Image forming apparatus

Abstract

To notify a person assumed to be a person related to a read document that an image of the document is to be processed.SOLUTION: An image forming apparatus 10 comprises: an image reading unit 15 that reads an image of a document; a storage unit 18 that stores a document image obtained through document reading performed by the image reading unit 15; an image forming unit 16 that forms the document image stored in the storage unit 18; a determination unit 22 that determines whether characters indicating the name of a person are included in the document image obtained through document reading performed by the image reading unit 15; and a communication unit 14 that, when the determination unit 22 determines that the name of a person is included in the document image, acquires a mail address associated with the name of the person from a predetermined server, and transmits, to the acquired mail address, a mail including a message indicating that the document image stored in the storage unit 18 is to be processed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] In the image forming apparatus, an image of an original is read by an image reading unit, and an image forming unit forms the image of the original on a recording sheet, or transmits the read image of the original.

[0003] For example, the image transmission device described in Patent Document 1 authenticates the user name and password, and if the user does not specify an email address, it acquires the email address to be used as the destination and sends the image to the acquired email address, and if the user specifies an email address, it sends the image to the specified email address. This eliminates the need for complicated operations when the user sends an image to himself or herself, and also prevents important images from being sent secretly.

[0004] In addition, the device for setting file names, etc., for scanned images described in Patent Document 2 performs character recognition processing (OCR processing) on ​​the scanned image and sets the file name of the document file from the recognized characters, displays a UI screen for selecting a character area that is assumed to be a continuous character string in the scanned image, the user selects multiple character areas on the scanned image in order, determines the OCR processing parameters (text, numbers, Japanese, English, etc.) to be applied to each character area based on the selection order of each character area and the format of the file name of the document file, performs OCR processing on each character area according to the determined parameters, and sets the file name of the document file based on each character string extracted from each character area. In this way, when setting a file name using a character string obtained by performing OCR processing, appropriate conditions according to the character string are set, improving the character recognition rate. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2006-101484 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2019-40250 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] As described above, the image forming device reads the image of the document and forms the image of the document on recording paper or transmits the image of the document. However, from a security standpoint, it is preferable for the provider or recipient of the document to be notified in advance that an image will be formed or transmitted for a document related to the device.

[0007] In Patent Document 1, an image is sent to an email address specified by the user. If the email addresses of the image provider and recipient are specified, the provider and recipient can be notified by email that an image of the original has been formed and sent. However, entering email addresses is cumbersome, and the email addresses may not be known.

[0008] In Patent Document 2, a file name is set by improving the character recognition rate of multiple character regions using OCR processing, but this does not notify the provider or recipient of the image of the original document that an image of the original document has been formed or transmitted.

[0009] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to avoid a situation in which related document images are processed without permission by notifying persons assumed to be related to the document that the document image of a scanned document will be processed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] An image forming apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention includes an image reading unit that reads an image of a document, a memory unit that stores a document image obtained by document reading by the image reading unit, an image forming unit that forms an image of the document image stored in the memory unit, a determination unit that determines whether the document image obtained by document reading by the image reading unit contains characters indicating a person's name, and a communication unit that, when the determination unit determines that the document image contains the person's name, obtains an email address associated with the person's name from a predetermined server and sends an email to the obtained email address including a message indicating that the document image stored in the memory unit is to be processed. Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to the present invention, by notifying a person assumed to be related to the document that the document image of the scanned document will be processed, it is possible to avoid a situation in which the related document image is processed without permission. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an image processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention, and shows the configurations of an image forming apparatus and an LDAP server included in the system. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram conceptually illustrating management data stored in an LDAP server. [Diagram 3] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a management data setting screen displayed on a display unit of the image forming apparatus; [Figure 4] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a setting screen of an LDAP server displayed on a display unit of the image forming apparatus. [Figure 5A] This is a flowchart showing the process flow for determining a person's name contained in an original image when processing the original image, and sending a job notification email containing a message indicating that the original image is to be processed, addressed to the email address associated with the person's name. [Figure 5B] 5B is a flowchart showing the process following FIG. 5A. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a job selection screen displayed on a display unit of the image forming apparatus. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] An image processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an image processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention, and shows the configuration of an image forming apparatus and an LDAP server included in the system. The image processing system Sy of this embodiment includes an image forming apparatus 10 and an LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) server 30. The image processing system Sy is connected to an SMB (Server Message Block) server 50 and an information processing apparatus 60 via a network (such as an intranet) N. The LDAP server 30 is an example of a predetermined server from which the image forming apparatus 10 obtains an email address, which will be described later.

