Information processing device and its control method

Abstract

The aim is to reduce the effort required for an image processing device to print an image based on image data received via fax, in situations where there are likely to be situations where the user can receive printed materials immediately and situations where they cannot. [Solution] The image processing apparatus of the present invention comprises a receiving means for receiving image data by fax, an acquisition means for acquiring status information indicating the user's status from a chat service, and a printing means for printing an image based on the received image data onto a recording medium. The acquisition means acquires the user's status information corresponding to the source information of the received image data, and the printing means, based on the acquisition of specific status information by the acquisition means, prints an image based on the received image data onto a recording medium without the image processing apparatus receiving a print command from the user after the status information has been acquired by the acquisition means.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and a control method thereof.

Background Art

[0002] There is a technique in which an image processing apparatus transmits a received image to a cloud server that provides a cloud storage service, a chat service, or the like. Patent Document 1 describes a technique that enables setting whether to print a document received by FAX as it is or save it in a "FAX reception box" without printing.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Printing of an image of image data received by FAX is preferably executed in a situation where a user who should receive a printed matter can immediately receive the printed matter.

[0005] In the case of the image processing apparatus of Patent Document 1, whether to print a document received by FAX by the image processing apparatus requires the user to switch the setting at the operation unit of the image processing apparatus. Therefore, for example, a user who frequently repeats commuting to the office and working from home and wants to print a printed matter only when at the office (a situation where there is a high possibility of receiving a printed matter) needs to change this setting every time, which is troublesome.

[0006] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is to reduce the labor for printing an image based on image data received by FAX by an image processing apparatus when there are situations where a user is highly likely to immediately receive a printed matter and situations where the user cannot receive it. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve the above problems, the image processing apparatus of the present invention comprises: a receiving means for receiving image data by fax; an acquisition means for acquiring status information indicating the user's status from a chat service; and a printing means for printing an image based on the received image data onto a recording medium. The acquisition means acquires the user's status information corresponding to the source information of the received image data, and the printing means, based on the acquisition of specific status information by the acquisition means, prints an image based on the received image data onto a recording medium without the image processing apparatus receiving a print command from the user after the status information has been acquired by the acquisition means. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] In situations where users are likely to receive printed materials immediately and situations where they are not, this reduces the effort required for the image processing device to print images based on image data received via fax. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] A diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of a messaging application service. [Figure 2] A diagram showing an example of the MFP10 hardware configuration. [Figure 3] A diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of user terminal 20. [Figure 4] This diagram shows an example of the hardware configuration of the message application server 30. [Figure 5] Diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of tenant server 40. [Figure 6] Diagram showing an example of tenant information 601 [Figure 7] A diagram showing an example of status table 701. [Figure 8]This diagram shows an example of the status table setting screen 810 for setting the status table 701. [Figure 9] A diagram showing an example of the receiving user table 901. [Figure 10] This diagram shows an example of a screen for configuring the receiving user table 901. [Figure 11] A diagram showing an example sequence for setting up the receiving user table 901. [Figure 12] A flowchart showing an example of the configuration process for the receiving user table 901. [Figure 13] This diagram shows an example of the sequence when accumulating fax jobs based on status table 701. [Figure 14] This diagram shows an example of a sequence for printing images based on stored image data in response to changes in the status. [Figure 15] A diagram showing an example of a chat screen in a messaging application (1500). [Figure 16] A flowchart showing an example of how the MFP10 processes received fax jobs. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] The embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Note that the following embodiments are not intended to limit the invention as defined in the claims, and not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the solution of the invention.

[0011] In this embodiment, a multifunction peripheral (MFP) with printing, scanning, and faxing capabilities is described as an example of an image processing device. However, the image processing device in this embodiment is not limited to an MFP; any device capable of realizing this embodiment is acceptable, such as a device without scanning capabilities or a device that transmits print instructions to an image forming apparatus with a printing unit.

[0012] In addition, in this embodiment, a FAX reception job is taken as an example for explanation, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and it is also applicable to printing jobs other than FAX.

[0013] <Example> An embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0014] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of a message application service. Note that the message application service is an example of a cloud service and is also a chat service. The cloud service in this embodiment is not limited to the message application service, and may be, for example, a mail, storage, or information management service on the cloud.

[0015] The message application service is composed of, for example, an MFP 10 which is an image processing apparatus, a user terminal 20, a message application server 30, and a tenant server 40. The MFP 10, the user terminal 20, and each server are connected via a network 70 and can communicate with each other. The network 70 is a wireless or wired network composed of the Internet, WAN, LAN, etc. In addition, the MFP 10 is connected to a public switched telephone network (PSTN) 80 and can perform control of a facsimile communication protocol and the like.

[0016] The MFP10 has the function of receiving image data and further has the ability to print images based on the image data onto a recording medium. The MFP10 can receive image data from, for example, a network 70 such as the Internet or a public switched telephone network 80. In this embodiment, the MFP10 also communicates with a message application server 30 via the network 70 and refers to an image processing device that has the function of sending and receiving image data. In this way, the MFP10 can receive image data from the message application server 30 and print images based on the received image data. Furthermore, the MFP10 can read a document and generate image data based on the image of the scanned document, and can send the image data generated based on the image of the scanned document to the message application server 30. It should be noted that the MFP10 is not limited to sending and receiving image data; it can send and receive various data and signals, such as signals used to control the facsimile communication protocol. Figure 1 shows an example where two MFP10s are connected, but the number of connections is arbitrary.

[0017] User terminals 20 are examples of information terminals such as smartphones, tablet devices, and personal computers that users use to access the messaging application service. Figure 1 shows an example where three user terminals 20 are connected, but the number of connections is arbitrary. Users operate the user terminals 20 to access the messaging application server 30 on the cloud 60 and exchange messages with other users and use installed applications. The user terminals 20 and the messaging application server 30 are connected to a wired or wireless communication network, and data can be sent and received between them. In this embodiment, the internet is assumed as an example of a communication network, but a dedicated line may also be used.

[0018] The message application server 30 is a cloud server located on the cloud 60 and is a server that provides services using the message application 306. The message application server 30 performs all processes related to message exchange, such as sending and receiving messages to and from the user terminal 20, and displaying the message sending and receiving screen.

[0019] Tenant Server 40 is a cloud server located on Cloud 60, and is responsible for storing and providing tenant information. Details of the tenant information stored in Tenant Server 40 are explained in the section on Figure 6.

[0020] Furthermore, the Message Application Server 30 may replace some or all of the capabilities of the Tenant Server 40, as well as some or all of the processing performed by the Tenant Server 40, as described later. In that case, the Tenant Server 40 would no longer be essential in this configuration.

[0021] Figure 2 shows an example of the hardware configuration of MFP10. MFP10 mainly consists of a control unit 110, an operation unit 116, a reading unit 118, a printing unit 120, a wireless communication unit 122, a fax communication unit 124, and a communication unit 126. The control unit 110 consists of a CPU 111, a ROM 112, a RAM 113, an HDD 114, and various I / Fs (interfaces). CPU stands for Central Processing Unit, ROM for Read-Only Memory, and RAM for Random Access Memory. The various I / Fs are the operation unit I / F 115, the reading unit I / F 117, the printing unit I / F 119, the wireless communication unit I / F 121, the fax unit I / F 123, and the communication unit I / F 125.

