Image forming apparatus, image forming method, and program

Abstract

To reduce time and effort in generating print data in which image data is composed with a form.SOLUTION: An image forming apparatus has: receiving means that receives image data posted on a chat service and identification information of a user who has posted the image data; output means that composes the image data received by the receiving means and information corresponding to the identification information with a form image and outputs print data; and printing means that prints an image on a sheet on the basis of the output print data.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, an image forming method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] To create a patient card with a photograph to be used in a hospital, etc., print data (patient card form) containing the hospital's information is prepared in advance, and when issuing a patient card for each patient, print data is created to which variable information (patient name and photograph) is added, and then printed on a printer.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for receiving print data and form specification information, reading out the corresponding form information, and setting whether to combine it with the print data. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-245470 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] For example, when issuing a patient card with a patient's photo, the patient must provide the photo data to the hospital, and the hospital's administrative staff must then create print data by adding the photo data to the patient card form, which already contains the hospital's fixed information, and print it out on a printer, which means the issuance procedure is time-consuming for the hospital.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to reduce the effort required to create print data in which image data is combined with a form. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The image forming apparatus of the present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and is characterized by having a receiving means for receiving image data posted to a chat service and identification information of the user who posted the image data, an output means for combining the image data received by the receiving means and information corresponding to the identification information into a form image and outputting print data, and a printing means for printing an image on paper based on the output print data. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] This reduces the effort required to create print data that combines image data with a form. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] A diagram showing an example of a system configuration for hospital reception work [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of an image processing apparatus. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 shows an example of the hardware configuration of a user terminal 20. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of a chat tool server 30. [Figure 5] A diagram showing an example of image overlay printing processing from a chat tool. [Figure 6] A diagram showing an example of a medical questionnaire [Figure 7] A diagram showing an example of a patient registration card form [Figure 8] A diagram showing an example of form data information [Figure 9] A diagram showing the association between identification information and user information. [Figure 10] A diagram showing an example of a chat message [Figure 11] A diagram showing an example of a message event in a chat tool server and an image processing device. [Figure 12] A sequence diagram showing an example of image overlay printing from a chat tool [Figure 13] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of image composition and printing processing from a chat tool. [Figure 14] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of image composition and printing processing from a chat tool. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a user information registration request screen. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The program of the control unit (110) relating to the flowchart of the image processing device is stored in the ROM (112) or storage (114) of the control unit (110), read into the RAM (113), and executed by the CPU (103). In the flowchart of the information processing device, the program is stored in the ROM (122), read into the RAM (124), and executed by the CPU (111).

[0011] This embodiment will be described using an example in which a pet's photograph is superimposed on a patient's consultation card as a facial photograph at a veterinary clinic.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a system configuration for hospital reception operations. In this embodiment, the image processing device 10, medical accounting system 11, office PC 12, and file server 13 are connected via a network 14 and can communicate with each other. The network 14, user terminal 20, and chat tool server 30 are also connected via an external network 15 and can communicate with each other. The medical accounting system 11 is a system for performing various administrative and accounting processes at the hospital counter and is accessed via the office PC 12. The file server 13 stores data used at the hospital reception desk and is accessed via the office PC 12. The image processing device 10, which also serves as an image forming device, prints received document data and transmits scanned document data to other devices. The user terminal 20 is an information terminal such as a smartphone, tablet, or personal computer used by a chat tool user. While the figure shows an example in which one terminal is connected, any number of connections is possible. The user operates the user terminal 20 to access the chat tool server 30 and exchange messages with other users. The user terminal 20 and chat tool server 30 are connected via a wired or wireless communication network, allowing data to be sent and received between them. In this embodiment, a public line on the Internet is assumed as an example of a communication network, but a dedicated line may also be used. The chat tool server 30 is a chat server located on the Internet that provides a chat service using the chat tool 306. The chat tool server 30 performs message exchange processing, such as sending and receiving messages to and from the user terminal 20 and displaying the message exchange screen. The chat tool server 30 can form a group of three or more members and process messages and other exchanges within the group. Furthermore, the chat tool server 30 provides a bot service, and can perform automatic response processing that responds with a predetermined message to a message containing a specific keyword, and WebHook processing that hooks received messages to a set URL via HTTP communication.

