparatus by unicast. If there is no matching keyword, the ProbeMatch message is not transmitted.

  The device search unit 23 is a processing unit that searches for the image forming apparatus 1 having address book data using the SOAP processing unit 22 with a predetermined search key (here, “AddressBookSharing”).

  The keyword determination unit 24 determines whether the keyword that is the search key specified in the Probe message received by the communication processing unit 21 matches any of the keywords in the keyword list 15 b stored in the storage device 15. It is a processing unit for determining whether or not.

  When a keyword search condition is described in the Probe message, the keyword determination unit 24 searches for a keyword stored in the storage device 15 using the keyword search condition.

  For example, as a keyword search condition, the Probe message has a search expression including one or more keywords, and the keyword determination unit 24 stores one or more keywords that match the search expression in the storage device 15. Determine whether it matches the keyword. The search expression is a logical operation expression of one or a plurality of keywords. For example, the search expression “AddressBookSharing” AND “design part” is a logical product of two keywords “AddressBookSharing” and “design part”, and the keyword “AddressBookSharing” matches the keyword stored in the storage device 15. In addition, it is determined whether or not the keyword “design unit” matches the keyword stored in the storage device 15.

  For example, a keyword matching condition is specified as a keyword search condition. The keyword matching condition is at least one of perfect match, partial match, forward match, and backward match. Here, complete match means that they are the same, partial match means that the search key is the same as part or all of the keyword, and forward match means that the search key is the keyword of the keyword. It means that it is the same as the beginning part or the whole, and the backward match means that the search key is the same as the end part or the whole of the keyword.

  The address book request unit 25 uses the communication device 17 and the communication processing unit 21 to transmit an address book request to the one or more image forming apparatuses 1 discovered by the device search unit 23, and the one or more images The processing unit receives address book data held in the forming apparatus.

  Upon receiving an address book request from another image forming apparatus 1, the address book transmission unit 26 reads the requested address book data 15 a from the storage device 15, and uses the communication device 17 and the communication processing unit 21 to read the address book data 15 a. A processing unit that transmits the request to the image forming apparatus 1 that is the transmission source of the request.

  The control unit 27 controls internal devices having functions for realizing various services, such as the operation panel 11, the printing device 12, the image reading device 13, the facsimile device 14, and the communication device 17, and performs user operations on the operation panel 11. The processing unit executes various jobs according to the above. When there is a predetermined user operation on the operation panel 11, the control unit 27 displays an address book on the operation panel. The control unit 27 controls the facsimile device 14 to perform facsimile transmission, and uses the communication processing unit 21 and the communication device 17 to perform electronic mail transmission. The destination of data when using these transmission functions is selected from the address book.

  The control unit 27 generates one address book data by synthesizing one or a plurality of address book data acquired by the address book request unit 25 and the address book data 15a stored in the storage device 15. The address book is displayed on the display device of the operation panel 11 by using the address book data.

  Next, the operation of each device when displaying an address book in any of the image forming apparatuses 1 in the system will be described. FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram for explaining the operation of each apparatus when an address book is displayed in any of the image forming apparatuses 1 in the system shown in FIG.

  In a certain image forming apparatus 1, when a user performs an operation for displaying an address book on the operation panel 11, the operation panel 11 detects the operation (step S1). When this operation is detected, the control unit 27 causes the device search unit 23 to search for the image forming apparatus 1 having the address book data 15a. The device search unit 23 of the image forming apparatus 1 searches for the image forming apparatus 1 connected to the network 2 that has the address book data 15a (step S11).

  When the device search unit 23 finds one or a plurality of image forming apparatuses 1 having the address book data 15a, the address book request unit 25 sends the communication processing unit 21 and the communication apparatus to each discovered image forming apparatus 1. 17 is used to transmit the address book request together with the user ID of the logged-in user to the image forming apparatus 1 (step S3).

  In each image forming apparatus 1, the address book transmission unit 26 receives the address book request and the user ID via the communication processing unit 21 and the communication device 17. When receiving the address book request, the address book transmission unit 26 reads the address book data 15a designated by the user ID and transmits it as a response to the address book request (step S3).

