JP2000172465A - Internet printing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To inform a client of printer constitution information through relatively small information transfer by allowing the client to generate print information according to the printer constitution information stored in a printer server. SOLUTION: Clients 101 to 103 performs retrieval from a printer constitution information management data base on the print server 105 and confirms the data base so as to obtain print information optimized matching mounted options. When the printer constitution information is within an effective range, print information is generated based on the held printer constitution information. The optimized print information is sent to the print server 105 through a network. If the constitution that the client 101 holds includes information which has expired, the print server is inquired of about only the information having expired and based on the information sent back from the server 105, the data base information is replaced if the constitution information is updated, thereby newly setting the term of validity.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an Internet printing system, for example, an Internet printing system including a print server and a client computer connected as terminals to a network mainly using Ethernet, and a printer connected to the print server. Related to. Internet printing for efficiently distributing printer configuration information to client computers when print information can be transmitted from the client computers to the print server via the Internet, even though the print server and the client computers belong to different networks. It is about the system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With the spread of network equipment, computers installed not only in companies and schools but also in ordinary households have been playing a part of computer networks. As networks functioning to connect networks with each other become functional via the Internet, processes conventionally performed on closed networks within one organization are now being realized on the Internet.

[0003] Printing via a network, ie, network printing, is one of them. Network printing is executed by transmitting print processing from a client computer to a print server to which a printer is connected. In network printing, a printer is usually installed at a remote place, and a document is output to a remote place. This means that a plurality of users share a printer, which means that the number of printers to be installed can be reduced, and that a printer with higher added value can be installed.

[0004] Internet printing refers to performing the above-described network printing between a client computer and a print server on the Internet. In network printing that was performed in a closed network, the physical distance between the client and the printer is within a certain limit, and it is common practice to install the printer within the walking distance of the user. it can. On the other hand, in Internet printing, it is assumed that the printing process is performed without knowing the physical location of the printer, and the printed matter is not finally returned to the hand of the person who instructed the printing.

[0005]

In Internet printing, since it is not possible to check the output result from a printer in a short time, it is important for the client computer to grasp the status of the printer at the time of printing. As means practically used in network printing in the same network, there is a method in which a client computer refers to a database of a print server at regular intervals to perform printing in accordance with printer configuration information. it can. It is considered that this means can be used almost as it is for Internet printing, but there is a problem in using it as it is in view of the characteristics of the use of a printer incorporated in the Internet printing system.

[0006] In the Internet printing system, a printer used for printing via the Internet is a printer open to the public. That is, any computer connected to the network may be a client, and it is impractical to estimate the number of computers. When the printer configuration information is inquired from these unspecified client computers at regular intervals, it is considered that the information amount becomes a ratio that cannot be ignored in network traffic.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an Internet printing system which solves the above problems.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention is directed to an Internet having a print server and a client that can communicate with each other via a network, and a printer connected to the print server. A printing system, wherein the printer has means for providing configuration information of the printer to the print server, the print server has storage means for storing configuration information of the printer, and the client has It is characterized by having means for creating print information based on the configuration information.

A second aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first aspect, the network is the Internet.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect, the client obtains configuration information unique to at least one printer as needed through at least one of the print servers by communication via a network. It is characterized by having means for performing.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect, the print server has means for setting an expiration date in the configuration information, and the client is configured to set the expiration date based on the expiration date of the acquired configuration information. Does not make an inquiry to the print server for the configuration information.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the fourth aspect, the print server periodically acquires the configuration information from the printer, and determines whether or not the acquired configuration information is after the expiration date. In the case after the expiration date, the stored configuration information is replaced with the acquired configuration information and the expiration date is updated, and in the case before the expiration date, the replacement with the obtained configuration information is prohibited. It is characterized by having.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the fourth or fifth aspect, when the print server receives a request for obtaining printer configuration information from the client via a network, the configuration information is stored in the storage unit. Judge whether or not it exists, if it exists, return the configuration information including the expiration date information to the client via the network, and if it does not exist, inform the network that the configuration information does not exist via the network It has a means for returning to the client.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in any one of the fourth to sixth aspects, the client determines whether or not the configuration information of the corresponding printer is within the expiration date when creating the print information, and The latter case is characterized in that it has means for inquiring the print server of the latest configuration information by communication via a network.