[0022] The operation unit I / F 115 is the connection point between the control unit 110 and the operation unit 116, connecting the control unit 110 and the operation unit 116. The reading unit I / F 117 is the connection point between the control unit 110 and the reading unit 118, connecting the control unit 110 and the reading unit 118. The printing unit I / F 119 is the connection point between the control unit 110 and the printing unit 120, connecting the control unit 110 and the printing unit 120. The wireless communication unit I / F 121 is the connection point between the control unit 110 and the wireless communication unit 122, connecting the control unit 110 and the wireless communication unit 122. The fax unit I / F 123 is the connection point between the control unit 110 and the fax communication unit 124, connecting the control unit 110 and the fax communication unit 124. The communication unit I / F 125 is the connection point between the control unit 110 and the communication unit 126, connecting the control unit 110 and the communication unit 126.

[0023] The control unit 110, including the CPU 111, controls the operation of the entire MFP 10. The CPU 111 reads control programs stored in the ROM 112 or HDD 114 into the RAM 113 and performs various controls such as read control and print control. The ROM 112 stores control programs that can be executed by the CPU 111. The ROM 112 also stores boot programs and font data. The RAM 113 is the main memory of the CPU 111 and is used as a temporary storage area for loading various control programs stored in the work area, ROM 112, and HDD 114. The HDD 114 stores, for example, image data, print data, various programs, various addresses, and various setting information. The HDD 114 is a storage medium and is not limited to an HDD; it may also be flash memory, SSD (Solid State Drive), eMMC (embedded Multi Media Card), etc.

[0024] In this embodiment, the MFP10 uses one CPU 111 and one memory (RAM 113) to execute each process shown in the flowchart described later, but it is not limited to this. For example, multiple CPUs, RAM, ROM, and HDDs can work together to execute each process. In addition, some processes may be executed using hardware circuits such as ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits) or FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Arrays).

[0025] The operation unit 116 has a display unit such as a touch panel and hard keys, and displays information to the user and accepts user input. User input includes, for example, inputting instructions to make the MFP 10 perform a desired process, inputting characters and symbols to the MFP 10, and inputting operations for the user to view information. Inputting instructions to make the MFP 10 perform a desired process includes, for example, inputting instructions to make the MFP 10 perform various processes, such as a print command. Inputting operations for the user to view information includes, for example, input to select a file or change the display size in order to view data stored in the HDD 114. The input method for the touch panel can be any common detection method, such as resistive, infrared, electromagnetic induction, or capacitive touch. Hard keys can be, for example, a keyboard with letters and numbers written on it, or physical buttons that instruct processes such as "Start" or "Reset". Furthermore, switches such as toggle switches, rocker switches, push-button switches, rotary switches, slide switches, key lock switches, and tactile switches may also be used.

[0026] The reading unit 118, for example, is a scanner, and reads the document by moving the document or sensor, and generates image data such as binary data based on the image of the scanned document. The image data generated by the reading unit 118 can be transmitted to an external device such as an information processing device, stored in an external recording device such as a USB device, or printed on recording paper.

[0027] The printing unit 120 receives image data to be printed (image data to be printed) from the CPU 111 and prints the image onto recording paper fed from the paper cassette (not shown). Note that the operation of the printing unit 120 is not limited to printing on paper; it may also use non-paper media such as OHP sheets.

[0028] The wireless communication unit 122 wirelessly connects the control unit 110 with an external wireless device. The user terminal 20 is an example of a wireless device connected to the MFP 10.

[0029] The FAX communication unit 124, for example, has a modem and NCU for facsimile communication, and controls these to perform tasks such as connecting to the public switched telephone network 80 and controlling the facsimile communication protocol.

[0030] The communication unit 126 transmits image data and various information from the MFP 10 to external devices connected to the network 70, and receives print data and various information from information processing devices connected to the network 70. Various information includes, for example, status information and configuration information. Transmission and reception via the network 70 can be performed, for example, using email, or by sending files using other protocols (e.g., FTP, SMB, WebDAV, etc.). Image data and message data can also be transmitted and received via the network 70 through HTTP communication from the user terminal 20 and the message application server 30. Furthermore, it is possible for the user to access the MFP 10 via the network 70 from a web browser on the user terminal 20 and configure various settings of the MFP 10 (remote UI function).

[0031] Figure 3 shows an example of the hardware configuration of the user terminal 20. While the user terminal 20 in this embodiment is assumed to be a device such as a smartphone or tablet PC, the user terminal 20 is not limited to these. For example, any information processing device capable of connecting to the network 70 via a wired connection using Ethernet® or a wireless connection using radio waves such as Wi-Fi communication may be used. Furthermore, the wireless connection method is not limited to Wi-Fi communication; any method capable of communication, such as Bluetooth®, may be used.

[0032] The user terminal 20 mainly consists of an operation panel 201, a camera 204, an NFC communication unit 205, a Bluetooth communication unit 206, a CPU 207, a ROM 208, a RAM 209, an HDD 210, and a wireless LAN communication unit 211. NFC stands for Near Field Communication, and LAN stands for Local Area Network.

[0033] The CPU 207 reads control programs stored in the ROM 208 or HDD 210 and executes various processes to control the operation of the user terminal 20. The ROM 208 stores control programs that can be executed by the CPU 207. The RAM 209 is the main memory of the CPU 207 and is used as a temporary storage area for loading the various control programs stored in the work area, ROM 208, and HDD 210.

[0034] HDD210 stores, for example, image data, print data, various programs, various application programs, various addresses, and various setting information. HDD305 is a storage medium and is not limited to HDDs; it may also be flash memory, SSD, eMMC, etc.

[0035] In this embodiment, the user terminal 20 uses one CPU 207 and one memory (RAM 209) to execute each process shown in the flowchart described later, but it is not limited to this. For example, multiple CPUs, RAMs, ROMs, and HDDs can work together to execute each process. Alternatively, some processes may be executed using hardware circuits such as ASICs or FPGAs. The operation panel 201 has a touch panel function that can detect user touch operations and displays various screens provided by the OS (Operating System) and applications. The operation panel 201 is also used to check information stored in the message application server 30. The user can input desired operation instructions to the user terminal 20 by inputting touch operations to the operation panel 201. The user terminal 20 is equipped with hardware keys (not shown), and the user can input operation instructions to the user terminal 20 using these hardware keys. The detection method for detecting user touch operations on the touch panel can be any common detection method, such as resistive touch, infrared touch, electromagnetic induction touch, or capacitive touch. Alternatively, software keys may be displayed on the touch panel, allowing the user to input operation instructions through touch panel operations. The operating system can be any OS, such as Windows, macOS, Unix, Linux, Android, or iOS. The application can be any application that performs functions such as sending emails, browsing, chatting, camera capture, image display, and settings.

[0036] Camera 204 takes images according to the user's imaging instructions. Images captured by camera 204 are stored in a designated area of ​​HDD 210. It is also possible to obtain information from QR codes read by camera 204 by pre-loading a program capable of analyzing QR codes into ROM 208 or HDD 210, or by installing an application that performs the same function. Note that information acquisition is not limited to QR codes; it may also be performed by analyzing one-dimensional codes such as barcodes, or two-dimensional codes such as DataMatrix, MaxiCode, PDF417, or Aztec.

[0037] The user terminal 20 can connect to various wireless devices via the NFC communication unit 205, Bluetooth communication unit 206, and wireless LAN communication unit 211 to send and receive data. The Bluetooth communication unit 206 of the user terminal 20 may support the Bluetooth Low Energy standard or the Bluetooth Classic standard.

