JP2001296976A - Network printer system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To install a printer driver to a client without using a storage medium in a network printer system. SOLUTION: The network printer system comprises the client 1 and a printer 2 which are connected onto a network 3. The printer 2 is provided with a printing processing part 50 for printing data received from the client 1, the printer driver 12 for performing the operation control of the printer 2 and a driver managing part 51 for managing the driver 12. The client 1 is provided with an application 13 for preparing an original to be transmitted, an install processing part 11 receiving the driver 12 via the part 51 from the printer 2 when installing the driver 12 which is not installed yet to the client 1 and the printer driver 12 installed by the part 11.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a network printer system, and more particularly, to a technique effective when applied to a network printer system in which a printer driver required for using a printer via a network is installed in a client.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional network printer system will be described with reference to FIG.

In the illustrated network printer system, a client 1 for transmitting data and a printer 2 for printing data from the client 1 are connected to the same network 3.

[0006] The client 1 records an application 13 for creating a transmission original, a printer driver 12 for controlling the operation of the printer 2, a communication unit 4 for transmitting and receiving data to and from the printer 2 via the network 3, and a printer driver 12. A recording medium reading device 10 that reads a recording medium, and an installation processing unit 11 that reads the contents of the recording medium and installs a printer driver 12 in the client 1.

The printer 2 includes a communication unit 4 for receiving data from the client 1 and a print processing unit 50 for printing the received data.

In such a configuration, in order to use the printer 2 from the client 1, it is necessary to install a suitable printer driver 12 in the client 1 in advance.

Generally, the printer driver 12 is provided by being recorded on a recording medium such as a floppy (registered trademark) disk or a CD-ROM. Then, the user notified of the new connection of the printer 2 to the network 3 by the printer administrator sends the recording medium (not shown) storing the printer driver 12 to the recording medium reading device 10 of the client 1. When the printer driver is set and the installation operation is performed, the printer driver 12 is read from the recording medium by the installation processing unit 11, and the printer driver 12 is installed in the client 1. When the user performs a print execution operation from the application 13 after the printer driver 12 is installed, the print data is transferred to the printer 2 via the communication unit 4 and the network 3, and printing is executed in the print processing unit 50 of the printer 2. Is done.

[0008]

As described above, in the conventional network printer system, when a new printer is connected to the network, the printer administrator needs to notify each user that the printer is newly connected to the network. was there.

In the technique of installing a printer driver using a recording medium, if there are a plurality of clients, it is necessary to share the recording medium and perform the same installation work on each client, which takes time and effort. .

Furthermore, if the recording medium on which the printer driver is recorded is lost, the printer driver itself may not be installed.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a network printer system which can install a printer driver on a client without using a recording medium.

[0012]

In order to solve this problem, a network printer system according to the present invention is connected to the same network and transmits data to a client and prints data from the client. A network printer system including a printer to perform printing, the printer including a print processing unit that prints data received from a client, a printer driver that controls the operation of the printer, and a driver management unit that manages the printer driver. An application for creating a transmission original, an installation processing unit for receiving and installing a printer driver from a printer via a driver management unit when the printer driver is not already installed on the client, and an installation unit. It is obtained by the structure having the installed printer driver by Le processor.

[0013] Since the printer driver stored in the printer is installed on the client, the printer driver can be installed on the client without using a recording medium.

[0014]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The invention according to claim 1 of the present invention is a network comprising a client connected to the same network and sending data, and a printer printing data from the client. In a printer system, a printer includes a print processing unit that prints data received from a client, a printer driver that controls the operation of the printer, and a driver management unit that manages the printer driver. An application that creates a printer driver, an installation processing unit that receives a printer driver from a printer via a driver management unit and installs the printer driver when the printer driver is not already installed on the client, and a printer that is installed by the installation processing unit This is a network printer system equipped with a driver, and the printer driver stored in the printer is to be installed on the client, so that the printer driver can be installed on the client without using a recording medium. .