[0014] In the image processing system Sy, the image forming device 10 is an MFP (multi-function peripheral) having multiple functions such as a copy function and a scanner function. The image forming device 10 includes a display unit 11, an operation unit 12, a touch panel 13, a communication unit 14, an image reading unit 15, an image forming unit 16, a storage unit 18, and a control unit 19. These components are capable of transmitting and receiving data or signals to and from each other via a bus.

[0015] The display unit 11 is configured with a liquid crystal display (LCD) or an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display.

[0016] A touch panel 13 is overlaid on the screen of the display unit 11. The touch panel 13 detects contact (touch) of a user's finger or the like on the touch panel 13 together with the contact position, and outputs a detection signal indicating the coordinates of the contact position to a control unit 21 of a control unit 19. This makes it possible to operate a GUI (Graphical User Interface) or the like displayed on the screen of the display unit 11 through the touch panel 13. Thus, the touch panel 13 functions as an operation unit into which user operations on the screen of the display unit 11 are input.

[0017] The operation unit 12 includes hardware keys such as a numeric keypad, a decision key, a start key, etc. Various instructions are input to the operation unit 12 based on operations by the user.

[0018] The image reading unit 15 has a scanner that optically reads an image of a document, and generates a document image obtained by reading the document.

[0019] Image forming unit 16 includes a photosensitive drum, a charging device that uniformly charges the surface of the photosensitive drum, an exposure device that exposes the surface of the photosensitive drum to form an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photosensitive drum, a developing device that develops the electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photosensitive drum into a toner image, and a transfer device that transfers the toner image (image) on the surface of the photosensitive drum to recording paper, and prints an image represented by the image data on the recording paper.

[0020] The communication unit 14 is a communication interface equipped with a communication module such as a LAN chip. The communication unit 14 is connected to the LDAP server 30, the SMB server 50, and the information processing device 60 through a network (such as an intranet) N, and performs data communication with each of these devices.

[0021] The storage unit 18 is a large-capacity storage device such as a solid state drive (SSD) or a hard disk drive (HDD), and stores various application programs and various data.

[0022] The control unit 19 is composed of a processor, a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), etc. The processor is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), or an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), etc. This control unit 19 functions as a control unit 21 and a determination unit 22 by the processor executing a control program stored in the ROM or the storage unit 18.

[0023] The control unit 21 is responsible for the overall control of the image forming apparatus 10. In addition, the control unit 19 is connected to the display unit 11, the operation unit 12, the touch panel 13, the communication unit 14, the image reading unit 15, the image forming unit 16, and the storage unit 18. The control unit 21 controls each of the above-mentioned components and transmits and receives signals or data between each of the components.

[0024] The control unit 21 serves as a processing unit that executes various processes and has a function of controlling the display unit 11 and the communication unit 14.

[0025] The determination unit 22 determines whether or not the document image obtained by the image reading unit 15 reading the document contains characters indicating a person's name.

[0026] In the image processing system Sy, the LDAP server 30 is a server that stores and manages the names of a plurality of users who use the image forming apparatus 10, and the email addresses associated with each name. The LDAP server 30 corresponds to the server in the claims. The LDAP server 30 is connected to the image forming apparatus 10 via a network N, and transmits and receives data to and from the image forming apparatus 10. The LDAP server 30 includes a communication unit 34, a storage unit 38, and a control unit 39, and these components are capable of transmitting and receiving data or signals to and from each other via a bus.

[0027] The communication unit 34 is a communication interface, and is connected to the image forming apparatus 10 via the network N to transmit and receive data to and from the image forming apparatus 10.

[0028] The storage unit 38 is a storage device such as an SSD or HDD, and stores programs and various data.

[0029] The control unit 39 is composed of a processor, a RAM, a ROM, etc. The control unit 39 functions as a control unit 41 by the above-mentioned processor executing a program stored in the above-mentioned ROM or the storage unit 38.

[0030] The control unit 41 is responsible for the overall control of the LDAP server 30. In addition, the control unit 39 is connected to the communication unit 34, the storage unit 38, etc. The control unit 41 controls each of the above-mentioned components and transmits and receives signals or data between each of the components.