  In the image forming apparatus 1 that has transmitted the address book request, the address book request unit 25 receives the address book data 15 a and temporarily stores it in the RAM or the storage device 15.

  When the detected address book data 15a from one or more image forming apparatuses 1 is received, the control unit 27 stores the received one or more address book data 15a and the storage device 15 in the storage device 15. The address book data 15a of the user ID is synthesized to generate one address book data (step S4), and the address book is displayed on the display device of the operation panel 11 using the generated address book data (step S5).

  In this embodiment, the control unit 27 combines the one or more address book data 15a acquired by the address book request unit 25 with the address book data 15a stored in the storage device 15. One address book data is generated with a plurality of records having the same contents as one record.

  If the user performs a selection operation while the address book is displayed, the operation panel 11 detects the operation, and the control unit 27 identifies the selected record (that is, an address) and transmits the address. First, a facsimile machine or e-mail transmission is executed.

  Here, details of the above-described device search (step S11) will be described. This device search is performed by keyword search using WS-Discovery. FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram for explaining device search in the system shown in FIG.

  In the image forming apparatus 1, the device search unit 23 specifies a keyword (and a search condition) that serves as a search key for searching for another image forming apparatus 1 having address book data, and uses the keyword (and search condition). The SOAP processing unit 22 is notified (step S41). The search condition data may be stored in the storage device 15 together with the search keyword and read by the device search unit 23.

  The message transmission unit 22a of the SOAP processing unit 22 generates a Probe message including a keyword (and a search condition) serving as a search key. The communication processing unit 21 transmits the Probe message by multicast using the communication device 17 (step S42). FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a Probe message used in the system shown in FIG. The Probe message includes a Probe element. In the Probe message shown in FIG. 5, a keyword element is described as a child element of the Probe element, and a keyword (here, “AddressBookSharing”) is described as a value of the keyword element.

  This Probe message is transmitted on the network 2 and received by each image forming apparatus 1.

  In each image forming apparatus 1, the communication processing unit 21 receives this Probe message by the communication device 17, and the message analysis unit 22 b analyzes this Probe message, and the keyword (and the search condition) specified in this Probe message. ).

  Then, the keyword determination unit 24 searches the keyword in the keyword list 15b with the extracted keyword (according to the search condition), and determines whether a matching keyword is found.

  When a matching keyword is found by the keyword determination unit 24 (step S43), the message transmission unit 22a generates a ProbeMatch message, and the communication processing unit 21 converts the ProbeMatch message into an image that is the source of the Probe message. It transmits to the forming apparatus 1 (step S44).

  FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a ProbeMatch message used in the system shown in FIG. The ProbeMatch message shown in FIG. 6 corresponds to the Probe message shown in FIG.

  The ProbeMatch message includes a ProbeMatch element. In the ProbeMatch message shown in FIG. 6, an endpointReference element and a keyword element are described as child elements of the ProbeMatch element. A keyword (here, “AddressBookSharing”) designated as the search key is described as the value of the keyword element. The identifier (URI (Uniform Resource Identifier), UUID (Universally Unique Identifier), etc.) of the image forming apparatus 1 on the network 2 is described as the value of the endpointReference element.

  On the other hand, when the matching keyword is not found by the keyword determination unit 24 (step S45), the processing for the Probe message by the image forming apparatus 1 ends. Therefore, in this case, the ProbeMatch message is not transmitted.

  In this way, an image forming apparatus having address book data is searched.

  As described above, according to the first embodiment, each image forming apparatus 1 includes the operation panel 11 having the display device that displays the address book, the storage device 15 that stores the address book data 15a, and the communication device 17. Device search unit 23 for searching for another image forming apparatus 1 having address book data among image forming apparatuses 1 connected to network 2, and device search unit using communication device 17. The address book request unit 25 that transmits an address book request to one or a plurality of image forming apparatuses 1 discovered by 23 and receives the address book data of the one or a plurality of image forming apparatuses, and acquired by the address book request unit 25 One address book data is synthesized with the address book data 15a stored in the storage device 15 to generate one address book data. And a control unit 27 for displaying the address book in the generated address book data to the display device of the operation panel 11.

