JP2008125093A - Mobile phone, printer, print system, and its printing method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a print system comprising: a mobile phone whereby a print image can be confirmed; and a printer for printing data from the mobile phone. <P>SOLUTION: The mobile phone acquires a print format, being a print form whereby data of a prescribed form are integrated for printing, from the printer through wireless communication, displays a print image formed by integrating data for desired printing according to the print format, decides the print format for printing on the basis of the display to adjust data and transmits the adjusted data to the printer through wireless communication. The printer stores print formats and reads the corresponding print format on request from the mobile phone and can transmit the read print format to the mobile phone through wireless communication. The printer integrates the received data with the print format decided by the mobile phone and executes printing. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a mobile phone having a wireless communication function, a printing system including a printing apparatus that prints data from the mobile phone, and a printing method thereof.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is a printing apparatus that can directly print image data from a digital still camera or a mobile phone without using a personal computer. This printing apparatus incorporates a printer driver that develops input image data into printable bitmap data, and executes printing in accordance with printing conditions set on the printing apparatus side. This printing apparatus has an operation panel for setting printing conditions such as the size of the printing paper, the number of sheets to be printed, and the printing format, and the user selects one of the printing conditions stored in the printing apparatus in advance, Printing was performed according to the conditions (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-201557

  For example, in a printing system composed of such a printing device and a mobile phone, the phone book data of the mobile phone is transmitted to the printing device, and a predetermined format stored in the printing device is selected, so that the name, telephone It is possible to print a list in which numbers and the like are written in a predetermined format, or to print one data selected from telephone directory data in a predetermined format.

  However, in such a printing system, there is a problem that the mobile phone only transmits data desired to be printed to the printing apparatus and cannot confirm the printing result in advance. That is, since a print image in which data is incorporated in the selected print format cannot be displayed, the user cannot confirm until the print result is obtained with respect to, for example, the protrusion of characters from the frame of the print format or a defect at a line break.

  In order to solve at least a part of the above problems, the printing system of the present invention employs the following technique. That is, a printing system that can store data in a predetermined format and includes a mobile phone having a display unit that displays the data, and a printing device that prints data from the mobile phone, The telephone includes a wireless communication unit that performs short-range wireless communication, and a format acquisition unit that acquires, from the printing apparatus, at least one of a print format that is a format in which the data is embedded and printed. A print image display means for displaying a print image incorporating the data desired to be printed in the print format on the display unit, and a print format to be printed is determined based on the displayed print image, and Print image adjustment means for adjusting the data, and the adjusted data is transmitted to the front using the wireless communication means; Transmission control means for transmitting to a printing apparatus, wherein the printing apparatus is a wireless communication means for communicating with the mobile phone, a storage means for storing the print format, and the storage based on a request from the mobile phone. One corresponding print format is read from the means, and the print format is transmitted from the mobile phone to the print format determined by the mobile phone, and format management means for transmitting the print format to the mobile phone using the wireless communication means. The gist of the invention includes a print data creation unit that creates data for printing by incorporating the data, and a print control unit that develops the print data in a printable manner and executes printing.

  In addition, the printing method of the printing system of the present invention can store data in a predetermined format, and includes a mobile phone provided with a display unit for displaying the data, and a printing apparatus that prints data from the mobile phone. A printing method of a printing system comprising: the mobile phone acquires at least one of print formats, which is a format in which the data is embedded and printed, from the printing device using wireless communication, and the print format A print image incorporating the data desired to be printed is displayed on the display unit, a print format to be printed is determined based on the displayed print image, the data is adjusted, and the adjusted Data is transmitted to the printing device using wireless communication, and the printing device stores the printing format and receives data from the mobile phone. Based on the request, one corresponding print format is read from the stored print formats, the print format is transmitted to the mobile phone using wireless communication, and the print format determined by the mobile phone is added to the print format. The gist of the present invention is to create data for printing by incorporating the data transmitted from the mobile phone, and execute the printing by developing the print data in a printable manner.

