Image reading system and image reading method

Abstract

To enable starting using a set value at an appropriate timing on the equipment side that retrieves the set value from a server.SOLUTION: An image reading system comprises a server that can create a scan job with a set value for reading documents, and an image reading device that can acquire the scan job by communicating with the server and register the acquired scan jobs in a job list, and execute reading of the documents according to the set values of the scan jobs registered in the job list. The server sets timing information indicating the activation timing of the scan job in association with the scan job, and the image reading device retrieves the scan job and the timing information corresponding to the scan job from the server and saves them into a specified storage part, and when the activation timing indicated by the timing information saved into the storage part is reached, registers the scan job corresponding to the timing information in the job list.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an image reading system and an image reading method. [Background technology]

[0002] A network system including a control device and a server connected via a network has been disclosed (see Patent Document 1).

[0003] According to the above-mentioned document 1, the server stores setting management information that associates identification information for identifying a control device with setting values ​​for multiple setting items. When the server receives a request from the control device to transmit setting values ​​for setting items by specifying the identification information, the server acquires the setting values ​​based on the specified identification information and transmits the acquired setting values ​​to the control device. The control device sets the setting values ​​for the corresponding setting items based on the setting values ​​received from the server. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2017-11660 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In a system in which a server manages the setting values ​​for each setting item and provides them to devices connected to a network in response to requests from the devices, it was difficult for the server to control when each device would start using the setting values. In other words, even if the server created the setting values ​​with the assumption that they would be used from a specific time, the timing of downloading them differs for each device. As a result, there were cases where one device would start control using the setting values ​​earlier than the specific time, while another device would continue control using an older version of the setting values ​​even after the specific time had passed. In view of this situation, there is a need for improvements that enable a device that obtains setting values ​​from a server to start using the setting values ​​at an appropriate time. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The image reading system includes a server capable of creating a scan job having setting values ​​for reading a document, and an image reading device capable of acquiring the scan job by communicating with the server, registering the acquired scan job in a job list, and reading the document in accordance with the setting values ​​of the scan job registered in the job list, wherein the server sets timing information indicating a time for enabling the scan job in association with the scan job, and the image reading device acquires the scan job and the timing information associated with the scan job from the server and stores them in a specified memory unit, and when the activation time indicated by the timing information stored in the memory unit is reached, registers the scan job corresponding to the timing information in the job list.

[0007] An image reading method executed by a system including a server and an image reading device, wherein the server is capable of creating a scan job having setting values ​​for reading a document, the image reading device acquires the scan job by communicating with the server, registers the acquired scan job in a job list, and is capable of reading the document in accordance with the setting values ​​of the scan job registered in the job list, the server sets timing information indicating a time for enabling the scan job in association with the scan job, the image reading device acquires the scan job and the timing information associated with the scan job from the server and stores them in a specified memory unit, and when the activation time indicated by the timing information stored in the memory unit is reached, registers the scan job corresponding to the timing information in the job list. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1]FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a simplified system configuration. [Diagram 2] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a first job list. [Diagram 3] 4 is a flowchart showing processes executed by an image reading device and a server. [Figure 4] 10 is a flowchart showing a process executed by an image reading apparatus in a first modified example. [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a UI screen. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining the effect of the first modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that each drawing is merely an example for explaining the present embodiment. Since each drawing is an example, the shapes, proportions, and designs may not be accurate, may not match each other, and some parts may be omitted.

[0010] 1. System overview: 1 shows a simplified configuration of a system 1. The system 1 may be called various names, such as an image reading system, a scan job management system, or a scanner management system. The system 1 includes a server 10 and one or more image reading devices 20. The system 1 executes an image reading method.

[0011] The server 10 manages scan jobs and the image reading device 20. The server 10 may be called, for example, a management server or a job management server. The server 10 includes a first control unit 11, a first display unit 13, a first operation receiving unit 14, a first storage unit 15, a first communication IF 16, etc. IF is an abbreviation for interface.

[0012] The first control unit 11 includes a CPU as a processor, a memory, and various electronic circuits. In the first control unit 11, the processor executes calculations according to a job management program 12 stored in the memory, thereby executing the processing according to this embodiment. The processor is not limited to one CPU, and may be configured to perform processing using multiple CPUs or a hardware circuit such as an ASIC, or may be configured to perform processing in cooperation with a CPU and a hardware circuit.

