JP2002251263A - Printing device and printing request side device and printing request side program and printing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem that it is impossible to acquire the print condition of picture data since the transmission origin of a mail is present outside a network to which a conventional printing device for printing picture data to be obtained from a file attached to a mail is connected, and that it is impossible to obtain a printed result intended by a user who tries to print picture data since the user uses the default print condition of the printing device. SOLUTION: Picture data are printed according to a print condition described in the text of a mail so that even when equipment to be used by a user who instructs the printing of the picture data is present outside a network to which the printing device is connected, the printing intended by the user can be performed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing apparatus for printing image data obtained from a file attached to a mail, a print requesting apparatus for requesting the printing apparatus to print the image data, and a computer. The present invention relates to a print requesting program for causing the print requesting device to function as the print requesting device, and a printing system including the printing device and the print requesting device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-242444 discloses a technique of obtaining mail from a mail server, generating print data for image data obtained from a file attached to the mail, and using the print data. And a printing apparatus for printing the image data. Thus, even when a print requesting device, such as a mobile terminal, which requests the printing device to perform printing, is outside the network to which the printing device is connected, the print requesting device transmits the image data to the printing device. Can be printed.

[0003]

However, as in the technique disclosed in the above publication, a case where a mail is transmitted from the print requesting apparatus outside the network and the image data is printed by the printing apparatus. Since the print request sent from the print requesting apparatus is not directly passed to the printing apparatus through the network, the printing conditions for printing the image data are determined in advance by the printing apparatus. Stuff will be used. However, when using a predetermined one on the printing apparatus side, the print processing result may greatly differ from the intention of the user who instructed the printing requesting apparatus to perform printing. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of such a conventional technique. Even when a device used by a user who has instructed printing of image data is outside a network connected to the printing device, the user's intention can be improved. Printing device capable of performing the same printing, a printing requesting device for requesting the printing device to print the image data, a printing requesting program for causing a computer to function as the printing requesting device, and It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing system including a printing apparatus and the print requesting apparatus.

[0004]

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printing apparatus for printing image data obtained from a file attached to a mail, the apparatus comprising: A condition description presence / absence determining unit that determines whether information about the printing condition of the image data is described; and that the information about the printing condition of the image data is described in the body of the mail by the condition description presence / absence determining unit. A print condition extracting unit that extracts a print condition of the image data from the description of the body of the mail when the determination is made, and a print condition extracting unit that prints the image data according to the print condition extracted by the print condition extract unit. It is configured as a printing apparatus including print data generating means for generating print data. In this printing apparatus, it is determined whether or not information on the printing conditions of the image data is described in the body of the mail to which the file from which the image data to be printed is obtained is attached. If it is determined that the information about the image data is described, the printing condition of the image data is extracted from the description of the text of the mail, and the print data for printing the image data is extracted in accordance with the extracted printing condition. Generated. For this reason, if the user's intention is reflected in the information about the printing condition of the image data described in the body of the mail, the device used by the user who instructed the printing of the image data is connected to the printing apparatus. The printing apparatus can perform printing as intended by the user even when the printing apparatus is outside the network.

In the printing apparatus, the print data generating means extracts the image data from the print data when the file is a file of the print data, and prints the print data extracted by the print condition extracting means. Since the print data of the image data extracted from the print data is generated according to a condition, even if the print data is generated according to information different from the information about the print device that prints the image data, the print device does not generate the print data. Printing can be performed as intended by the user. In addition, the invention of the device that requests the printing device to print the image data includes a printing condition setting unit that sets a printing condition for printing the image data based on information about the printing device that requests the printing of the image data; A mail attached with a file in which the printing conditions set by the printing condition setting means are described in the text and the image data is obtained, wherein a destination address is set to a mail address previously assigned to the printing apparatus. It is configured as a print requesting side device including a print request mail generating means for generating a request mail. In the print requesting apparatus, a printing condition for printing the image data is set based on information on a printing device requesting printing of the image data, and the set printing condition is described in a text, and a file is obtained in which the image data is obtained. Is generated, and a print request mail in which a destination address is set to a mail address pre-assigned to the printing apparatus is generated. By transmitting the print request mail, the printing of the image data is performed. Even if the device used by the instructed user, for example, the print requesting device is outside the network to which the printing device is connected, the printing device uses the print request mail to determine the user's intention that matches the printing device. , And as a result, a print result as intended by the user can be obtained.

[0006] The print requesting device generates an inquiry mail for inquiring information about the printing device, and determines whether information about the printing device is described in a reply mail of the inquiry mail. A description of the reply mail of the inquiry mail when the device information description presence / absence determination means and the device information description presence / absence determination means determine that the information about the printing device is described in the reply mail of the inquiry mail; Device information extracting means for extracting information on the printing device from the printer, and device information storing means for storing information on the printing device extracted by the device information extracting device. When setting the printing conditions based on the information about the printing device stored in the information storage unit A. In this case, it is determined whether the information about the printing device is described in the reply mail of the inquiry mail inquiring the information about the printing device, and it is determined that the information about the printing device is described in the reply mail of the inquiry mail. Is determined, information about the printing device extracted from the description of the reply mail of the inquiry mail is stored, and the printing conditions are set based on the stored information about the printing device. For this reason, even when the print requesting apparatus is outside the network to which the printing apparatus is connected, it is possible to obtain information about the printing apparatus at any time using the inquiry mail. Even if the optional configuration of the printing apparatus requested is frequently changed, the printing apparatus can perform the printing as intended by the user without requiring the user to input the change. Further, if the print requesting apparatus generates and transmits the print request mail in accordance with a print request requesting printing of the image data received through the local network from a terminal connected via a local area network, Even if the terminal actually issues a print request, the print requesting device can request the printing device to print using the print request mail instead of the terminal. For this reason, even if the terminal is prepared in accordance with the number of users and the print request can be made by a large number of users, only the print requesting device needs to be set as the source address of the print request mail. It is possible to suppress an increase in the number of mail addresses set as the transmission source address of the print request mail.