  According to the printing system and the printing method of the present invention, the mobile phone displays a print image in which data of a predetermined format is incorporated in the print format acquired from the printing apparatus. Based on the displayed print image, the print format to be printed is determined and the data is adjusted. The printing device creates data for printing by incorporating data transmitted from the mobile phone into a print format determined by the mobile phone, and executes printing. In this printing system, the print image can be confirmed and adjusted on the mobile phone before the mobile phone transmits data to be printed to the printing apparatus, that is, before the print result is output. Therefore, useless printing such as selection of an incorrect printing format or protruding characters is not performed.

  In the printing system having the above-described configuration, the transmission control unit of the mobile phone is a unit that transmits information specifying the determined printing format to the printing apparatus in addition to the adjusted data, and the printing apparatus The format management means may be means for reading out one corresponding print format from the storage means using information for specifying the print format.

  According to such a printing system, the mobile phone transmits information specifying the print format to the printing apparatus. Based on this information, the printing apparatus reads the corresponding print format and executes printing. In this printing system, the data transmitted from the mobile phone to the printing apparatus does not include the print format itself. Therefore, the amount of data transmitted from the mobile phone can be reduced. The printing apparatus may store one print format. In this case, the mobile phone does not transmit information specifying the print format.

  In the printing system having the above configuration, the format acquisition unit of the mobile phone includes: a format request unit that requests the printing apparatus to transmit the print format; and a format storage unit that stores the requested print format, If the requested print format is one stored in the format storage means, the stored print format may be used instead of acquisition.

  According to such a printing system, the mobile phone stores the print format transmitted from the printing apparatus, and if the print format requested from the printing apparatus is the one previously stored, the transmission request for the print format itself is stored. The print format stored in the mobile phone is read and used. Therefore, the amount of data exchanged between the mobile phone and the printing apparatus can be reduced, and the communication time can be shortened.

  The wireless communication means of the printing system having the above configuration may be a wireless communication means using infrared rays. According to such a printing system, since directivity infrared rays are used for wireless communication, it is easy to specify both the mobile phone and the printing apparatus.

  In the printing system having the above-described configuration, the data in a predetermined format can be at least one of standardized phone book data, address book data, memo data, and message data. The print format can be a format described in a markup language of xHTML format. According to such a printing system, it is easy to incorporate data into the print format by using standardized data and a predetermined format. That is, since it is a standardized format, it is highly versatile and can be incorporated into a print format if the data format is the same.

  The printing apparatus of the present invention is a printing apparatus that prints data transmitted from a mobile phone according to a predetermined print format, and includes wireless communication means for communicating with the mobile phone, storage means for storing the print format, Based on a request from the mobile phone, the corresponding one of the print formats is read from the storage means, and the print format is transmitted to the mobile phone using the wireless communication means; Print data creating means for creating data for printing by incorporating the data transmitted from the mobile phone into the print format; and print control means for executing printing by expanding the print data so that printing is possible. This is the gist.

  According to the printing apparatus of the present invention, the printing apparatus reads one print format determined by the mobile phone from the stored print formats, and prints the data from the mobile phone by incorporating the print format into the print format. To do. Since the print format is stored in the printing apparatus, the printing apparatus does not receive the print format. Accordingly, it is possible to shorten the time required for receiving data of the printing apparatus. In addition, since the printing apparatus has a function of creating and expanding printing data, printing can be easily executed by receiving data in a predetermined format from the mobile phone.

  The format management unit of the printing apparatus having the above-described configuration is configured to select a plurality of print formats stored in the storage unit in response to a request from the mobile phone prior to transmission of one print format to the mobile phone. It is good also as a means to transmit the list information which can select one to this mobile phone. According to such a printing apparatus, one print format is determined from a plurality of print formats based on the list information transmitted to the mobile phone. Therefore, it is possible to perform efficient communication with the mobile phone without repeatedly transmitting a plurality of print formats to the mobile phone.