[0031] In the image processing system Sy, the SMB server 50 is a server that stores and shares document images obtained by document reading. The SMB server 50 is connected to terminal devices such as the image forming apparatus 10 and the information processing device 60 via the network N, and transmits and receives image data between each device. The image forming apparatus 10 stores document images obtained by document reading by the image reading unit 15 in either the built-in storage unit 18 or the SMB server 50. When the image forming apparatus 10 stores document images in the SMB server 50, the SMB server 50, as a part of the image forming apparatus 10, is an example of a storage unit in the claims.

[0032] In the image processing system Sy, the information processing device 60 is, for example, a personal computer (PC) or the like, and is connected to the image forming device 10 and the SMB server 50 via the network N to transmit and receive data to and from the image forming device 10 and the SMB server 50.

[0033] In the image forming apparatus 10, for example, a user places an original on the image reading unit 15 and inputs an instruction to execute a copy job by operating the operation unit 12 or the touch panel 13. In accordance with the instruction to execute the copy job, the control unit 21 causes the image reading unit 15 to read the image of the original, and causes the image forming unit 16 to print the original image obtained by reading on recording paper.

[0034] Furthermore, the user sets the document on the image reading unit 15, and inputs an instruction to execute a scan job by operating the operation unit 12 or the touch panel 13. In accordance with the instruction to execute the scan job, the control unit 21 causes the image reading unit 15 to read the image of the document, and stores the document image obtained by reading in the storage unit 18 or the like.

[0035] Furthermore, the user places an original on image reading unit 15 and inputs an instruction to execute a transmission job by operating operation unit 12 or touch panel 13. Control unit 21 causes image reading unit 15 to read the image of the original in accordance with the instruction to execute the transmission job, and causes communication unit 14 to transmit the original image obtained by reading through network N to the destination (specified by IP address or the like) input together with the instruction to execute the transmission job.

[0036] In this way, in a copy job, scan job, or transmission job, the document image of the document is read by image reading unit 15, the document image is then formed on recording paper by image forming unit 16, and the document image obtained by document reading is stored in memory unit 18, or the document image obtained by document reading is transmitted from communication unit 14. However, notifying another user, such as a person involved in the document or an administrator, other than the user who instructed the job, that the document image has been formed, stored, transmitted, etc., is useful in preventing the document from being processed without permission, and may be preferable from the standpoint of security, etc. The other user, such as a person involved or an administrator, is the owner who provided the document to the user, or a person in a position to receive the document image and give some kind of approval.

[0037] Therefore, in this embodiment, when processing an original image obtained by reading during execution of a copy job, scan job, or transmission job, the control unit 21 of the image forming apparatus 10 determines characters indicating a person's name included in the original image, obtains an email address previously associated with the person's name indicated by these characters, and causes the communication unit 14 to send an email including a message indicating that the original image will be processed to this email address via the network N. In other words, the person indicated by the name included in the original image is regarded as a related person or administrator, etc., of the above-mentioned other user, and an email is sent to this person.

[0038] A user who has the destination email address, i.e., a user whose name is included in the document image, receives the job notification email using an information processing device 60 such as a PC. The information processing device 60 can display the message attached to the email on a display device, so that the user can know that the document and document image are being processed as a copy job, scan job, or transmission job.

[0039] In order to send the email to a user whose name is included in the document image, it is necessary to set up multiple email addresses in advance in correspondence with multiple names. Also, it is necessary to set up messages in advance for each copy job, scan job, and send job in correspondence with each other for email. Furthermore, since the document image may include a signature field (blank area), it is preferable to prepare a message in advance to notify the user that a signature field exists.

[0040] In this embodiment, each person's name, each email address, and each message are stored in the storage unit 38 of the LDAP server 30 as management data ND as shown in Fig. 2. In the management data ND shown in Fig. 2, a plurality of person's names NY are stored in association with the email addresses MA corresponding to each person's name, and copy jobs, scan jobs, and transmission jobs are stored in association with the messages corresponding to each job. Furthermore, the storage unit 38 stores, as the management data ND, a hold time ht for holding the transmission of email for job notification, and holds on or off. The storage unit 38 also stores, as the management data ND, the name of the SMB server 50 in which the document image obtained by document reading is stored, its IP address, a storage period zk for the document image obtained by document reading, and the like.