[0013] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the hardware configuration of the image processing device 10. As shown in FIG.

[0014] The image processing device 10 includes a CPU 111, a ROM 112, a RAM 113, a storage 114, an operation unit I / F 115, and an operation unit 116. The image processing device 10 further includes a reading unit I / F 117, a reading unit 118, a printing unit I / F 119, a printing unit 120, a wireless communication unit I / F 121, a wireless communication unit 122, a communication unit I / F 123, and a communication unit 124. A control unit 110 including the CPU 111 controls the overall operation of the image processing device 10. The CPU 111 loads a control program stored in the ROM 112 or the storage 114 into the RAM 113 to perform various control operations such as reading control and printing control. The ROM 112 stores control programs executable by the CPU 111. The ROM 112 also stores a boot program, font data, and the like. The RAM 113 is a main memory and is used as a work area and a temporary storage area for expanding the various control programs stored in the ROM 112 and the storage 114. The storage 114 stores image data, print data, various programs, various addresses, and various setting information. In this embodiment, flash memory is used as the storage 114. However, auxiliary storage devices such as a solid-state drive (SSD) or a hard disk drive (HDD) may also be used. An embedded multimedia card (eMMC) may also be used. In this embodiment, the image processing device 10 is configured such that a single CPU 111 executes the processes shown in the flowcharts described below using a single memory (RAM 113). However, this is not limiting. For example, multiple CPUs, RAMs, ROMs, and storages may cooperate to execute the processes shown in the flowcharts described below. Furthermore, some processes may be executed using hardware circuits such as ASICs and FPGAs. The operation unit I / F 115 connects the control unit 110 to an operation unit 116, which includes a display unit such as a touch panel and hard keys. The operation unit 116 displays information to the user and detects inputs from the user. The reading unit I / F 117 connects the control unit 110 to a reading unit 118, such as a scanner. The reading unit 118 reads an image of the document, and the CPU 111 generates image data such as binary data from the image.Image data generated based on an image read by the reading unit 118 is sent to an external device or printed on recording paper. The printing unit I / F 119 connects the control unit 110 to a printing unit 120, such as a printer. The CPU 111 transfers image data (print data) stored in the RAM 113 to the printing unit 120 via the printing unit I / F 119. The printing unit 120 prints an image based on the transferred image data on recording paper fed from a paper feed cassette. The wireless communication unit I / F 121 is an I / F for controlling the wireless communication unit 122, and connects the control unit 110 to an external wireless device via wireless communication. A user terminal 20 may be used as the external wireless device. The communication unit I / F 123 connects the control unit 110 to the network 14. The communication unit I / F 123 allows the communication unit 124 to transmit image data and various information within the device to an external device on the network 14, and to receive print data and information on the network 14 from an information processing device on the network 14. Methods for transmitting and receiving data via the network 14 include transmission and reception using electronic mail (E-mail) and file transmission using other protocols (for example, FTP, SMB, WEBDAV, etc.).

[0015] The chat tool control unit 125 can use the message API of the chat tool server 30 to send and receive image data and various data over the network 14 by accessing the chat tool server 30 via the communication unit I / F 123 using HTTP communication.

[0016] The image processing unit 126 is composed of multiple ASICs that perform image processing such as rendering (raster image conversion), resolution conversion, compression / decompression, binary / multi-value conversion, and composite layout on input and output image data. For example, the image processing unit 126 can generate image data for printing by rendering document data received via the communication unit I / F 123, or composite and layout multiple image data input via the reading unit I / F 117 into a single page image. The image processing device 10 also has a form composite printing function, and can generate image data for printing by compositely laying out other image data or text data in a predetermined position on document data or image data specified as form data.

[0017] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of the hardware configuration of the user terminal 20. As shown in FIG.

[0018] Although the user terminal 20 of this embodiment is assumed to be a device such as a smartphone or a tablet PC, it may be any other device as long as it is an information processing device capable of Wi-Fi communication.