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the network printer system according to the first aspect, wherein the printer notifies a client of the connection of the printer while the printer is operating. This has an effect that a printer driver can be automatically installed on a client newly connected to a network or a client temporarily connected to a network without using a recording medium.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in accordance with the first or second aspect of the present invention, a driver update controller for updating the latest printer driver and a printer driver of the printer to the latest printer driver is provided. A network printer system having an administrator terminal. Since the administrator terminal automatically updates the printer driver of the printer to the latest one, the user can update the printer driver installed on the client. And it is possible to always use the latest printer driver.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printer driver server provided with a printer driver database storing the latest printer drivers. If the printer driver stored in the printer driver server is newer than the printer driver stored in the printer, this is a network printer system that updates with the new printer driver. This has the effect that the latest printer driver can always be held in the printer without updating the existing printer driver.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a network printer system comprising a client connected to the same network and transmitting data, and a printer printing data from the client. The printer includes a print processing unit that prints the data received from the client, a printer driver that controls the operation of the printer, a driver management unit that manages the printer driver, and an electronic control unit that the printer is connected to the network. An e-mail transmission unit that notifies the client by e-mail, the client sends an application that creates a document to be sent, and the e-mail sent from the printer when the e-mail from the printer indicates that the printer driver of the printer is not already installed in the client Dora An e-mail receiving unit having an installation processing unit program for receiving and installing the printer driver via a server management unit, and a network printer system including the installed printer driver, and having a function of receiving an e-mail to a client. Therefore, the printer driver can be installed at a timing desired by the user.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a network printer system comprising a client connected to the same network and transmitting data, and a printer performing printing of data from the client. The printer includes a print processing unit that prints data received from the client, a printer driver that controls the operation of the printer, a driver management unit that manages the printer driver, and an authentication management that manages the authority of the client to use the printer. An application processing unit that creates a transmission original; an installation processing unit that receives a printer driver from a printer via a driver management unit and installs the printer driver when the printer driver is not already installed in the client; A network printer system comprising a printer driver installed by the installation processing unit has the effect that it becomes possible to set the presence or absence of use authority of the printer to each client.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided the network according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, wherein the client requests the printer to install a printer driver when the client is connected to the network. This is a printer system and has an effect that a printer can be used immediately when a client is connected to a network.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, a request for installing a printer driver is sent to a printer when a print execution operation is performed on a client. This is a network printer system that does not install a printer driver until it is necessary for a client to print with a printer, and thus has the effect of reducing the load on the network and the client.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a network printer system comprising a client connected to the same network and transmitting data, and a printer printing data from the client. The printer includes a print processing unit that prints data received from the client, a printer driver that controls the operation of the printer, a driver management unit that manages the printer driver, and a print capability management unit that manages the print capability of the printer. An application for creating a transmission original, an installation processing unit for receiving a printer driver from a printer via a driver management unit and installing the printer driver when the printer driver is not already installed on the client, and an installation processing unit. This is a network printer system that has a printer driver installed by the unit and executes printing if the printing conditions from the client are within the capabilities of the printer, and installs the printer driver only on the printer that has the printing conditions desired by the user Therefore, an unnecessary printer driver can be prevented from being installed.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIG. In these drawings, the same members are denoted by the same reference numerals, and duplicate description is omitted.

(Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing a configuration of a network printer system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation of the network printer system of FIG.

In the illustrated network printer system, a client 1 for transmitting data and a printer 2 for printing data from the client 1 are mutually connected on the same network 3.

The printer 2 has a communication unit 4 for receiving data from the client 1, a print processing unit 50 for printing the received data, a printer driver 12 for controlling the operation of the printer 2, and management of the printer driver 12. And a driver management unit 51 that performs the following.

The client 1 is provided with an application 13 for creating a transmission original, a communication unit 4 for transmitting / receiving data to / from the printer 2 via the network 3, and a printer 2 when the printer driver 12 is not already installed in the client 1. An installation processing unit 11 that receives the printer driver 12 via the driver management unit 51 and installs the printer driver 12, and a printer driver 12 installed by the installation processing unit 11.
It has.

As described above, the client 1 is provided with the installation processing section 11 for performing the installation processing of the printer driver 12.
Has no printer driver 12 from the beginning, and is installed from the printer 2.

The operation of the network printer system according to the embodiment configured as described above will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, when the printer 2 is newly connected to the network 3 and turned on (step 101), a new printer connection notification is periodically transmitted from the printer 2 to the client 1 via the network 3 (step 102). ).

When the client 1 receives the new printer connection notification, the installation processing unit 11 checks whether the printer driver 12 is already installed in the client 1 (step 103).