  The printing format possessed by the printing apparatus having the above-described configuration may be a format described in a markup language in the xHTML format. Further, the print data creating means is a standardized phone book data, address book data, memo data, or message data transmitted from the mobile phone in a print format described in a markup language of xHTML format. This means may be a means for generating data for printing.

  The cellular phone of the present invention is a cellular phone that can store data in a predetermined format, includes a display unit that displays the data, and outputs the data to a printing apparatus, and performs wireless communication that performs short-range wireless communication. Means, a format acquisition means for acquiring at least one of print formats, which is a format to be printed by incorporating the data, from the printing apparatus using the wireless communication means, and the data desired to be printed in the print format A print image display means for displaying a print image incorporating the image, a print image adjustment means for determining a print format to be printed based on the displayed print image and adjusting the data, Transmission control means for transmitting the adjusted data to the printing apparatus using the wireless communication means. It is a fact.

  According to the mobile phone of the present invention, the mobile phone displays a print image by incorporating predetermined data into the print format acquired from the printing apparatus. The user can adjust the data based on the displayed print image. That is, since an image to be actually printed can be confirmed, compatibility between various print formats and data can be determined. Therefore, a desired one can be determined, and a device corresponding to user needs can be configured.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of a mobile phone having a wireless communication function to which the present invention is applied, a printing apparatus, and a printing system including these devices will be described. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating an example of a printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the printing system includes a mobile phone 10 having a wireless communication function, and a color printer 30 that receives predetermined data by wireless communication from the mobile phone 10 and executes the printing.

  The mobile phone 10 has a wireless communication function using infrared rays in addition to a normal call function, a mail function, an internet connection function, and the like. Format data is exchanged. Further, the mobile phone 10 has a function corresponding to a markup language in the xHTML format. For example, a homepage screen described in this language can be downloaded and displayed via the Internet.

  In the printing system of this embodiment, the data in a predetermined format that the mobile phone 10 exchanges with the color printer 30 includes a printing format described in xHTML format (hereinafter referred to as a printing format), name, address, and telephone number. A file storing bibliographic information (hereinafter referred to as telephone directory data). The mobile phone 10 receives the print format from the color printer 30 and transmits the phone book data to the color printer 30 using wireless communication.

  The print format received by the mobile phone 10 is a print format in which an address, name, telephone number, etc. are arranged and displayed at predetermined positions. The color printer 30 prints a business card-like card by incorporating the phone book data received from the mobile phone 10 into this print format.

  This phone book data is a file described in the vCard format, and is stored in a memory inside the mobile phone 10. In addition to the vCard format, the mobile phone 10 also owns files in the formats such as vCalender, vNote, and vMessage. By using a file of such a format, for example, information can be easily exchanged with another mobile phone, PDA or the like, which is an external device other than the color printer 30, without being affected by the model.

  A schematic configuration of the cellular phone 10 is shown in FIG. As shown in the figure, a cellular phone 10 includes an antenna 11, a radio circuit 12 that converts an analog signal from the antenna 11 into a digital signal, a microphone 13, a speaker 16, an on-hook key 26, and a numeric keypad that can also input characters. 27, in addition to a direction key 28 for operating the cursor in four directions (up, down, left and right), a key input unit 15 having an execution key 29, a liquid crystal panel 17 for displaying a call state, a downloaded homepage screen, etc. The camera 18 having a CCD element, a memory 14 for storing telephone book data, print format, etc. in addition to a telephone number and mail, a light emitting diode for infrared communication, an infrared interface 19 having a photodiode, and the operation thereof. Control unit 20 with CPU 21, ROM 22, RAM 23 to be controlled, etc. It is configured.

  In addition to processing normal calls, connection to the Internet line, and mail transmission / reception, the control unit 20 embeds vCard format phone book data in a predetermined xHTML print format, analyzes it, and actually prints it. Processing for displaying an image (hereinafter referred to as a print image) is performed. A processing program related to the print image is stored in the ROM 22 of the control unit 20 and is executed when the user performs an operation to start processing via the key input unit 15. This process will be described in detail later. Further, the control unit 20 transmits the telephone directory data used for displaying the print image by operating the key input unit 15 to the color printer 30 via the infrared interface 19. The communication used in the infrared interface 19 is an infrared communication of IrDA (InfraRed Data Association) standard. In this type of infrared communication, information is exchanged using infrared rays having a wavelength of 850 nm to 900 nm.