[0038] In this embodiment, the user terminal 20 is connected to the network wirelessly, but it may also be connected to the network via a wired method, for example, by installing a wired port (not shown).

[0039] Figure 4 shows an example of the hardware configuration of the message application server 30. The message application server 30 is a chat server that provides chat services.

[0040] The message application server 30 mainly consists of a CPU 301, ROM 302, RAM 303, communication unit 304, and HDD 305.

[0041] The CPU 301 reads the control program stored in the ROM 302 and the message application 306 stored in the HDD 305, loads them into the RAM 303, and executes various processes to control the operation of the message application server 30. The ROM 302 stores the control program that can be executed by the CPU 301. The RAM 303 is the main memory of the CPU 301 and is used as a temporary storage area for loading the various control programs stored in the work area, ROM 302, and HDD 305.

[0042] The HDD305 stores various types of data, such as messages, image data, channel information, and application programs. The HDD305 is a storage medium and is not limited to HDDs; it may also be flash memory, SSD, eMMC, etc.

[0043] In this embodiment, the message application server 30 uses one CPU 301 and one memory (RAM 303) to execute each process shown in the flowchart described later, but it is not limited to this. For example, multiple CPUs, RAM, ROM, and HDDs can work together to execute each process. Alternatively, some processes may be executed using hardware circuits such as ASICs or FPGAs.

[0044] Message application 306 is an application installed on HDD305 and runs on CPU301 or RAM303.

[0045] The communication unit 304 is used for communication with other devices, and data can be sent and received with various devices such as the user terminal 20 and the MFP 10 via the communication unit 304. The communication unit 304 may perform wired communication using Ethernet or wireless communication such as Wi-Fi. An example of the operation of the message application server 30 when a message is posted using the user terminal 20 will be described. The CPU 301 loads the message application 306 read from the HDD 305 into the RAM 303 and receives the posted message sent from the user terminal 20 via the communication unit 304 according to the control of the message application 306. After that, the posted message received from the user terminal 20 is saved to the HDD 305. If necessary, the communication unit 304 can also notify the user terminal 20 or another user terminal 20 that a message has been posted via the network 70. The user terminal 20 that receives the notification displays it on the touch panel type operation panel 201.

[0046] Figure 5 shows an example of the hardware configuration of tenant server 40.

[0047] The tenant server 40 mainly consists of a CPU 401, ROM 402, RAM 403, communication unit 404, and HDD 405.

[0048] The CPU 401 reads the control program stored in the ROM 402 or HDD 405 and executes various processes to control the tenant information 601. The stored tenant information 601 will be described later. The ROM 402 stores the control program that can be executed by the CPU 401. The RAM 403 is the main memory of the CPU 401 and is used as a temporary storage area for deploying the various control programs stored in the work area, ROM 402, and HDD 405.

[0049] HDD405 stores, for example, tenant information 601. HDD405 is a storage medium and is not limited to HDDs; it may also be flash memory, SSD, eMMC, etc.

[0050] In this embodiment, the tenant server 40 uses one CPU 401 and one memory (RAM 403) to execute each process shown in the flowchart described later, but it is not limited to this. For example, multiple CPUs, RAM, ROM, and HDDs can work together to execute each process. Alternatively, some processes may be executed using hardware circuits such as ASICs or FPGAs.

[0051] The communication unit 404 is used for communication with other devices, and can send and receive data with various devices, such as the message application server 30, via the communication unit 404. The communication unit 304 may use wired communication via Ethernet or wireless communication such as Wi-Fi.

[0052] This section describes an example of the operation of the tenant server 40 when tenant information 601 is transmitted from the tenant server 40 to the MFP 10. First, the CPU 401 receives a request from the MFP 10 via the network 70 through the communication unit 404 to obtain specific information from the tenant information 601. Here, the specific information is any information from the various types of information managed by the tenant server 40, such as group information, user information, and channel information, which will be described later, and will change according to the user's instructions. Next, the CPU 401 uses a control program deployed from the ROM 402 to the RAM 403 to access the tenant information 601 stored in the HDD 405 and obtain the requested specific information. Once the acquisition of the specific information is complete, the CPU 401 transmits the specific information to the MFP 10, which sent the request for acquisition of the specific information, via the network 70 through the communication unit 404.

[0053] As mentioned above, the message application server 30 may take over some or all of the capabilities of the tenant server 40 and the processing performed by the tenant server 40.

[0054] Figure 6 shows an example of tenant information 601. In this embodiment, for example, tenant information 601 is stored on the HDD 405 of the tenant server 40.

[0055] Tenant information 601 has one or more groups, and in the example in Figure 6, there are two groups, Group 1 and Group 2, and Group information 602 and Group information 610 are managed. Depending on the configuration of the message application 306, there may be only one group information within one tenant information, in which case the tenant information 601 and the group information will be the same.

[0056] Group information 602 and group information 610 each contain information that constitutes the group. For example, group information 602 includes user information 603, channel information 604, printer information 606, linked application information 607, and file information 608.

[0057] User information 603 shows information about each user belonging to the group. User information 603 includes, for example, a unique ID for each user. In addition, each user information 603 also has status information 609. Status information 609 is a set of information that shows what state the user is currently in, and includes attendance status, which indicates whether the user is at the office or working from home, and status status, which indicates the user's current situation. Attendance status is, for example, "Office," "Remote," or "Out of Office," and status status is, for example, "Available," or "Away." In addition to those exemplified in Figure 7, various other states such as "Active" and "Away" can also be managed. Note that status information 609 is not limited to attendance status or status status, and various statuses are possible depending on the service that manages and provides the status.

[0058] Channel information 604 is information used to group user information 603, and it holds a list 605 that summarizes the user information belonging to each channel. Channel information 604, for example, each channel has a unique ID.

[0059] Printer information 606 displays the machine information of MFP10. This machine information includes, for example, manufacturer information, model number, serial number, MAC address, and IP address. Applications using group information 602 can send various commands to any MFP by referring to or obtaining this information.

[0060] The linked application information 607 contains information about applications that link with the message application 306 corresponding to group 1. Applications that link with the message application 306 include, for example, various Office applications (software) provided by Microsoft.

[0061] File information 608 contains information about files stored and shared within the group. For example, when printing with MFP10, this file information 608 is sent to MFP10.

[0062] In this embodiment, a chat room is described as a place where individual users communicate with each other, and which is not managed as a channel. A channel may have other functions in addition to displaying chats, such as a schedule sharing function. The name is not limited to these and may be set by a different name by the service provider.

[0063] If the message application 306 wants to obtain, for example, a list of users in group 1, it will obtain the list of user information 603 within the group information 602 stored on the HDD 405 of the tenant server 40 via the communication unit 304 and the network 70. Similarly, channel information 604, printer information 606, linked application information 607, file information 608, and status information 609 are also obtained by the message application 306 as needed and used as appropriate.

[0064] Figure 7 shows an example of a status table 701. In this embodiment, for example, the status table 701 is stored on the HDD 114 of the MFP 10.

[0065] The status table 701 contains parameters corresponding to the status information 609 held by the tenant server 40. In this embodiment, as an example of parameters, the status status mentioned above is stored in the status table 701 as the "Status" row, the attendance status as the "Workplace" row, and the operation mode when the MFP 10 acquires each status as the "Mode" column. In the status table 701 in Figure 7, as an example, if the status is "Available" and the workplace status is "Attended," the operation mode is stored as "Print." As described later, the MFP 10 performs an operation corresponding to the operation mode based on the status table 701.

