Image processing system, processing method, image processing apparatus, and relay apparatus for electronic file storage and transfer

An image processing method used for an image processing system, wherein the image processing system comprises:

• a relay apparatus connected to a network, to which a service providing apparatus for an electronic-file storing service is connected;
• and an image processing apparatus connected to the network,
• wherein the image processing apparatus is configured to perform steps comprising:
• an electronic-file storage step that stores an electronic file of an image,
• an address-get-request transmitting step that transmits a request for getting an upload destination address representing a destination for upload of the electronic file to the service providing apparatus;
• an upload-message generating step which, upon receiving the upload destination address and a template for an upload message for performing an upload request to the service providing apparatus from the relay apparatus after the request for getting the upload destination address is transmitted to the relay apparatus by the address-get-request transmitting step, generates the upload message including the electronic file stored by the electronic-file storage step and the upload destination address according to the received template;
• and
• an upload-message transmitting step that transmits the upload message generated in the upload-message generating step, to the service providing apparatus so as to perform upload of the electronic file to the service providing apparatus,
• a display step that displays information;
• a decoding-request transmitting step which, upon receiving a response message from the service providing apparatus which has received the upload message, transmits a request for decoding the response message including an upload result to the relay apparatus, and
• a display control step which, when the decoding result is received from the relay apparatus after the decoding request is transmitted to the relay apparatus by the decoding-request transmitting unit, displays the upload result on the display unit according to the decoding result, and
• wherein the relay apparatus performs steps comprising:
• a program storage step that stores an upload destination address get program for getting the upload destination address from the service providing apparatus, wherein the upload destination address get program uses an API provided for using the electronic-file storing service;
• an upload-destination-address getting step which, upon receiving the request for getting the upload destination address from the image processing apparatus, gets the upload destination address from the service providing apparatus by executing the upload destination address get program;
• and
• an upload-destination-address transmitting step which, upon receiving the request for getting the upload destination address from the image processing apparatus, transmits the template for the upload message and the upload destination address got by the upload-destination-address getting step to the image processing apparatus;
• a decoding-result generating step which, upon receiving the decoding request from the image processing apparatus, decodes the response message included in the decoding request and generates the decoding result, and
• a decoding-result transmitting step that transmits the decoding result generated by the decoding-result generating unit to the image processing apparatus.

An image processing apparatus that is connected to a network, to which a relay apparatus and a service providing apparatus for an electronic-file storing service are connected, the image processing apparatus comprising:

• an electronic-file storage unit configured to store an electronic file of an image;
• an address-get-request transmitting unit configured to transmit a request for getting an upload destination address representing a destination for upload of the electronic file to the service providing apparatus to the relay apparatus;
• an upload-message generating unit configured to, upon receiving the upload destination address and a template for an upload message for performing an upload request to the service providing apparatus from the relay apparatus after the request for getting the upload destination address is transmitted to the relay apparatus by the address-get-request transmitting unit, generate the upload message including the electronic file stored in the electronic-file storage unit and the upload destination address according to the received template;
• an upload-message transmitting unit configured to transmit the upload message generated by the upload-message generating unit, to the service providing apparatus so as to perform upload of the electronic file to the service providing apparatus;
• a display unit configured to display information;
• a decoding-request transmitting unit configured to, upon receiving a response message from the service providing apparatus which has received the upload message, transmit a request for decoding the response message including an upload result to the relay apparatus,
• a display control unit configured to, when the decoding result is received from the relay apparatus after the decoding request is transmitted to the relay apparatus by the decoding-request transmitting unit, display the upload result on the display unit according to the decoding result.

A relay apparatus that is connected to a network, to which a service providing apparatus for an electronic-file storing service and an image processing apparatus are connected, the relay apparatus comprising:

• a program storage unit configured to store an upload destination address get program for getting the upload destination address from the service providing apparatus, wherein the upload destination address get program uses an API provided for using the electronic-file storing service,
• an upload-destination-address getting unit configured to, upon receiving a request for getting the upload destination address from the image processing apparatus, get the upload destination address from the service providing apparatus by executing the upload destination address get program,
• a template generating unit configured to generate a template for an upload message for performing a request for upload to the service providing apparatus,
• an upload-destination-address transmitting unit configured to, upon receiving the request for getting the upload destination address from the image processing apparatus, transmit the template for the upload message generated by the template generating unit and the upload destination address got by the upload-destination-address getting unit to the image processing apparatus,
• a decoding-result generating unit configured to, upon receiving the decoding request from the image processing apparatus, decode the response message included in the decoding request and generates the decoding result, and
• a decoding-result transmitting unit configured to transmit the decoding result generated by the decoding-result generating unit to the image processing apparatus for display by the image processing apparatus.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having a relay program stored thereon and readable by a computer for controlling a relay apparatus that is connected to a network, to which a service providing apparatus for an electronic-file storing service and an image processing apparatus are connected, said relay program, when executed by the computer, causes the computer to perform operations comprising:

• a program storage step that stores an upload destination address get program for getting the upload destination address from the service providing apparatus, wherein the upload destination address get program uses an API provided for using the electronic-file storing service;
• an upload-destination-address getting step which, upon receiving a request for getting the upload destination address from the image processing apparatus, gets the upload destination address from the service providing apparatus by executing the upload destination address get program;
• a template generating step that generates a template for an upload message for performing a request for upload to the service providing apparatus;
• and
• an upload-destination-address transmitting step which, upon receiving the request for getting the upload destination address from the image processing apparatus, transmits the template for the upload message generated by the template generating step and the upload destination address got by the upload-destination-address getting step to the image processing apparatus;
• a decoding-result generating step which, upon receiving the decoding request from the image processing apparatus, decodes the response message included in the decoding request and generates the decoding result, and
• a decoding-result transmitting step that transmits the decoding result generated by the decoding-result generating unit to the image processing apparatus for display by the image processing apparatus.