In the first aspect of the present invention, the print server manages the status of the locally connected printer in a database and communicates with other devices via the network. A client (computer) can also communicate with the print server.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to introduce a printer driver suitable for a printer that instructs a client to perform printing, and to transmit print information to a print server on a different network. . That is, the client and the print server can be said to be Internet terminals, respectively, and refer to Internet printing, not to mention printing via the Internet.

Further, according to the third aspect of the present invention, the client can be provided with a function of referring to a database on the print server. In particular, the latest information of locally connected printers managed by the print server can be compiled into a database and stored on the print server. The client computer can store the configuration information of the printer acquired by referring to it in a form that can be interpreted by the installed printer driver. The printer driver can generate print information suitable for the printer by using the stored configuration information of the printer.

Further, according to the present invention, each item of the database can be provided with expiration date information. The expiration date can be set by the print server for each item based on the operation status. Expiration date information is also sent to each client along with information on each item in the database. The client operates assuming that the information within the expiration date is the latest information as long as the printer is operating normally.
That is, the invention described in claim 4 is that, once the acquired information is within the expiration date, printing is performed without acquiring it again. Since a short expiration date is set for information that frequently changes in the print server, the latest configuration information of the printer is stored in the client when print information is generated. On the other hand, since the information within the expiration date is not inquired, it also serves to suppress the total amount of inquiry information flowing on the network, thereby achieving the object of the present invention.

[0019]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to embodiments.

FIG. 1 shows an example of the configuration of an Internet printing system incorporating a print server, a printer, and a client computer according to the present invention. Print server 105 and client computer 101,
102, 103 are different networks 110,
111. The Internet 120 connects these networks, and the printer 106
Is open to the network so that it can receive and print print information from all client computers that will be Internet terminals. In the current Internet, the connection between these client computers and the print server is an IP connection by the TCP protocol. Particularly, in Internet printing, transmission of print information by the HTTP protocol is about to be put into practical use (see RFC2068).

Printer configuration information stored in a database mounted on a print server is generally SNMP
A request is received from a client computer using a protocol (see RFC 1903). The SNMP protocol stipulates that management information be stored in a tree database. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram of a tree-like database structure. The database 1301 has a tree (tree-like) structure having several branches, and the data is classified for each branch. Data exists in the part corresponding to the terminal leaf. Such a database is called an MIB, and is a standardized one or an extended MIB as necessary.
Exists. For printers, see PrinterMI
B, there is a standardized database (RFC17
59), and general setting items in the printer configuration information. The client computer specifies the data in an arbitrary branch from the tree-like MIB and inquires the print server to obtain the latest information of the printer. The present invention is not limited to the SNMP protocol,
Any database can be used as long as it has a query-driven update principle.
No description specific to P is made.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the client computers 101, 102 and 103 which operate the print server. The print server 105
Has the same configuration.

The CPU 200 is an HD (hard disk)
Application programs stored in 205;
Printer driver program, OS (operating system), network control program, etc.
12 (including FIG. 12), and controls to temporarily store information, files, and the like necessary for executing the program in the RAM 202. Reference numeral 202 denotes a RAM, which functions as a main memory, a work area, and the like of the CPU 200. The ROM 201 stores programs such as a basic I / O program, and various data such as font data and template data used in document processing.

Reference numeral 203 denotes an FD (floppy disk) drive which can load a program or the like stored in the FD 204 into the computer system through the FD drive 203 as shown in FIG. 204 is FD
The print server and the client execution program described in the present embodiment and associated data are stored, and the configuration of the stored contents is shown in FIG.