[0066] Here, the "Print" mode refers to the mode in which the MFP10 prints a received fax without any storage. The "Storage" mode refers to the process in which the MFP10, upon receiving information containing image data, does not immediately print, but instead stores the received information, including image data, in a non-volatile area such as the MFP10's RAM113, HDD114, or cloud storage. HDD114 and cloud storage are examples of storage devices, and the storage process is an example of a storage process. Printing images based on image data stored by the MFP10 requires a print command from the user. Examples of operation for these modes will be described later.

[0067] The status table 701 may be stored internally in the MFP 10 (for example, on the HDD 114) or on an external device that can communicate with the MFP 10. In this embodiment, the user can specify any operating mode via the operation unit 116 of the MFP 10, but the system is not limited to this, and the status table 701 may be immutable.

[0068] Figure 8 shows an example of the status table setting screen 810 for configuring the status table 701. The status table setting screen 810 is displayed on the operation panel 116 of the MFP10.

[0069] The status item 811 corresponds to the "Status" in the status table 701, and the work location item 812 corresponds to the "Work Location" in the status table 701. By selecting in the selection field 813, the user can select an operating mode corresponding to each status. The options available in the selection field 813 are the operating modes that the MFP 10 can perform. In the case of an image processing device in this embodiment that does not perform recording, the options may be the operating modes that a device that performs recording at the instruction of the image processing device can perform. When the change button 814 is pressed, the MFP 10 updates the status table 701 stored in the HDD 114 to the set value. Alternatively, the operating mode selected by the user in the selection field 813 may be registered at the time of selection, without providing a change button 814. The number of status tables 701 stored is not limited to one, and there may be multiple. Multiple status tables 701 can be identified by naming them, for example, "Weekday" and "Holiday". In addition to the change button 814, a "new registration" button (not shown) may also be provided in the status table setting screen 810. In this case, when the new registration button is pressed, the MFP10 may store a new status table 701 instead of updating the values ​​in the existing table. The location where the new status table 701 is stored may be the same as or different from the location where the existing status table 701 is stored (e.g., HDD114), as long as it is a location that the CPU 111 of the MFP10 can access during the operation of this embodiment.

[0070] Figure 9 shows an example of the receiving user table 901. In this embodiment, the receiving user table 901 is stored on the HDD 114 of the MFP 10.

[0071] The Receiving User Table 901 is a table that associates the source information of a fax with the user information 603 of the receiving user. In this embodiment, the fax number of the sender when receiving a fax is described as an example of source information. The source information is not limited to a fax number, but may also be, for example, station information, SIP address, name, etc. The receiving user is also the user to whom the MFP 10 requests status information 609 from the tenant server 40. The source fax number is the fax number of an MFP or fax transmitter other than the MFP 10 that sent various information, including image data, to the MFP 10 via fax, and the user information 603 is the information managed by the aforementioned tenant server 40. In other words, when the MFP 10 receives a fax, it uses this table to refer to the user information 603 corresponding to the source information. Furthermore, the Receiving User Table 901 also stores access token information corresponding to the user information 603. Furthermore, the information stored in the receiving user table 901 is not necessarily access token information, which generally has an expiration date. Instead, it may be authentication information such as a user ID, email address, phone number, password, or passcode.

[0072] Furthermore, users who receive faxes from senders whose fax numbers are not registered may be set in the receiving user table 901. In this embodiment, as an example of receiving faxes from an unregistered number, the receiving user table 901 shows an example where "Other" is registered as the sender fax number. Alternatively, a user may register "All" (not shown) or leave the sender fax number blank so that the same user status information 609 is obtained for image data received from any fax number. In this case, the CPU 111 of the MFP 10 that receives the fax can skip the steps of referring to the sender information and the receiving user table 901 in the processing described later.

[0073] Alternatively, a user may register a recipient user corresponding to the region of the fax sender by specifying only the area code of the sending fax number, i.e., the first 1 to 3 digits of the fax number, in the recipient user table 901.

[0074] The receiving user table 901 may be stored internally in the MFP 10 (for example, on the HDD 114) or on an external device capable of communicating with the MFP 10. In this embodiment, source information is acquired via various communication units of the MFP 10, but the MFP 10 may also acquire source information by receiving input from the user via, for example, the operation unit 116, and register or update the receiving user table 901.

[0075] Note that the information used to identify the sender (sender information) is not limited to a fax number. For example, when the MFP10 receives various types of information, including image data, via a network, it may obtain the IP address or MAC address of the sender's user terminal 20, register it in the recipient user table, and then identify the sender.

[0076] Figure 10 shows an example of a screen for setting up the Receiving User Table 901, and includes a User Information Addition / Modification Screen 1010, a User Information Input Screen 1020, and a User Information Registration Completion Screen 1030 for registering new items in the Receiving User Table 901. These screens are displayed on the operation panel 116 of the MFP 10.

[0077] When a user performs an operation from a menu screen (not shown) or the like displayed on the MFP10's control panel 116 to transition to the receiving user table setting screen, the user information addition / modification screen 1010 is displayed on the MFP10's control panel 116.

[0078] The user information addition / modification screen 1010 displays the information currently registered in the receiving user table 901. Area 1011 is the area that displays the current information in the receiving user table 901. Button 1012 is an add button, and when this button is pressed, the user information addition / modification screen 1010 displayed on the MFP 10's operation panel 116 transitions to the user information input screen 1020.

[0079] Furthermore, the user information addition / modification screen 1010 may include, for example, an unillustrated change button for modifying information registered in the receiving user table 901, and an unillustrated delete button for deleting information registered in the receiving user table 901.

[0080] The user information input screen 1020 is used to add information to the receiving user table 901. The user can select either selection item 1021 or selection item 1023.

[0081] Input field 1022 is a field where you can enter a fax number. If you select option 1021, you can enter the fax sender information to be registered in input field 1022.

[0082] If option 1023 is selected, user information 603 for a user who receives a fax from a sender not registered in the receiving user table 901 can be registered. In other words, by selecting option 1023, the user is entered as "Other" in the receiving user table 901.

[0083] Input field 1024 is for entering authentication information to be authenticated as user information 603. Note that the authentication information is not limited to an ID and PASSWORD, but can be any information used for authentication, such as an email address, phone number, or passcode. Button 1025 is a confirmation button, and when this button is pressed, the information entered at the time of pressing is added to the receiving user table 901. When button 1025 is pressed, the user information input screen 1020 displayed on the operation panel 116 of the MFP10 transitions to the user information confirmation screen 1030.

[0084] Input to input items 1022 and 1024 is performed from the operation unit 116 of the MFP10. This may be done using physical buttons on the operation unit 116, such as a keyboard or numeric keypad, or the MFP10 may display a software keyboard (not shown) on the screen, which can be used for input. Alternatively, the CPU 111 of the MFP10 may detect when selection item 1021 is selected and automatically display a software keyboard (not shown), allowing the user to input into input item 1022 without having to select it.

[0085] Furthermore, when the "storage" operation mode is running, the user may also be allowed to specify the storage location for various information, including image data received by the MFP10. For example, a storage location selection button (not shown) may be displayed on the user information input screen 1020, allowing the user to select from one or more options, such as HDD114 or cloud storage. In addition, for example, buttons, input fields, selection fields (not shown) may be displayed on the user information input screen 1020 to set conditions such as the retention time when temporarily storing data, and the stored data may be moved or deleted when the conditions are met.