Further, the print requesting apparatus generates and transmits the inquiry mail in accordance with a device information inquiry request for requesting an inquiry about information on the printing apparatus received via the local network from a terminal connected via a local network. When the device information description presence / absence determining unit determines that the information on the printing device is described in the reply mail of the inquiry mail, the information on the printing device is stored in the device information storage unit. , If the terminal transmits a response to the device information inquiry request including information on the printing device to the terminal via the local area network, even if the terminal actually requests the device inquiry, The print requesting device uses the inquiry mail instead of the terminal You will be asked to print the serial printing device. For this reason, the information regarding the print information is collected in the print requesting apparatus, and the possibility that the information requested by the print requesting apparatus is stored is increased. As a result, there is a high possibility that the request of the terminal can be answered without making an inquiry to the printing apparatus, and the possibility that the inquiry mail is congested can be suppressed. The print request program is a program for causing a computer to function as the print request device described above. A system including the above-described printing apparatus and the print requesting apparatus is an invention of a printing system. The invention of the printing system includes a printing device for printing image data obtained from a file attached to a mail, and a print requesting device that requests printing from the printing device capable of sending a mail. A printing condition setting unit configured to set printing conditions for printing the image data based on information about the printing device;
A mail attached with a file in which the printing conditions set by the printing condition setting means are described in the text and the image data is obtained, wherein a destination address is set to a mail address previously assigned to the printing apparatus. A print request mail generating unit for generating a request mail, wherein the printing device determines whether or not the mail is the print request mail; A print condition extracting unit that extracts a print condition of the image data from a description of a body of the print request mail when the print request mail is determined to be the print request mail; and a print condition extracted by the print condition extract unit. Print data generating means for generating print data for printing the image data in accordance with It has been.

In the printing system, a printing condition for printing the image data is set by the print requesting device based on information on the printing device, the set printing condition is described in a text, and the image data is A print request mail, which is a mail to which the obtained file is attached and in which a transmission destination address is set to a mail address previously assigned to the printing apparatus, is generated. Further, the printing device determines whether or not the mail is the print request mail. If it is determined that the mail is the print request mail, the printing device determines whether or not the mail is the print request mail. Data printing conditions are extracted, and print data for printing the image data is generated according to the extracted printing conditions. Therefore, even when the print requesting apparatus and the printing apparatus in the printing system are connected to each other via an external network, the print request mail is sent from the print requesting apparatus to the printing apparatus via the external network. By transmitting, the user's intention can be transmitted to the printing apparatus, and the printing apparatus can perform printing as intended by the user. Further, in the printing system, firewalls may be provided at boundaries between the local area network to which the print requesting apparatus is connected and the outside of the local area network to which the printing apparatus is connected. Since the print request mail transmitted from the apparatus to the printing apparatus is still an e-mail, it is possible to protect the print requesting apparatus and the printing apparatus by the firewall without performing any special measures on the firewall. Can be.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings to provide an understanding of the present invention.
This embodiment is a specific example of the present invention.
It is not intended to limit the technical scope of the present invention. Here, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of the printing system according to the embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, in the printing system according to the embodiment of the present invention, two sites 1A and 2A each having a LAN are connected through a public telephone line network or the Internet. The user terminals 1a, 1b,..., 1
z, printers 11, 12,..., 1N, mail server 1α
Are connected, and a firewall 1γ is installed at the boundary with the external network. The user terminals 2a, 2b,..., As well as the LAN constructed at the site 1A, are connected to the LAN constructed at the site 2A.
2z, printers 21, 22, ..., 2N, mail server 2
are connected, and a firewall 2γ is installed at the boundary with the external network. As shown in FIG. 1, the user terminals 1a, 1b, ..., 1z, 2a, 2
The printer driver 300 operates on b,..., 2z, and utilizes the hardware resources of the user terminal to execute a print processing control unit 301, a print condition setting unit 302, a print data generation unit 303, a job request unit 304, Email generator 3
05, a mail transmission unit 306, a mail reception unit 307, a mail analysis unit 308, an inquiry processing unit 309, a printer database (hereinafter, printer DB) 310, and the like. Further, the user terminals 1a, 1b, ..., 1z, 2
, 2z are an input unit 350, a data file storage unit 351, and a network interface (hereinafter, referred to as a network interface).
, 1z, 2a, 2b,..., 2z, an application program 353 and mail (client) software 354 also operate. The printer 1
, 21, 22,... Are a network interface unit 400, a mail receiving unit 401, a mail analyzing unit 402, a print condition rewriting unit 403, and a print job receiving unit 4.
04, print job management unit 405, print data storage unit 40
6, printing unit 407, status acquisition unit 408, printer information storage unit 409, mail generation unit 410, mail transmission unit 41
1, a search unit 412, and the like. In this embodiment,
The user terminal corresponds to a print requesting device, the printer driver corresponds to a print requesting program, and the printer corresponds to a printing device.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the operation of the printing system.
Shown in For example, when a user using the user terminal 1a at the site 1A wants to print certain image data stored in the data file unit 351,
First, in the user terminal 1a, the printing condition of the image data is set by the printing condition setting unit 302 (S301). The printing condition setting unit 302 corresponds to a printing condition setting unit of the print requesting apparatus, and information on the printer that requests printing of the image data read from the printer DB 310 and directly from the input unit 350 The user's instruction information input or passed through the application program 353 and the image data read directly from the data file storage unit 351 or the application program 3
The printing conditions are set based on the image data passed through the printer 53. FIG. 4 shows the printer DB 31.
A specific example of the storage contents of 0 will be shown. As shown in FIG.
The printer DB 310 stores, for each of the printers 11, 12,..., 21, an IP address and a mail address pre-assigned to the printer, in addition to information on the printer such as printer characteristics and optional configurations. ing. The printing condition setting unit 302 reads out, for example, information on the printer 21 that requests printing of the image data from the information on the printer stored in the printer DB 310.

