KR101196430B1 - Printing apparatus and printing method using RFID card - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed are a method and a printing apparatus for setting and printing a printing apparatus using a radio frequency identification (RFID) card. The printing apparatus includes a control unit for processing the input data received from the printing host to generate an output image, and a printing unit for printing the output image under the control of the control unit, wherein the control unit includes a user from a printing host including a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader. Receive print information corresponding to user information stored in a radio frequency identification (RFID) card, and set a printing device based on the received print information. In addition, the print host receives print information corresponding to the user information from a user server through a predetermined network, and the print information includes an address of a printing device, an identifier of a driver for the printing device, a printing option preferred by the user, and a printing application. At least one of the identifiers. According to the present invention, the user can easily set the printing apparatus by using a radio frequency identification (RFID) card, as well as set one or more printing apparatuses at the same time, so that user convenience is remarkably improved.

Description

Print apparatus and printing method using RFID card}

1 and 2 are diagrams schematically illustrating a method of using a printing apparatus using a radio frequency identification (RFID) card.

3 is a view for explaining the operation of the printing apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram for explaining in detail the operation of the printing apparatus shown in FIG. 3.

5 is a flowchart illustrating a printing method according to another aspect of the present invention.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing apparatus and a printing method, and more particularly, to a printing method and a printing apparatus which can set a printing apparatus using a radio frequency identification (RFID) card and easily operate the set printing apparatus.

Thanks to the development of electronic engineering, various devices have been developed that can print and store information desired by a user. In addition, the information to be printed by the user includes not only the conventional text but also various multimedia information. For example, a user may easily output an image photographed using a digital camera using a color printer. The development of personal printing devices has been particularly rapid, and anyone can obtain high quality output images without going through specialized institutions such as photo studios.

Printing devices such as printers and multifunction devices are produced by various manufacturers, and the cost of these printing devices has become very low. However, several types of printing apparatuses must be set and managed individually, respectively. For example, a user who purchases a printer or a multifunction device needs to install a driver for his or her printing device on his computer to use all the functions. When using one printer connected to one computer at home, it is sufficient to install the driver only once at the time of purchase of the printer. The user can continue to use the printing apparatus set once. However, when a user purchases a new computer, a new driver suitable for a previously purchased printing device must be newly installed. In this case, if the user does not know the specifications of the previously purchased printing device, the process of finding and installing a suitable driver is not simple.

In addition, due to the development of network technology and the falling price of network devices, a single printer can be shared and used by multiple computers in a home using a wireless LAN. In this case, the user should install a driver corresponding to the printing device for every computer he uses or set up one printing host for use. This setting operation requires extensive knowledge of the computer, and therefore is difficult for the user to easily use in the multifunction printing apparatus. In addition, in order to use his or her own printing device using another computer connected to the network, the user should be familiar with information corresponding to his or her printing device, which reduces user convenience. Furthermore, when the driver corresponding to the user's printing device is updated, it is also very difficult for the user to determine whether the driver is updated than the currently installed driver.

Therefore, there is an urgent need for a method that can easily manage the printing apparatus used.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a method for easily managing and printing a printing apparatus used by a user using a radio frequency identification (RFID) card.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a printing apparatus which can be easily set using a radio frequency identification (RFID) card.

One aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object relates to a printing apparatus including a control unit for processing the input data received from the print host to generate an output image and a printing unit for printing the output image under the control of the control unit. . The control unit according to an aspect of the present invention receives print information corresponding to user information stored in a user's radio frequency identification (RFID) card from a print host including a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader and prints the received information. The method may include setting a printing apparatus based on the information and generating an output image. In addition, the print host receives print information corresponding to the user information from a user server through a predetermined network, and the print information includes an address of a printing device, an identifier of a driver for the printing device, a printing option preferred by the user, and a printing application. And at least one of the identifiers. Furthermore, the print host further includes a host control unit for analyzing a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag attached to a user's radio frequency identification (RFID) card, an installation unit for installing a driver and a printing application for the printing apparatus in the printing apparatus. It features.

Another aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object, relates to a printing apparatus using a radio frequency identification (RFID) card, the RFID reader of the printing host to read the user information stored in the RFID tag of the user Analyzing the read user information, receiving print information corresponding to the user information from the user server, setting the print device using the read print information, and receiving the print device from the print host. Printing the input data. In addition, the setting of the printing apparatus may include analyzing user information from the read RFID tag, transmitting the user information to the user server, receiving print information corresponding to the user information from the user server, and a printing apparatus. And setting a printing device using a driver.

By the printing apparatus and the printing method according to the present invention, a user can easily manage his or her own printing device, and can easily perform a printing job by constructing a desired environment.

In order to fully understand the present invention, operational advantages of the present invention, and objects achieved by the practice of the present invention, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and the accompanying drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. In each drawing, the same reference numerals denote the same members.

1 and 2 are diagrams schematically illustrating a method of using a printing apparatus using a radio frequency identification (RFID) card.