  Thus, without providing a server for centrally managing the address book, each image forming apparatus 1 distributes and shares the address book data together with other image forming apparatuses 1 so that the storage capacity and address book required for holding the address book data are reduced. The load of data transfer can be distributed.

  Further, according to the first embodiment, the communication processing unit 21 multicasts a Probe message including a keyword serving as a predetermined search key (here, “AddressBookSharing”) when searching by the device search unit 23. The device search unit 23 receives the ProbeMatch message, and identifies the image forming apparatus 1 that has transmitted the ProbeMatch message received by the communication processing unit 21 as the image forming apparatus 1 having address book data. The storage device 15 stores a keyword list 15b including keywords that serve as predetermined search keys, and the communication processing unit 21 receives a Probe message from another image forming device connected to the network 2, and receives the message. The analysis unit 22b extracts a keyword serving as a search key from the received Probe message, and the keyword determination unit 24 determines whether or not the keyword serving as the search key matches the keyword stored in the storage device 15. Determine. Then, the communication processing unit 21 transmits the ProbeMatch message to the image forming apparatus 1 that is the transmission source of the Probe message only when the keyword serving as the search key matches the keyword stored in the storage device 15.

  Accordingly, it is possible to efficiently search for another image forming apparatus having address book data by keyword search using the WS-Discovery communication protocol.

Embodiment 2. FIG.

  In the image forming system according to the second embodiment of the present invention, when a record in the address book is edited by a user operation on the operation panel 11 after the address book is displayed, the editing is performed on any of the image forming apparatuses. 1 is reflected in the address book data.

  The basic configuration and operation of each device of the image forming system according to the second embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment. However, the address editing function described above is added to the image forming apparatus 1.

  Here, the address editing function in the second embodiment will be described.

  In the second embodiment, when a certain record in the displayed address book is edited by a user operation on the operation panel 11, the control unit 27 selects the record from the received one or more address book data 15a. The address book data to be included is specified, and an edit request for the record is transmitted to the image forming apparatus 1 that is the transmission source of the specified address book data 15a. The edit request includes the above-described user ID and the edited record. Editing records includes changing email addresses.

  Then, in the image forming apparatus 1 that has received the edit request, the control unit 27 specifies the address book data 15a of the user ID, and updates the corresponding record in the address book data 15a with the edited record ( That is, overwrite).

  When one record generated from a plurality of records having the same contents in a plurality of address book data 15a is edited, the control unit 27 selects a plurality of the source address book data from which the record is based. A plurality of address book data including a record is specified, and an edit request for the record is transmitted to the image forming apparatus 1 that is a transmission source of the specified plurality of address book data.

  As described above, according to the second embodiment, when a record in the displayed address book is edited by a user operation, the control unit 27 includes the address including the record in the received address book data. Book data is specified, and an edit request for the record is transmitted to the image forming apparatus 1 that is the transmission source of the specified address book data.

  As a result, even if the record edited by the user is not the address book data of the image forming apparatus 1, the contents edited by the user are reflected in the address book data of any image forming apparatus including the record edited by the user. Is done. Therefore, the user can use the address book without being aware of which image forming apparatus holds each record of the displayed address book.

Embodiment 3 FIG.

  In the image forming system according to the third embodiment of the present invention, when a new record (new destination) is added to the address book by a user operation on the operation panel 11 after the address book is displayed, the new record is added. This is reflected in the address book data in any of the image forming apparatuses 1.

  The basic configuration and operation of each device of the image forming system according to the third embodiment are the same as those in the first or second embodiment. However, as described below, the above-described address addition function is added to the image forming apparatus 1.

  Here, the address addition function in the third embodiment will be described.

  In the third embodiment, when a new record is added to the displayed address book by a user operation on the operation panel 11, the control unit 27 stores the new record in the address book data stored in the storage device 15. Add to 15a. At this time, a new record is added to the address book data 15a associated with the user ID of the logged-in user.