  The color printer 30 that receives the phone book data from the mobile phone 10 is an ink jet printer that can be directly connected to a memory card that stores image data such as a digital still camera for printing. The color printer 30 is capable of printing predetermined data without going through a computer by setting printing, printing paper, and the like on the printer side.

  A schematic configuration of the color printer 30 is shown in FIG. As shown in the figure, a color printer 30 includes a carriage 32 equipped with a print head 31 that ejects ink onto paper, a carriage motor 33 that drives the carriage 32 in the main scanning direction, a paper feed motor 34 that transports paper, and the print head 31. Control circuit 45 including a CPU, ROM, and RAM for controlling the operation of the carriage motor 33, the paper feed motor 34, the vCrad format telephone directory data, and the xHTML format print format and image processing for developing the print dots The circuit 46 is configured.

  The carriage 32 is equipped with an ink cartridge 40 containing three color inks of cyan, magenta, and yellow and black ink. By ejecting these inks from the print head 31 to a sheet, minute dots are formed. Color printing is performed.

  The control circuit 45 includes an operation panel 38 for setting printing of the color printer 30, a card slot 35 for mounting a memory card of a digital still camera, a light emitting diode and a photodiode for infrared communication, and an infrared ray conforming to the IrDA standard. It is electrically connected to an interface 37, a USB terminal 36 for connection with an external device such as a personal computer, a memory 47 for storing a plurality of print formats, and the like. The control circuit 45 outputs the phone book data from the mobile phone 10 received via the infrared interface 37 to the image processing circuit 46.

  The image processing circuit 46 that has input the telephone book data incorporates the telephone book data into a predetermined print format read from the memory 47, develops it for printing, and outputs it to the control circuit 45. The control circuit 45 controls various motors based on the developed data.

  Each device having the above hardware configuration constitutes the printing system shown in FIG. 1, and executes business card style printing of telephone directory data. In such a printing system, the mobile phone 10 selects a print format and phone book data desired to be printed, and outputs the phone book data to the color printer 30 (hereinafter referred to as a business card creation process); Processing for executing printing on the color printer 30 side where data is input (hereinafter referred to as business card printing processing) will be described. FIG. 4 shows a flowchart of the business card creation process of the present embodiment, and FIG. 5 shows a flowchart of a print format update process which is a subroutine thereof. FIG. 6 is a flowchart of the business card printing process of this embodiment.

  The mobile phone 10 has a menu screen for selecting various functions such as mail, telephone directory, connection to the Internet 90, display function setting, program execution, etc. From this menu screen, the user can execute a program, Select “Create business card”. The CPU 21 of the mobile phone 10 reads the execution program stored in the ROM 22 by the user's key operation, and starts the process shown in FIG.

  When the business card creation process is started, the mobile phone 10 displays a list of phone book data on the liquid crystal panel 17 (step S400). Specifically, as shown in FIG. 7A, a list of “names” of phone book data stored in advance in the memory 14 is displayed on the liquid crystal panel 17. The user operates the cursor on the liquid crystal panel 17 using the direction keys 28, moves the cursor to the “name” desired to be printed, and operates the execution key 29. In response to the user's operation key 29 operation, the cellular phone 10 displays the contents (address, name, phone number, etc.) of the phone book data corresponding to the selected “name” on the liquid crystal panel 17. By such user operation, one telephone directory data is selected from the list.

  After the object to be printed (phone book data) is determined, a process for selecting the print format of the data is performed (step S410). This process is a process of selecting a desired print format from a plurality of print formats F1 to Fn having different arrangements and designs of “address”, “name”, and “telephone number” as shown in FIG. 1, for example. . When the mobile phone 10 shifts to this selection process, it executes a print format update process for displaying options. 5A shows processing executed by the mobile phone 10, and FIG. 5B shows processing executed by the color printer 30.

