This invention relates to an image processing system for scanning, from, for example, a network, a document consisting of a number of pages, and then managing the scanned images of the pages.
Recent image processing systems use image data of a very large number of file formats. For example, they use a single-page file format in which a single file contains image data of a single page, and a multi-page file format in which a single file contains image data of a number of pages.
In the case of the single-page file format in which image data is controlled in units of a single page, the file format, the file size or the date and time of the creation of it can be easily known from the file system. Further, processing such as updating of image data in each page can be performed by simply selecting-image data of a necessary page. In light of these merits, in lots of cases, image data is managed in units of a single page. However, the management of image data in units of a single page will make the operation of the apparatus by the user complicated when simultaneously transferring image data over pages of a document between different applications.
On the other hand, the multi-page file format, in which image data is managed in units of a document, is advantageous when simultaneously transferring, between different applications, image data contained in a document that consists of a number of pages. This format also facilitates the operation of the apparatus by the user. In light of these merits, lots of image processing systems use image data created in units of a document when transferring image data in units of a document. However, the management of image data in units of a document makes the processing such as updating of image data of each page complicated, and also makes the user""s operation complicated since the user cannot choose only image data of a necessary page.
As described above, (1) it is convenient to use the single-page file in order to manage image data, while it is convenient to use the multi-file in order to transfer image data. Accordingly, an image processing system is demanded which can easily manage image data of a document and easily transfer image data in units of a document.
The following problems (2)-(5) may occur when managing image data using both the above-described single-page file and multi-page file formats:
(2) To create image data of the multi-page file format, it is necessary for the user to indicate the end or start of each document in single-page file data. Thus, the user must instruct the system to create a multi-page file, when necessary, by taking time and effort.
Furthermore, when simultaneously scanning a plurality of documents using a separator sheet that indicates the end or start of each document, the separator sheet may be erroneously detected. If image data is excluded from document image data to avoid the above situation, there may be a case where the end or start of each scanned document cannot be changed.
(3) When managing image data using both the single-page and multi-page file formats, it is necessary to secure consistency between image data items of both the file formats since inconsistency occurs therebetween when page edition has been executed thereon.
(4) When simultaneously transferring, to another application, image data created in units of a document, the user must determine whether or not the image data contains multi-page file data.
(5) When simultaneously transferring, to another application, image data created in units of a document, the user must determine whether or not the target application can receive multi-page file data contained in the image data.
It is an object of the invention to provide an image processing system capable of easily controlling image data and easily transferring image data in units of a document.
It is another object of the invention to provide an image processing system capable of creating, by simple operations, image data of a number of pages in units of a document, from image data created in units of a page.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an image processing system capable of maintaining the consistency between image data created in units of a page, and image data of a number of pages created in units of a document.
It is a yet further object of the invention to provide an image processing system which is easy to operate and can simultaneously output image data created in units of a document.
It is another object of the invention to provide an image processing system capable of simultaneously outputting image data that is created in units of a document and corresponds to the condition of a destination.
According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an image processing system comprising: scanning means for scanning each of a plurality of pages that constitute a document; storage means for storing single-page data that consists of image data of each page scanned by the scanning means; management means for managing, as data belonging to the document, each item of the single-page data stored by the storage means; generation means for generating multi-page data indicating images of a plurality of pages that constitute the entire document scanned by the scanning means; and processing means for storing, in the storage means, the multi-page data generated by the generation means, and managing the single-page data items and the multi-page data as data belonging to the document, using the management means.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided an image processing system comprising: scanning means for scanning each of a plurality of pages that constitute a document; storage means for storing single-page data that consists of image data of each page scanned by the scanning means; management means for managing, as data belonging to the document, each item of the single-page data stored by the storage means; generation means for generating multi-page data indicating images of a plurality of pages that constitute the entire document scanned by the scanning means; processing means for storing, in the storage means, the multi-page data generated by the generation means, and managing the single-page data items and the multi-page data as data belonging to the document, using the management means; first determination means for determining, when an instruction is made to output a document managed by the management means, whether or not the document contains multi-page data; designating means for designating a destination for receiving the multi-page data; second determination means for determining, when the first determination means has determined that the document contains the multi-page data, whether or not the destination can receive the multi-page data; and output means for outputting the multi-page data when the second determination means has determined that the destination can receive the multi-page data, and for outputting all single-page data items belonging to the document, when the first determination means has determined that the document does not contain the multi-page data, or when the second determination means has determined that the destination cannot receive the multi-page data.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.