1, the printer 190 includes a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag 160. That is, the printer manufacturer inserts an RFID tag 160 into the main controller 150 of the printer 190 when the printer is manufactured. The RFID tag 160 may include a version of a driver for a printer, a firmware version, a model name, a production date, and the like. The computer 100 may read information stored in the RFID tag 160 using the RFID reader 110. Thus, the computer 100 may distinguish a model currently being produced from another model. The reason why the RFID tag 160 is inserted into the main controller 150 is because the main controller 150 has the information listed above. Therefore, when the main controller 150 is replaced due to a failure or the like, if the RFID tag 160 attached to another printer is used, correct identification information cannot be obtained.

   Even if the main controller 150 having the same configuration has a variety of drivers and firmware depending on the country to be released or the target of release (personal or envy). To date, the only way to distinguish this information is to remember the model name of the product you are using. However, even if the printer has the same shape, there are various kinds of drivers and firmware according to the above specifications, so it is difficult for the user to recognize it correctly. Therefore, by reading the RFID tag 160 inserted at the time of manufacture of the printer using the RFID reader 110 attached to the computer 100, the computer 100 automatically prints the printer 190. You can recognize the model name of and upgrade firmware and driver.

The following describes the process of upgrading a driver. First, the user determines the validity of the information stored in the RFID tag 160 with the RFID reader 110 attached to the computer 100. If the information recorded in the RFID tag 160 is determined to be valid, the RFID reader 110 checks the driver version of the main controller 150 currently installed in the printer. If it is determined that a new driver exists after the currently installed driver, the computer 100 downloads a suitable driver to the computer 100 by using the RFID tag 160 information. Such an update operation may also be performed with respect to the firmware. After the driver and firmware are updated, the updated version information is recorded in the RFID tag 160 to indicate that the upgrade has been performed.

Referring now to FIG. 2, a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag 220 is also attached to the computer 200. Radio frequency identification (RFID) tags 220 attached to the computer 200 record information such as operating system information and installation programs of the computer 200. Therefore, the computer 200 combines the information stored in the RFID tag 220 with the information read out from the RFID tag 260 attached to the printer 290, thereby operating the operating system of each computer. Easy driver and firmware installation The operations of the RFID reader 210 and main controller 250 shown in FIG. 2 are the same as the corresponding components shown in FIG.

In the present invention, radio frequency identification (RFID) technology refers to a contactless recognition system that attaches a small chip to various articles and transmits and processes information of objects and surrounding environment information at a radio frequency. Such radio frequency identification (RFID) systems are called dedicated short range communication (DSRC) or radio identification systems.

A radio frequency identification (RFID) system consists of a reader having a read function, a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag incorporating unique information, operating software, and a network. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) systems process information by identifying tags in the form of thin planes attached to objects.

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags consist of a semiconductor-made transponder chip and an antenna, which are passive and active. While passives operate by receiving energy from a radio signal from a reader without an internal power source, active batteries have a built-in battery to operate on their own. Radio frequency identification (RFID) technology eliminates the need for direct contact like bar codes or scanning in the visible band to read information. Low frequency radio frequency identification systems (30 kHz to 500 kHz) are used at short distances of less than 1.8 m, while high frequency systems (850 MHz to 950 MHz or 2.4 GHz to 2.5 GHz) are capable of transmission over long distances of 27 m or more.

3 is a view for explaining the operation of the printing apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention.

The radio frequency identification (RFID) system 300 illustrated in FIG. 3 includes a user 310 including a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag 320, a print host 350 including a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader 360, A user server 370 and at least one printing device 380, 390.

In order to set up the printing devices, a user contacts a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag 320 containing user information to the radio frequency identification (RFID) reader 360 of the printing host 350. The print host 350 then recognizes the identity of the user 310.

When the identity of the user 310 is recognized, the print host 350 may use the recognized user information to print information such as the address of the printing apparatus stored in the user server 370, driver information, and a printing option preferred by the user. Read out. Then, using the read print information, the print host 350 may automatically set printing devices and install a corresponding driver. In addition, the user server 370 may store an application that the user likes to use. Then, the print host 350 may automatically read an application that the user wants to use for the print job from the user server 370 and install the read application in the printing devices.

In the present specification, the user information refers to information related to the identity of the user. In addition, print information represents various related information substantially used for a print job. For example, the type of printing apparatus 380 and 390, a corresponding driver, an application used by the user, a printing option preferred by the user, and the like may be included in the printing information.

In the present invention, various print information for use in a print job is described as being stored in the user server 370. If the print information is stored in the user server 370, the print information desired by the user can be easily obtained through the network regardless of which print host 350 the user connects to. However, the print information does not necessarily need to be stored in the user server 370, but rather, may be stored in the print host 350.

In addition, although the user information is stored in the RFID tag 320 and the print information is stored in the user server 370 in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, the present invention is not limited thereto. . Rather, the print information may be stored in the RFID tag 320 together with the user information. For example, when an application desired by a user is already installed in the print host 350, the user may select a desired application among applications installed in the print host 350 to perform a print job. In this case, an identifier of an application frequently used by a user may be included in the RFID tag 320 as print information. Accordingly, the radio frequency identification (RFID) system 300 shown in FIG. 3 does not limit the technical spirit of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram for explaining in detail the operation of the printing apparatus shown in FIG. 3.