[0019] The CPU 207 reads a control program stored in the ROM 208 and executes various processes for controlling the operation of the user terminal 20. The ROM 208 stores the control program. The RAM 209 is used as a temporary storage area, such as the CPU 207's main memory and work area. The HDD 210 stores various data, such as photographs and electronic documents. The operation panel 201 has a touch panel function capable of detecting a user's touch operation and displays various screens provided by the OS and an email sending application. For example, a chat tool 211 provided by the chat tool server 30 is installed as an application on the HDD 210. In addition, a terminal account 212 for the user terminal 20 issued by the chat tool server 30 is created on the chat tool 211, and information stored in the chat tool 211 is displayed on the operation panel 201. The user can input desired operation instructions to the user terminal 20 by inputting touch operations on the operation panel 201. The user terminal 20 is equipped with hardware keys (not shown), and the user can use these hardware keys to input operation instructions to the user terminal 20. The camera 202 captures an image in response to an image capture instruction from the user. The photographs captured by the camera 202 are stored in a predetermined area of ​​the HDD 210. It is also possible to acquire information from a QR code read by the camera 202 using a program capable of analyzing QR codes (registered trademark). The user terminal 20 can transmit and receive data to and from various peripheral devices via the NFC communication unit 203, the Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication unit 204, and the wireless LAN communication unit 205. The Bluetooth communication unit 204 of the user terminal 20 may be compatible with Bluetooth Low Energy.

[0020] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of the hardware configuration of the chat tool server 30. As shown in FIG.

[0021] CPU 301 reads out the control program stored in ROM 302 and the chat tool 306 stored in HDD 305, and executes various processes for controlling the operation of chat tool server 30. ROM 302 stores the control program. RAM 303 is used as a temporary storage area such as the main memory and work area of ​​CPU 301.

[0022] The HDD 305 stores various data such as messages, images, channel information, and applications. Data can be exchanged with various devices, such as the user terminal 20 and the image processing device 10, via the communication unit 304. The communication unit 304 may perform wired communication using Ethernet (registered trademark) or wireless communication such as Wi-Fi. A chat tool 306 is installed on the HDD 305 and runs on the CPU 301. The chat tool server 30 also provides a bot service through the chat tool 306. It issues accounts for general users, corporate users, and bots, and allows users to create bot accounts 307. The bot account 307 can perform automatic response processing, which responds with a specific message to a message containing a specific keyword, and WebHook processing, which hooks a received message to a set URL via HTTP communication. To use the bot service, a user sets a message for the automatic response processing and a WebHook URL for the WebHook processing in the bot account 307.

[0023] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of image overlay printing processing from a chat tool.

[0024] The medical questionnaire (400) is distributed at the reception desk and the patient (owner) fills in the owner's name, pet's name, pet's date of birth, phone number, etc. The medical questionnaire (400) may also include a two-dimensional code (QR code (registered trademark), etc.) for chat registration.

[0025] The patient (owner) accesses the chat tool (403) on the user terminal (401) which is the user terminal 20, performs the registration process, and posts the image data of the pet's photo (402) to the chat. The patient (owner) may also enter the pet's name, phone number, and date of birth in the chat.

[0026] When image data of a pet photo (402) is posted, the chat tool (403) on the chat tool server 30 sends a print request for the image to the image processing device (404), which is a pre-registered image processing device 10. At this time, this print request includes the image data received from the patient (owner) and identification information, such as a phone number, associated with the patient's (owner's) account on the chat service. If the patient (owner) enters the pet's name, phone number, or date of birth in the chat, the chat tool (403) sends the entered character string, such as the phone number or date of birth, and the image data to the image processing device (404). In this case, the identification information associated with the patient's (owner's) account on the chat service, the character string, and the image data may be sent, or the character string and the image data may be sent without sending the identification information associated with the patient's (owner's) account on the chat service.

[0027] When the image processing device (404) receives a print request for an image from the chat tool (403), it determines to execute printing of the patient registration card and acquires patient registration card form data (406) from the file server (405).

[0028] The image processing device (404) combines the image data (photograph (407)) received in the print request with the patient registration card form data (406) at a predetermined position and outputs the print data.