[0086] The User Information Confirmation Screen 1030 is a screen that notifies the user that the addition of information to the Receiving User Table 901 has been completed. When the user presses the Back button 1031, the User Information Confirmation Screen transitions to the User Information Addition / Modification Screen 1010. Alternatively, the screen may transition to a screen that was displayed before the User Information Addition / Modification Screen 1010, such as the Home screen. Furthermore, for example, an "Continue Adding" button (not shown) or a message "Do you want to continue adding?" with "Yes" or "No" buttons may be provided, allowing the user to continue adding information by pressing the "Continue Adding" or "Yes" button. In that case, the screen may transition back to the User Information Input Screen 1020.

[0087] Furthermore, the user information addition / modification screen 1010 may be provided with a change button (not shown) for modifying information registered in the receiving user table 901. For example, a user can select any user from those displayed in area 1011 and press the change button, or press the change button and then select any user from those displayed. The CPU 111 of the MFP 10 detects the press of the change button and the selection of a user, transitions to the user information input screen 1020, and displays the destination information registered for the selected user in input field 1022. In addition, the user information input screen 1020 may be provided with a confirmation button (not shown), and when the confirmation button is pressed, the receiving user table 901 may be modified to reflect the information of the selected user based on the data entered at that time.

[0088] Furthermore, the user information addition / modification screen 1010 may include a delete button (not shown) for deleting information registered in the receiving user table 901. For example, a user can select any user from those displayed in area 1011 and press the delete button, or press the delete button and then select any user from those displayed. The CPU 111 of the MFP 10 detects the press of the delete button and the user selection, and deletes the information stored in the receiving user table 901 corresponding to the selected user. Before deleting the information, for example, a "Execute Deletion" button (not shown) or a message "Do you want to delete?" along with "Yes" and "No" buttons may be provided, and the information may be deleted by the user pressing the "Execute Deletion" or "Yes" button.

[0089] As described later, when button 1025 is pressed, the authentication information entered in input field 1024 is sent to the tenant server 40. However, if authentication fails due to unregistered information or user input errors, a notification to that effect may be displayed on the operation panel 116 of the MFP 10. In this case, the CPU 111 may display the user information input screen 1020 on the operation panel 116 again, display the entered information again, or display some or all of the fields blank.

[0090] Furthermore, as described later, the user information input screen 1020 may be configured to allow users to input not only their personal account information but also the channels to which they belong, as well as channel information 604, and the CPU 111 may accept these inputs.

[0091] The following processes, not shown in the diagram, may also be used to register the user in the receiving user table 901. First, the user logs into the message application service user account by entering authentication information in user information 603. Alternatively, based on the user logging into MFP10, the CPU 111 logs into the user account corresponding to the user who logged into MFP10. Next, the CPU 111 of MFP10 communicates with the tenant server 40 and obtains information managed by the tenant server 40, such as group information 602, user information 603, channel information 604, and list 605, related to the logged-in user account. Finally, the CPU 111 displays the obtained information on the operation unit 116, and the user registers the user information 603 and channel information 604 in the receiving user table 901 by selecting them from the displayed information.

[0092] Furthermore, if channel information 604 is registered in the receiving user table 901, the CPU 111 may check the status of all users in the list 605, which summarizes the user information belonging to that channel. In this case, the system may be configured to execute printing if even one of the checked users is in a state that supports print mode. In this configuration, the user registers the authentication information of some or all users belonging to the target channel in the receiving user table 901.

[0093] Figure 11 shows an example of a sequence for setting up the receiving user table 901. This sequence starts when information is added to the receiving user table 901, that is, when the user information input screen 1020 is displayed on the operation unit 116 of the MFP 10. The processing performed by the MFP 10 and the tenant server 40 in this sequence will be explained.

[0094] [S1101: Enter sender information] In S1101, the CPU 111 of the MFP 10 receives input of fax sender information via the operation unit 116. Specifically, the CPU 111 receives sender information when the user selects item 1021 and inputs into item 102, or selects item 1023.

[0095] [S1102: Enter authentication information] In S1102, the CPU 111 accepts authentication information via the operation unit 116. Specifically, the CPU 111 accepts authentication information when the user enters it into the input field 1024.

[0096] [S1103: Request submitted] In S1103, CPU 111 sends an access token request to tenant server 40. S1103 is executed when button 1025 is pressed. When sending the access token request, CPU 111 sends the authentication information received in S1102 to tenant server 40.

[0097] [S1104: Answer received] In S1104, the CPU 401 of the tenant server 40 performs authentication using the authentication information received from the MFP 10. If authentication is successful, the CPU 401 sends the authenticated user information and access token information to the MFP 10, and the CPU 111 of the MFP 10 receives it. Authentication is successful if the authentication information received from the MFP 10 matches the authentication information registered in the HDD 405 of the tenant server 40. If authentication fails, the CPU 401 sends a message to the MFP 10 indicating that authentication failed. Authentication is failed if the authentication information received from the MFP 10 does not match the authentication information registered in the HDD 405 of the tenant server 40. It is not mandatory for the CPU 401 to notify the MFP 10 if authentication fails, and the process may be interrupted or terminated at that point. In this case, the CPU 111 of the MFP 10 may be configured to interrupt the process if the user information and access token information are not sent from the CPU 401 of the tenant server 40 within a predetermined time.

[0098] [S1105: Table Information Generation] In S1105, CPU 111 associates the source information obtained in S1101 with the access token information obtained in S1104 and adds the information to the receiving user table 901.

[0099] Once the table information generation is complete, CPU 111 terminates this process.

[0100] Figure 12 is a flowchart showing an example of the setting process for the receiving user table 901. This process starts when information is added to the receiving user table 901, that is, when the user information input screen 1020 is displayed on the operation unit 116 of the MFP 10. This process proceeds as appropriate based on user operations and responses from the tenant server 40. In each step of the flowchart in this embodiment, the CPU 111 of the MFP 10 reads the control program stored in the ROM 112 or HDD 114 into the RAM 113 and executes it.

[0101] [S1201: Enter sender information] In S1201, the CPU 111 accepts fax sender information via the operation unit 116. Specifically, the CPU 111 accepts the sender information when the user selects item 1021 and enters information in item 1022, or selects item 1023. The accepted sender information is temporarily stored in RAM 113. Once the sender information input is complete, the process proceeds to S1202.

[0102] [S1202: Enter authentication information] In S1202, the CPU 111 accepts authentication information via the operation unit 116. Specifically, the CPU 111 accepts authentication information when the user enters it into the input field 1024. The accepted authentication information is temporarily stored in the RAM 113. Once the authentication information input is complete and the user presses button 1025, the process proceeds to S1203.

[0103] [S1203: Request submitted] In S1203, CPU 111 sends an access token request to tenant server 40. When sending the access token request, CPU 111 also sends the authentication information that was received in S1201 and S1202 and temporarily stored in RAM 113 to tenant server 40. Once the request transmission is complete, the process moves to S1204.

[0104] [S1204: Authentication Decision] In S1204, CPU 111 waits for a response from tenant server 40. The response sent from tenant server 40 is, for example, a notification that authentication was successful or failed. If authentication is successful, it also includes user information and access token information. CPU 111 detects the receipt of a response from tenant server 40, and if it determines from the received response that authentication was successful, it temporarily stores the user information and access token information received from tenant server 40 in RAM 113 and proceeds to S1205. If CPU 111 determines from the response received from tenant server 40 that authentication failed, it registers the user in the receiving user table 901 as a failure and terminates the process.