Then, it is determined whether or not the printer driver 12 has been installed (step 104). If the printer driver 12 has already been installed, the printer driver 12 is not installed.

On the other hand, if the printer driver 12 is not installed, the client 1
To the printer driver 12 (step 105). When the printer 2 receives the printer driver installation request, the driver management unit 51 transfers the printer driver 12 held in the printer to the client 1 (step 10).
6). Upon receiving the printer driver 12, the installation processing unit 11 executes the installation of the printer driver 12 on the client (Step 107).

As a result, when the user executes printing of desired print data from the application 13 of the client 1, the print data is transferred to the printer 2 via the printer driver 12, and printing is executed in the print processing unit 50.

As described above, according to the network printer system of the present embodiment, since the printer driver 12 stored in the printer 2 is installed in the client 1, the printer driver 12 can be installed without using a recording medium. 1 can be installed.

This eliminates the need for the user to use the recording medium to install the printer driver 12 in the client 1 and to notify the user of the printer administrator of the printer 1. The printer driver 12 can be automatically installed on the client 1.

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the network printer system according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. Note that the configuration of the network printer system according to the present embodiment is the same as that of FIG. 1 described in the first embodiment, and the basic operation of the network printer system according to the present embodiment is the flowchart of FIG. 2 described in the first embodiment. Is the same as

Here, the operation of the network printer system according to the present embodiment will be described.

Referring to FIG. 3, first, the printer 2 periodically transmits a new printer connection notification to the client 1 (step 201). Therefore, even in the case of the client 1 connected to the network 3 after the power of the printer 2 is turned on, the notification is periodically transmitted from the printer 2, so that it is possible to know that the printer 2 is newly connected.

When the client 1 receives the notification (step 202), as shown in FIG. 2, the installation processing unit 11 checks whether the printer driver 12 is already installed in the client 1 (step 103). ).

Then, it is determined whether or not the printer driver 12 has been installed (step 104). If it has already been installed, the printer driver 12 is not installed.

On the other hand, if the printer driver 12 is not installed, the client 1
To the printer driver 12 (step 105). When the printer 2 receives the printer driver installation request, the driver management unit 51 transfers the printer driver 12 held in the printer to the client 1 (step 10).
6). Upon receiving the printer driver 12, the installation processing unit 11 executes the installation of the printer driver 12 on the client (Step 107).

As a result, when the user executes printing of desired print data from the application 13 of the client 1, the print data is transferred to the printer 2 via the printer driver 12, and printing is performed in the print processing unit 50.

As described above, according to the network printer system of the present embodiment, the printer driver 12 can be used for the client 1 newly connected to the network or the client 1 temporarily connected to the network without using the recording medium. Can be automatically installed on the client 1.

(Embodiment 3) FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing a configuration of a network printer system according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation of the network printer system of FIG.

In the illustrated network printer system, a client 1 for transmitting data, a printer 2 for printing data from the client 1, and a manager terminal 5 for managing a printer driver 12 are mutually the same. Is connected on the network 3.

The printer 2 has a communication unit 4 for receiving data from the client 1, a print processing unit 50 for printing the received data, a printer driver 12 for controlling the operation of the printer 2, and management of the printer driver 12. And a driver management unit 51 that performs the following.

The client 1 is provided with an application 13 for creating a transmission original, a communication unit 4 for transmitting / receiving data to / from the printer 2 via the network 3, and a printer 2 when the printer driver 12 is not already installed in the client 1. An installation processing unit 11 that receives the printer driver 12 via the driver management unit 51 and installs the printer driver 12, and a printer driver 12 installed by the installation processing unit 11.
It has.

The administrator's terminal 5 communicates with the client 1 and the printer 2 via the network 3, the latest printer driver 12, and the latest printer driver 12 of the printer 2. A driver update control unit 52 for updating to 12 is provided.

The operation of the network printer system according to the present embodiment configured as described above will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, the printer manager updates the printer driver 12 held in the printer 2 by using the driver update control 52 of the manager terminal 5 (step 30).
1). When the printer driver 12 is updated in the printer 2, a printer driver update notification is transmitted to the client 1 (step 302).

When the client 1 receives the printer driver update notification, the installation processing unit 11 compares the printer driver 12 currently installed in the client 1 with the version information of the printer driver 12 sent by the printer driver update notification. (Step 303).

