An image forming apparatus that functions as a client of a distributed file system is provided, in which the image forming apparatus includes: a distributed file system process part for mounting a file system of a server apparatus on the image forming apparatus to enable the image forming apparatus to access the file system of the server apparatus as the distributed file system of the image forming apparatus; and a storing process part for accessing the file system of the server apparatus and storing, in the file system, information that is stored in a storage unit used by the image forming apparatus.

A personal computer 1 includes a first communication interface mechanism 16 that communicates with a first scanner 2A, and a first memory 13 that stores first reading setting information 131A in a first folder 131. The first scanner 2A includes a reception unit 221 that receives instruction data CM instructing reading of an image for which the first folder 131 is specified as the storage destination for read data, an acquisition unit 222 that, when the reception unit 221 receives the instruction data CM, accesses to the first folder 131 of the personal computer 1 and acquires the first reading setting information 131A from the first folder 131, a setting unit 223 that sets a reading condition based on the first reading setting information 131A, and a reading unit 224 that reads out an image and generates read data under the reading condition.

A personal computer 1 includes a first communication interface mechanism 16 that communicates with a first scanner 2A, and a first memory 13 that stores first reading setting information 131A in a first folder 131. The first scanner 2A includes a reception unit 221 that receives instruction data CM instructing reading of an image for which the first folder 131 is specified as the storage destination for read data, an acquisition unit 222 that, when the reception unit 221 receives the instruction data CM, accesses to the first folder 131 of the personal computer 1 and acquires the first reading setting information 131A from the first folder 131, a setting unit 223 that sets a reading condition based on the first reading setting information 131A, and a reading unit 224 that reads out an image and generates read data under the reading condition.

A printing system in which a client device utilizing a web browser and a printer, that provides a share folder, are communicably connected, displays a screen on which a print file can be specified by a drop operation on the web browser, transmits the specified print file and share-folder specification information from the client device to the printer, and prints the print file using print settings linked to the share folder.

A document scanning apparatus includes a controller configured to control an image scanner to scan a document sheet, thereby generating scanned image data, control a communication interface to transmit, to a storage, an instruction for inquiring whether there is one or more pieces of image data stored in a folder of the storage, control the communication interface to receive data existence information representing whether there is one or more pieces of image data stored in the folder, when the data existence information represents that there is one or more pieces of image data stored in the folder, control the communication interface to transmit, to the storage, an instruction to remove the one or more pieces of image data from the folder, and control the communication interface to transmit, to the storage, an instruction to store the scanned image data generated by the image scanner, into the folder.

A printing system in which a client device utilizing a web browser and a printer, that provides a share folder, are communicably connected, displays a screen on which a print file can be specified by a drop operation on the web browser, transmits the specified print file and share-folder specification information from the client device to the printer, and prints the print file using print settings linked to the share folder.

A system may automatically scan a physical document and perform processing actions on the scanned document according to a workflow. The system may include a scanning device that can detect a trigger event when a portable memory device is connected to or paired with the device or when a document, including one or multiple pages, is placed on the document handler of the device. Upon detecting the trigger event, the scanning device may retrieve the workflow and associated instructions from one or more designated folders on the portable memory device, automatically scan the document on the document handler to a digital document file, and perform various processing actions on the digital document file according to the workflow, with little or no user interaction. The processing actions may include storing, faxing, and emailing the scanned document, and/or performing certain document conversion functions on the digital document file.

An information processing device includes a specification unit configured to receive identification information for identifying a scanner device, and specify a driver configured to control the scanner device identified by the identification information; an item acquirer configured to acquire a list of items that are settable by the specified driver for controlling the scanner device, and return the list to a transmission source of the identification information; a scan instruction receiver configured to receive a scan instruction and set values for the respective items from the transmission source of the identification information; and an execution controller configured to send, in accordance with the reception of the scan instruction, the set values to the driver that is specified based on the identification information to cause the driver to perform scan using the scanner device.

A method for controlling the display device includes the steps of outputting a first application graphical user interface (GUI), selecting a first image displayed on a first section of the first application GUI, moving the selected first image to a photo printer folder displayed on a second section of the first application GUI, mapping a specific time, at which the first image is moved to the photo printer folder, to the first image, and storing the mapped result to a storage module, outputting a second application GUI connected to the photo printer folder, displaying the first image on a first section within the second application GUI, displaying at least one image in accordance with an order based upon a storage time order on a second section within the second application GUI and displaying at least one editing icon on a third section within the second application GUI.

A document scanning apparatus includes a controller configured to control an image scanner to scan a document sheet, thereby generating scanned image data, control a communication interface to transmit, to a storage, an instruction for inquiring whether there is one or more pieces of image data stored in a folder of the storage, control the communication interface to receive data existence information representing whether there is one or more pieces of image data stored in the folder, when the data existence information represents that there is one or more pieces of image data stored in the folder, control the communication interface to transmit, to the storage, an instruction to remove the one or more pieces of image data from the folder, and control the communication interface to transmit, to the storage, an instruction to store the scanned image data generated by the image scanner, into the folder.