[0105] [S1205: Adding User Information] In S1205, the CPU 111 associates the source information, user information, and access token information temporarily stored in RAM 113, and adds the information to the receiving user table 901.

[0106] Once the user information has been added, CPU 111 will terminate this process. Also, after the processing of S1205 is completed, the source information temporarily recorded in S1201 will be deleted from RAM 113.

[0107] Figure 13 shows an example of a sequence for accumulating fax jobs based on the status table 701. This sequence begins when the MFP 10 receives a fax job via the fax communication unit 124. A fax job is a job that performs a series of processes, including receiving a fax and recording the received fax image data onto a recording medium. This sequence describes the processes performed by the MFP 10, the tenant server 40, and the message application server 30. In this embodiment, the recipient user table 901 stores the sender number, recipient user, and access token information in correspondence.

[0108] [S1301: FAX job received] In S1301, the CPU 111 of the MFP 10 performs analysis processing of the FAX job information received via the FAX communication unit 124 and stores the FAX sender information in the RAM 113.

[0109] [S1302: Refer to the Receiving User Table] In S1302, the CPU 111 retrieves the access token information of the receiving user corresponding to the sender information from the receiving user table 901 stored in the HDD 114, based on the fax sender information stored in the RAM 113 in S1301, and obtains these.

[0110] [S1303: Status information request] In S1303, CPU 111 sends access token information corresponding to the source information obtained in S1302 to tenant server 40, and requests status information of the receiving user corresponding to the access token information.

[0111] [S1304: Status information received] In S1304, the CPU 401 of the tenant server 40 retrieves the user status information 609 requested by the MFP 10 from the tenant information 601 stored in the HDD 405, based on the access token information sent from the MFP 10. If the CPU 401 successfully retrieves the user status information 609 requested by the MFP 10, the CPU 401 sends the requested user status information to the MFP 10, and the CPU 111 of the MFP 10 receives it.

[0112] [S1305: Refer to status table] In S1305, the CPU 111 obtains operating mode information corresponding to the status information received in S1304, based on the status table 701 stored in the HDD 114. The status information 609 sent from the tenant server 40 in S1304 is also stored in the HDD 114. In S1402, described later, this stored status information 609 is referenced. In this sequence, the sequence proceeds assuming the acquired operating mode was "storage".

[0113] [S1306: Image data storage] In S1306, the CPU 111 moves the received FAX job information from RAM 113 to HDD 114 in order to move it to a non-volatile area. This control is called storage control. Storage control refers to the process (storage process) in which, when the MFP 10 receives information containing image data, it does not immediately print, but instead stores the received information containing image data in a non-volatile area such as the MFP 10's RAM 113 or HDD 114. Printing images based on image data stored by the MFP 10 requires a print command from the user. Note that this destination is not limited to the MFP 10's HDD 114, but may also be an external non-volatile area (storage), such as cloud storage or flash memory. By saving the received FAX image data to a non-volatile area through storage control, the FAX job information will not be lost even if processing is interrupted by events such as a power outage or the MFP 10's power is cut off during subsequent processing. Furthermore, if data is saved to cloud storage, for example, users with access rights can view it through cloud services, thus achieving ubiquitous computing and increasing convenience.

[0114] [S1307: Chat execution request] In S1307, CPU 111 creates a chat execution request to the receiving user corresponding to the sender information of the received fax, based on the access token information obtained in S1302. Next, CPU 111 sends this execution request to the message application server 30 (send instruction). At this time, the content of the chat that CPU 111 requests to be executed is "MFP 10 has received a fax and performed the storage operation."

[0115] [S1308: Execute chat] In S1308, the CPU 301 of the message application server 30 sends a message to the user terminal 20, along with the received content, indicating that a chat execution request has been received in S1307. This message may be sent proactively by the CPU 301 of the message application server 30, or it may be sent passively based on a request from the user terminal 20, such as a timeline acquisition request. The message application installed on the HDD 210 of the user terminal 20 displays the chat received from the message application server 30 on the user terminal's operation panel 201 (chat 1503) and notifies the receiving user.

[0116] Furthermore, the chat content notified in S1308 may be configured to include some of the FAX job information. In chat 1503, for example, the FAX sender information is included in the chat content. When MFP10 sends a chat execution request notified in S1307, it also sends the FAX job information, allowing the message application server 30 to obtain the FAX job information.

[0117] Figure 14 shows an example of a sequence for printing an image based on stored image data in response to a change in status. This sequence describes the process from S1307 onward when the CPU 111 detects a change in the user's status information 609 and, based on the status table 701, determines that the operation mode corresponding to the changed status information 609 is "print". The status update may be performed manually by the user operating the user terminal 20 and entering the information via a message application, or it may be automatically estimated and updated from information such as the update history of the tenant information 601 and the operation history of the user terminal 20. This process is executed even without a print command from the user. This sequence describes the processes performed by the MFP 10, the tenant server 40, and the message application server 30.

[0118] [S1401: Status information request] In S1401, the CPU 111 of the MFP 10 sends the access token information obtained from the receiving user table 901 in S1302 to the tenant server 40 and requests status information. The request in S1401 is for the status information 609 of the receiving user corresponding to the source information of the image data stored in S1306. Alternatively, status information requests may be made to all users stored on the tenant server 40.

[0119] [S1402: Status information received] In S1402, the CPU 401 of the tenant server 40 retrieves the user status information 609 requested by the MFP 10 from the tenant information 601 stored in the HDD 405, based on the access token information sent from the MFP 10. If the CPU 401 successfully retrieves the user status information 609 requested by the MFP 10, it sends the user status information 609 requested by the MFP 10 to the MFP 10, and the CPU 111 of the MFP 10 receives it. If the status information 609 sent from the tenant server 40 differs from the status information received in S1304, the CPU 111 of the MFP 10 detects a change and executes the process in S1403.

[0120] [S1403: Refer to status table] In S1403, the CPU 111 obtains operating mode information corresponding to the status information acquired in S1402, based on the status table 701 stored in the HDD 114. In this sequence, the sequence proceeds assuming that the mode indicated by the acquired operating mode information is "print".

[0121] [S1404: Checking stored image data] In S1404, the CPU 111 searches the HDD 114 for image data received by the MFP 10 that has been stored in the storage control in S1306. Although storage control is performed in S1306, if, for example, the user operates the MFP 10's control panel 116 and prints the stored image data before the status information 609 is updated, then in S1404, there will be no stored image data.

[0122] [S1405: Printing images based on stored image data] In S1405, the CPU 111 executes printing of the image data that the MFP 10 has received and stored, as searched in S1404. That is, the printing unit 120 of the MFP 10 records the image data received based on the FAX job received by the MFP 10 in S1301 onto the recording medium. For example, printing onto recording paper is one such example. If the image data received by the MFP 10 is stored in cloud storage, for example, instead of the HDD 114 in S1306, the MFP 10 retrieves the image data from the cloud storage and performs printing. S1405 is executed without a print command from the user. Alternatively, the MFP 10 may perform a printing process to print the image data received by the MFP 10 onto the recording medium in response to a print command from the user.

[0123] [S1406: Chat execution request] In S1406, CPU 111 creates a chat execution request to the receiving user corresponding to the sender information of the received fax, based on the access token information obtained from the receiving user table 901 in S1302. Next, CPU 111 sends this execution request to the message application server 30 (send instruction). At this time, the content of the chat that CPU 111 requests to be executed is "The MFP has received the fax, and the printing of the image based on the stored fax image data has been completed."