[0011] User instruction information including an instruction to the printer for requesting printing of the image data is obtained by the printer driver 300 using, for example, a dialog screen as shown in FIG. In the dialogs shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, a plurality of objects that can virtually perform operations such as input and selection using the input unit 350 such as a mouse and a keyboard are arranged. FIG. 5A is a dialog screen displayed when the user instructs to print the image data. The dialog screen of FIG. 5A includes an area 501 for specifying a printer on which the image data is to be printed, an area 502 for specifying a print range, and an area 503 for specifying the number of copies. "OK" button (object) 504 for confirming the user's intention to print, "Cancel" for indicating that the user has lost the intention to print
Button 505 is also arranged. In the area 502,
A selection object 506 for the user to select a printer on which the image data is to be printed, and a property button 507 for displaying and setting the properties of the printer selected using the selection object 506 are arranged. When the printer 21 is selected by the selection object 506 as in the example of FIG. 5A, the printer 21 is placed in the area 501 according to the selected printer at the same site as the user terminal 1a. Whether or not there is a remote print (display as remote print as shown in FIG. 5A if it is at a different site), and which site the printer 21 is located at (site 2 in the example of FIG. 5A)
A), information such as the connection destination of the printer 21 on the network is displayed. What is displayed as the connection destination is the mail address assigned to the printer 21 read from the printer DB 310, that is,
printer-21@xxx2.abc.co.jp When an operation of virtually pressing the property button 507 using the input unit 350 is performed, a dialog screen shown in FIG. 5B is displayed. Using the dialog screen of FIG. 5B, display of information on the printer for printing the image data and setting for the information are performed. For example, the printing direction, the surface on which the print data is recorded on a sheet, the size of the sheet,
It is possible to display information relating to sheet feeding, post-processing, handling of character data, and the like, and to set (instruct) such information. In the case of the example of FIG. 5, the printing conditions include that the number of copies is one, that the printing direction is portrait, that the size of the sheet is A4 size, that stapling is performed as post-processing, The position includes information such as the upper left of the sheet. The printing condition setting unit 3
02 is supplied to the print data generation unit 303 and the mail generation unit 305.

The printing condition is determined by the print data generating unit 30.
3, the print data for printing the image data is generated by the print data generation unit 303 (S302). The print data generation unit 303
In accordance with the control of the print processing control unit 301 which controls the overall print processing performed by the printer driver 300 for printing, the printing is performed using the page description language from the image data according to the printing conditions set by the printing condition setting unit 302. Generate data. When the print data is generated, the printer that requests printing of the image data by the print processing control unit 301 is connected to the LAN of the same site or connected to the LAN of a different site. Is determined (S30).
3). The display of remote print in the column of the state of the area 501 in FIG. 5A shows a specific example of the result of this determination. When the printer requesting the printing of the image data is, for example, the printer 11 connected to the LAN of the same site, the print data is transmitted from the print data generation unit 303 to the job request unit 304.
And a request for printing using the print data is sent directly to the printer 11 through the LAN of the site 1A by the job requesting unit 304 (S304). On the other hand, if the printer requesting printing of the image data is the printer 21 connected to the LAN of a different site, the print data is output to the print data generation unit 3.
03 is supplied to the mail generating unit 305 instead of the job requesting unit 304. When the print data is supplied to the mail generation unit 304, a print request mail requesting printing of the image data is generated by the mail generation unit 305 (S305). At this time, the mail generation unit 304 describes the print conditions supplied from the print condition setting unit 302 in the text, and a file (here, the file) from which the image data supplied from the print data generation unit 303 is obtained. The print request mail attached with the print data file is generated. The mail generation unit 305 in step S305 corresponds to a print request mail generation unit of the print requesting apparatus.

FIG. 6 shows a specific example of the print request mail. The upper part of FIG. 6 is a specific example of the header of the print request mail, and the lower part is a specific example of the body of the print request mail. In the From field of the header of the print request mail, a mail account used by the printer driver 300 operating on the user terminal 1a is described, and in the To field of the header, a mail address corresponding to the printer 21 is described. In the Reply-to column of the header, the user terminal 1
The mail account of the user who instructed the printing of the image data using a is described. Further, in the body of the print request mail, the print conditions relating to font conversion, the presence or absence of post-processing staples, the position of staples, and the like are described in a predetermined format. The print request mail generated by the mail generation unit 304 is supplied to the mail transmission unit 306. After the print request mail is generated, the print request mail is transmitted by the mail transmission unit 306 to the mail server 1α connected to the LAN of the site 1A using the network IF 352 (S306). The print request mail is transmitted from the mail server 1α, and passes through the firewall 1γ of the site 1A, the public telephone line or the Internet, the firewall 2γ of the site 2A, and the site 2A.
The mail is received by the mail server 2α connected to the LAN of A (S307). When the print request mail is received by the mail server 2α, the fact is notified to the printer 21 and the mail receiving unit 401 of the printer 21 spools the print request mail to the mail server 2α via the network IF 400. A print request mail is obtained (S308). Of course, this procedure S3
08 can also be performed by the mail receiving unit 401 of the printer 21 periodically making a reception request to the mail server 2α. The print request mail received by the mail receiving unit 401 is transmitted to the printer 2
1 is sent to the mail analysis unit 402, and the print request mail is analyzed by the mail analysis unit 402 (S
309).

