JP2002116898A - Portable information equipment and method for controlling the same and printing device and method for controlling the same and printing system and medium and terminal equipment and printing method and storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow a printing device on a network to efficiently print information obtained by radio portable information equipment. SOLUTION: When the printing of Web information which is being displayed is instructed, portable information equipment spools URL information indicating the location of the Web information which is being displayed, and retrieves a printing device which can be connected through a radio communicating part, and transmits the URL information related with the spool to the retrieved printing device. The printing device performs access to the Web information and print based on the URL information transmitted by the transmitting means.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a printing technique for printing data obtained by a portable information device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, wirelessly connectable portable information devices have become widespread as client devices for acquiring data using the WWW.

[0003]

[0005] However, the maintenance of the wireless printing environment is inadequate, and in many cases, the advantages of the portable device cannot be fully utilized for printing.

That is, in the case of a wireless portable information device, the printer is often used when the user is away from home or traveling. Therefore, when browsing Web information, if you want to print those Web reports,
In many cases, returning to the office later, accessing the Web information to be printed again, and performing printing, it takes time and effort.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to enable information obtained by a wireless portable information device to be efficiently printed by a printing device on a network.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention relates to a portable information device which can be connected to an information device such as a server or a peripheral device via wireless communication means. Means for instructing printing of a print job, spooling means for spooling location information indicating the location of data to be printed designated by the instruction means, and searching for a print device connectable via the wireless communication means. A search unit; and a transmission unit configured to transmit the location information spooled by the spool unit to the printing device searched by the search unit.

According to the present invention, in a method for controlling a portable information device connectable to an information device such as a server or a peripheral device via wireless communication means, an instruction for instructing printing of data fetched from the information device is provided. A spooling step of spooling location information indicating the location of the data to be printed specified by the instruction step, a search step of searching for a printing device connectable via the wireless communication unit, and a search step of: A transmitting step of transmitting the location information spooled in the spooling step to the searched printing device.

Further, the present invention relates to a printing system including a portable information device and a printing device which can be connected to an information device such as a server or a peripheral device via wireless communication means, wherein the portable information device captures from the information device. Instruction means for instructing the printer to print data, spool means for spooling location information indicating the location of the data to be printed designated by the instruction means, and a printing device connectable via the wireless communication means. Searching means for searching, and transmitting means for transmitting the location information spooled by the spooling means to the printing device searched by the searching means, wherein the printing apparatus prints the print information received by the transmitting means. Based on location information indicating the location of the data in question,
An access unit for accessing the data to be printed; and a print control unit for printing the data accessed by the access unit.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer-readable medium applicable to a portable information device connectable to an information device such as a server or a peripheral device via wireless communication means.
An instruction routine for instructing to print data fetched from the information device, a spool routine for spooling location information indicating the location of data to be printed specified by the instruction routine, and a connection via the wireless communication unit A search routine for searching for a possible printing device; and a transmission routine for transmitting location information spooled by the spool routine to the printing device searched for by the search routine.

Further, in the terminal device according to the present invention, a storage unit for storing specific information for specifying data to be printed, a search unit for searching for an available printer, and an available printer is searched for by the search unit Transmitting means for transmitting the specific information stored in the storage means to a printer, and means for waiting for a certain period of time when the search means does not find an available printer, and causing the search means to search for an available printer And

Further, in the printing method according to the present invention, a step of storing specific information for specifying data to be printed in a storage means, and when a usable printer is searched, the specific information stored in the storage means is stored in the printer. And a step of, if no usable printer is found, waiting for a predetermined time and searching for an available printer again.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a storage medium storing a specific information for specifying data to be printed in a storage means, and when a usable printer is searched, the specific information stored in the storage means is stored in the printer. , And a step of waiting for a certain period of time when an available printer is not found and searching again for an available printer.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[First Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a portable information device to which the present invention is applied.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 denotes a portable information device. Reference numeral 1 denotes a CPU, which mainly controls the entire device.
Reference numeral 2 denotes a display device. At present, a liquid crystal display device is mainly used, but the present invention is not limited to a specific display device. A RAM 3 temporarily stores various data and holds print data described later. Reference numeral 4 denotes a storage device, which is used for storing various data and also stores print data described later as necessary. Reference numeral 5 denotes an input device, and various input methods such as a touch-type input method combining a pen and a liquid crystal display device, an input method using a keyboard or handwritten character recognition, and an input method using voice can be used.