[0029] The image processing device (404) also combines patient information to be written on the patient card with the patient card form data (406). The combined patient information (such as the owner's name, the pet's name, and the pet's date of birth) may be a string of characters posted by the patient on chat. If the print request includes identification information linked to an account on the chat service, the combined patient information may be patient information stored in the image processing device (404) that corresponds to the identification information. The image processing device (404) then prints the combined print data (409). Note that the patient information may be stored in an external server, not in the image processing device 10, in association with the identification information, and the image processing device 10 may transmit the identification information to the external device, which then transmits the patient information corresponding to the identification information to the image processing device 10.

[0030] In light of the above, the image processing device includes a receiving unit that receives image data posted to a chat service and identification information of the user who posted the image data, combines the image data received by the receiving unit and information corresponding to the identification information into a form image, and outputs print data. Furthermore, the image processing device includes a printing unit that prints an image on paper based on the output print data.

[0031] Furthermore, the user identification information and the patient information may be stored in association with each other by the image processing device 10, or may be stored in association with each other in an external device. If the patient information is stored in an external device, the image processing device 10 receives the patient information corresponding to the user identification information from the external device.

[0032] The user's identification information and patient information may or may not be stored in the image processing device 10 or an external server by being input by a hospital staff member. For example, the image processing device 10 may scan the medical questionnaire (400) using the reading unit 118, and the CPU 111 may perform character recognition processing on the image data generated by the scan to acquire character information. The name (owner) and name (pet) of the character information may then be stored as patient information, and the phone number of the character information may be stored in association with the user's identification information. The character information is not limited to information acquired by character recognition processing, and may also be acquired by recognizing and decoding a QR code (containing patient information and identification information) in a document.

[0033] In other words, based on the above description, the image processing device 10 can combine the received image data and the information obtained from the image data generated by the reading means by reading the document into a form image and output the print data. The information obtained from the image data is information obtained by performing character recognition processing on the image data.

[0034] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a medical questionnaire, and details of the medical questionnaire 400 shown in FIG. 5 will be described.

[0035] The user information field 501 is a field for entering personal information about the patient and their pet, and includes fields such as address, telephone number (TEL), name (owner), name (pet), and pet's date of birth. The medical interview field 502 is a field for entering information to be communicated to the doctor about the pet's symptoms. Hospitals use such fixed-format medical interview forms, and the size of the medical interview form 400 (e.g., A4), the position of the user information field 501, and the position of each field within the user information field 501 are fixed. The QR code 503 contains information (URL) for accessing the bot account 307 of the hospital account issued by the chat tool server 30. The patient can read and access the QR code 503 with the camera 202 of the user terminal 20, and can user-register the bot account 307 as a chat communication destination for the terminal account 212 of the user terminal 20.

[0036] After the patient has completed the medical questionnaire and submitted it to the hospital staff, the staff will check the information and store a scanned copy of the medical questionnaire as evidence data on the file server 13, making it accessible from the medical accounting system 11 and the office PC 12.

[0037] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a patient registration card form. The patient registration card form 406 shown in FIG. 5 will now be described in detail. The patient registration card form 406 is data describing the content to be printed on a hospital's patient registration card, and is document data such as PDF created by a document application on a PC, or image data such as JPEG. The document data is a template that does not include information that differs for each patient, such as a facial photograph on the patient registration card or user information to be entered in the user information field 501 of the medical questionnaire 400. A hospital clerk stores the form in the file server 13 in advance, and registers the storage location in the form data information of the image processing device 10, which will be described later with reference to FIG. 8. The patient registration card form 406 may be stored in the storage 114 of the image processing device 10, rather than in the file server 13.

[0038] The positions for placing the face photo and user information are predetermined in the patient registration card form 406. A patient registration card with a face photo is output by creating data that combines separately prepared image data of the face photo and text data of the user information (or image data converted from that data) in the appropriate positions.

[0039] Image synthesis area 601 is where a face photo is placed. Text synthesis area 1 (602) is where the name of the user information (owner) is placed. Text synthesis area 2 (603) is where the name of the user information (pet) is placed. Text synthesis area 3 (604) is where the pet's date of birth is placed.

[0040] The synthesis position information 610 indicates the coordinates (top left origin, unit: mm) of each synthesis area on the patient registration card form 406, and is expressed by the top left coordinates and bottom right coordinates of each synthesis area.