At this time, the mail analysis unit 402 determines whether or not information on the printing conditions is described in the body of the print request mail, and describes the information on the printing conditions in the body of the print request mail. If it is determined that the print condition has been set, at least processing for extracting the print condition from the description of the body of the print request mail is performed. That is, the mail analysis unit 40 according to this step S309
Reference numeral 2 corresponds to the condition description presence / absence determining means and the printing condition extracting means of the printing apparatus. Whether or not the information on the printing condition is described in the body of the print request mail can be determined, for example, based on whether or not the description of the body of the print request mail follows the format.
More specifically, in the format, when information about the printing conditions is described in the body of the print request mail, it is assumed that control codes are inserted before and after the information. Analysis unit 402
Determines whether information about the printing conditions is described in the body of the print request mail, based on whether or not those control codes are in the body of the print request mail. The mail analysis unit 402 determines whether information on the printing condition is described in the body of the print request mail (S310), and determines that the information on the printing condition is not described. In this case, the print data is supplied from the mail analysis unit 402, and the print data as it is is supplied to the print job receiving unit 404 by the print condition rewriting unit 403. If the file attached to the print request mail is a file of the image data itself, the printing condition rewriting unit 403 performs the printing according to the default printing conditions of the printer 21 stored in the printer information storage unit 409. The print data of the image data is generated, and the generated print data is supplied to the print job receiving unit 404.

On the other hand, when the mail analyzing unit 402 determines that the information on the printing condition is described in the text of the print request mail, the mail analyzing unit 402 The printing conditions are extracted from the description of the text of the
02 and the print data extracted from step S 02 are supplied from the mail analysis unit 402 to the print condition rewriting unit 403. The print condition rewriting unit 403 changes the print condition of the print data to the mail analysis unit 40.
(S31)
1). At this time, the printing condition rewriting unit 403 extracts the image data from the printing data supplied from the mail analyzing unit 402, and extracts the image data from the printing data in accordance with the printing conditions extracted by the mail analyzing unit 402. The print data of the image data is regenerated, and the print conditions are rewritten. That is, the procedure S311
The printing condition rewriting section 403 in the above corresponds to the printing data generating means of the printing apparatus. The print data whose print condition has been rewritten by the print condition rewriting unit 403 is supplied to the print job receiving unit 404. When the print data is supplied to the print job receiving unit 404, a job is received for the print data (S312).
The job is registered in the print job management unit 405,
The print data itself is stored in the print data storage unit 406. When all the jobs managed by the print job management unit 405 are completed before the job is registered, the print data relating to the job is supplied from the print data storage unit 406 to the printing unit 407, and the printing The job management unit 405 instructs the printing unit 407 to execute printing on the print data (S313).
The printing unit 407 records the print data on a sheet by an electrophotographic process or an inkjet method. As described above, when the print condition is described in the body of the print request mail, the print condition is used when recording the print data on a sheet. It is possible to obtain a print result according to the intention of the user on the 1A side.

When the completion of the recording of the print data on the sheet is detected by the print job management unit 405 according to the data from the status acquisition unit 408 for acquiring the status of the printing unit 407, FIG. As a reply to the print request mail shown in FIG. 7, the mail generation unit 410 generates a reply mail of the print request mail as shown in FIG. 7, for example, indicating that the recording of the print data on the sheet is completed. , Is transmitted by the mail transmitting unit 411 using the network IF 400. The reply mail is received by the mail server 1α connected to the LAN of the site 1A, and the user who has used the user terminal 1a converts the mail using the mail software 354 operating on the user terminal. When received from the mail server 1α, it is possible to easily know that the printing of the print data has been performed under the printing conditions specified by the user and that the printing has been completed. As shown in FIG. 1, the user terminals 1a,..., 1z and the printers 11,. , 2z and the printers 21, ..., 2N
The firewalls 1γ and 2γ are respectively arranged at the boundary with the outside of the site 2A having the local area network (LAN) to which the is connected. The firewall 1γ includes, for example, the user terminals 1a,.
The mail address assigned to the printer driver 300 operating on the printer z is set as a sender address, and only the mail address assigned to the printers 21,..., 2N is set as a destination address within the site 1A. From the user terminal 2
a, the printer driver 300 operating on 2z
The mail address assigned to the printer 1 is set as the source address, and only the mail assigned to the printer 11,..., 1N as the destination address is passed from the outside of the site 1A to the inside. Also,
The firewall 2γ is, for example, the user terminal 2
a, the printer driver 300 operating on 2z
, 1N, the mail address assigned to the printer 11,..., 1N is set to the destination address, and only the mail from the inside of the site 2A is passed to the outside. The mail address assigned to the printer driver 300 operating on the terminal 1a,..., 1z is set as the source address, and the mail address assigned to the printers 21,. Only from the outside of the site 2A to the inside. These settings for the firewalls 1γ and 2γ are not special for general firewalls. By performing communication relating to printing using the mail such as the print request mail, the site 1A or the site 2A can be used without taking any special measures for the firewall.
You can protect the equipment inside.