[0013] The first display unit 13 is a means for displaying visual information, and is configured, for example, by a liquid crystal display, an organic EL display, or the like. The first display unit 13 may be configured to include a display and a drive circuit for driving the display. The first operation acceptance unit 14 is a means for accepting operations and inputs by a user, and is realized, for example, by a physical button, a touch panel, a keyboard, a mouse, or the like. The first operation acceptance unit 14 as a touch panel is realized as one function of the first display unit 13. The first display unit 13 and the first operation acceptance unit 14 may not be part of the server 10, but may be peripheral devices externally attached to the server 10.

[0014] The first storage unit 15 is, for example, a storage means such as a hard disk drive, a solid state drive, or other memory. The first communication IF 16 is a collective term for one or more IFs for connecting the server 10 to the outside world by wire or wirelessly in compliance with a predetermined communication protocol including a known communication standard. In the example of FIG. 1, the server 10 is connected to the network NW via the first communication IF 16. The network NW is a concept including a local area network and the Internet. The server 10 may be a single device itself, or may be configured by connecting multiple devices so as to be able to communicate with each other.

[0015] 1, three image reading devices 20 are connected to the network NW. Of course, there is no limit to the number of image reading devices 20 included in the system 1. Although details are omitted, the server 10 can identify each of the multiple image reading devices 20 that it manages by communication through the network NW, based on the identification information of each image reading device 20.

[0016] One image reading device 20 includes a second control unit 21, a second display unit 23, a second operation receiving unit 24, a second storage unit 25, a second communication IF 26, a reading unit 27, and the like. The second control unit 21 includes a CPU as a processor, a memory, and various electronic circuits. In the second control unit 21, the processor executes calculations according to the reading control program 22 stored in the memory, thereby executing the processing according to this embodiment. The second display unit 23, the second operation receiving unit 24, the second storage unit 25, and the second communication IF 26 in the image reading device 20 are similar to the descriptions of the first display unit 13, the first operation receiving unit 14, the first storage unit 15, and the first communication IF 16 in the server 10. The image reading device 20 is connected to the network NW via the second communication IF 26.

[0017] The reading unit 27 is a means for optically reading an original under the control of the second control unit 21. The reading unit 27 has a general configuration as a scanner, such as a light source for irradiating the original, an image sensor for receiving reflected light or transmitted light from the original and generating and outputting an electric signal as a reading result by photoelectric conversion, and an analog front end for converting the output from the image sensor into a digital signal to obtain read image data. A part of the circuitry of the second control unit 21 may be regarded as a part of the reading unit 27. The reading unit 27 can convert the read image data into a file and output it to a predetermined output destination. The output destination of the file is not particularly limited, and the second storage unit 25, the server 10, and other output destinations not shown in the figure are assumed.

[0018] The image reading device 20 having the reading unit 27 may be a so-called seed-feed type scanner that reads a conveyed document, or a so-called flatbed type scanner that reads a stationary document placed on a document table. If the image reading device 20 is a seed-feed type scanner, the image reading device 20 naturally has a conveying mechanism for conveying the document.

[0019] 2. Server creates and stores scan jobs: The first control unit 11 of the server 10 can create a "scan job" and register it in a "job list" in the first storage unit 15. A scan job is information having setting values ​​for reading a document. The setting values ​​for reading a document are, for example, setting values ​​for multiple setting items such as image type, file format, resolution, document reading side, file name, etc. The job list is a list in which scan jobs are registered.

[0020] To distinguish the job list held by the server 10 from the job list held by the image reading device 20, the job list held by the server 10 is referred to as the "first job list" and the job list held by the image reading device 20 is referred to as the "second job list." A list of scan jobs acquired by the image reading device 20 from the server 10 becomes the second job list. Therefore, the first job list and the second job list are generally the same, but when the image reading device 20 has not registered a certain scan job in the first job list in the second job list, there is a difference between the first job list and the second job list.