The radio frequency identification (RFID) system shown in FIG. 4 includes a user 415 including a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag 420, a print host 450 including a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader 460, and a user server ( 470, and at least one printing apparatus 480, 490.

The print host 350 illustrated in FIG. 4 includes a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader 460, a host interface 430, a controller 440, and an installation unit 450. The host interface 430 communicates with the user server 470 and the printing devices 480, 490 via the network 495. The control unit 440 receives the user information read from the RFID tag 420 of the user by the RFID reader 460. In addition, the controller 440 processes the received user information and requests the user server 470 for desired information. The installation unit 455 installs drivers and applications received from the user server 470 in the printing apparatuses 480 and 490.

The user server 470 shown in FIG. 4 includes a server interface 472 and a storage unit 474. Server interface 472 communicates with print host 350 via network 495. The storage unit 474 stores user information received from the print host 350, various drivers suitable for the printing devices 480 and 490, and applications. Since a storage unit 474 for storing user information and corresponding print information is included in a separate user server 470, the user may obtain desired information by connecting to any print host 350. As it is.

5 is a flowchart illustrating a printing method according to another aspect of the present invention.

First, a radio wave identification (RFID) card including a radio wave identification (RFID) tag including user information is recognized using a radio wave identification (RFID) reader included in a print host (S510). Then, the host analyzes the read user information, grasps the user identity, and transmits it to the user server (S520). In this case, the user identity is identified by the control unit shown in FIG. 4 as described above. The controller may further determine whether the received user information is valid. The invalid user information indicates a case in which the user information received from the RFID tag is distorted or the corresponding user has not been registered.

The user server includes various information necessary for a print job, and user information transmitted from the print host is received by a server interface included in the user server. Then, the user server reads the print information corresponding to the received user information from the storage unit and transmits the read print information to the print host through the server interface. Then, the print host receives print information through the host interface (S550).

The received print information is used to set up the printing devices. The print host may install a driver suitable for the printing apparatus by using the received print information or update the firmware (S570). If the printing apparatus is set, a print job is performed (S590).

As shown in Fig. 5, in the printing method according to another aspect of the present invention, printing apparatuses are set using a radio frequency identification (RFID) card in which user information is recorded. Therefore, when a user uses a computer, and needs to print after performing a predetermined task using another computer for a while, the user can easily do so without having to remember all his or her usual settings and the information of the device he / she used. You can set the printing environment. That is, there is no need for a separate login operation to identify a user during a print job, and the user only needs to close his or her RFID card to a RFID reader, so You can complete the installation and configuration of the driver and application.

In addition, since the user's information and print information exist in the user's server, the printing host and the printing device can be physically separated from each other, and the user can set up a plurality of printers associated with the user by accessing a radio frequency identification (RFID) card only once. It may be.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Therefore, the true technical protection scope of the present invention will be defined by the technical spirit of the appended claims.

According to the present invention, a user can easily manage and print a printing apparatus used by a user using a radio frequency identification (RFID) card.

In addition, according to the present invention, a user can easily set a plurality of printing apparatuses at the same time and perform a print job.

Claims (5)

A printing apparatus comprising a control unit for processing an input data received from a printing host to generate an output image, and a printing unit for printing the output image under control of the control unit. The control unit may receive print information corresponding to user information stored in a user's RFID card from a print host including a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader and based on the received print information. Set up a printing device and generate the output image, The controller may include a second radio wave identification tag in which at least one of driver version information, firmware version information, model name information, and production date information of the printing apparatus is stored. And the information stored in the second radio wave identification tag is read by a radio wave identification reader of the printing host and used for updating a driver or firmware of the printing apparatus. The printing host of claim 1, wherein the print host comprises: Receiving the print information corresponding to the user information from a user server through a predetermined network, the print information, And at least one of an address of the printing device, a printing option preferred by the user, and a printing application identifier. The print host of claim 2, wherein the print host comprises: A host controller configured to analyze a first RFID tag attached to the RFID card of the user; And an installation unit for installing the printing application to the printing apparatus. Reading user information stored in a first RFID tag of the user in a RFID reader of the print host; The print host analyzing the read user information and receiving print information corresponding to the user information from a user server; Setting a printing apparatus using the received print information; And Printing the input data received from the printing host by the set printing device; The user information includes at least one of an address of the printing apparatus, an identifier of the printing apparatus driver, a printing option and a printing application identifier preferred by the user, The printing apparatus may include a second radio wave identification tag in which at least one of driver version information, firmware version information, model name information, and production date information of the printing apparatus is stored. And the information stored in the second radio wave identification tag is read by a radio wave identification reader of the printing host and used for updating a driver or firmware of the printing apparatus. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of setting the printing apparatus, Analyzing, by the print host, the user information read from the first RFID tag and transmitting the same to the user server; Receiving, by the print host, driver information of the printing device corresponding to the identifier of the printing device driver from the user server; And And installing the driver of the printing apparatus from which the printing host has been received.

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