Conference system and image data management method

A conference system including an electronic board, a participant identifying apparatus, and an image processing apparatus,

• said electronic board comprising:
• a reading portion to read characters or graphics drawn on a board surface of said electronic board;
• a first transmitting portion to transmit image data obtained by reading said board surface to said image processing apparatus;
• a start operation accepting portion to accept a start operation instructing start of a conference;
• and
• a second transmitting portion to transmit a start instruction to said image processing apparatus in response to the event that said start operation is accepted,
• said participant identifying apparatus comprising:
• a user identification information acquiring portion to acquire user identification information;
• and
• a third transmitting portion to transmit said acquired user identification information to said image processing apparatus,
• said image processing apparatus comprising:
• a storing portion to store, in advance, device information associating device identification information for said electronic board with device identification information for said participant identifying apparatus;
• a conference identification information generating portion to generate conference identification information in response to reception of said start instruction from said electronic board;
• a first associating portion to associate said generated conference identification information with device identification information for identifying said electronic board that transmitted said start instruction;
• a second associating portion, when image data is received from said electronic board, to associate the received image data with said conference identification information that has been lastly associated with the device identification information for identifying said electronic board that transmitted the image data;
• a third associating portion, when user identification information is received from said participant identifying apparatus, to associate said received user identification information with said conference identification information that has been lastly associated with the device identification information for said electronic board that is associated by said stored device information with the device identification information for said participant identifying apparatus that transmitted said user identification information;
• an authentication portion to authenticate a user;
• a conference identification information extracting portion to extract conference identification information that is associated with user identification information for said authenticated user;
• an image data extracting portion to extract image data that is associated with said extracted conference identification information;
• and
• an image output portion to output said extracted image data.

An image data management method performed by an electronic board and an image processing apparatus which is communicable with the electronic board,

• the method causing said electronic board to perform the steps of:
• reading characters or graphics drawn on a board surface of said electronic board;
• transmitting image data obtained by reading said board surface to said image processing apparatus;
• accepting a start operation instructing start of a conference;
• transmitting a start instruction to said image processing apparatus in response to the event that said start operation is accepted;
• acquiring user identification information;
• and
• transmitting said acquired user identification information to said image processing apparatus,
• the method causing said image processing apparatus to perform the steps of:
• generating conference identification information in response to reception of said start instruction from said electronic board;
• associating said generated conference identification information with device identification information for identifying said electronic board that transmitted said start instruction;
• when image data is received from said electronic board, associating the received image data with said conference identification information that has been lastly associated with the device identification information for identifying said electronic board that transmitted the image data;
• when user identification information is received from said electronic board, associating said received user identification information with said conference identification information that has been lastly associated with the device identification information for identifying said electronic board that transmitted said user identification information;
• authenticating a user;
• extracting conference identification information that is associated with user identification information for said authenticated user;
• extracting image data that is associated with said extracted conference identification information;
• and
• outputting said extracted image data.

An image data management method performed by an electronic board, a participant identifying apparatus, and an image processing apparatus, said image processing apparatus including a device storing portion to store, in advance, device information which associates device identification information for said electronic board with device identification information for said participant identifying apparatus,

• the method causing said electronic board to perform the steps of;
• reading characters or graphics drawn on a board surface of said electronic board;
• transmitting image data obtained by reading said board surface to said image processing apparatus;
• accepting a start operation instructing start of a conference;
• and
• transmitting a start instruction to said image processing apparatus in response to the event that said start operation is accepted,
• the method causing said participant identifying apparatus to perform the steps of;
• acquiring user identification information;
• and
• transmitting said acquired user identification information to said image processing apparatus,
• the method causing said image processing apparatus to perform the steps of:
• generating conference identification information in response to reception of said start instruction from said electronic board;
• associating said generated conference identification information with device identification information for identifying said electronic board that transmitted said start instruction;
• when image data is received from said electronic board, associating the received image data with said conference identification information that is associated with the device identification information for identifying said electronic board that transmitted the image data;
• when user identification information is received from said participant identifying apparatus, associating said received user identification information with said conference identification information that is associated with the device identification information for said electronic board that is associated by said stored device information with the device identification information for said participant identifying apparatus that transmitted said user identification information;
• authenticating a user;
• extracting conference identification information that is associated with user identification information for said authenticated user;
• extracting image data that is associated with said extracted conference identification information;
• and
• outputting said extracted image data.