  When the mobile phone 10 starts the print format update process shown in FIG. 5, the color printer 30 issues a command (request command) for requesting transmission of the print format information held by the color printer 30 via the infrared interface 19. (Step S500).

  After the power is turned on, the color printer 30 confirms the presence or absence of data in the reception buffer provided in the RAM (step S530). That is, if it is determined in step S530 that there is no reception data in the reception buffer, this step is repeated at a predetermined timing. When a request command is transmitted from the mobile phone 10 to the color printer 30 in this state, the color printer 30 determines that there is data in the reception buffer, and stores list information of a plurality of print formats possessed in the memory 47. It transmits to the telephone 10 (step S535). After the transmission, until the next command from the mobile phone 10 is received, the process for confirming whether there is data in the reception buffer is repeated at a predetermined timing (step S540).

  The mobile phone 10 that has received the list information from the color printer 30 displays the list on the liquid crystal panel 17. This list is a thumbnail display of print formats as shown in FIG. The user operates the direction key 28 and the execution key 29 to select a desired print format from the thumbnail display. The mobile phone 10 determines whether or not the print format selected by this operation is stored in the memory 14 of the mobile phone 10 (step S505). Note that reception processing corresponding to transmission is omitted.

  This determination is made based on information specifying the selected print format. The print format stored in the memory 47 of the color printer 30 is assigned a number that identifies the print format. When transmitting the thumbnail image, the color printer 30 adds the specific number and transmits it. The mobile phone 10 compares the specific number added to the selected thumbnail image (hereinafter, the specific number of the selected print format is called a selection number) and the specific number in the memory 14 of the mobile phone 10. The processing to do.

  For example, when the business card creation process is performed for the first time or when the previously used print format is not used, the print format corresponding to the selected number does not exist in the memory 14 of the mobile phone 10. In this case, the mobile phone 10 requests the color printer 30 to transmit a print format corresponding to the selection number (that is, complete data, not for the list) (step S510).

  The color printer 30 that has received the selection number and the request command reads out the print format requested by the mobile phone 10 from the memory 47 based on the selection number, and transmits it to the mobile phone 10 via the infrared interface 37 (step). S545), the process ends.

  The mobile phone 10 that has received the requested print format displays the print format on the liquid crystal panel 17 and stores the data and the specific number (selection number) in the memory 14 (step S515), and ends this subroutine. .

  On the other hand, if the selected number exists in the memory 14 of the mobile phone 10 in step S505, that is, if the selected print format has been used before and is stored in the memory 14, the print format is selected. Is displayed from the memory 14, displayed on the liquid crystal panel 17, and this subroutine is terminated.

  When the print format selected in this subroutine processing is displayed on the liquid crystal panel 17, the previously selected telephone directory data is read. That is, after the process of selecting the print format, returning to FIG. 4, the mobile phone 10 displays a print image in which the phone book data is incorporated in the print format on the liquid crystal panel 17 (step S420). The print image is an image that represents an output result image when the print is actually performed, and the mobile phone 10 performs dot development to the extent that is executed by the color printer 30. Here, the print image displayed on the liquid crystal panel 17 of the mobile phone 10 is an image obtained by thinning out the image data developed in this way at a predetermined interval, and is reduced to a size that can be accommodated in the liquid crystal panel 17 of the mobile phone 10.

  Along with the display of the reduced print image, the mobile phone 10 displays an option for selecting enlargement of the print image. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 7C, “entire” and “enlarged” are displayed on the screen, and the display screen is switched by the user operation via the keys A and B. For example, when the user operates the key B, that is, selects the enlarged display, a screen of 1/6 of the size of a business card to be actually printed is displayed as shown in FIG. The user operates the direction key 28 and the execution key 29 to display a portion to be confirmed, and for example, confirms whether or not there is a protruding character from a frame describing “name” of the print format.