[0041] Image synthesis position 611 is the coordinate of image synthesis area 601, text synthesis position 1 (612) is the coordinate of text synthesis area 1 (602), text synthesis position 2 (613) is the coordinate of text synthesis area 2 (603), and text synthesis position 3 (614) is the coordinate of text synthesis area 3 (604).

[0042] Fig. 8 is a diagram showing an example of form data information. As described in Fig. 2, the image processing device 10 has a form overlay printing function. In the form overlay printing function, in order to specify form data and a compositing position for the form data, the image processing device 10 stores form data information 700 in the ROM 112 or storage 114. The form data information 700 can be set and registered by a user of the image processing device 10, and is input from a setting screen of a local UI (LUI) displayed on the operation unit 116. Alternatively, it can be input from a setting screen of a remote UI (RUI) displayed on a browser of an external device such as a PC via the wireless communication unit 122 or the communication unit 124.

[0043] Form data information 700 is composed of a name, a URL indicating the location where the form data was obtained, and synthesis location information indicating the synthesis location of the image and text. The synthesis location information here is the same as synthesis location information 610 described in FIG. 7. In this embodiment, the URL is described using an external device via network 14, such as file server 13, as an example, but it may also be ROM 112 or storage 114 inside image processing device 10. Furthermore, multiple pieces of form data information 700 may be registered, but in this embodiment, form data 1 is assumed to be associated with the patient registration card printing function.

[0044] An example of image size control in the composite printing function will be described. The image processing unit 126 of the image processing device 10 renders and decodes the form data (patient registration card form) and composite image (face photo) to convert them into raster format. The composite image is resized to fit the size of the image composition area 601 (resized so that either the top or bottom or left or right matches the frame size, and both the top, bottom, left and right are smaller than the frame size). The resized composite image is superimposed on the form data so as to be positioned at the center of the image composition area 601. Text information 1 (name: owner) is rendered to generate text image 1. Text image 1 is resized to fit the size of text composition area 1 (602). The resizing method is the same as for the composite image. The resized image is superimposed on the form data so as to be positioned at the center of text composition area 1 (602). Text information 2 (name: pet) is processed for text composition area 2, and text information 3 (date of birth) is processed for text composition area 3, in the same way as text information 1.

[0045] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the correspondence between identification information and user information. User management information 800 shows the user management information 408 shown in FIG. 5, and in this case, the user information of three people is registered. As described in FIG. 5, when the image processing device 10 performs image superimposition printing on the patient registration card form 406, if the print request includes identification information (such as a telephone number), the image processing device 10 superimposes the corresponding user information at a predetermined position. User management information 800, which associates the identification information with the user information for this purpose, is stored in the ROM 112 or the storage 114. This information is set in the image processing device 10 by a hospital clerk based on a medical questionnaire submitted by the patient (owner). The hospital clerk inputs the information from a setting screen of a local UI (LUI) displayed on the operation unit 116, or from a setting screen of a remote UI (RUI) displayed on a browser of an external device such as a PC via the wireless communication unit 122 or the communication unit 124.

[0046] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a chat message. Screen 900 is a screen displayed on operation panel 201 of user terminal 20, and displays the content of a message posted to terminal account 212 of chat tool 211. Icon 910 is an icon registered in association with bot account 307 in chat tool server 30. Icon 920 is an icon registered in association with the user of user terminal 20. A patient reads QR code 503 on medical questionnaire 400 with camera 202 of user terminal 20 to access bot account 307. When user registers bot account 307 as a chat communication destination for terminal account 212 of user terminal 20, message 911 is sent and displayed by the automatic response function of bot account 307. Next, when the patient posts pet photo 921 in accordance with message 911, bot account 307 sends an image to image processing device 10 to notify it of a request to print a patient registration card, and then sends message 912 to terminal account 212. When the bot account 307 receives a notification from the image processing device 10 that printing of the patient appointment card is complete, it sends a message 913 to the terminal account 212. When the bot account 307 receives from the image processing device 10 image data of the patient appointment card in which the pet photo 921 and the patient's user information are combined, it sends a patient appointment card image 914 to the terminal account 212.