Incidentally, the user terminals 1a,.
, 2a,..., 2z, the printing condition setting unit 30
2 to set the printing conditions, the printer D
It is necessary to store in advance information relating to a printer for printing the print data in B310. This information is
The printer information storage unit 409 of each printer is stored in the printer information storage unit 409 of each printer.
Next, the operation of the printing system in which the user terminal obtains the information on the printer from an electronic mail using mail will be described with reference to FIG. First, a process for inquiring information about each printer is performed by the printer driver 300 on each user terminal. In the process, first, an inquiry mail is generated by the mail generation unit 305 according to an instruction of the inquiry processing unit 309 ( S8
01). The inquiry processing unit 309 may be, for example, a case where the printer DB 310 does not store information on a printer that prints the print data even though there is an instruction to print the image data on the printer, Automatically causes the mail generation unit 305 to generate the inquiry mail. At this time, the inquiry processing unit 30
9 is a mail address used by the printer driver 300 on each user terminal, for example, suzu shown in FIG.
ki-prtdrv @ xxx1.abc.co.jp to the mail generator 305
Give to. Upon receiving an instruction from the inquiry processing unit 309, the mail generation unit 309 generates an inquiry mail for inquiring information about the printer. In the From and Reply-to columns of the header of the inquiry mail, the mail address supplied from the inquiry processing unit 309, for example, suzu
ki-prtdrv@xxx1.abc.co.jp is described, and the mail address assigned to the printer to be queried is described in the To column of the header of the inquiry mail. To indicate that the query is for information about the printer, for example, “Query” is entered in the Subject field of the header of the inquiry mail.
Describe a predetermined title such as "Prt Infomation".
When inquiring all the information about the printer, leave the body of the inquiry mail blank, or write words or symbols to that effect in the body of the inquiry mail, and when inquiring specific information about the printer,
What is necessary is just to write a word or a sign indicating that in a predetermined format in the body of the inquiry mail. At this time, the mail generation unit 309 corresponds to an inquiry mail generation unit of the print requesting apparatus.

The inquiry mail generated by the mail generation unit 305 is transmitted by the mail transmission unit 306 to, for example, the mail server 2α connected to the LAN of the site 2A (S802). The mail server 2α
Receives the inquiry mail (S803), and obtains the inquiry mail by, for example, the mail receiving unit 401 of the printer 21 which is the target of the inquiry (S803).
804). When the inquiry mail is obtained by the mail receiving unit 401, the inquiry mail is supplied to the mail analysis unit 402, and the inquiry mail is analyzed by the mail analysis unit 402 (S805). At this time, the mail analysis unit 402
For example, it is determined whether or not the mail received by step 1 is the inquiry mail based on the description in the Subject column of the header of the mail, and if it is determined that the mail is the inquiry mail, the body of the inquiry mail is determined. , A process of extracting the contents of the inquiry from the predetermined format. Further, the mail analysis unit 402 supplies the inquiry mail to the mail generation unit 410. The contents of the inquiry extracted by the mail analysis unit 402 are supplied to the search unit 412. The search unit 412 is configured to search the mail analysis unit 40
The printer information stored in the printer information storage unit 409 is searched for in accordance with the inquiry content supplied from the printer 2, and the search result is supplied to the mail generation unit 410. When the search result of the search unit 412 is supplied to the mail generation unit 410, Repl of the header of the inquiry mail is transmitted.
A reply mail of the inquiry mail addressed to the mail address described in the y-to column is generated (S806). The mail generation unit 410 describes the search result of the search unit 412 in the body of the reply mail according to a predetermined format. When the mail generation unit 410 generates the reply mail in which the search result (printer information) of the search unit 412 is described in the text, the reply mail of the inquiry mail is transmitted from the mail generation unit 410 to the mail transmission. Part 411
To the site 1A by the mail transmission unit 411.
Is transmitted to the mail server 1α connected to the LAN (S807).

When the reply mail is received by the mail server 1α (S808) and the reply mail spooled in the mail server 1α is obtained by the mail receiving unit 307 of the user terminal (S809),
The reply mail is supplied from the mail receiving unit 307 to the mail analyzing unit 308. The mail receiving unit 307
When the reply mail is supplied to the mail analyzing unit 308 from, the reply mail is analyzed by the mail analyzing unit 308 (S810). At this time, the mail analysis unit 308 determines whether information about the printer is described in the body of the reply mail according to the predetermined format, and determines that the information of the printer is described in the body of the reply mail. If the determination is made, at least processing for extracting the information of the printer in accordance with the predetermined format is performed. That is, the mail analysis unit 308 according to the step S810 corresponds to the device information description existence determining unit and the device information extracting unit of the print requesting device. The mail analysis unit 308 determines whether or not printer information is described in the body of the reply mail (S811). If the mail analysis unit 308 does not describe the printer information in the body of the reply mail, Is determined, the result is sent to the query processing unit 30.
9, and the process is completed. The mail analysis unit 30
When it is determined that the printer information is described in the text of the reply mail of the inquiry mail according to 8, the printer information extracted by the mail analysis unit 308 is supplied to the inquiry processing unit 309. You. When the information of the printer is supplied from the mail analysis unit 308, the inquiry processing unit 309 stores the information of the printer in the printer DB 310 (S81).
2). That is, the printer DB 310 corresponds to the device information storage unit of the print requesting device. by this,
Printer information such as printer characteristics and optional configurations can be acquired from a printer located at a remote location.