[0021] The image type setting value indicates, for example, either monochrome, grayscale, or color. The file format setting value indicates, for example, one of various file formats such as PDF or JPEG. The resolution setting value indicates one of image resolutions such as 200 dpi, 600 dpi, etc. The document reading side setting value indicates either double-sided reading or single-sided reading. The file name setting value indicates the rule as to what file name should be given to the generated file. The configuration for the reading unit 27 to read only one side or both sides of the document is well known, so a description thereof will be omitted.

[0022] In this embodiment, "creating" a scan job by the server 10 means both creating a new scan job and changing a scan job. Creating a new scan job is a process of creating a new scan job and registering it in the first job list, and changing is a process of changing at least some of the setting values ​​of a scan job that is already registered in the first job list. The first control unit 11 identifies and manages the created scan job by a job ID, which is unique identification information for each scan job. Therefore, when a new scan job is created, the job ID is incremented, and when a scan job is changed, the job ID is not incremented. In either case, the first job list is updated when a scan job is created.

[0023] The first control unit 11 creates a scan job according to operations performed by a user on the server 10. For ease of understanding, the user who operates the server 10 will be referred to as the "first user" and the user who operates the image reading device 20 will be referred to as the "second user" below, but it is not necessary to distinguish between the users. For example, the first user operates the first operation reception unit 14 while looking at a specific UI screen displayed on the first display unit 13, and the first control unit 11 creates a scan job according to this operation. UI is an abbreviation for user interface. Alternatively, the first user may operate a browser or a specific application on a terminal such as a personal computer (PC) or smartphone that can access the server 10 through the network NW, and the first control unit 11 may create a scan job according to this operation.

[0024] 2 shows an example of the first job list 32 stored in the first storage unit 15 of the server 10. One or more scan jobs are registered in the first job list 32. In the example of FIG. 2, a plurality of scan jobs 30a, 30b, ... are registered in the first job list 32. For example, the setting values ​​of the scan job 30a with job ID = 001 are image type = monochrome, file format = PDF, resolution = 200 dpi, scanning side = double-sided, file name = date_time, ....

[0025] The first control unit 11 sets time information indicating the activation time of the created scan job in association with the scan job according to the operation by the first user. In the example of FIG. 2, the scan job 30a is set in association with the time information 31a. According to the time information 31a, the activation time is 10:00 a.m. on April 1, 2023. In other words, the first user sets such time information 31a in order to activate the reading to which the scan job 30a is applied from 10:00 a.m. on April 1, 2023. In addition, the scan job 30b is set in association with the time information 31b.

[0026] 3. Enabling Scan Jobs via Image Scanning Device: The image reading device 20 can obtain a scan job by communicating with the server 10, register the obtained scan job in a second job list stored in the second storage unit 25, and execute scanning of a document according to the setting values ​​of the scan job registered in the second job list. In other words, registering a scan job in the second job list corresponds to enabling the scan job in the image reading device 20. The image reading device 20 cannot use a scan job that has not been enabled.

[0027] For example, suppose that the second control unit 21 of the image reading device 20 receives an instruction from the second user to read using the scan job 30a while the scan job 30a is registered in the second job list. In this case, the second control unit 21 causes the reading unit 27 to execute reading according to the setting values ​​of the scan job 30a. That is, the reading unit 27 reads both sides of the document in accordance with the scan job 30a, converts the read image data as the reading result into a monochrome PDF file with a resolution of 200 dpi, gives the file a file name that combines the date and time at that time, and outputs the file to a specified output destination. The following describes a process in which the image reading device 20 obtains a scan job from the server 10 and validates it.

[0028] 3 is a flowchart showing the process according to the present embodiment executed by each of a certain image reading device 20 and the server 10. Each of the image reading devices 20 shown in FIG. 1 executes the following process in relation to the server 10. In step S100, the second control unit 21 of the image reading device 20 determines whether it is time to inquire of the server 10 about whether there are any scan jobs that have not yet been obtained (hereinafter referred to as unobtained scan jobs) for the image reading device 20, and if it is time to inquire, proceeds from "Yes" in step S100 to step S110.

