Scanning method and scanning system using TWAIN driver

A scanning system, comprising:

• a scanner, connectable by a local interface and a network, to perform duplex scanning to scan a document;
• a user host computer connectable to the scanner by the local interface and the network, comprising:
• a TWAIN driver to control the scanner,
• a scan manager, which discovers the scanner and registers user information, user host computer information, and scan options in the discovered scanner;
• and
• a ScanToPC application, which receives from the scanner the user information, user host computer information, and scan options registered by the scan manager, and operates a scan driver based on the user information, user host computer information, and scan options;
• and
• a network module, comprising:
• a scanner discoverer to transmit and/or receive data used by the scan manager to discover the scanner, interposed between the scan manager and the scanner, and
• a session controller, interposed between the ScanToPC application and the scanner to control a network connection of the ScanToPC application and the scanner,
• wherein the duplex scanning in the scanner or the user host computer is performed by receiving the scanning request at the scanner or the user host computer;
• wherein when the scanning request is received at the scanner, the scanner receives user information from the user corresponding to pre-registered user information, and calls and activates the TWAIN driver corresponding to received user information by using an application selected by a user from an application list which is received at the scanner from the user host computer.

A scanning system, comprising:

• a scanner to perform duplex scanning to scan a document;
• a user host computer comprising a TWAIN driver to control operations of the scanner;
• an interface to establish a local connection between the scanner and the user host computer;
• and
• a network module to establish a remote connection, via the network between the scanner and the user host computer,
• wherein the scanner performs the duplex scanning and transmits a scanning result to the user host computer via one of the local connection or the remote connection according to a user selection,
• wherein the duplex scanning in the scanner or the user host computer is performed by receiving the scanning request at the scanner or the user host computer;
• and
• wherein when the scanning request is received at the scanner, the scanner determines whether the scanner supports the TWAIN driver installed in the user host computer in order to perform the duplex scanning and when it is determined that the scanner supports the TWAIN driver, the scanner calls and activates the TWAIN driver corresponding to user information at the scanner by using an application selected by the user from an application list which is received at the scanner from the user host computer, the user information corresponding to pre-registered user information and the TWAIN driver is connected to the scanner.

A scanning method to scan a document in a scanning system, the system including a scanner and a user host computer having a TWAIN driver, the scanner and the user host computer connectable by a local interface and a network, the method comprising:

• inputting a command to scan a document to the scanner and the user host computer;
• connecting the scanner to the user host computer via the local interface or via the network, using the TWAIN driver;
• and
• performing duplex scanning according to the inputting operation and the connecting operation,
• wherein the duplex scanning in the scanner or the user host computer is performed in the scanner or the host computer by inputting the command at the scanner or the user host computer
• wherein when the command to scan the document is received at the scanner, calling and activating the TWAIN driver corresponding to user information by the scanner by using an application selected by the user from an application list which is received at the scanner from the user host computer, the user information corresponding to pre-registered user information.