[0047] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a message event in the chat tool server and the image processing device.

[0048] Message event 1000 is a table showing the contents of message events exchanged with the image processing device 10 via the message API provided by the chat tool server 30. The bot account 307 of the chat tool server 30 hooks a message sent from the terminal account 212 of the user terminal 20 and sends a message event to the set Webhook URL. The image processing device 10 set as the URL interprets the message event in the chat tool control unit 125 and sends a response message event to the chat tool server 30. Message event 1000 is a message event sent from the chat tool server 30 to the image processing device 10. Message event 1010 is a message event sent from the image processing device 10 to the chat tool server 30. Sender ID 1001 is an ID that identifies the terminal account 212 of the user terminal 20. Access tokens 1002 and 1012 are tokens used for access authentication when communicating with the bot account 307. Message types 1003 and 1013 indicate the type of data sent in the message event; text is set for a normal text message, and an image is set for an image posting message. In this embodiment, text or image messages are used for explanation, but other types such as video or file may also be used. Message contents 1004 and 1014 are text data or image transmission data according to the type set in message types 1003 and 1013. The message API provided by chat tool server 30 also includes various other message events in addition to the above, such as a profile acquisition event that acquires profile information for a specified user ID.

[0049] 12 is a sequence diagram showing an example of image overlay printing from a chat tool. In this explanation, the terminal account 212 of the user terminal 20 is abbreviated as the user terminal 20, and the bot account 307 of the chat tool server 30 is abbreviated as the chat tool server 30.

[0050] The user terminal 20 performs user registration for the bot account 307 (1121) and sends a user registration notification 1122 to the chat tool server 30. In response, the chat tool server 30 performs user registration for the terminal account 212 and acquires the profile information (including the phone number) (1131). Next, the chat tool server 30 sends the user terminal 20 a preset automatic response message 911 for user registration (1132).

[0051] When a photo 921 is posted from the user terminal 20 to the chat tool server 30 (1123), the chat tool server 30 sends a message to the image processing device 10 and transmits image data of the photo 921 as a message event (1133). In response, the image processing device 10 saves the received image data in the storage 114 (1111). A profile acquisition event is sent to the chat tool server 30 (1112), profile information for the sender ID is acquired, and this information is stored in the ROM 112 or RAM 113 (1113). This profile information also includes a telephone number used as identification information associated with user information when printing a patient ID card. Next, the image processing device 10 sends a message event to the chat tool server 30 to request that a message 912 be sent to the sender ID, informing the user that the patient ID card printing has been accepted (1114). In response, the chat tool server 30 transmits the message 912 to the user terminal 20 (1134). Next, the image processing device 10 prints the patient ID card (1115), and when this is complete, it sends a message event to the chat tool server 30 to request that a message 913 be sent to the sender ID of 1113, informing the user that printing of the patient ID card has been completed (1116). That is, when printing is complete, the image processing device 10 sends a request to the chat tool server 30 to post information urging the user to receive the printed copy. In response, the chat tool server 30 sends the message 913 to the user terminal 20 (1135).

[0052] Next, the image processing device 10 sends a message event to the chat tool server 30 to request that the image data of the printed patient registration card be sent to the sender ID (1117). In response, the chat tool server 30 sends the patient registration card image 914 to the user terminal 20 (1136).

[0053] Fig. 13 is a flowchart showing an example of image compositing and printing processing from a chat tool. The flow in Fig. 13 starts when the image processing device 10 is powered on. Each process in the flow in Fig. 13 is executed by the CPU 111 of the image processing device 10 executing a program read into the RAM 113.

[0054] The image processing device 10 receives a print request for an image (S1201) and analyzes the print request in the chat tool control unit 125. If the sender of the print request is the chat tool server 30 (S1202), data for the patient registration card form is acquired from an external device or from within the image processing device 10 (S1203). Next, the image processing device 10 combines the image received in the print request with print data for the patient registration card form (S1204) and prints the combined print data (S1205). If the sender of the print request is not a chat tool in S1202, the image processing device 10 prints the received image (S1206).