[0041] For example, the memory unit 38 stores at least one of a plurality of types of information indicating a person's name as a person's name NY. Here, four types of information are shown, namely, last name and first name, last name only, first name only, and signature. The last name, last name, and first name are stored as text data. Also, the signature is stored as image data.

[0042] Furthermore, for each copy job, scan job, and transmission job, two types of messages are stored as management data ND in the storage unit 38. One type of message indicates that a copy job, scan job, or transmission job is being processed on the document image, and the other type of message indicates that a copy job, scan job, or transmission job has been processed on the document image and that the document image includes a signature field (blank area).

[0043] In the image forming apparatus 10, when the control unit 21 receives an instruction to display a setting screen for the management data ND via the touch panel 13, it causes the display unit 11 to display a setting screen G1 for the management data ND as shown in Fig. 3. The setting screen G1 for the management data ND displays a text box T11 for receiving input of the character string of the person's name NY, an image box Z12 for receiving input of an image of the signature of the person's name NY, a text box T13 for receiving input of an email address MA, a text box T14 for receiving input of a hold time ht for which transmission of a job notification email with a message attached is to be held, and a selection button B11 for receiving selection of holding on or off.

[0044] The user selects text box T11 by touching the text box T11, and inputs the first and last names, only the first name, or only the last name as the person's name NY by touching each key of the soft keyboard SB displayed on the display unit 11. The control unit 21 displays the input content in the text box T11. When inputting an image of a signature as the person's name NY, the user touches image box Z12 and further operates the operation unit 12 to specify a file of the image of the signature. The control unit 21 displays the image of the signature indicated by the specified file in the field of image box Z12.

[0045] The user also selects text box T13 by touching the text box T13, and inputs an email address MA by touching each key on the soft keyboard SB. The control unit 21 displays the input email address MA in the text box T13. The user also selects text box T14 by touching the text box T14, and inputs a hold time ht into the text box T14 by touching each key on the soft keyboard SB. The control unit 21 displays the input hold time ht in the text box T14. The control unit 21 also displays the hold on or off input by touching the selection button B11 by changing the display form of the radio button.

[0046] The control unit 21 of the image forming apparatus 10 transmits the input data, which are either the first name and surname indicating the person's name NY, the first name only, or the surname only, or an image of the signature indicating the person's name NY, together with the email address MA, the hold time ht, and information indicating whether the hold is on or off, from the communication unit 14 to the LDAP server 30 via the network N.

[0047] In the LDAP server 30, when the communication unit 34 receives information indicating the first name, last name only, or first name only indicating the person's name NY, an image of a signature indicating the person's name NY, an email address MA, a hold time ht, and whether the hold is on or off, the control unit 41 stores them in the management data ND in the memory unit 38 and updates the management data ND.

[0048] The person's name NY, email address MA, hold time ht, and hold on / off in the management data ND are changed each time a person's name NY is added.

[0049] In addition, two types of messages associated with copy jobs, scan jobs, and transmission jobs in the management data ND, as well as the name of the SMB server 50, its IP address, and the storage period zk of document images obtained by document scanning are input by the user through another setting screen displayed on the display unit 11 of the image forming apparatus 10 by operating the operation unit 12, and are accepted by the control unit 21. The control unit 21 transmits the accepted content from the communication unit 14 to the LDAP server 30, and the LDAP server 30 stores the received content in the management data ND in the memory unit 38.

[0050] Furthermore, in the image forming apparatus 10, when the control unit 21 receives an instruction to display an LDAP server setting screen via the touch panel 13, it causes the display unit 11 to display an LDAP server setting screen G2 as shown in Fig. 4. The LDAP server setting screen G2 displays a plurality of text boxes T21, T22, ... in which the name, IP address, etc. of the LDAP server are entered. The user sequentially selects each of the text boxes T21, T22, ... by touching each of the text boxes T21, T22, ..., and enters the name, IP address, etc. of the LDAP server 30 into each of the text boxes T21, T22, ... by touching each key of the soft keyboard SB displayed on the display unit 11.

[0051] The control unit 21 of the image forming apparatus 10 accepts the contents input through the touch panel 13, displays the name, IP address, etc. of the LDAP server 30 in each text box T21, T22, ..., and stores the name, IP address, etc. of the LDAP server 30 in the storage unit 18. When accessing the LDAP server 30 through the communication unit 14, the control unit 21 reads out the name, IP address, etc. of the LDAP server 30 from the storage unit 18 and uses them.