In FIG. 7, reference numeral 700 denotes the data content of the FD 204. The data content has several structures, 7
01 is volume information indicating FD information.
In the following area, a configuration information management program 703 for a print server described in the present embodiment, a configuration information management database 704, and data 705 related thereto are arranged. The configuration information management program 706 for the client, the configuration information management database 707, and the related data 708 for the client may also be stored in the same FD.

In FIG. 7, programs and databases for the print server and the client computer are stored in the same FD. However, an appropriate program can be loaded according to the purpose of use of the computer to be used. An HD 205 stores an application program, a printer driver program, an OS, a network control program, related programs, and the like. A keyboard 206 is used by a user to input a command of a device control command or the like. 207
Is a display for displaying commands input from the keyboard 206, the status of the printer, and the like. A system bus 208 controls the flow of data in the client computer.

FIG. 3 shows a memory map in a state where the configuration information management program of the print server is loaded into the RAM 202 and becomes executable. In this embodiment,
An example in which the configuration information management program, the database, and the related data are directly loaded from the FD 204 to the RAM 202 and executed will be described. Alternatively, the related program may be stored in the HD 205 and loaded into the RAM 202 from the HD 205. Good. Further, it is also possible to record the related program in the ROM 201, configure the program as a part of the memory map, and execute the program directly by the CPU 200.

Reference numeral 301 denotes a basic I / O program, which is output from the HD 205 when the control device is powered on.
S is an area in which a program having an IPL (Initial Program Rotating) function or the like for starting the operation of the OS is loaded into the RAM 202. 30
An OS 2 has a printer driver 303 as a sub-module. Reference numeral 304 denotes a print server configuration information management program, 305 a configuration information management database, and 306 a related data. In this embodiment, Windows 95 is used as the OS 302.
(Microsoft Corporation) is assumed, but the description is similarly given for OSs of different systems.

FIG. 4 shows a structure 400 of information managed by the print server configuration information management database. Database node specifier 401, data 402,
One data is indicated by the expiration date 403. Since the structure of the database is a tree structure, a specifier having a format in which branch numbers are continuously described is used to indicate one piece of data. Since the structure of the database is common to the print server and the client computer, one specifier points to the same data. Expiration date 40
Reference numeral 3 indicates the life of the data and informs the client computer that the configuration of the printer does not change. That is, the value is determined by the operation of the print server, and a long expiration date is set for a component that is not changed for the time being, and a short expiration date is set for a component that is frequently changed. Data 402
Is a configuration information management program that is directly read from a printer locally connected to a print server.
As a specific example, information such as a double-sided printing device, an automatic binding device, a color / black-and-white printing function, a paper type, and the like, which are optionally installed in the printer, are taken up as constituent elements.

FIG. 5 shows a memory map in a state in which the client computer configuration information management program is loaded into the RAM 202 and becomes executable. It is loaded by the same procedure as the print server of FIG. Basic I / O programs 501 and OS 502 are 301, 30
It is equivalent to 2. A client configuration information management program 504 is developed, a client configuration information management database 505 is developed, and related data is developed in 506. A work area 507 is used to convert the acquired printer configuration information into a format usable by the installed printer driver 503.

FIG. 6 shows a structure 600 of information managed by the client configuration information management database. Database node specifier 601, data 602,
One data is indicated by the expiration date 603. These are exactly the same as those on the print server, and it is possible to update the configuration information of the printer by maintaining the same state. When the printer 106 is installed so that it can be used, the printer driver 503 is loaded into the memory of the client computer. At this time, the configuration information management program 504 and the configuration information management database 505 query the configuration information management database 305 on the print server to obtain a series of data. Although these data are the latest information at the time of acquisition, in order to avoid acquiring the same data again at the time of printing, only the expired information is referred to by referring to the expiration date 603 of each data. I will ask.