If the currently installed printer driver 12 is older (step 304), the client 1 transmits a request for updating the printer driver 12 to the printer 2 (step 305). When the printer 2 receives the printer driver update request, the printer 2 transfers the printer driver 12 to the client 1 (Step 306). When the client 1 receives the printer driver 12, the installation processing unit 11
Updates the currently installed printer driver 12 (step 307).

As described above, according to the network printer system of the present embodiment, the printer driver 12 of the printer 2 is automatically updated to the latest one by the administrator terminal 5, so that the user can install the printer driver 12 in the client 1. It is possible to always use the latest printer driver 12 without performing the updating work of the printer driver 12 that has been performed.

(Embodiment 4) FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram showing the configuration of a network printer system according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention, and FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the network printer system of FIG.

In the illustrated network printer system, a client 1 for transmitting data, a printer 2 for printing data from the client 1, and a printer driver server 6 for managing a printer driver 12 are mutually the same. It is connected on the network 3.

The printer 2 has a communication unit 4 for receiving data from the client 1, a print processing unit 50 for printing the received data, a printer driver 12 for controlling the operation of the printer 2, and management of the printer driver 12. And a driver management unit 51 that performs the following.

The client 1 receives an application 13 for creating a transmission original, a communication unit 4 for transmitting and receiving data to and from the printer 2 via the network 3, and a printer 2 when the printer driver 12 is not already installed in the client 1. An installation processing unit 11 that receives the printer driver 12 via the driver management unit 51 and installs the printer driver 12, and a printer driver 12 installed by the installation processing unit 11.
It has.

The printer driver server 6 communicates with the client 1 and the printer 2 via the network 3.
Communication unit 4 that communicates with the printer driver database 54 that stores the latest printer driver 12
It has.

The operation of the network printer system according to the present embodiment configured as described above will be described in detail with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS.

In FIG. 7, first, the printer 2 periodically accesses the printer driver server 6 (step 401), and the printer driver 12 currently stored in the printer 2 and the printer driver stored in the printer driver database 54 are stored. The version with the driver 12 is compared (step 402).

If the printer driver 12 stored in the printer 2 is older (step 403), the printer driver 12 is downloaded from the printer driver database 54 (step 404). Then, the printer driver 12 held in the printer 2 is updated with the latest downloaded printer driver 12 (step 405).

The printer driver 12 in the printer 2
When the update is completed, a printer driver update notification is transmitted to the client 1 as shown in FIG.
02).

When the client 1 receives the printer driver update notification, the installation processing unit 11 compares the printer driver 12 currently installed in the client 1 with the version information of the printer driver 12 sent by the printer driver update notification. (Step 303).

If the currently installed printer driver 12 is older (step 304), the client 1 transmits an update request for the printer driver 12 to the printer 2 (step 305). When the printer 2 receives the printer driver update request, the printer 2 transfers the printer driver 12 to the client 1 (Step 306). When the client 1 receives the printer driver 12, the installation processing unit 11
Updates the currently installed printer driver 12 (step 307).

As described above, according to the network printer system of the present embodiment, the printer manager always holds the latest printer driver 12 in the printer without updating the printer driver 12 held in the printer. It will be possible to keep.

(Embodiment 5) FIG. 8 is a conceptual diagram showing the configuration of a network printer system according to Embodiment 5 of the present invention, FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the operation of the network printer system of FIG. 8, and FIG. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an electronic mail transmitted in the network printer system of FIG.

In the illustrated network printer system, a client 1 for transmitting data and a printer 2 for printing data from the client 1 are mutually connected on the same network 3.

The printer 2 manages the communication unit 4 for receiving data from the client 1, the print processing unit 50 for printing the received data, the printer driver 12 for controlling the operation of the printer 2, and the management of the printer driver 12. The client management unit 51 includes a driver management unit 51 and an e-mail transmission unit 53 that notifies the client 1 by e-mail that the printer is connected to the network.

The client 1 receives an application 13 for creating a transmission original, a communication unit 4 for transmitting / receiving data to / from the printer 2 via the network 3, and an e-mail from the printer 2 to the client 1.
An e-mail receiving unit 14 having an installation processing unit program 15 for receiving the printer driver 12 from the printer 2 via the driver management unit 51 when it is determined that the printer driver 12 is not already installed, and It has an installed printer driver 12.