  When the user confirms the print image and selects “OK” shown in FIG. 7C, the mobile phone 10 displays a screen for selecting whether or not to correct (step S430). As shown in FIG. 7E, this selection screen is a screen for selecting “Yes” or “No” for correction. When the user selects the correction “present” by operating the key A, the mobile phone 10 displays a selection screen as to whether or not to change the phone book data (step S440). This selection screen is the same as that shown in FIG. 7 (e), and displays the “data correction?” Display as well as the “Yes” and “No” selection options for correction.

  When the user selects the data correction “present”, the mobile phone 10 opens a character input screen on the liquid crystal panel 17 and waits until the user performs a character input operation. When the user performs character input, correction, etc. and operates the execution key 29, the mobile phone 10 closes the character input screen and corrects the phone book data (step S450). The mobile phone 10 returns to the process of step S420 for displaying the print image again based on the corrected phone book data.

  For example, if it can be confirmed from the print image that the last character of the name protrudes from the “name” frame, the user selects “Yes” to modify the data, and “Last name” and “Name” on the character input screen. ”Is removed. As a result of the user's key operation, a print image in which characters are contained within the “name” frame is displayed on the liquid crystal panel 17.

  On the other hand, in step S440, when the user selects data correction “none” (that is, “No”) by operating key B, mobile phone 10 displays a selection screen as to whether or not to change the print format. (Step S460). This selection screen is the same as that shown in FIG. 7E, and is a screen that displays “change print format?”, “Present”, and “none”. When the user operates the key A to select “Yes” for the print format change, the process returns to the print format selection process in step S410.

  In step S460, if the user selects “no” (that is, “No”) to change the print format, and in step S430, the user operates the key B to display the print image displayed on the liquid crystal panel 17. If “No” (that is, “No”) is selected, the mobile phone 10 displays a selection screen for selecting whether or not to execute printing with the displayed print image (step S470). . As in FIG. 7E, this selection screen displays “print execution?” And its “present” and “none”.

  When the user operates the key A to select “execution of printing”, the cellular phone 10 adds a print format selection number to the phone book data to be printed (step S480). This print format selection number is a number that identifies the print format selected in step S410. Hereinafter, telephone book data in which this number is written in the data header is referred to as telephone book information.

  The cellular phone 10 transmits the phone book information and the print execution command to the color printer 30 via the infrared interface (step S490), and ends the business card creation process upon completion of the transmission. On the other hand, if “NO” is selected for printing by operating the key B in step S470, the mobile phone 10 ends the business card creation process as it is.

  The telephone directory information thus transmitted to the color printer 30 is processed by the color printer 30 and printed. Hereinafter, the business card printing process executed by the color printer 30 will be described with reference to FIG.

  After the power is turned on, the control circuit 45 of the color printer 30 confirms the presence or absence of data in the reception buffer provided in the RAM (step S600). If it is determined in step S600 that there is no reception data in the reception buffer, this step is repeated at a predetermined timing.

  If control circuit 45 determines that there is received data in the reception buffer, it analyzes the data (step S610). Specifically, the print format selection number is read from the header of the data, and it is confirmed that the contents of the data are vCard format phone book data.

  Based on the received print format selection number, the control circuit 45 reads the print format, which is a corresponding xHTML format file, from the memory 47 and outputs the file to the image processing circuit 46 together with the received telephone directory data.

  The image processing circuit 46 that has received the vCard format data that is the phone book data and the xHTML format file in the print format generates an xHTML format file in which the phone book data is incorporated in the print format (step S620). . The image processing circuit 46 analyzes the generated xHTML format file and converts it into data recognizable by the color printer 30 (step S630).

  Subsequently, the image processing circuit 46 reads printing conditions such as the paper size, the number of printed sheets, and the printing position set via the operation panel 38 (step S640), and creates a print image (step S650). This print image creation process is a process of developing the converted data into a printable dot pattern based on the print condition setting value to create print execution data. Specifically, rasterization, color correction, halftoning, and the like are performed, and the print head 31 develops the dots to be printed, and the voltage applied to the print head 31 and the combination of ink colors are determined.