[0124] [S1407: Chat execution] In S1407, the CPU 301 of the message application server 30 sends a message to the user terminal 20 indicating that a chat execution request (S1406) has been received from the MFP 10. This message may be sent proactively by the CPU 301 of the message application server 30, or it may be sent passively based on a request from the user terminal 20, such as a timeline acquisition request. The message application installed on the HDD 210 of the user terminal 20 displays the chat received from the message application server 30 on the user terminal's operation panel 201 (chat 1504) and notifies the receiving user.

[0125] CPU111 will terminate this process once the chat execution request for S1406 is complete.

[0126] Furthermore, notifications to the receiving user via S1405 and S1406 are not mandatory, and the MFP10 does not necessarily have to send a notification that the stored image data has been printed.

[0127] Furthermore, the status information request in S1401 may be for the user's status corresponding to the source information of the image data remaining on the HDD 114, rather than the user's status corresponding to the source information of the image data that was stored under the storage control in S1306. In that case, for example, if the user operates the MFP 10's operation unit 116 before the status information 609 is updated and prints the stored image data, there will be no processing to be performed on the reduced jobs, and the processing in S1404 and S1608 described later can be omitted.

[0128] Figure 15 shows an example of a chat screen 1500 of a messaging application. The chat screen 1500 is a screen provided by the messaging application and is displayed on the operation panel 201 of the user terminal 20.

[0129] Display field 1501 shows the user's own information, and in the chat screen 1500, it is the screen used by userA. Display field 1502 is a field that displays a list of people with whom there is a chat record, and in screen 1500, the chat screen with MFP10 is displayed.

[0130] Chat 1503 is a chat notified in S1308, and is an example of a chat that notifies the user that MFP10 has received a fax and that image data has been stored. Chat 1504 is a chat notified to the user in S1407, and is an example of a chat that notifies the user that the stored image data has been printed.

[0131] Please note that the types and layout of information displayed on chat screen 1500 are merely examples and may differ significantly from this example depending on the provider of the messaging application and the user who customizes it.

[0132] Furthermore, the MFP10 may be configured to receive print commands from users via the chat screen 1500, and to allow users to instruct the MFP10 to print images based on image data stored in the MFP10 via the chat screen 1500. In this configuration, when the MFP10 stores image data it has received, the receiving user corresponding to the sender information can send a print command to the MFP10 that performed the storage process via the chat screen 1500. Upon receiving a print command in this manner, the MFP10 prints the image based on the image data stored in, for example, the HDD 114 using the printing unit 120.

[0133] Furthermore, if multiple MFP10s are connected and the stored image data can communicate with each other, the user may send a print command to any MFP10, such as the MFP10 closest to the user's current location.

[0134] Furthermore, the user may issue a print command from the chat screen 1500 via a software button displayed by the messaging application or a physical button on the user terminal 20. Alternatively, the user may issue a print command by replying to the chat with a message such as "Print it." Additionally, the user terminal 20 may be equipped with a gyroscope sensor, so that after the chat 1503 is displayed, a print command is sent to the MFP 10 upon a specific user action, such as shaking the device.

[0135] Figure 16 is a flowchart illustrating an example of how the MFP10 processes a received fax job. Specifically, it shows the process by which the MFP10 stores or prints the received image data based on the acquired user status information 609 and status table 701. This process begins when the MFP10 receives a fax job via the fax communication unit 124.

[0136] [S1601: Receiving a fax job] In S1601, the CPU 111 of the MFP10 temporarily stores the received fax job information in RAM 113. Once the fax job reception is complete, the process moves to S1602.

[0137] [S1602: Account Information Search] In S1602, the CPU 111 of the MFP10 searches for user information 603 corresponding to the sender information in the recipient user table 901 stored in the HDD 114, based on the sender information of the FAX job information stored in RAM 113 in S1601. Once the account information search is complete, the process moves to S1603.

[0138] [S1603: Determination of Account Information Discovery] In S1603, the CPU 111 of MFP10 determines in S1602 whether or not it was able to find user information 603 corresponding to the sender information in the receiving user table 901. If the CPU 111 determines that it has found user information 603 corresponding to the sender information in the receiving user table 901, it proceeds to S1604. If the CPU 111 determines that it could not find user information 603 corresponding to the sender information in the receiving user table 901, it proceeds to S1612, regardless of the information in the receiving user table 901.

[0139] [S1604: Request for status information] In S1604, the CPU 111 of MFP10 retrieves access token information corresponding to the retrieved user information 603 from the receiving user table 901. Furthermore, the CPU 111 sends the access token information to the tenant server 40 and requests status information 609. Once the request for status information 609 is complete, the process proceeds to S1605.

[0140] [S1605: Decision to obtain status information] In S1605, the CPU 111 of MFP10 waits until status information 609 is sent from the tenant server 40. If the CPU 111 determines that status information 609 has been sent from the tenant server 40 and that it has been successfully obtained, it proceeds to S1606. If the CPU 111 determines that status information 609 has not been obtained, it continues to wait and remains in S1605.

[0141] [S1606: Searching the Status Table] In S1606, the CPU 111 of the MFP10 searches for and retrieves the operating mode corresponding to the status information 609 obtained in S1605 from the status table 701.

[0142] [S1607: Determining the operating mode] In S1607, the CPU 111 of MFP10 determines whether the operating mode corresponding to the status information 609 obtained in S1606 is the storage setting or the print setting. If the CPU 111 determines that the operating mode corresponding to the obtained status information 609 is the storage setting, it proceeds to S1608. If the CPU 111 determines that the operating mode corresponding to the obtained status information 609 is the print setting, it proceeds to S1611.

[0143] [S1608: Determining whether or not the item has been processed for storage] In S1608, the CPU 111 of the MFP10 determines whether the fax job being processed has already been processed. If the CPU 111 determines that the fax job being processed has already been processed, it proceeds to S1604. If the CPU 111 determines that the fax job being processed has not already been processed, it proceeds to S1609.

[0144] [S1609: Accumulation Processing] In S1609, the CPU 111 of MFP10 moves the FAX job information saved in RAM 113 in S1601 to HDD 114 and performs image data storage processing. Once the image data storage processing is complete, the process moves to S1610.

[0145] [S1610: Notification of "Storage complete"] In S1610, the CPU 111 of the MFP 10 notifies the message application server 30 that the image data has been stored by the MFP 10. That is, in S1610, the CPU 111 notifies the user of chat 1503 via the message application server 30 and the message application. Once the "storage complete" notification is finished, the process moves to S1604. This notification is sent to the talk room corresponding to the user from whom status information 609 was obtained.

[0146] [S1611: Determining whether or not the item has been processed for storage] In S1611, the CPU 111 of the MFP10 determines whether the fax job being processed has already been processed. If the CPU 111 determines that the fax job being processed has not already been processed, it proceeds to S1612. If the CPU 111 determines that the fax job being processed has already been processed, it proceeds to S1613.

[0147] [S1612:Print] In S1612, the CPU 111 of the MFP 10 instructs the printing of an image based on the image data stored in RAM 113 in S1601, and the printing unit 120 prints this image. Once printing is complete, the process proceeds to S1615.