Reference numeral 6 denotes a PH for connecting to an external information device.
S and a module for a mobile phone, each of which may be built in the present device, or a mode in which the present device and the PHS / mobile phone are connected by a connection cable. Various communication devices other than the PHS and the mobile phone can be used.

Reference numeral 7 denotes a wireless device, for example, a wireless device such as IrDA, and the wireless device 7 can use various wireless systems.

Two-way communication with the printing device 20 as shown in FIG. 2 can be performed via the PHS / mobile phone 6 and the wireless device 7. Reference numeral 8 denotes a ROM, which stores a program for operating the apparatus. Reference numeral 9 denotes a wireless-compatible information device existing outside the apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a printing apparatus to which the present invention is applied.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 21 denotes a network I / F.
It communicates with other information devices such as various servers connected to the LAN. The network I / F 21 is, for example, L
LAN driver and TCP / IP for connecting to AN,
It is composed of various protocol groups such as HTTP and various hardware such as Ethernet. Reference numeral 22 denotes a wireless I / F. The printing apparatus 20 has a network I / F
21, data is transmitted and received between the Internet, a host computer, and various portable information devices via the wireless I / F 22.

Reference numeral 23 denotes a command analysis unit for analyzing data received via the network I / F 21 or the wireless I / F 22. Reference numeral 24 denotes a print image generated and sent to the print unit 25, and an RI for controlling the print unit 25.
P (Raster Image Processor)
/ Engine control unit.

Reference numeral 25 denotes a printing unit for printing on paper, and has, for example, a paper feeding / discharging function, a print head, and the like. As a print engine of the printing unit 25, various print systems such as a laser beam system and an ink jet system can be used.

Reference numeral 26 denotes a memory / memory management unit for storing Web information such as HTML downloaded from each server, print data sent from each portable information device 10, and the like.

In this embodiment, the printing device 20
DF (Portable Document Form)
at) Direct printing is assumed to be supported. Since these printing features are already common,
A brief description will be given.

The PDF direct printing is a function in which the printing apparatus 20 analyzes and prints PDF data. As shown in FIG. 8, direct printing has the advantage that the speed of the process is increased because the number of processes intervening before printing is reduced.

URL printing means, as shown in FIG. 12, when the URL is notified to the printing apparatus 20,
Is a function of reading and printing the preceding information indicated by the URL from the Internet 100 via the HTTP server 50 based on the URL information. This URL
With the printing function, the data transfer amount between the portable information device 10 and the printing device 20 can be significantly reduced.

Next, the overall processing flow of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 3, reference numeral 100 denotes the Internet. 10, 20, 30 are Internet 1
00 shows a portable information device, a printing device, and a server connected to 00. Here, portable information devices, printing devices,
The server means a general-purpose device, and is not limited to a specific device.

First, the user operates the portable information device 10 to enter W
Assume that the user is browsing eb information. This can be as simple as browsing the homepage,
You can also browse documents located on a particular server.

In such a situation, when the user wants to print the data currently displayed on the display device 2 of the portable information device 10, the user instructs a printing process by a predetermined input operation. Then, the portable information device 10 once spools the URL information relating to the data being displayed, and
When the URL becomes usable, the URL information is transmitted to the printing apparatus 20.

Then, the printing apparatus 20 receives the received URL.
Data is acquired from the server 30 or the like based on the information and printed.

By such a process, the user is released from the operation accompanying the print process when the print process is instructed, and accesses the Web information or the like to be printed again after returning to the office later, as in the related art. fix it,
It is possible to save the trouble of instructing the printing process.

Next, a specific processing procedure of the portable information device 10 will be described with reference to FIGS.