[0052] Next, a process will be described for determining a person's name included in a document image when the document image is processed, and sending a job notification email including a message indicating that the document image is to be processed to an email address associated with the person's name. Figures 5A and 5B are flowcharts showing the flow of the process for sending a job notification email to an email address associated with a person's name included in the document image.

[0053] The control unit 21 of the image forming apparatus 10 causes the display unit 11 to display a job selection screen G3 as shown in Fig. 6 (S101). The job selection screen G3 displays a copy key K31 for selecting a copy job, a scan key K32 for selecting a scan job, a send key K33 for selecting a send job, a text box T31, an e-mail notification key K34, and a soft keyboard SB. The text box T31 is for receiving input of an e-mail address of another user to which the original image is to be sent when a send job is selected. The e-mail notification key K34 is for receiving a selection of whether or not to send a job notification e-mail including a message indicating that the original image is to be processed.

[0054] For example, suppose that the user places a document on the image reading unit 15, touches the copy key K31 on the job selection screen G3, and operates the start key on the operation unit 12 without touching the email notification key K34. In this case, the control unit 21 of the image forming apparatus 10 accepts an instruction to select a copy job via the touch panel 13 and the operation unit 12 (S102), but does not accept an instruction to send an email for job notification (S103 "No"). In accordance with the instruction to select a copy job, the control unit 21 causes the image reading unit 15 to read the document, and causes the image forming unit 16 to print the document image obtained by reading the document on recording paper (S104).

[0055] Also assume that the user places a document on the image reading unit 15, touches the scan key K32 on the job selection screen G3, and operates the start key on the operation unit 12 without touching the email notification key K34. In this case, the control unit 21 of the image forming apparatus 10 accepts an instruction to select a scan job via the touch panel 13 and the operation unit 12 (S102), but does not accept an instruction to send an email for job notification (S103 "No"). In accordance with the instruction to select the scan job, the control unit 21 causes the image reading unit 15 to read the document, and stores the document image obtained by reading the document in the storage unit 18 (S104).

[0056] Also, for example, the user places a document on the image reading unit 15, touches the send key K33 on the job selection screen G3, touches the text box T31 to select it, operates each key on the soft keyboard SB to input the email address of another user to whom the document image is to be sent in the text box T31, and then operates the start key on the operation unit 12 without touching the email notification key K34. In this case, the control unit 21 of the image forming apparatus 10 accepts an instruction to select a sending job via the touch panel 13 and the operation unit 12 (S102), but does not accept an instruction to send an email for job notification (S103 "No"). In accordance with the instruction to select a sending job, the control unit 21 makes the image reading unit 15 read the document, and transmits the document image obtained by the document reading from the communication unit 14 to the device to be the destination specified by the instruction (S104). This document image is received by the information processing device 60 or the like, and the document image is displayed on its display device.

[0057] Therefore, if the user does not touch the email notification key K34, i.e., if an instruction to send an email for job notification is not entered, the copy job, scan job, and send job are performed immediately, and no email for job notification is sent.

[0058] On the other hand, when the user places a document on the image reading unit 15, touches the copy key K31, touches the email notification key K34, and operates the start key on the operation unit 12, the control unit 21 of the image forming apparatus 10 accepts an instruction to select a copy job via the touch panel 13 and the operation unit 12 (S102) and also accepts an instruction to send an email for job notification (S103 "Yes"). Then, the control unit 21 causes the image reading unit 15 to read the document, and stores the document image obtained by the document reading in the storage unit 18 (S106). At this point, the control unit 21 puts the printing of the document image on recording paper by the image forming unit 16 on hold.

[0059] Furthermore, when the user places a document on the image reading unit 15, touches the scan key K32, touches the email notification key K34, and then operates the start key on the operation unit 12, the control unit 21 of the image forming apparatus 10 receives an instruction to select a scan job via the touch panel 13 and the operation unit 12 (S102), and also receives an instruction to send an email for job notification (S103 "Yes").Then, the control unit 21 causes the image reading unit 15 to read the document, and stores the document image obtained by reading the document in the storage unit 18 (S106).