[0020]

In the printing system according to the embodiment, the user terminal on which the printer driver 300 operates, such as the transmission processing of the print request mail, the transmission processing of the inquiry mail, and the reception processing of the reply mail of the inquiry mail. And the printer sends the reply mail of the inquiry mail to the printer. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a computer (eg, a printer information server shown in FIG. 1
β, 2β). In this embodiment, the printer information servers 1β and 2β correspond to print requesting apparatuses, the serverware corresponds to a print requesting program, and the user terminal corresponds to a terminal. FIG. 9 shows a schematic configuration of the printer information servers 1β and 2β and a schematic configuration of the user terminals 1a, 1b,..., 1z, 2a, 2b,. Show. The printer information server 1β,
In 2β, the serverware operates, and as shown in FIG. 9, the print job receiving unit 601, the print job analyzing unit 60
2, printing condition setting unit 603, printer DB 604, mail generation unit 605, mail transmission unit 606, mail reception unit 6
07, a mail analysis unit 608, and an inquiry management unit 609 are realized using hardware resources of a computer. When using the printer information servers 1β, 2β, the user terminals 1a, 1b,..., 1z, 2a, 2
b,..., 2z, the mail generation unit 305 and the mail transmission unit 30 among the configurations 301 to 310 realized by the operation of the printer driver 300.
6, the mail receiving unit 307, the mail analyzing unit 308
Is no longer needed, and the inquiry request unit 311
Is realized. The printers 11,..., 1N, 2
The configuration of 1,..., 2N is the same. FIG. 10 shows a specific example of the operation of the printing system when the printer prints the print data in the printing system according to the present embodiment using such a printer information server. Some procedures S1001 to S10 performed by the printer driver 300 on the user terminal among the procedures shown in FIG.
04 and the procedure S1009 performed by the printer
Steps S1015 to S1015 are basically performed in step S301 shown in FIG.
To S304 and S308 to S313, respectively.

Therefore, steps S1005 to S1008 in FIG. 10 performed by the printer information server will be mainly described. In step S1003, as in step S303, the printer that requests the printing of the image data is connected to the LAN of the same site by the print processing control unit 301 or is connected to the LAN of a different site. If it is determined whether the printer is a printer connected to a LAN at a different site, the job requesting unit determines that the job requesting unit is different from the job requesting unit. A request to print the print data is made to the printer information server 1β by using the network IF 352 (S1005). The job request unit 304 is supplied with the print data from the print data generation unit 303 and the print condition from the print condition setting unit 302.
The site 1 uses the network IF 352 to issue a print request requesting execution of a job for the print data.
A is sent to the printer information server 1β through the LAN of A. When a print request from the job request unit 304 is received using the network IF 600 of the printer information server 1β, a job related to the print request is received by the print job receiving unit 601 of the printer information server 1β. The print job receiving unit 601 supplies the print data relating to the job and the additional information thereof to the print job analysis unit 602 of the printer information server 1β. When the print data and the additional information relating to the job are supplied from the print job receiving unit 601 to the print job analyzing unit 602, the print job analyzing unit 6
02, the print data and the additional information relating to the job are analyzed (S1006). The print job analyzing unit 602 analyzes the print data of the job according to a page description language, extracts the print conditions and the image data therefrom, and specifies a printer on which the image data is printed from the additional information. Extract information, etc. The printing conditions, the image data, the information designating the printer, and the like extracted by the printing job analysis unit 602 are supplied to the printing condition setting unit 603 of the printer information server 1β. In this embodiment, the printing condition setting unit 603 of the printer information server 1β corresponds to the printing condition setting means on the print requesting device side.
Referring to the information about the printer stored in B604,
The print conditions supplied from the print job analysis unit 602 are reviewed as necessary, the print conditions for the image data are reset, and the print data of the image data is generated according to the reset print conditions. . Also, referring to the printer DB 604, the mail address and the like assigned to the specified printer are extracted from the information specifying the printer, and the mail generation unit 605 of the printer information server 1β is extracted together with the print data.
To supply.

When the print data and the mail address are supplied from the print job receiving unit 601 to the mail generation unit 605, the print request mail is generated by the mail generation unit 605 (S1007). FIG. 11 shows a specific example of the print request mail generated by the mail generation unit 605. As shown in FIG. 11, the print request mail generated by the mail generation unit 605 is basically the same as that shown in FIG. 6, except that the printer driver Not the mail address used by 300 but the mail address used by the printer information server 1β, for example,
prt-server@xxx1.abc.co.jp is described. At this time,
The mail generation unit 605 of the printer information server 1β
Corresponds to the print request mail generation unit of the print requesting apparatus in this embodiment. In the To column of the print request mail, the mail address assigned to the printer is described, and in the Reply-to column of the print request mail, the mail address of a user who is used on a daily basis is described. When generating a print request mail, the printer driver 3
It is not necessary to use the mail address assigned to the printer driver 30 for each user terminal.
Even if 0 is operated, there is no need to increase the mail address accordingly. The print request mail generated by the mail generation unit 605 is transmitted to the mail transmission unit 6.
06, and transmitted by the mail transmitting unit 606 to the mail server 2α connected to the LAN of the site 2A (S1008). Thereafter, similarly to the embodiment, the image data is printed using the print data, and the result of the printing process by the printer is described in the reply mail of the print request mail, and the user's mail address Sent to. The destination of the reply mail of the print request mail may be the printer information server 1β. In this case, when the reply mail of the print request mail is received by the mail receiving unit 607 of the printer information server 1β, the mail analysis unit 608 of the printer information server 1β converts the reply mail of the print request mail into the reply mail. The result of the printing process included by the printer is extracted and supplied to, for example, the inquiry management unit 609 of the printer information server 1β.
Then, a response to the print request including the result of the printing process by the printer is generated by the inquiry management unit 609, and the response to the print request is transmitted by the network IF 600 via the LAN of the site 1A according to the instruction of the inquiry management unit 609. Sent to the user terminal.

