Scanner-driven push operation realized by image forming apparatus having no auxiliary storage device

摘要

An image forming system includes an image forming apparatus and an information processing apparatus coupled to the network. The image forming apparatus stores, in a memory device, an information processing apparatus identifier that is assigned to a button of the image forming apparatus and transmits, to the information processing apparatus, press-down information of the button that includes the information processing apparatus identifier. The image forming apparatus additionally reads, if, in the information processing apparatus, it is determined the information processing apparatus identifier in the press-down information matches an information processing apparatus identifier stored within the information processing apparatus, a document image set in a scanner, in response to a scan execution request that is received from the information processing apparatus via the network. The image forming apparatus further transmits image data of the document image to the information processing apparatus via the network, and resets the press-down information.

主权项

1. An image forming system comprising:
an image forming apparatus coupled to a network, wherein the image forming apparatus includes a button, a memory device, a scanner, and a first control unit, wherein the first control unit is configured to
store, in the memory device, an information processing apparatus identifier that is assigned to the button,transmit, to the information processing apparatus, press-down information, wherein the press-down information includes the information processing apparatus identifier corresponding to the button, in response to a request for the press-down information of the button that is received from the information processing apparatus via the network,read a document image set in the scanner in response to a scan execution request that is received from the information processing apparatus via the network,transmit image data of the document image to the information processing apparatus via the network, andreset the press-down information; and an information processing apparatus coupled to the network, wherein the information processing apparatus includes an auxiliary storage device, a TWAIN driver as a scanner driver, a transmission destination address setting unit, and a second control unit, wherein the transmission destination address setting unit is configured to store, in the auxiliary storage device, a transmission destination address corresponding to the button, and wherein the second control unit is configured to
periodically transmit the request for press-down information to the image forming apparatus via the network,determine whether or not the information processing apparatus identifier in the press-down information received from the image forming apparatus matches an information processing apparatus identifier stored within the information processing apparatus,transmit the scan execution request to the image forming apparatus via the scanner driver if the information processing apparatus identifier in the press-down information received from the image forming apparatus matches the information processing apparatus identifier stored within the information processing apparatus,store, in the auxiliary storage device, image data that is received from the image forming apparatus via the scanner driver,acquire the transmission destination address from the auxiliary storage device, andtransmit the image data that is stored in the auxiliary storage device to the transmission destination address.