When print processing is instructed, the portable information device 10 first spools Web information once (step S41). If there is a usable printing device 20 (step S42), data is transmitted to the usable printing device 20 (step S43).

In step S42, the wireless device 7 in the portable information device 10 is used to search for a printing device 20 existing in the surroundings. Currently, Bluetooth or the like exists as a unified standard for realizing such processing.

If an appropriate printing device 20 is not found (step S42), the printing device 20 is searched again after a certain period of time. The re-search of the printing apparatus 20 may be explicitly executed by a user's instruction.

Next, based on FIG. 5, step S in FIG.
The spool processing at 41 will be described in detail.

First, it is determined what data is to be printed (step S51). If the data to be printed is Web information, the URL information indicating the location of the Web information is spooled in the storage device 4 in the portable information device 10 (step S52). Also, in the case of data in a format such as PDF that allows direct printing, URL information indicating the location of the data is spooled (step S52).

If other data is to be printed, a format conversion module is called, the data is converted into a format such as PDF that can be directly printed, and the format-converted data is stored on a server specified in advance. (Step S53). Then, the URL information of the storage destination is spooled (step S52).

Next, a printing process in the printing apparatus 20 will be described with reference to FIG.

The printing device 20 firstly includes the portable information device 10
The URL information sent from the server is analyzed (step S6).
1). Then, a connection with a predetermined server is established based on the analysis result (step S62).

Next, Web information is received from the server to which the connection has been established (step S63), and printing processing is performed (step S64).

[Second Embodiment] In the first embodiment,
The conversion process to the format that can be directly printed was performed by the portable information device 10, but in the second embodiment,
As shown in FIG. 7, the format conversion process is performed by another information device connected to the network, thereby reducing the process in the portable information device 10. This method becomes more effective as the data communication speed increases.

The processing in the second embodiment as described above can be realized by performing the processing in FIG. 11 instead of the processing in step S53 in FIG.

That is, when the format conversion becomes necessary, the portable information device 10 is connected to the server 40 on the network which provides the format conversion process specified in advance. If the connection with the server 40 is successful, data to be subjected to format conversion is transmitted from the portable information device 10 to the server 40, and the format conversion is executed. Then, the data after the format conversion is transferred to the designated server.

[Third Embodiment] In the third embodiment,
In the portable information device 10, when the power is turned on and when the power is turned off,
The processing of FIG. 10 is performed.

In the third embodiment, the portable information device 10
First, the spool state of the URL information and the print target data is checked (step S121). And the printing device 2
If untransmitted data remains for 0 (step S
122), by displaying that untransmitted data remains (step S123), the user is directed to instruct retransmission if necessary (step S12).
4).

By executing this processing, it is possible to prevent the user from forgetting to transmit the URL information or the print target data, and to improve the usability.

[Fourth Embodiment] As a method of transmitting URL information and print target data from the portable information device 10 to the printing device 20, in addition to the above-described wireless method, FIG.
The method indicated by 1 is also effective.

In FIG. 11, reference numeral 113 denotes a PC (personal computer) that the user normally uses, which is connected to the network 116. Reference numeral 112 denotes a connection device for a portable information device, which is connected to the PC 113. By connecting the portable information device 111 to the connection device 112, data transmission / reception between the portable information device 111 and the PC 113 is realized.

The user connects the portable information device 111 to the connection device 112 when returning to the PC 113 which he or she is using everyday, such as an office.

When the connection is recognized, the portable information device 1
11 checks whether the data is spooled in its own URL spool unit, and if the data is spooled,
The spool data is transmitted to the PC 113 via the connection device 112.

On the PC 113 side, the connection device 1
The spool data from the portable information device 111 is transferred to the corresponding printing device 115 by assigning a specific printing device 115 to the input from the device 12.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. For example, the printing apparatus may not be compatible with PDF direct printing. In this case, it is preferable to select a printing apparatus that does not require format conversion as much as possible as a printing apparatus that executes printing.

Further, the above embodiments can be arbitrarily combined. Furthermore, data transfer from the portable information device to the printing device can be performed via a removable storage medium.