Next, with reference to FIG. 12, a specific example of the operation of the printing system when performing processing related to the inquiry mail in the printing system using the printer information servers 1β and 2β will be described. First, in response to an instruction of the inquiry processing unit 309 realized by the operation of the printer driver 300 on each user terminal, the inquiry requesting unit 311 issues an inquiry request to, for example, the printer information server 1β ( S1
201). The inquiry request unit 311 sends a device information inquiry request for requesting information on the printer including at least information specifying a printer to be inquired to the printer information server 1β via the LAN of the site 1A using the network IF 352. . The device information inquiry request is received using the network IF 600 of the printer information server 1β via the LAN of the site 1A. The device information inquiry request received by the printer information server 1β is supplied to the inquiry management unit 609 of the printer information server 1β.
When the device information inquiry request is supplied to the inquiry management unit 609, the inquiry information management unit 609 analyzes the device information inquiry request (S1202). The inquiry management unit 609 extracts, from the device information inquiry request, the contents of an inquiry including at least information specifying a printer to be queried, and extracts the target of the inquiry from the information specifying a printer to be queried. Specify the printer to be used. Then, referring to the printer DB 604 of the printer information server 1β, it is determined whether the specified printer is a printer connected to a LAN of the same site or a printer connected to a LAN of a different site, and specified. The same printer as the L of the same site 1A.
If it is determined that the printers are connected to the AN, the network IF 600 is used for LA.
, 1N, the contents of the inquiry are transferred to the printers 11,..., 1N, which are the objects of the inquiry, and it is determined that the specified printers are the printers 21,. , The contents of the inquiry, the mail address of the printer information server 2β connected to the LAN of the same site as the specified printer, and the like are supplied to the mail generation unit 605. In addition, the inquiry management unit 609 also performs processing for managing the execution status of each device information inquiry request.

The inquiry management unit 609 identifies the printer that is the object of the inquiry, and the identified printer is a printer connected to the LAN at the same site (or a printer D in S1215 to be described later).
B604) or a printer connected to a LAN of a different site (S1203), and it is determined that the specified printer is a printer connected to a LAN of a different site. In this case, the inquiry management unit 609 sends the mail generation unit 60
5 shows the contents of the inquiry and the printer information server 2β.
Is supplied, and the inquiry mail is generated by the mail generation unit 605 based on the mail address and the like (S1204). When the contents of the inquiry are supplied to the mail generation unit 605, the mail generation unit 605
Generates an inquiry mail for inquiring information about the printer based on the information. In the From and Reply-to columns of the header of the inquiry mail, not the mail address used by the printer driver 300 but the mail address used by the printer information server 1β, for example, prt-server@xxx1.abc.co. jp is described. In the To column of the header of the inquiry mail, not the mail address to which the printer is assigned but the mail address used by the printer information server 2β, for example, prt-server
＠ xxx2.abc.co.jp is described. In order to indicate that it is an inquiry of information about the printer, a predetermined title such as "Query Prt Infomation" may be described in the Subject field of the header of the inquiry mail, for example, as in the above embodiment. . In this case, if the content of the inquiry is to inquire all of the information on the printer, the body of the inquiry mail is left blank, or words or symbols indicating the fact are described in the body of the inquiry mail in a predetermined format. I do. When the content of the inquiry is to inquire about specific information on the printer, words or symbols representing the specific information may be described in the predetermined format in the body of the inquiry mail. In addition, information specifying the printer in the inquiry content is also
It is described in the body of the inquiry mail according to the predetermined format. At this time, the mail generation unit 309 corresponds to an inquiry mail generation unit of the print requesting apparatus.

The inquiry mail generated by the mail generation unit 605 is transmitted to the mail server 2α by the mail transmission unit 606 of the printer information server 1β (S1205). The mail server 2α
When the inquiry mail is received by (S120)
6) The inquiry mail is spooled in the mail server 2α, and the printer information server 2β is notified that the inquiry mail has been received. When the printer information server 2β is notified of the receipt of the inquiry mail,
The mail receiving unit 607 of the printer information server 2β
Thus, the inquiry mail is obtained from the mail server 2α through the LAN of the site 2A using the network IF 600 (S1207). The mail receiving unit 4
01 is sent from the mail receiving unit 607 to the mail analyzing unit 608,
The inquiry mail is analyzed by the mail analysis unit 608 (S1208). At this time, the mail analysis unit 6
08 determines whether or not the mail received by the mail receiving unit 607 is the inquiry mail, for example, based on the description in the Subject column of the header of the mail, and determines that the mail is the inquiry mail. For example, a process of extracting the contents of the inquiry including the information specifying the printer to be inquired from the body of the inquiry mail is performed. Further, the mail analysis unit 608 supplies the inquiry mail to the mail generation unit 605. The contents of the inquiry extracted by the mail analysis unit 608 are supplied to the inquiry management unit 609 of the printer information server 2β. At this time, the query management unit 609 refers to the printer DB 604 of the printer information server 2β, specifies a printer to be the target of the query from the content of the query, and outputs information about the specified printer from the printer DB 604. A search is performed, and the search result is supplied to the mail generation unit 605 of the printer information server 2β. If the printer DB 604 does not store the information on the specified printer, the inquiry management unit 609 refers to the printer DB 604 to identify the identification information on the network of the printer to be inquired, For example, an IP address is acquired, and a request generated in a predetermined format from the contents of the inquiry is transmitted to the IP address via the LAN of the site 2A.
A response to the request may be received through the LAN of the site 2A and stored in the printer DB 604.