FIG. 9 shows a printer 106 according to this embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the embodiment. In this embodiment, a laser beam printer (LBP) is used as a printer. Any printing method can be used as long as it has a function of returning the inquired configuration information to the print server.

Reference numeral 901 denotes a CPU, which controls the entire apparatus. A ROM / RAM 902 includes a buffer for temporarily storing a control program for controlling the CPU 901, constant data, and transmission / reception data. A storage unit 903 stores, for example, data to be transmitted and received, a control program to be executed by the CPU 901, and data such as a hard disk. A display unit 904 includes a ROM / RAM 90
2, the contents of the data temporarily stored in the storage unit 903, the operation status, and the like are displayed. Reference numeral 905 denotes a printer printing unit, which is a ROM / RAM 9
CPU 90 based on the program stored in
The bitmap data generated in step 1 is printed out.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the software module configuration of the client computer 1002 and print server 1001 of the present invention. These are, for example, F
D. Some related modules of the OS, which are not specifically described, are also described as examples in Windows. Transmission of print information via the Internet is not much different from transmitting print information to a conventional printer on a network. Publication 10
When a print instruction is issued in step 25, the drawing information is sent to the spooler 1024 via the GDI 1027, and converted into information in a format suitable for the printer 1003 by the printer driver 1023. 1015 network communication modules
By the communication of 1025, the print information is transmitted to the client 100.
2 to the print server 1001 and output from the printer 1003 connected to the print server.

A printer is provided with a number of optional equipment, and it is often impossible to determine which option is installed and in what state from the printer model name. Optional equipment information such as a duplex printing unit for bookbinding and a sorter for collating, paper type information for specifying the type of paper for printing, and calculating the cost required to print one sheet , Etc. are listed as printer configuration information. These pieces of information are updated as needed by the printer configuration information management program 1012 on the print server, and are stored in the printer configuration information management database 1011. The printer configuration information is transferred to the printer configuration information management program 1022 of the client via the Internet and stored in the printer configuration information management database 1021. Printer driver 1023 is database 1
By referring to the printer configuration information on the H.021, it becomes possible to generate print information that matches the equipment of the printer and transmit it to the network.

FIG. 11 is an operation flowchart of the printer configuration information management program running on the print server 1001. On the print server, the flowchart of (B) on the right side of the figure (from step S1111) is executed at regular time intervals. In order to always feed the latest printer configuration information to the print server, an inquiry is made to the printer at intervals of about 15 seconds to 2 minutes (step S).
1112). Each configuration information has an expiration date provided by a person who manages the print server, and is stored together with the configuration information in the printer configuration information management database. The acquired configuration information is compared with the configuration information stored in the database, and if the validity period has passed (step 111).
3), the validity period is updated (step S1114).
If the configuration information of the printer has been updated, the configuration information of the database is updated if the expiration date has expired (step S1114). The administrator is notified accordingly (step S1116).

When the client inquires of the configuration information, the flowchart of (A) on the left side of the figure (from step S1101) is executed. If there is configuration information requested by the client (step S1103),
The latest information is returned to the client together with the expiration date (step S1104). As a result of the inquiry, the printer configuration information management program of the client knows the status of the options installed in the printer. However, it is also conceivable that the client inquires of the configuration information not managed by the print server. If a request is made for configuration information that does not exist in the database, the reason for the absence is notified (step S1106).

FIG. 12 is an operation flowchart of the client printer configuration information management program. At the time of printing, the client identifies a printer model name (not shown). An appropriate printer driver is started based on the printer model, and preparation for creating print information is made (step S1202). The printer configuration information management database is searched to add information unique to each printer to the print information, and the database is checked to make print information optimized according to the installed options (S1203). If the managed printer configuration information is within the validity period (step S1204), print information is created based on the held printer configuration information (step S1205). The print information created by optimization is transmitted to the print server via the network (step S1206). If some of the configuration information held by the client has expired, the print server inquires only the expired information (step S1208). If the configuration information has been updated based on the information returned from the print server, the database information is replaced, and the expiration date is newly set (step S1209).