[0056]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since the printing environment of the wireless portable information device is improved and the operability is improved, it is possible to efficiently print information obtained by the wireless portable information device by a printing device on a network.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a portable information device to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a printing apparatus to which the present invention has been applied.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a printing process according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a printing process on the portable information device side according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing details of a spool process in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating printing processing on the printing apparatus side according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a printing process according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining direct printing.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a printing process according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a process according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating URL printing.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... CPU 2 ... Display device 4 ... Storage device 5 ... Input device 7 ... Wireless device 8 ... ROM 10 ... Portable information device 20 ... Printing device 22 ... Wireless I / F 23 ... Command analysis unit 30 ... Server 40 ... Server (format) With conversion function) 50 HTTP server

Claims (38)

[Claims] 1. A portable information device that can be connected to an information device such as a server or a peripheral device via wireless communication means, wherein: an instruction means for instructing to print data fetched from the information device; Spooling means for spooling location information indicating the location of the data to be instructed to be printed; searching means for searching for a printing apparatus connectable via the wireless communication means; and printing apparatus searched by the searching means. Transmitting means for transmitting the location information spooled by the spooling means. 2. A detecting means for detecting, when power is turned on and off, the location information which has not been transmitted by the transmitting means from the location information spooled by the spool means, and a location which has not been transmitted by the detecting means. The portable information device according to claim 1, further comprising: display control means for displaying information when the information is detected. 3. A printing apparatus which can be connected to an information device such as a server or a portable information device via wireless communication means, based on location information indicating the location of data to be printed received from said portable information device. A printing apparatus comprising: an access unit that accesses data to be printed; and a print control unit that prints data accessed by the access unit. 4. A portable information device connectable to an information device such as a server or a peripheral device via a wireless communication device, an instruction device for instructing to print data taken from the information device, and the wireless communication device. Searching means for searching for a printing device connectable via a printer, and when the data to be printed specified by the instructing means is to be printed by the printing device searched for by the searching means, it is necessary to convert the format of the data. Discriminating means for discriminating whether or not the format conversion is required by the discriminating means; and a converting means for format converting the data to be printed, Data or format conversion is determined by the determination unit to be unnecessary Transmitting means for transmitting data not to be printed to a predetermined server, and transmitting information indicating the location of the transmission destination to the printing apparatus searched by the search means. . 5. A printing apparatus connectable to an information device such as a server or a portable information device via wireless communication means, based on information indicating a location of a transmission destination of data to be printed received from the portable information device. A printing apparatus comprising: an access unit for accessing the data to be printed; and a print control unit for printing the data accessed by the access unit. 6. In a portable information device connectable to an information device such as a server or a peripheral device via a wireless communication device, an instruction device for instructing to print data fetched from the information device, and the wireless communication device Searching means for searching for a printing device connectable via a printer, and when the data to be printed specified by the instructing means is to be printed by the printing device searched for by the searching means, it is necessary to convert the format of the data. Discriminating means for discriminating whether or not the format conversion is required by the discriminating means, and transmitting means for transmitting the data to be printed to a server having a function of format conversion. A portable information device characterized by the following. 7. A portable information device connectable to an information device such as a server or a peripheral device via a wireless communication device, an instruction device for instructing printing of data taken from the information device, and the wireless communication device. Searching means for searching for a printing device that is connectable and usable via a printer, spooling means for spooling data to be printed specified by the instruction means, and a printing device searched by the searching means. A transmission unit for transmitting data to be printed spooled by the spool unit. 8. A portable information device connectable to an information device such as a server or a peripheral device via a wireless communication device, an instruction device for instructing printing of data fetched from the information device, and the wireless communication device. Searching means for searching for a printing apparatus which is connectable and usable via the printer, and data to be printed specified by the indicating means when the printing apparatus searched by the searching means prints the data. Determining means for determining whether or not it is necessary to perform format conversion, and converting means for format-converting the data to be printed when the determining means determines that format conversion is necessary; and It is determined that the format-converted data to be printed or the format conversion is not necessary by the determination unit. Spooling means for spooling data to be printed which has not been converted, and transmitting means for transmitting data to be printed spooled by the spooling means to the printing device searched by the searching means. Characteristic portable information equipment. 