[0060] Also, when the user places a document on the image reading unit 15, touches the send key K33, touches the text box T31 to select it, operates each key on the soft keyboard SB to input the email address of another user to whom the document image is to be sent in the text box T31, touches the email notification key K34, and operates the start key on the operation unit 12, the control unit 21 of the image forming apparatus 10 accepts an instruction to select a transmission job via the touch panel 13 and the operation unit 12 (S102) and also accepts an instruction to send an email for job notification (S103 "Yes"). Then, the control unit 21 causes the image reading unit 15 to read the document, and causes the memory unit 18 to store the document image obtained by reading the document (S106). At this point, the control unit 21 puts the transmission by the communication unit 14 on hold.

[0061] In accordance with the instruction to accept the instruction to send a job notification email accepted in S103, the control unit 21 of the image forming apparatus 10 sends a request to send the management data ND shown in FIG. 2 to the LDAP server 30 via the communication unit 14 through the network N based on the name, IP address, etc. of the LDAP server 30 whose settings were accepted when the LDAP server setting screen G2 shown in FIG. 4 was displayed (S107).

[0062] In the LDAP server 30, when the communication unit 34 receives the request to send the management data ND, the control unit 41 reads the management data ND from the storage unit 38 and transmits the management data ND from the communication unit 34 to the image forming apparatus 10 via the network N.

[0063] In the image forming apparatus 10, when the management data ND is received by the communication unit 14, the control unit 21 stores the management data ND in the storage unit 18 (S108).

[0064] The determination unit 22 of the image forming apparatus 10 analyzes the document image stored in the storage unit 18 in S106 by known OCR (Optical Character Reader) processing and area determination processing, determines the text area, image area, margin area, etc. included in the document image, and recognizes the text in the text area (S109). Furthermore, the determination unit 22 determines whether the person's name NY (last name, first name, etc.) in the management data ND is included in the text of the text area in the document image, or determines whether the person's name NY (image of signature) in the management data ND is included in the image area in the image of the document M (S110). The determination unit 22 determines whether the person's name NY (image of signature) in the management data ND is included in the image area in the image of the document M by using, for example, a known pattern matching technique.

[0065] When the determination unit 22 of the image forming apparatus 10 determines that the text in the text area in the image of the document M includes the person's name NY in the management data ND (S110 "Yes"), it determines whether the text in the text area included in the document image includes a preset character string suggesting a signature (for example, character strings such as "signature" and "name"). When the determination unit 22 determines that the corresponding character string exists, it determines whether any of the blank areas determined in S109 is adjacent to the corresponding character string and is equal to or larger than a specified size. If there is a blank area adjacent to the corresponding character string and equal to or larger than a specified size (S111 "Yes"), the determination unit 22 regards this blank area as a signature section and determines the presence of a signature section (S113). In addition, the determination unit 22 determines that the corresponding character string does not exist, or if it determines that the corresponding character string exists but there is no blank area adjacent to the character string and equal to or larger than a specified size (S111 "No"), it determines that there is no signature section (S112).

[0066] The control unit 21 of the image forming apparatus 10 judges whether the hold of e-mail transmission in the management data ND is on or off (S114), and if the hold is off (S114 "off"), reads and acquires from the management data ND the e-mail address MA associated with the person's name NY judged to be included in the text of the document image in S110 (S115), and creates an e-mail addressed to this e-mail address MA (S116). Then, if the judgment in S113 indicates the absence of a signature field (S117 "no"), the control unit 21 reads and acquires from the management data ND a message indicating that the copy job, scan job, or transmission job accepted in S102 will be processed for the document image (S118), includes the message read in S118 in the e-mail created in S116, and causes the communication unit 14 to send the e-mail as a job notification via the network N (S119).

[0067] Furthermore, if the control unit 21 determines in S113 that a signature field is present (S117 "Present"), it reads from the management data ND a message indicating that the copy job, scan job, or transmission job accepted in S102 will be processed on the document image and that the document image contains a signature field (S120), includes the message read in S120 in the e-mail created in S116, and causes the e-mail to be sent from the communication unit 14 over the network N as a job notification (S119).

[0068] This job notification email is received by another user's information processing device 60 who has the destination email address MA via a mail server on network N, and the message attached to this job notification email is displayed on a display device of information processing device 60.

[0069] In addition, if the job notification email is not received by the user's information processing device 60 for some reason, the mail server that delivers email from the image forming device 10 to the information processing device 60 returns an error notification email indicating a transmission error to the image forming device 10.

