Image processing system, image processing device, server and program

An image processing device including at least one of an image reading unit that reads an image, and thereby generates image data representing the image, and an image printing unit that prints out an image represented by image data, capable of forming an image processing system in cooperation with a service supply unit capable of executing a service regarding at least one of image data generated by the image reading unit and image data representing an image to be printed out by the image printing unit in response to a request from the image processing device;

• and an information supply unit that supplies the image processing device with information on services executable by the service supply unit, the image processing device comprising:
• a service search data transmission unit that transmits service search data to the information supply unit, the service search data containing one or more pieces of information selected from one or more pieces of information regarding settings of the image processing device that are stored in the image processing device, one or more pieces of information indicating status of the image processing device detected in each part of the image processing device, one or more pieces of information indicating operations that the image processing device has received from a user, and one or more pieces of information to be transmitted from the image processing device and handed over to the service supply unit when a service is executed;
• a service determination unit that presents the information on services transmitted from the information supply unit in response to the service search data to the user, lets the user select a service from the presented information, and determines the selected service as a service to be requested from the service supply unit, said service determination unit configured to present the information on the services to the user based on a relevancy of each service to an attribute of the service search data;
• and
• a service requesting unit that requests the service supply unit to execute the service determined by the service determination unit.

A server capable of forming an image processing system in cooperation with an image processing device including at least one of an image reading unit that reads an image, and thereby generates image data representing the image, and an image printing unit that prints out an image represented by image data;

• and a service supply unit capable of executing a service regarding at least one of image data generated by the image reading unit and image data representing an image to be printed out by the image printing unit in response to a request from the image processing device, the server including an information supply unit that supplies the image processing device with information on services executable by the service supply unit, the information supply unit comprising:
• a service search data reception unit that receives service search data transmitted from the image processing device, the service search data containing one or more pieces of information selected from one or more pieces of information regarding settings of the image processing device that are stored in the image processing device, one or more pieces of information indicating status of the image processing device detected in each part of the image processing device, one or more pieces of information indicating operations that the image processing device has received from a user, and one or more pieces of information to be transmitted from the image processing device and handed over to the service supply unit when a service is executed;
• a presumption unit that presumes a probability that the image processing device requests the service supply unit to execute each of the services executable by the service supply unit based on the service search data received by the service search data reception unit and according to prescribed presumption rules, the prescribed presumption rules including at least an evaluation of a relevancy of each service to an attribute of the service search data;
• and
• a list supply unit that supplies the image processing device with one of a list generated by extracting services likely to be requested by the image processing device from the service supply unit from all the services executable by the service supply unit and a list generated by sorting the services executable by the service supply unit according to the probability that the image processing device requests the service supply unit to execute each of the services based on presumption result by the presumption unit, as the information on services executable by the service supply unit.

A computer-readable medium having a program stored thereon, said program including computer-readable instructions that cause a computer to function as a server capable of forming an image processing system in cooperation with an image processing device including at least one of an image reading unit that reads an image and thereby generates image data representing the image and an image printing unit that prints out an image represented by image data;

• and a service supply unit capable of executing a service regarding at least one of image data generated by the image reading unit and image data representing an image to be printed out by the image printing unit in response to a request from the image processing device, the server including an information supply unit that supplies the image processing device with information on services executable by the service supply unit, the information supply unit comprising:
• a service search data reception unit that receives service search data transmitted from the image processing device, the service search data containing one or more pieces of information selected from one or more pieces of information regarding settings of the image processing device that are stored in the image processing device, one or more pieces of information indicating status of the image processing device detected in each part of the image processing device, one or more pieces of information indicating operations that the image processing device has received from a user, and one or more pieces of information to be transmitted from the image processing device and handed over to the service supply unit when a service is executed;
• a presumption unit that presumes a probability that the image processing device requests the service supply unit to execute each of the services executable by the service supply unit based on the service search data received by the service search data reception unit and according to prescribed presumption rules, the prescribed presumption rules including at least an evaluation of a relevancy of each service to an attribute of the service search data;
• and
• a list supply unit that supplies the image processing device with one of a list generated by extracting services likely to be requested by the image processing device from the service supply unit from all the services executable by the service supply unit and a list generated by sorting the services executable by the service supply unit according to the probability that the image processing device requests the service supply unit to execute each of the services based on presumption result by the presumption unit, as the information on services executable by the service supply unit.

An image processing system with a server capable of forming an image processing system in cooperation with an image processing device including at least one of an image reading unit that reads an image and thereby generates image data representing the image and an image printing unit that prints out an image represented by image data;

• and a service supply unit capable of executing a service regarding at least one of image data generated by the image reading unit and image data representing an image to be printed out by the image printing unit in response to a request from the image processing device, the server including an information supply unit that supplies the image processing device with information on services executable by the service supply unit, the information supply unit comprising:
• means for receiving service search data transmitted from the image processing device, the service search data containing one or more pieces of information selected from one or more pieces of information regarding settings of the image processing device that are stored in the image processing device, one or more pieces of information indicating status of the image processing device detected in each part of the image processing device, one or more pieces of information indicating operations that the image processing device has received from a user, and one or more pieces of information to be transmitted from the image processing device and handed over to the service supply unit when a service is executed;
• means for presuming a probability that the image processing device requests the service supply unit to execute each of the services executable by the service supply unit based on the service search data received by the service search data reception means according to prescribed presumption rules, the prescribed presumption rules including at least an evaluation of a relevancy of each service to an attribute of the service search data;
• and
• means for supplying the image processing device with one of a list generated by extracting services likely to be requested by the image processing device from the service supply unit from all the services executable by the service supply unit and a list generated by sorting the services executable by the service supply unit according to the probability that the image processing device requests the service supply unit to execute each of the services based on presumption result by the means for presuming, as the information on services executable by the service supply unit.