9. A portable information device connectable to an information device such as a server or a peripheral device via wireless communication means, wherein: an instruction means for instructing printing of data taken from the information device; Spooling means for spooling location information indicating the location of the designated data to be printed, and transfer means for transferring the location information spooled by the spooling means to a printing device via an adapter. Portable information equipment. 10. A portable information device connectable to an information device such as a server or a peripheral device via wireless communication means, wherein: an instruction means for instructing printing of data taken from the information device; Spooling means for spooling location information indicating the location of the specified data to be printed, and transfer means for transferring the location information spooled by the spooling means to a personal computer via an adapter, wherein the personal computer comprises: A portable information device for transmitting the location information transferred by the transfer means to a printing device assigned in advance. 11. A method for controlling a portable information device connectable to an information device such as a server or a peripheral device via wireless communication means, wherein: an instruction step of instructing printing of data taken from the information device; A spooling step of spooling location information indicating the location of the data to be printed instructed by the instructing step; a searching step of searching for a printing device connectable via the wireless communication means; and a printing searched by the searching step A transmitting step of transmitting the location information spooled in the spooling step to the device, a control method for a portable information device. 12. A detection step of detecting, when power is turned on and off, the location information that has not been transmitted by the transmission step from the location information spooled by the spooling step, and a location that has not been transmitted by the detection step. The method according to claim 11, further comprising: a display control step of, when information is detected, displaying the fact. 13. A method for controlling a printing apparatus which can be connected to an information device such as a server or a portable information device via a wireless communication unit, wherein the control method is based on location information indicating the location of data to be printed received from the portable information device. A control method for accessing the data to be printed, and a print control step for printing the data accessed in the access step. 14. A method for controlling a portable information device connectable to an information device such as a server or a peripheral device via wireless communication means, wherein: an instruction step of instructing printing of data taken from the information device; A search step of searching for a print device connectable via wireless communication means; and a format conversion of the data to be printed specified by the instruction step when the data is printed by the printing device searched by the search step. A discriminating step of discriminating whether or not it is necessary; and, if it is determined in the discriminating step that format conversion is necessary, a converting step of format-converting the data to be printed; and If it is determined that the data to be printed or format conversion is not necessary in the determination step, A transmitting step of transmitting unconverted data to be printed to a predetermined server, and transmitting information indicating a location of the transmission destination to the printing device searched in the searching step. Control method for portable information devices. 15. A method for controlling a printing apparatus connectable to an information device such as a server or a portable information device via wireless communication means, the information indicating a destination of transmission of data to be printed received from the portable information device. And a print control step of printing the data accessed in the access step, based on the control method. 16. A method for controlling a portable information device connectable to an information device such as a server or a peripheral device via a wireless communication means, wherein: an instruction step of instructing printing of data taken from the information device; A search step of searching for a print device connectable via wireless communication means; and a format conversion of the data to be printed specified by the instruction step when the data is printed by the printing device searched by the search step. A discriminating step of discriminating whether or not it is necessary, and a transmitting step of transmitting, to the server having a function of converting the format of the data to be printed, when it is determined that the format conversion is necessary in the discriminating step A method for controlling a portable information device, comprising: 17. A method for controlling a portable information device connectable to an information device such as a server or a peripheral device via wireless communication means, wherein: an instruction step of instructing printing of data taken from the information device; A search step of searching for a print device that is connectable and usable via a wireless communication unit; a spool step of spooling data to be printed specified by the instruction step; and a search step performed by the search step. A transmission step of transmitting data to be printed spooled in the spooling step to a printing apparatus. 