[0029] There are several possible cases in which it is determined that the timing of the inquiry in step S100 corresponds to the timing. One is the timing when the state is switched from a non-connected state to a connected state with respect to the network NW. That is, the second control unit 21 determines "Yes" in step S100 when the image reading device 20 is connected to the network NW via the second communication IF 26 and is in a state in which communication with the outside is possible. For example, when the power of the image reading device 20 is turned from an off state to an on state and the image reading device 20 is started, the second control unit 21 determines "Yes" in step S100 when the second communication IF 26 completes the connection to the network NW.

[0030] Also, the second control unit 21 may determine "Yes" in step S100 when a predetermined period has elapsed since the last time the inquiry in step S110 was made, that is, periodically, while in a state in which communication with the server 10 is possible through the network NW. Furthermore, the second control unit 21 may determine "Yes" in step S100 in response to an instruction from the second user while in a state in which communication with the server 10 is possible through the network NW. The second user can give an instruction to make the inquiry through an operation of the second operation acceptance unit 24, and the second control unit 21 determines "Yes" in step S100 upon receiving this instruction.

[0031] In step S110, the second control unit 21 inquires of the server 10 whether there are any unacquired scan jobs. The inquiry in step S110 and the determination in step S120 described below correspond to "attempting to acquire a combination of unacquired scan jobs and timing information from the server 10." Although not described one by one, the exchange between the image reading device 20 and the server 10 indicated by the dashed arrows in the flowchart is, of course, communication via the network NW.

[0032] In step S200, the first control unit 11 of the server 10 that has received the inquiry from the second control unit 21 checks whether or not a scan job that has not been obtained for the image reading device 20 that sent the inquiry is registered in the first job list. An unobtained scan job for the image reading device 20 is, of course, a scan job that has been newly created or changed in the server 10 and has not yet been sent to the image reading device 20. In step S210, the first control unit 11 notifies the image reading device 20 that sent the inquiry of the check result in step S200.

[0033] The second control unit 21, which has received the notification of the confirmation result, branches the process according to the confirmation result in step S120. That is, if the confirmation result indicates that "an unacquired scan job exists", the process proceeds from "Yes" in step S120 to step S130, and if the confirmation result indicates that "there is no unacquired scan job", the process returns from "No" in step S120 to the determination in step S100.

[0034] In step S130, the second control unit 21 requests the server 10 for the unacquired scan job. In step S220, the first control unit 11, which has received the request for the unacquired scan job from the second control unit 21, transmits the unacquired scan job, the existence of which was confirmed in the above-mentioned step S200, to the image reading device 20 that sent the request. When transmitting the unacquired scan job to the image reading device 20, the first control unit 11 also transmits timing information associated with the unacquired scan job to be transmitted. Therefore, the request by the second control unit 21 in step S130 can be regarded as a request for the unacquired scan job and timing information.

[0035] In step S140, the second control unit 21 receives the scan job and timing information transmitted from the server 10 in response to the request in step S130, and stores the received scan job and timing information in the second storage unit 25. However, the storage in step S140 is not a registration in the second job list, but a storage in a storage area secured separately from the second job list in the second storage unit 25.

[0036] The image reading device 20 may display the date and time when the scan job was acquired from the server 10 on the second display unit 23. The second user who sees this display can know the latest date and time when the scan job was downloaded from the server 10. Therefore, in step S150, the second control unit 21 updates the display of the acquisition date and time of the scan job on the second display unit 23. That is, the acquisition date and time of the scan job that has been displayed on the second display unit 23 until then is updated to the date and time when the scan job was received in the most recent step S140.

[0037] Since the illustrated flowchart is an example of an embodiment, some steps may be omitted. For example, in step S200, the server 10 that has confirmed that an unacquired scan job for the image reading device 20 that is the sender of the inquiry in step S100 is registered in the first job list may execute step S220 as is. That is, a configuration in which steps S210 and S130 are omitted can be understood. In the image reading device 20, if the scan job and timing information cannot be received from the server 10 within a predetermined time after the inquiry, the image reading device 20 may determine "No" in step S120. Also, step S150 may be omitted.

[0038] In step S160, the second control unit 21 repeatedly determines whether or not the validity time indicated by the time information received and stored in step S140 has been reached. If the current date and time has reached the validity time, the second control unit 21 determines "Yes" in step S160 and proceeds to step S170.