  The predetermined condition thus determined is output to the control circuit 45. The control circuit 45 controls various actuators such as the carriage 32, the carriage motor 33, and the paper feed motor 34 on which the print head 31 is mounted according to the predetermined condition, and executes printing of target data (step S660). As a result, a desired business card is formed on the paper, and the business card printing process ends.

  According to the business card creation process and the business card printing process described above, before the business card data created by the mobile phone 10 is transmitted, the print image actually printed is confirmed on the liquid crystal panel 17 of the mobile phone 10. Can do. As a result of the confirmation, for example, when an unintended print format is designated or a character protrudes from a predetermined frame, the print format can be changed and a correction process for adjusting the character spacing can be performed. Therefore, the output result from the color printer 30 is intended by the user, and no unnecessary printing is performed.

  In this series of processing, the print format stored in the color printer 30 is used, and one is selected from the print formats held by the color printer 30 on the mobile phone 10 side. Therefore, the data transmitted from the mobile phone 10 to the color printer 30 does not include the data of the print format itself, and the transmission data capacity can be reduced.

  In this embodiment, the data transmitted from the mobile phone 10 to the color printer 30 includes a selection number for specifying the print format. For example, the data is finally transmitted from the color printer 30 to the mobile phone 10. The selected print format may be used, and the selection number may not be transmitted. In this case, the mobile phone 10 always receives the print format used for creating and displaying the business card from the color printer 30, and the color printer 30 stores the print format last transmitted to the mobile phone 10. What is necessary is just to comprise.

  Further, the print format stored in the color printer 30 may be acquired from the Web server via the mobile phone 10. In this case, the mobile phone 10 downloads a printing format for creating a business card from a predetermined Web server, and transmits the data to the color printer 30 using infrared communication. The color print 30 receives the new print format and stores the data in the memory 47. Further, such a print format may be stored in advance in a memory card attached to the color printer 30 and a desired print format may be read from the memory card.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to such embodiment at all, Of course, it can implement with various forms within the range which does not deviate from the meaning of this invention. is there. In this embodiment, the business card data created by the mobile phone is transmitted to the color printer and output to paper. However, it may be stored in, for example, a memory card attached to the color printer. In addition, short-range wireless communication is not limited to infrared communication, and for example, the same effect can be obtained by using Bluetooth (registered trademark).

1 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating an example of a printing system of the present invention. It is the hardware block diagram which showed schematic structure of the mobile telephone. 1 is a hardware configuration diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a color printer. It is a flowchart of the business card creation process executed by the mobile phone. It is a flowchart of the print format update process which is a subroutine of a business card creation process. It is a flowchart of the business card printing process executed by the color printer. It is an example of the selection screen of a business card creation process.

Explanation of symbols

10 ... mobile phone 11 ... antenna 12 ... wireless circuit 13 ... microphone 14,47 ... memory 15 ... key input 16 ... speaker 17 ... liquid crystal panel 18 .. Camera 19 Infrared interface 20 Control unit 21, 52 CPU
22,53 ... ROM
23, 54 ... RAM
26 ... On-hook key 27 ... Numeric keypad 28 ... Direction key 29 ... Execution key 30 ... Color printer 31 ... Print head 32 ... Carriage 33 ... Carriage motor 34 ... Paper feed motor 35 ... Card slot 36 ... USB terminal 37 ... Infrared interface 38 ... Control panel 40 ... Ink cartridge 45 ... Control circuit 46 ... Image processing circuit

Claims (12)