18. A method for controlling a portable information device connectable to an information device such as a server or a peripheral device via a wireless communication means, wherein: an instruction step of instructing printing of data fetched from the information device; A search step of searching for a print device that is connectable and usable via wireless communication means; and printing the data to be printed specified by the instruction step by the print device searched by the search step. A determination step of determining whether or not the data needs to be format-converted; and a conversion step of format-converting the data to be printed when the determination step determines that the format needs to be converted; There is no need to convert the format of the data to be printed in the conversion step or format conversion in the determination step. A spooling step of spooling the data to be printed that has not been converted in the format, and a transmitting step of transmitting the data to be printed spooled by the spooling step to the printing device searched by the searching step. A method for controlling a portable information device, comprising: 19. A method for controlling a portable information device connectable to an information device such as a server or a peripheral device via wireless communication means, wherein: an instruction step for instructing printing of data taken from the information device; A spooling step of spooling location information indicating the location of the data to be printed specified by the instruction step; and a transfer step of transferring the location information spooled by the spooling step to a printing device via an adapter. A method for controlling a portable information device, comprising: 20. A method for controlling a portable information device connectable to an information device such as a server or a peripheral device via wireless communication means, wherein: an instruction step of instructing printing of data taken from the information device; A spooling step of spooling location information indicating the location of the data to be printed instructed by the instructing step; and a transfer step of transferring the location information spooled in the spooling step to a personal computer via an adapter. A method for controlling a portable information device, wherein a computer transmits the location information transferred in the transfer step to a printing device assigned in advance. 21. A printing system including a portable information device and a printing device connectable to an information device such as a server or a peripheral device via wireless communication means, wherein the portable information device prints data taken from the information device. Means for instructing the user to perform printing, spooling means for spooling location information indicating the location of the data to be printed designated by the instruction means, and searching means for searching for a printing device connectable via the wireless communication means. And transmitting means for transmitting the location information spooled by the spooling means to the printing device searched by the searching means, wherein the printing apparatus transmits the printing target data received by the transmitting means. Access means for accessing the data to be printed based on location information indicating the location, and access by the access means Printing system comprising the print control means for printing the data. 22. A printing system including a portable information device and a printing device connectable to an information device such as a server or a peripheral device via wireless communication means, wherein the portable information device prints data taken from the information device. Instruction means for instructing the printing apparatus to search for a print device connectable via the wireless communication means, and a print device searched for by the search means for data to be printed designated by the instruction means. Determining means for determining whether the data needs to be format-converted when printing; and converting means for format-converting the data to be printed when the determining means determines that format conversion is necessary. And the data to be printed, the format of which has been converted by the converting means, or the format of which Transmitting means for transmitting to the predetermined server the data to be printed which has been determined not to need to be converted and which has not been format-converted, and transmitting information indicating the location of the transmission destination to the printing device searched by the search means; The printing apparatus further comprises: an access unit that accesses the data to be printed based on information indicating a transmission destination of the data to be printed transmitted by the transmission unit; and an access unit that is accessed by the access unit. And a print control means for printing the data. 23. An instruction to print data fetched from the information device on a computer-readable medium applicable to a portable information device connectable to an information device such as a server or a peripheral device via wireless communication means. A spooling routine for spooling location information indicating the location of the data to be printed specified by the instruction routine; a search routine for searching for a printing device connectable via the wireless communication unit; A transmission routine for transmitting the location information spooled by the spool routine to the printing device searched by the routine. 24. A detection routine for detecting, when power is turned on and off, the location information which has not been transmitted by the transmission routine from the location information spooled by the spool routine, and a location which has not been transmitted by the detection routine. 24. The medium according to claim 23, further comprising: a display control routine for displaying information when the information is detected. 25. A computer-readable medium applicable to a printing apparatus connectable to an information device such as a server or a portable information device via wireless communication means, wherein the location of data to be printed received from the portable information device is provided. A medium comprising: an access routine for accessing the data to be printed based on location information indicating: a print control routine for printing data accessed by the access routine. 