[0070] When the control unit 21 of the image forming apparatus 10 sends the job notification email in S119, it waits a fixed period of time from the time the job notification email was sent and then determines whether an error notification email has been received from the mail server via the communication unit 14 (S121).If it determines that an error notification email has not been received (S121 "No"), it resumes the copy job, scan job, or transmission job that was put on hold in S106 (S122).

[0071] For example, when the control unit 21 has received an instruction to select a copy job in S102, the control unit 21 causes the image forming unit 16 to print the document image stored in the storage unit 18 in S106 onto a recording paper (S122).

[0072] Furthermore, if the control unit 21 has received an instruction to select a scan job in S102, the control unit 21 keeps the image data representing the document image stored in the storage unit 18 in S106 (S122).

[0073] Furthermore, if the control unit 21 has received an instruction to select a transmission job in S102, it causes the communication unit 14 to transmit the original image stored in the memory unit 18 in S106 via the network N to the destination input along with the instruction (S122).

[0074] Then, control unit 21 of image forming apparatus 10 accesses SMB server 50 from communication unit 14 via network N based on the name, IP address, and storage period zk of the document image obtained by document reading of SMB server 50 in management data ND, reads the document image from storage unit 18, transmits the document image and storage period zk to SMB server 50 (S123), and deletes the document image from storage unit 18 (S124). SMB server 50 receives the document image and stores it for storage period zk.

[0075] Another user with the name NY included in the original image, for example, the provider of the original image or an administrator as a user who receives and approves the original image, receives a message by the job notification email indicating that processing will be performed on the original image, accesses the SMB server 50 from his / her information processing device 60 via the network N, receives image data showing the original image from the SMB server 50, and displays the original image on a display device for confirmation. In addition, when the other user receives a message indicating that processing will be performed on the original image and that the original image includes a signature field, he / she writes a signature in the signature field in the original image received from the SMB server 50, and transmits image data showing the original image with the signature to the SMB server 50 for storage. This makes it possible for a user who has executed a copy job, a scan job, or a transmission job to receive and obtain the original image with the signature from the SMB server 50.

[0076] Furthermore, if the control unit 21 of the image forming apparatus 10 determines that it has received an error notification email sent from the mail server through the communication unit 14 after waiting a certain period of time from the time the job notification email was sent in S119 (S121 "Yes"), it interrupts and terminates the copy job, scan job, or sending job that was put on hold in S106, and erases the original image stored in the memory unit 18 in S106 (S125).

[0077] For example, when the control unit 21 has received the selection of a copy job in S102, it erases the document image stored in the storage unit 18 in S106 and does not allow the image forming unit 16 to perform printing (S125).

[0078] Furthermore, when the control unit 21 has accepted the selection of a scan job in S102, the control unit 21 erases the document image stored in the storage unit 18 in S106 (S125).

[0079] Furthermore, if the control unit 21 has accepted the selection of a transmission job in S102, the control unit 21 does not perform the transmission process, and erases the document image stored in the storage unit 18 in S106 (S125).

[0080] After S125, the control unit 21 of the image forming apparatus 10 does not transmit the document image stored in the storage unit 18 in S106 to the SMB server 50 for storage.

[0081] Therefore, if an error notification email indicating an error is received, the copy job, scan job, or transmission job is interrupted and not completed, and the original image stored in memory unit 18 in S106 is erased and is not sent to SMB server 50 for storage.

[0082] Furthermore, when the hold is on (S114 "ON"), control unit 21 of image forming apparatus 10 starts measuring hold duration kt (S126), does not proceed to S115 or later processes until hold duration kt reaches hold time ht in management data ND (S127 "No"), and proceeds to S115 or later processes after hold duration kt reaches hold time ht in management data ND (S127 "Yes") In this way, the time for which a copy job, scan job, or transmission job is held is delayed by hold duration kt, and the timing of sending an e-mail for job notification is also delayed, making it possible for the job to be executed at a time convenient for the mail recipient, and for the e-mail for job notification to be received.

[0083] While the copy job, scan job, or transmission job is delayed by the hold duration time kt, the control unit 21 of the image forming apparatus 10 causes the display unit 11 to display the job selection screen G3 shown in Fig. 6 (S101). From this, the processes of S102 to S124 are carried out in parallel for another job.

[0084] Furthermore, if the control unit 21 of the image forming apparatus 10 has received an instruction to send an email for job notification but the judgment unit 22 has determined that the person's name NY in the management data ND is not included in the image of the original M (S110 ``No''), the control unit 21 interrupts and terminates the copy job, scan job, or transmission job that was put on hold in S106, and erases the original image stored in the memory unit 18 in S106 (S125).