The operation of the network printer system according to the present embodiment configured as described above will be described in detail with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS.

In FIG. 9, first, a new printer connection notification and the installation processing program 15 are transmitted from the printer 2 to the client 1 by e-mail (step 501). Here, an outline of the e-mail is shown in FIG. As shown in the figure, in the e-mail 20, the new printer connection notification is described in the text of the e-mail, and the installation processing program 15 is attached.

In the client 1, the electronic mail 20 from the printer 2 is received by the electronic mail receiving section 14 (step 502). The user receives the e-mail 20
Is opened, and the attached installation processing program 15 is executed (step 503).
It is checked whether or not the printer driver 12 has already been installed (step 504).

If the printer driver 12 has already been installed, the printer driver 12 is not installed. On the other hand, if the printer driver 12 has not been installed, the client 1 transmits a printer driver installation request to the printer 2 as shown in FIG. 2 (step 105). When the printer 2 receives the printer driver installation request, the driver management unit 51 transfers the printer driver 12 held in the printer to the client 1 (step 1).
06). The installation processing program 15 that has received the printer driver 12 executes the installation of the printer driver 12 on the client (step 107).

As described above, according to the network printer system of the present embodiment, since the client has the function of receiving an e-mail, the printer driver 12 can be installed at a timing desired by the user.

(Embodiment 6) FIG. 11 is a conceptual diagram showing the configuration of a network printer system according to Embodiment 6 of the present invention, and FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the operation of the network printer system of FIG.

In the illustrated network printer system, a client 1 for transmitting data and a printer 2 for printing data from the client 1 are connected to the same network 3.

The printer 2 manages the communication unit 4 for receiving data from the client 1, the print processing unit 50 for printing the received data, the printer driver 12 for controlling the operation of the printer 2, and the management of the printer driver 12. A driver management unit 51 for performing the operation and an authentication management unit 55 for managing the authority of the client 1 to use the printer 2 are provided.

The client 1 is provided with an application 13 for creating a document to be transmitted, a communication unit 4 for transmitting and receiving data to and from the printer 2 via the network 3, and a printer 2 when the printer driver 12 is not already installed in the client 1. An installation processing unit 11 that receives the printer driver 12 via the driver management unit 51 and installs the printer driver 12, and a printer driver 12 installed by the installation processing unit 11.
It has.

The operation of the network printer system according to the present embodiment configured as described above will be described in detail with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS.

In FIG. 12, first, the client 1 transmits a printer driver installation request to the printer 2 (step 601).

When the printer 2 receives the printer driver installation request, the client 1 that transmitted the request is specified (step 602). Then, the authentication management unit 55 checks whether the specified client 1 has authority to use the printer 2 (step 603). If the user has the right to use (step 60
4), as shown in FIG. 2, the driver management unit 51 transfers the printer driver 12 held in the printer to the client 1 (step 106). The installation processing program 15 that has received the printer driver 12 executes the installation of the printer driver 12 on the client (step 107).

As described above, according to the network printer system of the present embodiment, it is possible to set whether or not the user has the authority to use the printer 2 for each client 1.

(Embodiment 7) FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the operation of the network printer system according to Embodiment 7 of the present invention. The configuration of the network printer system according to the present embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment.
The basic operation of the network printer system according to the present embodiment is the same as the flowchart of FIG. 2 described in the first embodiment.

Here, the operation of the network printer system according to the present embodiment will be described.

In FIG. 13, first, the client 1 is connected to the network 3 (step 701), and the power of the client 1 is turned on (step 702). Then, at the timing when the power of the client 1 is turned on, an installation request of the printer driver 12 is transmitted to the printer 2 as shown in FIG.
5). Then, when the printer 2 receives the printer driver installation request, the driver management unit 51 transfers the printer driver 12 held in the printer to the client 1 (step 106). Upon receiving the printer driver 12, the installation processing unit 11 executes the installation of the printer driver 12 on the client (Step 107).

As described above, according to the network printer system of the present embodiment, the printer 2 can be used immediately when the client 1 is connected to the network.

(Eighth Embodiment) FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the operation of the network printer system according to the eighth embodiment of the present invention. The configuration of the network printer system according to the present embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment.
The basic operation of the network printer system according to the present embodiment is the same as the flowchart of FIG. 2 described in the first embodiment.