26. An instruction to print data fetched from an information device on a computer-readable medium applicable to a portable information device connectable to an information device such as a server or a peripheral device via wireless communication means. A search routine for searching for a print device connectable via the wireless communication routine; and a case where the printing device searched for by the search routine prints data to be printed indicated by the instruction routine. A determination routine for determining whether or not the data needs to be format-converted; a conversion routine for format-converting the data to be printed when the determination routine determines that the format needs to be converted; Data to be printed, which has been format-converted by a routine, or It is determined that the format conversion is not necessary by the routine, and the data to be printed that has not been format-converted is transmitted to a predetermined server, and information indicating the location of the transmission destination is transmitted to the printing device searched by the search routine. A transmission routine for performing the following. 27. Transmission of data to be printed received from the portable information device on a computer-readable medium applicable to a printing device connectable to an information device such as a server or a portable information device via wireless communication means. A medium comprising: an access routine for accessing data to be printed based on information indicating a previous location; and a print control routine for printing data accessed by the access routine. 28. An instruction to print data fetched from an information device on a computer-readable medium applicable to a portable information device connectable to an information device such as a server or a peripheral device via wireless communication means. A search routine for searching for a print device connectable via the wireless communication unit; and a case where the printing device searched for by the search routine prints data to be printed indicated by the instruction routine. A determination routine for determining whether or not the data needs to be format-converted; and when the determination routine determines that the format needs to be converted, the data is transmitted to a server having a function of format-converting the data to be printed. A transmission routine for performing the following. 29. An instruction to print data fetched from an information device on a computer-readable medium applicable to a portable information device connectable to an information device such as a server or a peripheral device via wireless communication means. A search routine for searching for a print device that is connectable and usable via the wireless communication unit; a spool routine for spooling data to be printed specified by the instruction routine; A transmission routine for transmitting data to be printed spooled by the spool routine to the printing device searched by the search routine. 30. An instruction to print data fetched from an information device on a computer-readable medium applicable to a portable information device connectable to an information device such as a server or a peripheral device via wireless communication means. A search routine for searching for a printable device that is connectable and usable via the wireless communication unit; and the search routine searches for data to be printed indicated by the instruction routine. A determination routine for determining whether or not the data needs to be format-converted when printing is performed by a printing apparatus; and when the determination routine determines that the format needs to be converted, the data to be printed is subjected to format conversion. A conversion routine to be performed, and a print target whose format is converted by the conversion routine. A spool routine for spooling data or data to be printed which has been determined not to need to be format-converted by the determination routine and has not been format-converted; and A transmission routine for transmitting data to be printed. 31. An instruction to print data fetched from an information device on a computer-readable medium applicable to a portable information device connectable to an information device such as a server or a peripheral device via wireless communication means. A spooling routine for spooling location information indicating the location of the data to be printed designated by the instruction routine, and a transfer routine for transferring the location information spooled by the spool routine to a printing device via an adapter. And a medium comprising: 32. A computer-readable medium applicable to a portable information device connectable to an information device such as a server or a peripheral device via wireless communication means, and instructs to print data fetched from the information device. A spool routine for spooling location information indicating the location of the data to be printed specified by the instruction routine; and a transfer routine for transferring the location information spooled by the spool routine to a personal computer via an adapter. And wherein the personal computer transmits the location information transferred by the transfer routine to a printing device assigned in advance. 33. A storage unit for storing specific information for specifying data to be printed, a search unit for searching for an available printer, and storing in the storage unit when an available printer is searched for by the search unit. Transmitting means for transmitting the specified information to the printer, and means for waiting for a certain period of time when the search means does not find an available printer, and causing the search means to search for an available printer. Terminal device to do. 34. The terminal device according to claim 33, wherein the specific information includes a URL. 35. A step of storing specific information for specifying data to be printed in the storage means, and a step of transmitting the specific information stored in the storage means to the printer when a usable printer is found, If no usable printer is found, waiting for a predetermined time and searching again for available printers. 36. The printing method according to claim 35, wherein the specific information includes a URL. 37. A step of storing specific information for specifying data to be printed in the storage means, and a step of transmitting the specific information stored in the storage means to the printer when a usable printer is found, A step of waiting for a predetermined time when an available printer is not searched, and searching again for an available printer. 38. The storage medium according to claim 37, wherein the specific information includes a URL.