  However, at this time, if a new record cannot be added to the address book data 15a because the number of registered records of the address book data 15a has reached a predetermined upper limit value, the control unit 27 uses the address book requesting unit 25 to A request to add the new record is transmitted to the image forming apparatus 1 that is the transmission source of the received address book data 15a. This addition request includes the user ID and a new record.

  Then, in the image forming apparatus 1 that has received the addition request, the control unit 27 identifies the address book data 15a of the user ID and adds the new record to the address book data 15a.

  If the number of registered records in the address book data 15a stored in the storage device 15 has reached the upper limit value and a new record cannot be added, the control unit 27 registers the received record in the address book data 15a. From the number of records, address book data to which a record can be added (that is, empty address book data) is specified, and a request for adding the new record is transmitted to the image forming apparatus 1 that is the transmission source of the specified address book data.

  If the record cannot be added to any image forming apparatus 1, the control unit 27 displays an error message on the operation panel 11.

  As described above, according to the third embodiment, when a new record is added to the displayed address book by a user operation, the control unit 27 stores the new record in the storage device 15. Add to existing address book data. As a result, the record added by the user is immediately added to the address book data of the image forming apparatus.

  However, if a new record cannot be added to the address book data 15a stored in the storage device 15, the control unit 27 requests the image forming apparatus 1 that has transmitted the received address book data to add the new record. Send. At this time, the control unit 27 identifies the address book data to which a record can be added from the number of registered records of the received address book data 15a, and sends the new address book data to the image forming apparatus 1 that is the transmission source of the identified address book data. Send a request to add a record. This ensures that the new record is added to the address book data of any image forming apparatus.

  Each embodiment described above is a preferred example of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to these, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is.

  For example, in each of the above-described embodiments, the plurality of address book data 15a held in the plurality of image forming apparatuses 1 may include records having the same contents or not including records having the same contents. You may do it.

  In the second embodiment, when one record aggregated from records having the same content in a plurality of address book data 15a is edited, the record in any one address book data 15a is updated. Good. In this way, since records having the same contents become records having different contents by editing, the respective records are displayed without being consolidated from the next address book display.

  In each of the above embodiments, the device search in step S11 may be performed immediately after user login, not when an address book display request is generated.

  The present invention is applicable to, for example, a network system to which a plurality of image forming apparatuses are connected.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 2 Network 11 Operation panel (an example of a display device, an example of an input device)
15 storage device (example of keyword storage device)
15a Address book data 15b Keyword list 17 Communication device (example of network interface)
21 Communication processing unit (an example of a first communication processing unit, an example of a second communication processing unit, an example of a third communication processing unit)
22b Message analysis unit 23 Device search unit 24 Keyword determination unit 25 Address book request unit 27 Control unit (an example of a data processing unit, an example of an address book editing unit)

Claims (11)