[0039] In step S170, the second control unit 21 registers, in the second job list, the scan job that was received and stored in step S140 and that has reached the activation time. If the scan job to be registered is a newly created one, the new scan job is additionally registered in the second job list. On the other hand, if the scan job to be registered is a modified one, the scan job that is already registered in the second job list and has the same job ID as the scan job to be registered is overwritten by the scan job to be registered. As a result of step S170, the second job list is updated.

[0040] After step S170, the second control unit 21 may notify the second user in step S180 that the second job list has been updated. The method of notifying the second user may be a display of a message or illustration on the second display unit 23, or a voice output from a speaker (not shown). After that, the second user can execute document reading using the scan job registered in the second job list in step S170.

[0041] 4. Variations: First variant: Modifications included in this embodiment will now be described. Fig. 4 shows, in the form of a flowchart, the processing executed by image reading device 20 in a first modification. In the first modification, the processing up to step S160 is as explained with reference to Fig. 3. Therefore, Fig. 4 shows the processing after step S160. Fig. 4 differs from Fig. 3 in that it includes steps S162, S164, and S166.

[0042] After determining "Yes" in step S160, the second control unit 21 notifies the second user in step S162 that there is a scan job that can be registered in the second job list. The method of notifying the second user is as described with respect to step S180. If the second control unit 21 determines "Yes" in step S160, it is also possible to automatically proceed to step S170 as shown in FIG. 3, depending on a setting made in advance by the second user. Therefore, step S162 can be said to be a process of notifying the user that a scan job corresponding to the timing information can be registered in the second job list when the activation time indicated by the timing information stored in the second storage unit 25 is reached and the scan job corresponding to the timing information has not been registered in the second job list.

[0043] The second user who has recognized the notification in step S162 selects an item for which the setting value is to be registered among the setting items in the scan job that can be registered in the second job list. Therefore, in step S164, the second control unit 21 accepts the selection of the setting item by the second user.

[0044] FIG. 5 shows an example of a UI screen 40 for accepting the selection of a setting item. The second control unit 21 causes the second display unit 23 to display the UI screen 40. The display of the UI screen 40 may be interpreted as a display that also serves as a notification to the second user in step S162. The UI screen 40 shows, for each setting item, a setting value for a scan job that can be registered, that is, a scan job that was received and saved in step S140 and has reached the activation time. The second user operates the second operation receiving unit 24 to arbitrarily select an item whose setting value is to be registered in the second job list from among such setting items. The second control unit 21 accepts the selection. In the example of FIG. 5, the design allows the user to select an item by checking a check box for each item, but the design of the UI screen 40 is not limited to the illustrated content. Needless to say, the UI screen 40 may be designed to allow the second user to select an item that the user does not want to register, rather than an item that the user wants to register.

[0045] The second user selects a setting item and then performs a predetermined operation such as pressing a registration button on the UI screen 40 to instruct the registration of the scan job. In step S166, the second control unit 21 accepts such an instruction to register. In step S170 after step S166, the second control unit 21 registers, as a scan job, only the setting values ​​of the items selected by the second user as those to be registered as described above, among the setting items in the scan job that can be registered in the second job list, in the second job list. For the setting items that are not selected by the second user as those to be registered, a default setting value or a setting value that is uniquely set in the image reading device 20 may be used. When all the setting items in the scan job that can be registered in the second job list are selected, the entire scan job is registered as a result. In this way, in the first modified example, the second control unit 21 registers, in the second job list, the scan job that is acquired from the server 10 and corresponds to the time information that has reached the activation time, in accordance with the response from the second user to the notification in step S162.

[0046] The effect of the first modified example will be specifically described with reference to FIG. 6. In FIG. 6, the scan job 30a is shown in a simpler manner than in FIG. 2. The left side of FIG. 6 shows the scan job 30a stored in the server 10, and the right side of FIG. 6 shows the scan job 30a stored in the image reading device 20. In FIG. 6, "R1" written in parentheses next to the reference character 30a means that the scan job 30a is registered in the first job list, and "R2" written in parentheses similarly means that the scan job 30a is registered in the second job list. In FIG. 6, the situation progresses from top to bottom in the form of a first stage T1, a second stage T2, a third stage T3, and a fourth stage T4.