[0148] [S1613: Determining whether or not stored image data remains] In S1613, the CPU 111 of the MFP 10 determines whether the image data saved in the storage process in S1609 remains on the HDD 114. If the CPU 111 determines that the image data saved in the storage process remains on the HDD 114, it proceeds to S1614. If the CPU 111 determines that the image data saved in the storage process does not remain on the HDD 114, it proceeds to S1615. Factors that may cause the image data saved in the storage process to not remain on the HDD 114 include, for example, the user directly using the operation unit 116 inside the MFP 10 to print an image based on the image data, or interrupting the printing process.

[0149] [S1614: Printing images based on stored image data] In S1614, the CPU 111 of the MFP 10 instructs the printing of an image based on the image data stored in the HDD 114 during the storage process, and the printing unit 120 prints this image. Once printing of the image based on the stored image data is complete, the process proceeds to S1615. When the image based on the stored image data is printed by the MFP 10, the CPU 111 deletes the stored image data. This deletion is not mandatory, and the stored image data may continue to be retained even after the image based on the stored image data is printed by the MFP 10.

[0150] [S1615: "Printing complete" notification] In S1615, the CPU 111 of the MFP 10 notifies the message application server 30 that printing has been performed by the MFP 10. That is, in S1615, the CPU 111 sends a chat notification 1504 to the user via the message application server 30 and the message application. This notification is sent to the talk room corresponding to the user from whom status information 609 was obtained. Once the "printing complete" notification is finished, the CPU 111 terminates this process. Also, when the process in S1615 is completed, the sender information temporarily recorded in S1601 is deleted from RAM 113.

[0151] With the configuration described above, the MFP10 can perform printing or accumulating processing on jobs it receives by referring to the status table 701, the receiving user table 901, and the status information 609 stored on the tenant server 40. In addition, the MFP10 can perform printing when it detects a change in the status information 609 stored on the tenant server 40.

[0152] Conventionally, when an MFP (Multifunction Printer) performed a storage process for received image data, user action was required to print the stored image data, such as operating the MFP to instruct printing, sending a print instruction via chat, or bringing the user terminal close to the MFP. According to the present invention, even when image data is stored, the image processing device detects when the status information 609 changes to a specific status information 609 that the user can receive, and the image based on the image data is printed without any user action. As a result, the present invention has the effect of reducing the effort required to print images from received image data in a situation where the user can receive the printed material immediately.

[0153] Furthermore, in cases where the receiving user cannot immediately receive a fax received by the MFP10, such as when the receiving user is absent, the fax will not be printed immediately upon receipt, thus ensuring security from an information security perspective.

[0154] In this embodiment, as described above, the status status and attendance status are used as status information 609 to correspond to the operating mode of the MFP10. However, for example, only the status status may be used as status information 609, and the effects of the present invention may still be realized. Nevertheless, in order to improve the effects of the present invention, it is preferable to use multiple indicators with different attributes as status information 609, as in this embodiment.

[0155] In this embodiment, user information 603 is registered in the receiving user table 901, but channel information 604 may be registered instead of user information 603. With this configuration, the status of all users in the list 605, which summarizes the user information belonging to channel information 604, can be checked, and if even one of those users is in a state that supports print mode, printing can be performed. In this configuration, the user registers the authentication information of some or all users belonging to the target channel in the receiving user table 901. As described above, the MFP 10 obtains and registers the access token information of each user and obtains the status information 609 of each user. The user may also register channel information 604 in the receiving user table 901 by entering the channel ID. In this configuration, the chat execution request made by the MFP 10 is made to a channel shared by the channel, such as a group chat, rather than to an individual user. In this configuration, the MFP 10 may perform printing when one of the users in the list 605, which summarizes the user information belonging to channel information 604, sends a print command to the MFP 10 via the chat screen 1500. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the MFP10 is configured to execute the status information 609 acquisition process S1302 triggered by the reception of a FAX job S1301. However, it may also be configured to periodically acquire the status information 609 before receiving a FAX job and save it to the HDD114. This makes it possible to continue the sequence without accessing the tenant server 40.

[0156] Furthermore, if the MFP10 can identify the recipient user of the received image data without using authentication information, or if access is possible on the cloud service, then handling access token information is not mandatory. For example, in the case of a cloud service that does not have an authentication process and manages each user only with a unique ID, the user may register their ID in the recipient user table 901 instead of access token information. In that case, the processing related to authentication information in S1102-S1104, S1201-S1204, S1303, and S1401 in this embodiment can be omitted. [Explanation of symbols]

[0157] MFP 10 User terminal 20 Message application server 30 Tenant Server 40 Tenant Information 601 Status Table 701 Receiving user table 901

Claims

1. An image processing device, A receiving means for receiving image data by fax, A means of obtaining status information indicating the user's state from a chat service, The system includes a printing means for printing an image based on the received image data onto a recording medium, and the acquisition means acquires the status information of a user corresponding to the source information of the received image data. Based on the acquisition of specific status information by the acquisition means, the printing means prints an image based on the received image data onto a recording medium without the image processing device receiving a print command from the user after the acquisition of the status information by the acquisition means. An image processing apparatus characterized by the following:

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the processing performed by the image processing apparatus differs depending on the acquired status information.

3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, if the acquired status information is a specific status information, a printing process is performed to print an image based on the received image data onto a recording medium, and if the acquired status information is not the specific status information, a storage process is performed to store the received image data in a storage device.

4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the printing process is not performed until the specific status information is obtained by the acquisition means.

5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that it stores the received image data in the storage device until the specific status information is obtained by the acquisition means.

6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that it accepts the setting of the specific status information by the user.

7. It also has means of communication, The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the communication means transmits a notification transmission instruction to a chat server via a network.

8. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the instruction to send the notification is an instruction to send a notification of the content of the processing performed by the image processing apparatus.

9. The image processing apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the notification is a notification that a storage process has been performed to store the received image data in a storage device, which is performed when the acquired status information is not the specific status information.

10. The image processing apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the notification is a notification that a printing process has been performed to print an image based on the received image data onto a recording medium, which is performed when the acquired status information is a specific status information.

11. The image processing apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the notification is sent to the talk room corresponding to the user from whom the status information was obtained.

12. The image processing apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the notification is transmitted to the channel to which the user whose status information was obtained belongs.

13. The image processing apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the notification is sent via chat.

14. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the print instruction is an instruction received by the image processing apparatus from an external device capable of communicating with the image processing apparatus via a network.

15. It further has an operating section, The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the operation unit receives the print instruction.

16. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further characterized in that the acquisition means acquires the status information of the user belonging to the channel associated with the source information of the received image data.

17. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further characterized in that the printing means prints an image based on the image data stored in cloud storage, which is the image data received by the image processing apparatus, onto the recording medium.

18. The receiving process involves receiving image data via fax, The process involves obtaining status information indicating the user's state from the chat service, A printing process for printing an image based on the received image data onto a recording medium, It has, The acquisition step involves acquiring the status information of the user corresponding to the source information of the received image data, The printing process, based on the acquisition of specific status information by the acquisition process, prints an image based on the received image data onto a recording medium without the image processing device receiving a print command from the user after the acquisition of the status information by the acquisition process. An image processing method characterized by the following:

19. The receiving process involves receiving image data via fax, The process involves obtaining status information indicating the user's state from the chat service, A printing process for printing an image based on the received image data onto a recording medium, It has, The acquisition step involves acquiring the status information of the user corresponding to the source information of the received image data, The printing process, based on the acquisition of specific status information by the acquisition process, prints an image based on the received image data onto a recording medium without the image processing device receiving a print command from the user after the acquisition of the status information by the acquisition process. A program that causes an image processing device to execute an image processing method characterized by the above.

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