Apparatus, system, and method of image processing, and recording medium storing image processing program

1. An image processing apparatus configured to connect to an image input apparatus through a network, the apparatus comprising:

an image data obtaining device configured to store image data sent from the image input apparatus through the network in a specific storage area and to store sender identification information for identifying the image input apparatus in association with the obtained image data;

an authorization management data storage device configured to store authorization management data that associates registered sender identification information for identifying a registered image input apparatus and authorization information indicating whether the registered image input apparatus is an authorized sender;

an entry controller device configured to monitor the specific storage area to detect whether the image data is stored in the specific storage area, to determine whether the image input apparatus is the authorized sender by referring to the authorization information of the registered image input apparatus that matches the sender identification information of the image input apparatus to generate a determination result when storing of the image data in the specific storage area is detected, and to enter the image data for further processing according to the determination result indicating that the image input apparatus is the authorized sender; and

a flow controller device configured to obtain flow data defining a sequence of one or more processes, and to apply the sequence of one or more processes to the entered image data according to the flow data.

2. The image processing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a charge data recorder device configured to calculate a charge fee using a number of entries of the registered sender identification information stored in the authorization management data storage device.

3. The image processing apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the authorization management data storage device further stores information regarding a number of licenses available for use by the image processing apparatus, and

the charge data recorder device is configured to calculate a charge fee using the information regarding the number of licenses.

4. The image processing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a flow data storage device configured to store data that associates a plurality of flow data files and a plurality of specific storage areas, wherein the flow controller device obtains one of the plurality of flow data files that is made in association with one of the specific storage areas that matches the specific storage area storing the image data therein as the flow data for the image data; and

a charge data recorder device configured to calculate a charge fee using at least one of information regarding the plurality of flow data files and information regarding the plurality of specific storage areas.

5. The image processing apparatus of claim 4 , wherein:

the entry controller device is further configured to send notification indicating that application of the sequence of one or more processes to the image data is completed, and

the charge data recorder device is further configured to calculate a charge fee using information regarding the flow data that matches the specific storage area.

6. The image processing apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising:

a charge data storage device configured to store the charge fee calculated by the charge data recorder device together with information regarding a job of applying the sequence of one or more processes to the image data.

7. The image processing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

an authorization manager device configured to provide a user interface that allows a user to manage the authorization management data stored in the authorization management data storage device.

8. The image processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the image data obtaining device is further configured to obtain bibliographic data from the image input apparatus and store the bibliographic data, and

the flow controller device is configured to modify the obtained flow data using information of the bibliographic data.

9. The image processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processes defined by the flow data includes at least one of:

process of filtering;

process of applying image processing; and

process of outputting the image data or distributing the image data to a desired destination using a desired communication interface.

10. An image processing system, comprising:

an image processing apparatus; and

an image input apparatus connected to the image processing apparatus through a network, wherein:

the image processing apparatus includes:

an image data obtaining device configured to store image data sent from the image input apparatus through the network in a specific storage area and to store sender identification information for identifying the image input apparatus in association with the obtained image data;

an authorization management data storage device configured to store authorization management data that associates registered sender identification information for identifying a registered image input apparatus and authorization information indicating whether the registered image input apparatus is an authorized sender;

an entry controller device configured to monitor the specific storage area to detect whether the image data is stored in the specific storage area, to determine whether the image input apparatus is the authorized sender by referring to the authorization information of the registered image input apparatus that matches the sender identification information of the image input apparatus to generate a determination result when storing of the image data in the specific storage area is detected, and to enter the image data for further processing according to the determination result indicating that the image input apparatus is the authorized sender; and

a flow controller device configured to obtain flow data defining a sequence of one or more processes, and to apply the sequence of one or more processes to the entered image data according to the flow data, and

the image input apparatus includes:

a user interface configured to receive a user instruction for requesting the image input apparatus to send the image data to the specific storage area; and

an image data output device configured to send the image data to the image processing apparatus through the network while specifying the specific storage area.

11. The image processing system of claim 10 , wherein the image input apparatus further includes an image data input device configured to obtain the image data by scanning an original image.

12. The image processing system of claim 10 , further comprising:

a charge server device connected to the image processing apparatus through the network and configured to receive charge data obtained by the image processing apparatus through the network.

13. The image processing system of claim 10 , further comprising:

a management device connected to the image processing apparatus through the network and configured to provide a user interface that allows a user to manage the authorization management data stored in the authorization management data storage device of the image processing apparatus.

14. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium storing a plurality of instructions which cause an image processing apparatus configured to connect to an image input apparatus through a network to perform an image processing method, the method comprising:

storing image data sent from the image input apparatus through the network in a specific storage area;

storing sender identification information for identifying the image input apparatus in association with the obtained image data;

storing authorization management data that associates registered sender identification information for identifying a registered image input apparatus and authorization information indicating whether the registered image input apparatus is an authorized sender;

monitoring the specific storage area to detect whether the image data is stored in the specific storage area;

determining whether the image input apparatus is the authorized sender by referring to the authorization information of the registered image input apparatus that matches the sender identification information of the image input apparatus to generate a determination result when storing of the image data in the specific storage area is detected;

entering the image data for further processing according to the determination result indicating that the image input apparatus is the authorized sender;

obtaining flow data defining a sequence of one or more processes; and

applying the sequence of one or more processes to the entered image data according to the flow data.

15. The non-transitory computer readable recording medium of claim 14 , wherein the method further comprises:

storing data that associates a plurality of flow data files and a plurality of specific storage areas, wherein the flow data for the image data being obtained is one of the plurality of flow data files that is made in association with one of the specific storage areas that matches the specific storage area storing the image data therein; and

calculating a charge fee using at least one of information regarding the plurality of flow data files and information regarding the plurality of specific storage areas.

16. The non-transitory computer readable recording medium of claim 15 , wherein the method further includes:

sending notification indicating that application of the sequence of one or more processes to the image data is completed; and

calculating a charge fee using information regarding the flow data that matches the specific storage area.

17. The non-transitory computer readable recording medium of claim 14 , wherein the method further comprises:

providing a user interface that allows a user to manage the authorization management data.

18. The non-transitory computer readable recording medium of claim 14 , wherein the method further comprises:

storing bibliographic data obtained from the image input apparatus; and

modifying the obtained flow data using information of the bibliographic data.