Image reading apparatus and data communication system

1 . A data communication system including a data management apparatus and a plurality of image reading apparatuses, wherein

the data management apparatus comprises:

a first communication device capable of communicating with the plurality of image reading apparatuses via a network;

a first storage device storing a plurality of shared folders managed in a hierarchical structure and shared among the plurality of image reading apparatuses; and

a first controller including a processor and, through the processor executing a control program, storing, when the first communication device receives scan data and folder designation information from any of the plurality of image reading apparatuses, the scan data in the shared folder designated by the folder designation information, and

each of the plurality of image reading apparatuses comprises:

a reading device generating scan data by reading a sheet;

a second communication device capable of communicating with the data management apparatus via a network;

a second storage device;

a recognition device recognizing character data included in the scan data;

a display device; and

a second controller including a processor and, through the processor executing a control program,

storing, before generating the scan data, predetermined designation character data and identification information indicating one of the plurality of shared folders in association with each other in the second storage device;

setting folder designation information such that a shared folder indicated by the identification information associated with the designation character data in the second storage device is designated when character data recognized by the recognition device includes the designation character data, and causing the display device to display a screen for notifying an operator the shared folder designated by the folder designation information;

causing the display device to display a screen for requesting the operator to designate one of the plurality of shared folders when the character data recognized by the recognition device does not include the designation character data; and

causing the second communication device to transmit the scan data and the folder designation information to the data management apparatus.

2 . The data communication system according to claim 1 further comprising:

an operation device to which an instruction of an operator is input, wherein

the second controller:

causes the display device to display the screen indicating the hierarchical structure of the plurality of shared folders in the data management apparatus; and

receives, through the operation device, an operation of designating one of the plurality of shared folders from the hierarchical structure of the plurality of shared folders displayed in the display device.

3 . The data communication system according to claim 2 , wherein

the second controller:

causes the display device to display data included in the shared folder of the data management apparatus,

receives, through the operation device, an operation of designating the data displayed in the display device, and

causes the communication device to instruct the data management apparatus such that the data management apparatus reads the data from the shared folder in the data management apparatus.

4 . The data communication system according to claim 1 further comprising:

a forming device forming an image on a sheet in accordance with print data received from the data management apparatus.

5 . The data communication system according to claim 1 ,

wherein the second controller causes, when the communication device receives image size designation information designating an image size from the data management apparatus and a size of a sheet to be scanned accords with the image size designated in the image size designation information, the reading device to read the sheet.

6 . The data communication system according to claim 1 ,

wherein the second controller:

causes the second storage device to store image size designation information designating an image size; and

causes, when a size of a sheet to be scanned accords with the image size designated in the image size designation information, the reading device to read the sheet.

7 . The data communication system according to claim 6 , wherein

the second controller causes, when the size of the sheet to be scanned differs from the size designated in image size designation information, the reading device not to read the sheet, and causes the display device to display that the size of the sheet differs.

8 . The data communication system according to claim 1 ,

wherein the second controller converts, when the second communication device receives image size designation information designating an image size from the data management apparatus and a size of a sheet to be scanned is different from the image size designated in the image size designation information, scan data generated by causing the reading device to read the sheet into data including the image size designated by the image size designation information.

9 . The data communication system according to claim 1 ,

wherein the second controller:

causes the second storage device to store image size designation information designating an image size; and

converts, when a size of a sheet to be scanned is different from the image size designated in the image size designation information, scan data generated by causing the reading device to read the sheet into data including the image size designated by the image size designation information stored in the second storage device.

10 . A data communication system including a data management apparatus and a plurality of image processing apparatuses,

wherein the data management apparatus comprises:

a first communication device capable of communicating with the plurality of image processing apparatuses via a network;

a first storage device storing a plurality of shared folders managed in a hierarchical structure and shared among the plurality of image processing apparatuses; and

a first controller including a processor and, through the processor executing a control program, storing, when the first communication device receives scan data and folder designation information from any of the plurality of image processing apparatuses, the scan data in the shared folder designated by the folder designation information, and

each of the plurality of image processing apparatuses comprises:

a second communication device capable of communicating with the data management apparatus via a network;

a second storage device;

a recognition device recognizing character data included in scan data;

a display device; and

a second controller including a processor and, through the processor executing a control program,

storing, before generating the scan data, predetermined designation character data and identification information indicating one of the plurality of shared folders in association with each other in the second storage device;

setting folder designation information such that a shared folder indicated by the identification information associated with the designation character data in the second storage device is designated when character data recognized by the recognition device includes the designation character data, and causing the display device to display a screen for notifying an operator the shared folder designated by the folder designation information;

causing the display device to display a screen for requesting the operator to designate one of the plurality of shared folders when the character data recognized by the recognition device does not include the designation character data; and

causing the second communication device to transmit the scan data and the folder designation information to the data management apparatus.