A plurality of image forming apparatuses connected to a network and each holding address book data distributed and shared ;
Each of the plurality of image forming apparatuses includes:
A display device for displaying an address book;
A storage device for storing the address book data,
A network interface connected to the network;
When the user operation for displaying the address book is detected, using said network interface, and a device search unit to search for another image forming apparatus having the address book data,
The requested address book data to one or more other image forming apparatus found by the device search portion, said that from the one or more other image forming apparatus, is stored in the other image forming apparatus An address book request section for acquiring and temporarily storing address book data;
Synthesis and one or more of the address book data stored in said another image forming apparatus acquired by the address book request section, and the address book data stored in the storage device of the image forming apparatus A data processing unit that generates one address book data and displays the address book on the display device with the generated one address book data,
An image forming system. Each of the plurality of image forming apparatuses includes:
A first communication processing unit configured to multicast a Probe message including a keyword serving as a predetermined search key and receive a ProbeMatch message when searching by the device search unit;
A keyword storage device for storing one or a plurality of keywords including a keyword serving as the predetermined search key;
A second communication processing unit that receives the Probe message from the first communication processing unit of another image forming apparatus;
A message analysis unit for extracting a keyword as the search key from the received Probe message;
A keyword determination unit for determining whether or not a keyword serving as the search key matches a keyword stored in the keyword storage device;
And a third communication processing unit that transmits the ProbeMatch message to the image forming apparatus that is the transmission source of the Probe message only when the keyword serving as the search key matches the keyword stored in the keyword storage device. ,
The device search unit identifies an image forming apparatus that has transmitted the ProbeMatch message received by the first communication processing unit as an image forming apparatus having address book data;
The image forming system according to claim 1. A display device for displaying an address book;
A storage device for storing address book data that is one of distributed address book data and has a record for each destination;
A network interface connected to the network;
When a user operation for displaying an address book is detected, another image book that has other shared address book data among the image forming apparatuses connected to the network using the network interface is detected. A device search unit for searching for an image forming apparatus;
Using the network interface, an address book request is transmitted to one or a plurality of other image forming apparatuses discovered by the device search unit, and the other image forming apparatus transmits the address book request from the one or a plurality of other image forming apparatuses. An address book request unit that receives and temporarily stores other distributed address book data stored in the device;
One or a plurality of other shared address book data stored in the other image forming apparatus acquired by the address book requesting unit and stored in the storage device of the image forming apparatus. A data processing unit that generates one address book data by combining the existing address book data, and displays the address book on the display device with the generated one address book data;
An image forming apparatus comprising: A first communication processing unit configured to multicast a Probe message including a keyword serving as a predetermined search key and receive a ProbeMatch message when searching by the device search unit;
A keyword storage device for storing one or a plurality of keywords including a keyword serving as the predetermined search key;
A second communication processing unit for receiving the Probe message from another image forming apparatus connected to the network;
A message analysis unit for extracting a keyword as the search key from the received Probe message;
A keyword determination unit for determining whether or not a keyword serving as the search key matches a keyword stored in the keyword storage device;
And a third communication processing unit that transmits the ProbeMatch message to the image forming apparatus that is the transmission source of the Probe message only when the keyword serving as the search key matches the keyword stored in the keyword storage device. ,
The device search unit identifies an image forming apparatus that has transmitted the ProbeMatch message received by the first communication processing unit as an image forming apparatus having address book data;
The image forming apparatus according to claim 3. The storage device stores address book data for each user in association with a user ID,
The address book request unit transmits a user ID together with the request for the address book data, and receives address book data associated with the user ID from the one or more image forming apparatuses;
The image forming apparatus according to claim 3. An input device for detecting a user operation;
When a certain record in the displayed address book is edited by the user operation, the address book data including the record is specified from the received address book data, and image formation of the transmission source of the specified address book data is performed An address book editor that sends an edit request for the record to the device;
The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising: When the data processing unit synthesizes one or a plurality of address book data acquired by the address book request unit and the address book data stored in the storage device, a plurality of records having the same contents are stored as one record. One address book data is generated as one record,
The address book editing unit, when one record generated from a plurality of records having the same content is edited, among the received address book data, a plurality of addresses including the plurality of records that are the basis of the record Specifying the book data, and sending each record edit request to the image forming apparatus that is the source of the specified address book data,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 6. An input device for detecting a user operation;
When a new record is added to the displayed address book by the user operation, an address book editing unit that adds the new record to the address book data stored in the storage device;
The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:   If the new record cannot be added to the address book data stored in the storage device, the address book editing unit requests the image forming apparatus that has received the address book data to add the new record. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein:   The address book editing unit receives the registration record of the received address book data when the new record cannot be added because the number of registration records of the address book data stored in the storage device has reached the upper limit. 10. The image according to claim 9, wherein the address book data to which a record can be added is identified from the number of records, and a request for adding the new record is transmitted to the image forming apparatus that is the transmission source of the identified address book data Forming equipment.   When the data processing unit synthesizes one or a plurality of address book data acquired by the address book request unit and the address book data stored in the storage device, a plurality of records having the same contents are stored as one record. 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein one address book data is generated as one record.

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