Here, the operation of the network printer system according to the present embodiment will be described.

Referring to FIG. 14, first, the user performs an operation of executing printing from the application 13 in the client 1 (step 801). Then, at the timing when this print execution operation is performed, it is checked whether the printer driver 12 is installed in the client 1 as shown in FIG. 2 (step 103).

Then, it is determined whether or not the printer driver 12 has been installed (step 104). If the printer driver 12 has already been installed, the printer driver 12 is not installed.

On the other hand, if the printer driver 12 is not installed, the client 1
To the printer driver 12 (step 105). When the printer 2 receives the printer driver installation request, the driver management unit 51 transfers the printer driver 12 held in the printer to the client 1 (step 10).
6). Upon receiving the printer driver 12, the installation processing unit 11 executes the installation of the printer driver 12 on the client (Step 107).

As described above, according to the network printer system of the present embodiment, the printer driver 12 is not installed until the client 1 needs to perform printing by the printer 2, so that the load on the network 3 and the client 1 is reduced. Can be reduced.

(Embodiment 9) FIG. 15 is a conceptual diagram showing the configuration of a network printer system according to Embodiment 9 of the present invention, FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing the operation of the network printer system of FIG. 15, and FIG. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of printing conditions in the network printer system of FIG.

In the illustrated network printer system, a client 1 for transmitting data and a printer 2 for printing data from the client 1 are connected to the same network 3.

The printer 2 manages the communication unit 4 for receiving data from the client 1, the print processing unit 50 for printing the received data, the printer driver 12 for controlling the operation of the printer 2, and the management of the printer driver 12. The printer driver 2 includes a driver management unit 51 that performs printing and a printing capability management unit 56 that manages the printing capability of the printer 2.

The client 1 is provided with an application 13 for creating a transmission original, a communication unit 4 for transmitting and receiving data to and from the printer 2 via the network 3, and a printer 2 when the printer driver 12 is not already installed in the client 1. An installation processing unit 11 that receives the printer driver 12 via the driver management unit 51 and installs the printer driver 12, and a printer driver 12 installed by the installation processing unit 11.
It has.

The operation of the network printer system according to the present embodiment configured as described above will be described in detail with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS.

In FIG. 16, first, the user performs a print execution operation from the application 13 in the client 1 (step 901). As a result, the client 1 transmits the print conditions together with the printer driver installation request to the printer 2 (step 902). Here, FIG. 17 shows an outline of the printing condition 30.

When the printer 2 receives the printer driver installation request and the printing condition 30, the printing capability management unit 56 checks whether printing satisfying the printing condition is possible (step 903). If printing satisfying the printing condition 30 is possible (step 904),
As shown in FIG. 2, the printer driver 12 is transferred from the printer 2 to the client 1 (step 106). Installation processing unit 11 that has received printer driver 12
Executes the installation of the printer driver 12 on the client (step 107).

As described above, according to the network printer system of the present embodiment, the printer driver 12 can be installed only in the printer 2 having the printing conditions desired by the user. Can be prevented.

[0102]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the printer driver stored in the printer is installed in the client, the printer driver can be installed in the client without using a recording medium. Is obtained.

If the printer notifies the client of the connection of the printer while the printer is in operation, the printer can record the new network connection client or the temporary network connection client. An advantageous effect is obtained that the printer driver can be automatically installed in the client without using a medium.

If an administrator terminal is provided, the printer driver of the printer is automatically updated to the latest one.
An advantageous effect is obtained that the user can always use the latest printer driver without updating the printer driver installed in the client.

If a printer driver server is provided, it is possible for the printer manager to always keep the latest printer driver in the printer without updating the printer driver held in the printer. Effects can be obtained.

Further, according to the present invention, since the client has an e-mail receiving function, it is possible to obtain an effective effect that the printer driver can be installed at a timing desired by the user.

Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain an effective effect that it is possible to set whether or not the user has the authority to use the printer for each client.

If a request for installing a printer driver is made to the printer when the client is connected to the network, an effective effect is obtained in that the printer can be used immediately when the client is connected to the network. Can be

If a request to install a printer driver is made to the printer when a print execution operation is performed on the client, the printer driver is not installed until the client needs to perform printing on the printer. An effective effect of reducing the load on the client can be obtained.