[0047] In the first stage T1 in Fig. 6, a scan job 30a is registered in both the first job list of the server 10 and the second job list of the image reading device 20, but comparing these two scan jobs 30a, the file name setting values ​​are different. Specifically, the scan job 30a registered in the second job list has "File name = Branch A_Date_Time". This was edited and set by the second user as a unique file name rule to be adopted by the image reading device 20 when the image reading device 20 obtained the scan job 30a from the server 10 and registered it in the second job list.

[0048] After such a first stage T1, it is assumed that the first user changes some of the setting values ​​for the scan job 30a in the first job list (step S10), and for example, the setting values ​​of the image type and resolution are changed as shown in the second stage T2. Furthermore, it is assumed that after the second stage T2, the image reading device 20 acquires the scan job 30a from the server 10 in steps S220 and S140 of FIG. 3, and the third stage T3 is reached. The scan job 30a shown in the third stage T3 is naturally the same as the scan job 30a shown in the second stage T2, and is stored in the second storage unit 25 by the image reading device 20 in step S140. Here, by executing step S170 via steps S162, S164, and S166 of the first modified example, the setting values ​​of the setting items other than the file name of the scan job 30a shown in the third stage T3 are overwritten and registered in the scan job 30a in the second job list as shown in the fourth stage T4.

[0049] That is, in the example of FIG. 6, the second user did not select the file name as the setting item to be registered by operating the UI screen 40, so the setting value of the file name in the scan job 30a in the second job list was maintained as it was in the first stage T1. If the scan job 30a registered in the second job list in the first stage T1 is overwritten by the entire scan job 30a shown in the third stage T3, the second user must manually reset the file name "date_time" in the overwritten scan job 30a to "Branch A_date_time". In the first modified example, the second user is allowed to select the setting item to be updated in the second job list at the timing of step S164, so that such a time-consuming resetting is unnecessary, and user convenience is improved.

[0050] Second variant: The second control unit 21 may change the timing information stored in the second storage unit 25 together with the scan job in step S140 in response to an instruction from the second user and then re-store the information. In other words, the second user may be allowed to change the timing information at his / her convenience after step S140, provided that the timing information is before the validity time indicated by the timing information is reached. After the timing information is changed by the operation of the second user, the second control unit 21 naturally determines in step S160 whether the validity time indicated by the changed timing information has been reached.

[0051] 3rd variant: As described in the first modification, among the multiple setting items included in a scan job, there are some items, such as a file name, that are likely to be set individually for each image reading device 20. For such setting items, it is a lot of work for the first user to set different setting values ​​for each image reading device 20 in advance on the server 10 side. In consideration of this situation, the server 10 allows the first user to select in advance the setting items in the scan job whose setting values ​​are to be transmitted to the image reading device 20 together with time information. Then, in step S220, the server 10 allows the image reading device 20 to acquire only the setting values ​​of the items selected by the first user as described above, together with the time information, from among the setting items in the created scan job, through the communication. In other words, by narrowing down the setting items to be transmitted to the image reading device 20 as a scan job in advance on the server 10 side, the image reading device 20 is given the freedom to arbitrarily set some setting items, such as the file name, on its side.

[0052] 5. Summary: Thus, according to this embodiment, the image reading system 1 includes a server 10 capable of creating a scan job having setting values ​​for reading a document, and an image reading device 20 capable of acquiring a scan job by communicating with the server 10, registering the acquired scan job in a job list, and reading a document according to the setting values ​​of the scan job registered in the job list. The server 10 sets timing information indicating the activation time of the scan job in association with the scan job, and the image reading device 20 acquires the scan job and the timing information associated with the scan job from the server 10 and stores them in a predetermined storage unit, and when the activation time indicated by the timing information stored in the storage unit is reached, registers the scan job corresponding to the timing information in the job list.

[0053] According to the above configuration, the image reading device 20 obtains and stores a combination of a scan job and timing information from the server 10, and when the activation time indicated by the timing information arrives, registers the scan job corresponding to this timing information in its own job list and activates it. Even if the server 10 has created a scan job to be used from a specified time, the timing of downloading this differs for each image reading device 20, so conventionally, it was possible for the image reading device 20 to start using the scan job at a time that differed from the time intended by the server 10. In contrast, in this embodiment, the image reading device 20 can use the scan job from the activation time intended by the server 10, eliminating the above-mentioned difference.

