JPH0266673A - Image retrieving/automatic image printing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To extremely save the labor in an image retrieving/automatic image printing system by retrieving the necessary image data with use of one or more retrieving/printing instruction devices and printing automatically the image data. CONSTITUTION:An image retrieving means 2 acquires the image information from an image data retrieving data base 5 and stores temporarily the image data in an image information storing file 6 via an image information storing means 4. An image information transfer means 3 transfers the image information data B to a communication means 8 of an image controller 7 via a circuit 15. Then the image print mode signal C is transmitted to the means 3 to hold the transfer of the image information until the print process is through. The received image information is sent to an automatic image printing means 9 to retrieve an image address control file 10. Then the image data is taken out of an image storing device 11 through an image address obtained from the retrieval of the file 10. The image is printed by an image printing device 12.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field] The present invention relates to image printing of texts, drawings, etc.

In particular, the present invention relates to an image retrieval automatic printing system that automates image retrieval and printing processing.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, image search/printing systems access image address management files, extract image data from an image storage device based on the image information obtained from the search results, and print the image data using an image printing device. was doing printing work. that time.

Only one device can issue search and print instructions.

This method has the disadvantage that many steps are required for operation, and it does not necessarily result in large labor savings.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

The conventional image search/print system described above has two steps: searching for an image and printing the image. Also.

When there is a plurality of image data to be printed, operations are performed as separate steps for the number of images to print the image data on the printing device. In addition, since the printing device that performs printing is monopolized, there is only one instruction device that can issue printing instructions, and the worker must stay with the instruction device until the printing of the image is completed, which is a drawback that does not save labor. was there.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an image retrieval automatic printing system that eliminates the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks and can greatly save labor in printing image data such as texts and drawings.

[Means to solve the problem]

The image retrieval automatic printing system according to the present invention is comprised of one or more retrieval and print instruction devices and a center mounting and image control device.

The center device includes an image data search database for searching image data at high speed, and an image data search means for searching the database.

It has an image information storage file for storing image information obtained as a result of the search, an image information storage means, and means for transferring the image information from the image information storage means to the image control device. The image control device also includes means for converting the address of the image stored in the image storage device based on the transferred image information, an image address management file, a means for printing the image, an image storage device, and an image printing device. It has a device.

As a result, image data can be printed without the intervention of a single operator by performing search and print operations in one step even from a plurality of search/instruction devices.

〔Example〕

Next, the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating one embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, the center device 1 of this embodiment includes an image search means 2 and an image information transfer means 3.

It includes an image information storage means 4, an image data search database 5, and an image information storage file 6.

The center device 1 has a search/print instruction device 13 connected to the line 14.
connected by.

The image control device 7 also includes a communication means 8, an automatic image printing means 9, an image address management file 10, an image storage device 11, and an image printing device 12. Image information transfer means 3 and communication means 8 are connected to line 15
connected by. A is an image data printing instruction signal, B is image information data, and C is an image printing in progress signal.

D is an image printing end signal.

In the figure, a search is performed by a search/print instruction device 13, and an image search means 2 obtains image information from an image data search database 5 in response to an image data print instruction signal A issued in response to a print instruction. This image information is temporarily stored in an image information storage file 6 by the image information storage means 4. The image information transfer means 3 sequentially takes out the image information through the image information storage means 4 and transfers it as image information data B to the communication means 8 of the image control device 7 through the line 15. After receiving the image information data B, the communication means 8 transmits an image printing in progress signal C to the image information transfer means 3.

The transfer of image information from the image information transfer means 3 is put on hold until the printing process is completed.

Note that while the image control device 7 is printing, a request to print image data is accepted by the center device 1 at any time, and the image data to be printed is stored in the image information storage file 6.

The image information received by the communication means 8 is passed to the automatic image printing means 9, and the automatic image printing means 9 searches the image address management file 10, retrieves the image data from the image storage device 11 from the image address obtained as a result, and The image is printed by the image printing device 12.

After printing is completed, the communication means 8 sends an image printing end signal to the image information transfer means 3 via the line 15, and if image information exists in the image information storage file 6, the above processing is carried out automatically without human intervention. The process will end at . Here, the operator who has been performing search and print operations on the search and print instruction device 13 can leave the search and print instruction device 13 at the time when the image data print request signal A is issued. Furthermore, the search/print instruction device 1
A plurality of devices similar to those shown in FIG. 3 may be connected to the center device 1 through separate lines. Alternatively, the image data printing instruction may be issued from another processing means operating within the center device 1.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, the present invention has the effect of saving labor in printing image data by automating the printing process of image data.

In the figure, 1 is a center device, 2 is an image search means, 3 is an image information transfer means, 4 is an image information storage means, 5 is a database for image data retrieval, 6 is an image information storage file, 7 is an image control device, 8 is a means of communication,
9 is an image automatic printing means, 10 is an image address management file, 11 is an image storage device, 12 is an image printing device, and 13 is a search/print instruction device.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Equipped with an image storage device storing image data such as texts and drawings, an image printing device, and an image control device having an image address management file for managing addresses in the image storage device, and capable of searching and printing images. In an image printing system that searches for and prints a necessary image using a search/print instruction device that instructs the user, the image data search database and image search means, and the image information storage file and image information storage means are provided. and a means for automatically transferring the image information to the image control device, the center device searches for necessary image data from one or more search/print instruction devices, and automatically transfers the image data. An image search automatic printing system characterized by printing.