According to the present invention, a printer driver can be installed only in a printer having a printing condition desired by a user, so that an unnecessary installation of a printer driver can be prevented. Is obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing a configuration of a network printer system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the network printer system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the network printer system according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing a configuration of a network printer system according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the network printer system of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram showing a configuration of a network printer system according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the network printer system of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a conceptual diagram showing a configuration of a network printer system according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the operation of the network printer system of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an electronic mail transmitted in the network printer system of FIG.

FIG. 11 is a conceptual diagram showing a configuration of a network printer system according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the operation of the network printer system of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the operation of the network printer system according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the operation of the network printer system according to the eighth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a conceptual diagram showing a configuration of a network printer system according to a ninth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing the operation of the network printer system of FIG.

FIG. 17 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of printing conditions in the network printer system of FIG.

FIG. 18 is a conceptual diagram showing a configuration of a conventional network printer system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 client 2 printer 3 network 5 administrator terminal 6 printer driver server 11 installation processing unit 12 printer driver 13 application 14 e-mail reception unit 15 installation processing program 50 print processing unit 51 driver management unit 52 driver update control 53 e-mail transmission unit 54 Printer driver database 55 Authentication management unit 56 Printing capability management unit

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Claims (9)

[Claims] Claims: 1. A system, comprising:
What is claimed is: 1. A network printer system comprising: a client that transmits data; and a printer that prints data from the client, wherein the printer is a print processing unit that prints data received from the client, and an operation of the printer. A printer driver for controlling, and a driver management unit for managing the printer driver, wherein the client is an application for creating an original to be transmitted, and the driver management is performed from the printer when the printer driver is not already installed in the client. An installation processing unit for receiving the printer driver via a printer unit and installing the printer driver, and a printer driver installed by the installation processing unit. Tashisutemu. 2. The network printer system according to claim 1, wherein the printer notifies the client of the connection of the printer while the printer is operating. 3. An administrator terminal comprising a latest printer driver and a driver update control unit for updating the printer driver of the printer to the latest printer driver. Network printer system. 4. A printer driver server having a printer driver database in which the latest printer driver is stored, wherein the printer is stored in the printer driver server rather than the printer driver held in the printer. 3. The network printer system according to claim 1, wherein when the printer driver is newer, the update is performed with the new printer driver. 5. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the connection is made on the same network.
What is claimed is: 1. A network printer system comprising: a client that transmits data; and a printer that prints data from the client, wherein the printer is a print processing unit that prints data received from the client, and an operation of the printer. A printer driver that performs control, a driver management unit that manages the printer driver, and an e-mail transmission unit that notifies the client by e-mail that the printer has been connected to the network. An application that creates the printer driver if the printer driver of the printer is not already installed in the client by e-mail from the printer, Network printer system characterized by comprising an electronic mail receiving unit having an installation processing unit program to install it receives the driver, and the installed printer driver. 6. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein said connection is made on the same network.
What is claimed is: 1. A network printer system comprising: a client that transmits data; and a printer that prints data from the client, wherein the printer is a print processing unit that prints data received from the client, and an operation of the printer. A printer driver that performs control, a driver management unit that manages the printer driver, and an authentication management unit that manages the authority of the client to use the printer. An installation processing unit that receives the printer driver from the printer via the driver management unit when the printer driver is not installed, and installs the printer driver; Network printer system characterized in that it comprises a printer driver that is. 7. The printer according to claim 1, wherein when the client is connected to the network, the client requests the printer to install the printer driver.
A network printer system according to any one of the preceding claims. 8. The network printer system according to claim 1, wherein a request for installing a printer driver is issued to the printer when the client performs a print execution operation. 9. The communication system is connected to the same network.
What is claimed is: 1. A network printer system comprising: a client that transmits data; and a printer that prints data from the client, wherein the printer is a print processing unit that prints data received from the client, and an operation of the printer. A printer driver for controlling the printer driver, a driver management unit for managing the printer driver, and a printing capability management unit for managing the printing capability of the printer. The client is an application that creates a document to be transmitted. An installation processing unit that receives the printer driver from the printer via the driver management unit and installs the printer driver when the printer driver is not installed, and a printer driver installed by the installation processing unit. Includes a bus, a network printer system, characterized in that the printing condition from the client to execute printing if within the capacity of the printer.