As described above, according to the embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to notify a client of configuration information for each printer from a relatively small amount of information exchange in Internet printing. In Internet printing, since the distance between the printer and the client on the network is large, frequent information acquisition places a burden on the network. It can be said that an Internet printing printer assumed in the present invention is in a state open to the Internet. In this case, since an unspecified user can be considered, frequent queries will cause an increase in traffic on the network including the print server. It is necessary to point out that these printer configuration information is indispensable for accurate printing while reducing the exchange of information. That is, in actual operation, a large-sized color printer installed in a stationery / art supplies store or a printer having a fax function can be used. In such an embodiment, Internet printing is performed for output to a printer with higher added value compared to a printer in a local environment of the client computer. This is a printing process that cannot be handled by the printer at hand, such as large-format paper, special paper, and mass printing. In such processing, the intended output cannot be obtained without the optional equipment information attached to each printer in addition to the printer model name.

[0040]

As described above, according to the present invention,
An Internet printing system including a print server and a client can be configured via the Internet. In addition, the configuration information of the printer can be notified to the client with relatively little exchange of information, and the traffic volume on the Internet can be suppressed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a network diagram showing a configuration of an Internet printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a general configuration of a computer according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a memory map of a print server in a state where a printer configuration information management program according to an embodiment of the present invention is loaded into a RAM and is executable.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of printer configuration information management database related data managed and operated in the print server according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a memory map of a client in a state where the printer configuration information management program according to the embodiment of the present invention is loaded into a RAM and is executable.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of printer configuration information management database related data managed and operated by a client according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a configuration of contents stored in an FD according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a relationship between the computer according to the embodiment of the present invention and the FD in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a printer according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a software module configuration of a print server and a client computer in the Internet printing system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing control means of a print server configuration information management program according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating control means of a client configuration information management program according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a basic structure of a database operated by the configuration information management database according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 101, 102, 103 Client computer 105 Print server 106 Printer 110, 111 Computer network 120 Internet 200 CPU 201 ROM 202 RAM 203 FD drive 204 FD 210 Communication unit 211 Communication line 901 CPU (in printer) 902 ROM / RAM 905 Printing unit

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An Internet printing system having a print server and a client that can communicate with each other via a network, and a printer connected to the print server, wherein the printer is configured to communicate with the print server by the printer. The print server has a storage unit for storing printer configuration information, and the client has a unit for creating print information based on the printer configuration information. Internet printing system. 2. The Internet printing system according to claim 1, wherein the network is the Internet. 3. The client according to claim 1, wherein the client has a unit that obtains configuration information unique to at least one printer via at least one of the print servers through communication via a network. Internet printing system featuring. 4. The print server according to claim 3, wherein the print server has means for setting an expiration date in the configuration information, and the client determines the expiration date of the acquired configuration information within the expiration date for the configuration information. An Internet printing system characterized by not making an inquiry to a print server. 5. The print server according to claim 4, wherein the print server periodically acquires the configuration information from the printer, and determines whether the acquired configuration information is after the expiration date. Replacing the configuration information stored up to that time with the obtained configuration information and updating the expiration date, and prohibiting the replacement by the obtained configuration information before the expiration date. Internet printing system. 6. The print server according to claim 4, wherein the print server, when receiving a request for obtaining printer configuration information from the client via a network, determines whether the configuration information exists in the storage unit. Means for returning configuration information including expiration date information to the client via the network if it exists, and returning the configuration information to the client via the network if it does not exist. An Internet printing system comprising: 7. The client according to claim 4, wherein the client determines whether or not the configuration information of the corresponding printer is within the validity period when creating the print information. An Internet printing system comprising means for inquiring the print server about the latest configuration information by communication via the Internet.