A printing system that can store data in a predetermined format and includes a mobile phone that includes a display unit that displays the data, and a printing device that prints data from the mobile phone,
The mobile phone
Wireless communication means for performing short-range wireless communication;
Format acquisition means for acquiring at least one of print formats, which is a format for printing by incorporating the data, from the printing apparatus using the wireless communication means;
Print image display means for displaying a print image in which the data desired to be printed is incorporated in the print format on the display unit;
A print image adjusting means for determining a print format to be printed based on the displayed print image and adjusting the data;
Transmission control means for transmitting the adjusted data to the printing apparatus using the wireless communication means,
The printing apparatus includes:
Wireless communication means for communicating with the mobile phone;
Storage means for storing the print format;
Based on a request from the mobile phone, a format management unit that reads out one corresponding print format from the storage unit and transmits the print format to the mobile phone using the wireless communication unit;
Print data creation means for creating data for printing by incorporating the data transmitted from the mobile phone into the print format determined by the mobile phone;
A printing system comprising: a printing control unit that expands the printing data so that printing is possible and executes printing. The printing system according to claim 1,
The mobile phone transmission control means is means for transmitting, in addition to the adjusted data, information specifying the determined print format to the printing apparatus,
The printing system is a printing system in which the format management unit of the printing apparatus is a unit that reads out a corresponding print format from the storage unit using information specifying the print format. The printing system according to claim 1 or 2,
The format acquisition unit of the mobile phone includes a format request unit that requests the printing apparatus to transmit the print format;
Format storage means for storing the requested print format,
If the requested print format is stored in the format storage means, a printing system that uses the stored print format instead of acquisition. The printing system according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The wireless communication unit is a printing system which is a wireless communication unit using infrared rays. The printing system according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The printing system in which the data in the predetermined format is at least one of standardized telephone directory data, address book data, memo data, and message data. The printing system according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The printing system, wherein the printing format is a format described in a markup language of xHTML format. A printing apparatus for printing data transmitted from a mobile phone according to a predetermined printing format,
Wireless communication means for communicating with the mobile phone;
Storage means for storing the print format;
Based on a request from the mobile phone, a format management unit that reads out one corresponding print format from the storage unit and transmits the print format to the mobile phone using the wireless communication unit;
Print data creation means for creating data for printing by incorporating the data transmitted from the mobile phone into the print format determined by the mobile phone;
A printing apparatus comprising: a print control unit that executes the printing by developing the print data in a printable manner. The printing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein
Prior to transmission of one print format to the mobile phone, the format management means can select one of a plurality of print formats stored in the storage means in response to a request from the mobile phone. A printing apparatus provided with means for transmitting to the mobile phone. The printing apparatus according to claim 7 or 8, wherein
The printing apparatus, wherein the print format is a format described in a markup language of xHTML format. The printing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein
The print data creation means includes any one of standardized phone book data, address book data, memo data, and message data transmitted from the mobile phone in a print format described in the markup language of the xHTML format. A printing apparatus which is means for generating data for printing by incorporating the data. A mobile phone that can store data in a predetermined format, includes a display unit that displays the data, and outputs the data to a printing device,
Wireless communication means for performing short-range wireless communication;
Format acquisition means for acquiring at least one of print formats, which is a format for printing by incorporating the data, from the printing apparatus using the wireless communication means;
Print image display means for displaying a print image in which the data desired to be printed is incorporated in the print format on the display unit;
A print image adjusting means for determining a print format to be printed based on the displayed print image and adjusting the data;
A mobile phone comprising: transmission control means for transmitting the adjusted data to the printing apparatus using the wireless communication means. A printing method for a printing system, which is capable of storing data in a predetermined format and includes a mobile phone provided with a display unit for displaying the data, and a printing device for printing data from the mobile phone,
The mobile phone
Acquiring at least one of print formats, which is a format in which the data is embedded and printing, from the printing apparatus using wireless communication;
A print image incorporating the data desired to be printed in the print format is displayed on the display unit;
Based on the displayed print image, the print format to be printed is determined and the data is adjusted,
The adjusted data is transmitted to the printing apparatus using wireless communication,
The printing apparatus includes:
Storing the print format;
Based on the request from the mobile phone, one corresponding print format is read from the stored print formats, and the print format is transmitted to the mobile phone using wireless communication.
Creating data for printing by incorporating the data transmitted from the mobile phone into the print format determined by the mobile phone;
A printing method for a printing system, wherein the print data is expanded so as to be printable and printing is performed.

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