[0055] Fig. 14 is a flowchart showing an example of image overlay printing processing from a chat tool. The flow in Fig. 14 starts when the image processing device 10 is powered on. Each process in the flow in Fig. 14 is executed by the CPU 111 of the image processing device 10 executing a program read into the RAM 113. The flow in Fig. 14 is a different form of the flow in Fig. 13.

[0056] The image processing device 10 receives a print request for an image (S1301) and analyzes the print request in the chat tool control unit 125. If the sender of the print request is a chat tool (S1302), the image processing device 10 acquires print data for the patient registration card form from an external device or from within the image processing device 10 (S1303). The image processing device 10 then transmits a message event notifying reception to the chat tool server 30 (S1315). If the sender is not a chat tool, the image processing device 10 prints an image on paper based on the received image data (S1309).

[0057] If the print request includes identification information (S1304), the image processing device 10 refers to the user management information 800 stored in the image processing device 10 and determines whether there is user information corresponding to the identification information (S1305).The received image corresponding to the identification information and the user information are combined with the print data for the patient registration card form (S1306).

[0058] If the print request does not include identification information in S1304, the image processing device 10 sends a profile acquisition event to the chat tool server 30 to request acquisition of identification information (S1310). If the identification information is acquired, the process proceeds to S1305 (S1311); if not, the process proceeds to S1308. S1308, S1307, and S1309 are the same as S1204, S1205, and S1206 in FIG. 12.

[0059] If the image processing device 10 does not hold user information corresponding to the identification information in S1305, it displays a user information registration request screen 1400 shown in FIG. 15 (S1312). Screen 1401 displays the identification information (telephone number) and a message urging the user to register user information from the remote UI. When button 1402 is pressed, it is determined that the registration of user information is complete, and the process returns to S1305. When button 1403 is pressed, it is determined that the user information will not be registered, and only the received image will be composited into the patient registration card form and printed, and the process proceeds to S1308. The remote UI is a setting screen that is displayed when the image processing device 10 acts as a web server and the user terminal 20 accesses the web server of the image processing device 10 using a web browser.

[0060] When the image processing device 10 completes printing of the print data combined in S1307, it transmits a message event notifying completion to the chat tool server 30 (S1313). Then, the image processing device 10 transmits the combined and printed image data to the chat tool server 30 using a message event (S1314).

[0061] <Other embodiments> The present invention can be realized by supplying a program that realizes one or more functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or device via a network or a storage medium, and by having one or more processors in the computer of the system or device read and execute the program. It can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., ASIC) that realizes one or more functions.

Claims

1. a receiving means for receiving image data posted to the chat service and identification information of a user who posted the image data; an output means for combining the image data received by the receiving means and information corresponding to the identification information into a form image and outputting print data; an image forming apparatus having a printing means for printing an image on a sheet based on the output print data;

2. further comprising a storage means for storing the identification information and the information in association with each other; The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the output means combines the image data received by the receiving means and the information stored in the storage means, and information corresponding to the identification information, with the form image and outputs the print data.

3. further comprising a receiving means for receiving the information corresponding to the identification information; 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output means combines the image data received by the receiving means and information received by the receiving means, which is information corresponding to the identification information, with the form image and outputs the print data.

4. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the receiving means receives the image data and the identification information from a chat server that provides the chat service.

5. The image processing device further includes a reading means for reading an image of a document and generating image data.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information corresponding to the identification information is information obtained from image data generated by the reading unit reading an original.

6. 6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the information corresponding to the identification information is information obtained by performing character recognition processing on image data generated by the reading unit reading an original.

7. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the identification information is a telephone number of the user.

8. 8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the identification information is a telephone number registered in association with an account of the user registered with the chat service.

9. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a transmission means for transmitting to the chat service a request for posting information encouraging the user to receive the printed matter when the printing means has completed printing of the image based on the image data.

10. a receiving step of receiving image data posted to the chat service and identification information of the user who posted the image data; an output step of combining the image data received in the receiving step and information corresponding to the identification information into a form image and outputting print data; and a printing step of printing an image on paper based on the output print data.

11. 10. A program for causing a computer to execute each unit of the image forming apparatus according to claim 1.

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