[0054] In addition, according to this embodiment, the image reading device 20 may attempt to obtain a combination of scan jobs and timing information that has not yet been obtained from the server 10 when the image reading device 20 switches from a non-connected state to a connected state to the network for communication. According to the above configuration, when the image reading device 20 switches to a network-connected state, it attempts to obtain a combination of a scan job and timing information that has not been obtained at that time from the server 10. Therefore, the image reading device 20 can easily obtain the scan job and its timing information from the server 10 at a timing earlier than the activation time of the scan job, and as a result, it becomes possible to use the scan job from the activation time intended by the server 10.

[0055] Furthermore, when the image reading device 20 is able to communicate with the server 10, the image reading device 20 may attempt to acquire combinations of scan jobs and timing information that have not yet been acquired from the server 10 periodically or in response to instructions from the user. According to these configurations, the image reading device 20 is more likely to be able to obtain the scan job and its validation time information from the server 10 at a timing earlier than the validation time of the scan job.

[0056] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, when the activation time indicated by the timing information stored in the memory unit is reached, if the scan job corresponding to the timing information has not been registered in the job list, the image reading device 20 may notify the user that the scan job corresponding to the timing information can be registered in the job list, and register the scan job corresponding to the timing information in the job list in accordance with the user's response to the notification. According to the above-described configuration, the image reading device 20 can register the scan job acquired from the server 10 in the job list after confirming the user's intention.

[0057] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, a scan job is information having setting values ​​for each of a plurality of setting items. The image reading device 20 may register in the job list only the setting values ​​of the items selected by the user among the setting items of the scan job that can be registered in the job list. According to the above configuration, by making the above selection, the user of the image reading device 20 can avoid updating the setting values ​​of setting items that he or she wishes to maintain as registered in the current job list due to the registration of a new scan job in the job list.

[0058] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the image reading device 20 may be capable of changing the time information stored in the storage unit in response to an instruction from the user and then storing the changed time information. According to the above configuration, the image reading device 20 can obtain and store the timing information determined by the server 10 together with the scan job, and then change the timing information at the user's convenience. This improves user convenience.

[0059] Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, the image reading device 20 may display the date and time when the image reading device 20 acquires the scan job from the server 10 on a predetermined display unit. According to the above-described configuration, the user can recognize the date and time when the image reading device 20 last received a scan job from the server 10, based on the current time.

[0060] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the server 10 may cause the image reading device 20 to acquire only the setting values ​​of the items selected by the user from among the setting items in the created scan job, together with time information, through the communication. According to the above configuration, for setting items for which the setting values ​​are likely to be set independently on the side of the image reading device 20 using the scan job, the server 10 does not transmit the setting values ​​to the image reading device 20. This can eliminate the processing burden of setting different setting values ​​for each image reading device 20 on the server 10 side, and can provide the image reading device 20 with the freedom to set values ​​as desired.

[0061] Up to now, the timing information indicating the activation time has been associated one-to-one with the scan job created by the server 10, but the timing information may be information common to each scan job registered in the job list on the server 10 side, i.e., the first job list. Alternatively, the timing information may be information that is set differently for each setting item in the scan job.

[0062] The activation time may be referred to as an update time. The activation time may be information indicating only a date rather than a date and time, or may be information indicating an activation period, that is, the start and end of a period during which the corresponding scan job can be used.

[0063] Although the claims describe only some combinations of claims, the present embodiment naturally includes in its scope not only one-to-one combinations of independent claims and dependent claims, but also various combinations of multiple dependent claims. In addition to the system 1, the present embodiment discloses the server 10 and the image reading device 20 as inventions. Also disclosed are inventions in each category, such as methods based on processes or steps executed by the system 1, the server 10, and the image reading device 20, and programs 12 and 22 for implementing the methods in cooperation with a processor.

[0064] For example, an image reading method is executed by a system 1 including a server 10 and an image reading device 20, in which the server 10 is capable of creating a scan job having setting values ​​for reading a document, the image reading device 20 acquires a scan job by communicating with the server, registers the acquired scan job in a job list, and is capable of reading a document in accordance with the setting values ​​of the scan job registered in the job list, the server 10 sets timing information indicating the activation time of the scan job in association with the scan job, the image reading device 20 acquires the scan job and the timing information associated with the scan job from the server 10 and stores them in a specified memory unit, and when the activation time indicated by the timing information stored in the memory unit is reached, registers the scan job corresponding to the timing information in the job list.

