Image processing apparatus for receiving a request relating to image processing from an external source and executing the received request
Disclosed is an image processing apparatus composed in a hierarchical architecture of a hardware resource, a first control program over the hardware resource, a second control program and an application program over the first control program. The first control program includes a first API for receiving a first request relating to image processing from the second control program and a second request relating to image processing from the application program, and controls, on receiving either of the first and second requests, the hardware resource to perform image processing based on the received request. The second control program includes a second API publicly released in advance for receiving a third request relating to image processing from an external source, converts the received third request to a command supported by the first API, and passes the command as the first request to the first control program.
1. An image processing apparatus, comprising:
a hardware resource including at least one of an image forming unit, a read unit, and a display unit;
a control layer;
an external API (application program interface) program; and
an application group including one or more application programs stored in an application layer,
wherein the control layer is arranged between the hardware resource and the application group including the one or more application programs, and the external API program is arranged superordinate to the one or more application programs in the application group in a hierarchical architecture,
the control layer includes a first API for receiving, with use of a predefined function, a first request relating to image processing from the external API program and a second request relating to image processing from the one or more application programs, and controls, on receiving either of the first and second requests, the hardware resource to perform image processing based on the received request,
the external API program includes a second API for receiving a third request relating to image processing from an external source, converts the received third request to a command supported by the first API, and passes the command to an appropriate one of the control layer and the one or more application programs, depending on the requested processing, the command passed to the control layer serving as the first request, the command passed to the control layer bypassing the one or more application programs of the application group stored in the application layer;
wherein commands, parameters, and syntax for controlling the hardware resource are released to the public for incorporation by external users into software supported by the second API.
2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the third request is data expressed in an XML.
3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the external API program further includes: a first converting unit for extracting predetermined information from the received XML data; and a second converting unit for converting the extracted information to the command supported by the first API.
4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein upon receiving a request relating to execution of a print job, the control layer controls the image forming unit to perform the print job.
5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein upon receiving a request relating to execution of a scan job, the control layer controls the read unit to perform the scan job.
6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second API includes a function callable by the external source, wherein the function calls a plurality of functions that are predefined by the control layer.
7. An image processing apparatus comprising:
a hardware resource that includes at least one of an image forming unit, a read unit, and a display unit;
a control layer;
an external API (application program interface) program; and
an application group including one or more application programs stored in an application layer,
wherein the hardware resource, the control layer, the external API program, and the application group are arranged in such a hierarchical architecture that the control layer is superordinate to the hardware resource, and
the application group including the one or more application programs and the external API program are superordinate to the control layer,
the control layer includes a first API for receiving, with use of a predefined function, a first request relating to image processing from the external API program and a second request relating to image processing from the one or more application programs, and controls, on receiving either of the first and second requests, the hardware resource to perform image processing based on the received request, and
the external API program includes a second API for receiving a third request relating to image processing from an external source, converts the received third request to a command supported by the first API, and passes the command as the first request to the control layer;
wherein commands, parameters, and syntax for controlling the hardware resource are released to the public for incorporation by external users into software supported by the second API,
wherein the third request is data expressed in an XML,
wherein the external API program further includes: a first converting unit for extracting predetermined information from the received XML data; and a second converting unit for converting the extracted information to the command supported by the first API.
8. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the second API includes a function callable by the external source, wherein the function calls a plurality of functions that are predefined by the control layer.
9. An image processing apparatus comprising:
a hardware resource including at least one of an image forming unit, a read unit, and a display unit;
a control layer;
an external API (application program interface) program; and
an application group including one or more application programs stored in an application layer,
wherein the hardware resource, the control layer, the application group and the external API program are arranged in such a hierarchical architecture that the control layer is superordinate to the hardware resource, and the application group including the one or more application programs and the external API program are superordinate to the control layer,
the control layer includes a first API for receiving, with use of a predefined function, a first request relating to image processing from the external API program, and controls the hardware resource to perform image processing based on the received first request, and
the external API program includes a second API for receiving a second request relating to image processing from an external source and a third request relating to image processing from the one or more application programs, converts, on receiving either of the second and third requests, the received request to a command supported by the first API, and passes the command as the first request to the control layer;
wherein commands, parameters, and syntax for controlling the hardware resource are released to the public for incorporation by external users into software supported by the second API,
wherein the second request is data expressed in an XML,
wherein the external API program further includes: a first converting unit for extracting predetermined information from the received XML data; and a second converting unit for converting the extracted information to the command supported by the first API.
10. The image processing apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the second API includes a function callable by the external source, wherein the function calls a plurality of functions that are predefined by the control layer.