[0085] In this embodiment, when the control unit 21 of the image forming apparatus 1 executes a copy job, a scan job, or a transmission job to process an original image, it determines the name of a person contained in the original image, obtains the email address associated with this name, creates an email addressed to this email address, and sends a job notification email indicating that the original image will be processed, so that another user with the name contained in the original image can be notified that the original image will be processed.

[0086] In the above embodiment, the management data ND shown in FIG. 2 is transmitted and received from the LDAP server 30 to the image forming apparatus 10, and the management data ND is stored in the memory unit 18 of the image forming apparatus 10. The two types of messages in the management data ND, namely, copy job, scan job, and transmission job, as well as the name of the SMB server 50, the IP address, and the storage period zk of the document image obtained by document reading are transmitted from the LDAP server 30 to the image forming apparatus 10 and stored in the memory unit 18. However, with regard to the email address MA associated with the person's name NY, each time the determination unit 22 of the image forming apparatus 10 recognizes and determines the person's name NY contained in the document image, the control unit 21 may transmit this determined name NY from the image forming apparatus 10 to the LDAP server 30 via the communication unit 14, and the image forming apparatus 10 may receive the email address MA associated with this person's name NY from the LDAP server 30. In this case, the determination unit 22 of the image forming apparatus 10 analyzes the document image stored in the storage unit 18 in S106, for example, by using a function combining OCR and NER (Named Entity Recognition), recognizes and determines the personal name NY included in the document image, and the control unit 21 transmits the determined personal name NY from the communication unit 14 through the network N to the LDAP server 30. In the LDAP server 30, when the personal name NY is received by the communication unit 34, the control unit 41 reads out the email address MA associated with the personal name NY from the management data ND stored in the storage unit 38, and transmits the read email address MA from the communication unit 34 through the network N to the image forming apparatus 10. In the image forming apparatus 10, the email address MA is received by the communication unit 14, and the control unit 21 acquires the email address MA associated with the personal name NY.

[0087] The present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible. For example, when the above processing, such as image formation by image forming unit 16, storage and retention of the document image in storage unit 18, or transmission by communication unit 14 (S122), is completed, control unit 21 may further cause communication unit 14 to send an email including a message indicating that the processing of the document image has been completed to the destination indicated by the email address.

[0088] It should be noted that the configurations and processes of the above-described embodiments described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6 are merely examples of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to these configurations and processes. [Explanation of symbols]

[0089] Sy Image Processing System 10 Image forming device 11 Display section 12 Control section 13 Touch Panel 14 Communications Department 15 Image reading unit 16 Image forming section 18 Storage section 19 Control Unit 21 Control section 30 LDAP Server 34 Communications Department 38 Memory section 39 Control Unit 41 Control section 50 SMB servers 60 Information processing equipment

Claims

1. an image reading unit that reads an image of a document; a storage unit that stores an original image obtained by reading an original by the image reading unit; an image forming unit that forms an image of the document image stored in the storage unit; a determination unit that determines whether a document image obtained by reading the document by the image reading unit includes characters indicating a person's name; an image forming apparatus comprising: a communication unit that, when the determination unit determines that the document image contains the person's name, obtains an email address corresponding to the person's name from a predetermined server, and sends an email to the obtained email address including a message indicating that the document image stored in the memory unit is to be processed.

2. an operation unit into which an image formation instruction or a transmission instruction is input; a control unit which, when the email transmitted by the communication unit is received by the destination indicated by the email address, performs, as the process, image formation by the image forming unit, storage and holding of an original image obtained by reading the original by the image reading unit, or transmission by the communication unit, in accordance with the contents of an instruction input to the operation unit; The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit deletes the document image from the storage unit when the email sent by the communication unit is not received by a destination indicated by the email address.

3. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the communication unit sends an email including a message indicating completion of the process to the destination indicated by the email address when image formation by the image forming unit or transmission by the communication unit is completed as the process.

4. When it is determined that the document image includes the person's name, the determination unit determines whether the document image includes a character string indicating a signature and a blank area adjacent to the character string; The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the communication unit sends an email including a message indicating that a signature is required to the destination indicated by the acquired email address when the determination unit determines that the character string and the blank area are included.

Images