[0065] This embodiment is applicable not only to the relationship between the server 10 and the image reading device 20, but also to the relationship between the server 10 and various devices managed by the server 10. For example, in the relationship between the server 10 and a printing device managed by the server 10, this embodiment can be applied to a situation where the printing device obtains a job having setting values ​​for printing from the server 10 and uses the job for printing. In that case, roughly speaking, the terms such as "scan" and "read" used up to now can be interpreted as being replaced with terms such as "print" and "printing". [Explanation of symbols]

[0066] 1...system, 10...server, 11...first control unit, 12...job management program, 13...first display unit, 14...first operation acceptance unit, 15...first storage unit, 16...first communication IF, 20...image reading device, 21...second control unit, 22...reading control program, 23...second display unit, 24...second operation acceptance unit, 25...second storage unit, 26...second communication IF, 27...reading unit, 30a, 30b...scan job, 31a, 31b...timing information, 32...first job list, 40...UI screen

Claims

1. a server capable of creating a scan job having settings for scanning an original; an image reading device capable of acquiring the scan job by communicating with the server, registering the acquired scan job in a job list, and executing reading of the document in accordance with the setting values ​​of the scan job registered in the job list; the server sets time information indicating a time when the scan job is to be enabled in association with the scan job; The image reading device includes: acquiring the scan job and the time information associated with the scan job from the server and storing the acquired time information in a predetermined storage unit; an image reading system comprising: a storage unit that stores, when the validity time indicated by the time information stored in the storage unit is reached, registering the scan job corresponding to the time information in the job list;

2. The image reading system according to claim 1, characterized in that the image reading device attempts to obtain a combination of the scan job and the timing information that has not been obtained from the server when the image reading device switches from a non-connected state to a connected state to the network for communication.

3. 2. The image reading system according to claim 1, wherein the image reading device periodically attempts to obtain a combination of the scan job and the timing information that has not been obtained from the server while in a state in which the image reading device is capable of communicating with the server.

4. The image reading system according to claim 1 , wherein the image reading device, when in a state capable of communicating with the server, attempts to obtain a combination of the scan job and the timing information that has not yet been obtained from the server in response to an instruction from a user.

5. The image reading system of claim 1, wherein when the activation time indicated by the timing information stored in the memory unit is reached, if the scan job corresponding to the timing information has not been registered in the job list, the image reading device notifies a user that the scan job corresponding to the timing information can be registered in the job list, and registers the scan job corresponding to the timing information in the job list in accordance with a response to the notification.

6. the scan job is information having the setting values ​​for each of a plurality of setting items, 6. The image reading system according to claim 5, wherein the image reading device registers in the job list only the setting values ​​of the items selected by a user from among the setting items in the scan job that can be registered in the job list.

7. 2. The image reading system according to claim 1, wherein the image reading device is capable of changing the time information stored in the storage unit in response to an instruction from a user and then storing the changed time information.

8. 2. The image reading system according to claim 1, wherein the image reading device displays a date and time when the image reading device acquires the scan job from the server on a predetermined display unit.

9. the scan job is information having the setting values ​​for each of a plurality of setting items, The image reading system according to claim 1, wherein the server causes the image reading device to acquire only the setting values ​​of the items selected by the user among the setting items in the created scan job, together with the timing information, through the communication.

10. An image reading method executed by a system including a server and an image reading device, comprising: The server is capable of creating a scan job having settings for scanning an original document; the image reading device is capable of acquiring the scan job by communicating with the server, registering the acquired scan job in a job list, and executing reading of the document in accordance with the setting values ​​of the scan job registered in the job list; the server sets time information indicating a time when the scan job is to be enabled in association with the scan job; The image reading device includes: acquiring the scan job and the time information associated with the scan job from the server and storing the acquired time information in a predetermined storage unit; an image reading method comprising: when the validity time indicated by the time information stored in the storage unit is reached, registering the scan job corresponding to the time information in the job list;

Images