Image forming system and control method therefor

Details Image forming system and control method therefor Image forming system and control method therefor

1997-09-03

2001-05-22

Lee, Cheuk Fan (Department: 2622)

Facsimile and static presentation processing

Static presentation processing

Communication

C358S001160

Reexamination Certificate

active

06236464

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an image forming system which performs a designated function by a plurality of devices connected to a network and a control method for the image forming system.
In a conventional image forming system, functions for handling an original document, reading an image, transferring an image and the like are implemented in a single device. A user selects the device in correspondence with desired processing. For example, if the user has a color original document, the user may select a device having a color output function, or if the user has a double-sided original document, the user may select a device having a double-sided output function.
However, to utilize this system, the user must know the functions of the respective devices to a certain degree. In an environment where a plurality of devices having functions as described above are provided, the user is required to select a device in accordance with necessity for each processing, based on his/her knowledge about these functions. This is troublesome for the user.
In recent years, image forming devices which enable high-image quality output and which have multiple functions have been developed. In these devices, many functions are similar to each other (e.g., a document reader and some type of image processing module). Further, in recent years, there is a tendency to interconnect these devices via a network so as to constitute an image forming system.
However, if some of the devices constituting such system have similar function modules as described above, it is difficult for a user of the system to actually perform a desired function by freely combining these functions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming system which enables a user to perform a desired operation by freely combining functions of a plurality of devices on a network, without considering these functions.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the foregoing object is attained by providing an image forming system which has a plurality of functional units connected via a network and which performs image forming processing by using functions provided by the respective plurality of functional units, comprising: memory means for storing information indicating functions which can be provided by each of the functional units; transmission means for transmitting the information stored in the memory means to another functional unit; collection means for collecting the information indicating the functions transmitted by the transmission means from the plurality of functional units; analyzing means for analyzing appropriateness of a combination of the functions, so as to perform image forming processing operation designated by a user; and combining means for combining the functions collected by the collection means, in accordance with the result of analysis by the analyzing means.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the foregoing object is attained by providing a control method for an image forming system which has a plurality of functional units connected via a network and which performs image forming processing by using functions provided by the respective functional units, comprising: a collection step of collecting information indicating the functions which can be provided by each of the functional units at one functional unit which manages all the functional units, and storing the information into a predetermined storage medium; an analyzing step of analyzing appropriateness of a combination of the functions, so as to perform image forming processing operation designated by a user; and a combining step of combining the functions collected at the collection step, in accordance with the result of analysis at the analyzing step.
In accordance with the present invention as described above, a functional unit acting as a supervisor among the plurality of functional units, which manages all the plurality of functional units connected via a network, collects information indicative of functions which can be provided by each of the functional units via the network from the respective functional units, analyzes appropriateness of combining these functions to perform image forming processing operation designated by the user, and combines the necessary function units in accordance with the result of the analysis.
The present invention is particularly advantageous since the functions of the plurality of devices on the network can be collected, and in accordance with image forming processing operation designated by a user, devices having necessary functions can be automatically combined. This enables the user to perform desired image forming by the combination of functions in accordance with the necessity at each image forming, without considering the functions of the respective devices.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same name or similar parts throughout the figures thereof.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5226112 (1993-07-01), Mensing et al.
patent: 5361134 (1994-11-01), Hu et al.
patent: 5526469 (1996-06-01), Brindle et al.
patent: 5745748 (1998-04-01), Ahmad et al.

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