When the search result by the inquiry management unit 609 is supplied to the mail generation unit 605, the reply mail of the inquiry mail addressed to the mail address described in the Reply-to column of the header of the inquiry mail is sent to the mail generation unit 605. It is generated by the mail generation unit 605 (S1209). The mail generation unit 605 describes the search result of the search unit 412 in a predetermined format in the body of the reply mail of the inquiry mail. When the mail generation unit 605 generates the reply mail of the inquiry mail in which the search result (printer information) of the inquiry management unit 609 is described in the text, the reply mail of the inquiry mail is generated by the mail generation unit. 605 is supplied to the mail transmitting unit 606 of the printer information server 2β, and the mail transmitting unit 606 transmits the reply mail of the inquiry mail to the mail server 1α connected to the LAN of the site 1A ( S1210). The reply mail of the inquiry mail is received by the mail server 1α (S121).
1) When the reply mail of the inquiry mail spooled in the mail server 1α is acquired by the mail receiving unit 607 of the printer information server 1β (S
1212), the reply mail of the inquiry mail is supplied from the mail reception unit 307 to the mail analysis unit 608 of the printer information server 1β. When the reply mail of the inquiry mail is supplied from the mail receiving unit 607 to the mail analysis unit 608, the mail analysis unit 608 analyzes the reply mail of the inquiry mail (S1213). At this time, the mail analysis unit 608 determines whether information about a printer is described in the body of the reply mail of the inquiry mail according to the predetermined format, and prints the printer body of the reply mail of the inquiry mail. If it is determined that the information is described, at least processing for extracting the information of the printer is performed. That is, in this embodiment, the mail analysis unit 608 of the printer information server 1β
Corresponds to the device information description presence / absence determining means and the device information extracting means of the print requesting apparatus.

The mail analysis unit 608 determines whether printer information is described in the body of the reply mail (S1214), and the mail analysis unit 608 describes the printer information in the body of the reply mail. If it is determined that there is no such request, the fact is supplied to the inquiry management unit 609 of the printer information server 1β. When the mail analysis unit 608 determines that information about the printer is described in the body of the reply mail, the information of the printer extracted by the mail analysis unit 608 is used as the inquiry management unit 609.
Supplied to When the information about the printer is supplied from the mail analysis unit 308, the inquiry management unit 609 stores the information about the printer in the printer DB 604 of the printer information server 1β (in this embodiment,
(Corresponding to the device information storage unit of the print requesting device) (S1215). Then, the inquiry management unit 60
9 shows the contents of the response to the device information inquiry request,
Based on the content supplied from the mail analysis unit 608, the response of the content indicating that the information of the printer was not obtained or the response including the information of the printer is transmitted to the LA of the site 1A through the network IF 600.
N to the user terminal 1a. A response to the device information inquiry request is generated by the inquiry management unit 609, and is transmitted to the user terminal 1a to make an answer to the user terminal 1a (S1216). When received, the inquiry request unit 311 supplies the answer to the inquiry processing unit 309. The inquiry processing unit 309 determines whether the answer includes information on the printer (S121).
7) If it is determined that the answer does not include the information of the printer, the process ends. If it is determined that the answer includes information about the printer, the inquiry is made. Information about the printer extracted from the answer by the processing unit 309 is stored in the printer DB 310 (S1218).

[0028]

As described above, in the invention of the printing apparatus, it is determined whether or not information on the printing conditions of the image data is described in the body of the mail to which the file from which the image data to be printed is obtained is attached. When it is determined that the information on the printing condition of the image data is described in the body of the mail, the printing condition of the image data is extracted from the description of the body of the mail, and according to the extracted printing condition. Since the print data for printing the image data is generated, if the intention of the user is reflected in the information about the printing condition of the image data described in the body of the mail, the printing of the image data is instructed. Even if the device used by the user is outside the network to which the printing device is connected, the printing device performs printing as intended by the user. Ukoto can. Further, in the printing apparatus, the print data generation unit may include, for example, when the file is a file of the print data,
The image data is extracted from the print data, and the print data of the image data extracted from the print data is generated according to the print conditions extracted by the print condition extraction means. Even if the printing device is generated according to information different from the information on the printing device to be made, the printing device can perform printing as intended by the user. According to the invention of the printing requesting apparatus, a printing condition for printing the image data is set based on information on a printing device requesting printing of the image data, and the set printing condition is described in a text, and the image data is printed. An email with the resulting file attached,
Since a print request mail in which a transmission destination address is set to a mail address pre-assigned to the printing apparatus is generated, by transmitting the print request mail, a device used by a user who instructed to print the image data, For example, even when the print requesting device is outside the network to which the printing device is connected, the intention of the user tailored to the printing device can be communicated to the printing device using the print request mail. It is possible to obtain a print result as intended by the user.

Further, in the print requesting apparatus, an inquiry mail generating means for generating an inquiry mail for inquiring information about the printing apparatus, and whether or not information about the printing apparatus is described in a reply mail of the inquiry mail. A reply mail of the inquiry mail when the device information description presence / absence determining means and the device information description presence / absence determining means determine that the reply mail of the inquiry mail includes information on the printing device; Device information extraction means for extracting information about the printing device from the description of the device, and device information storage means for storing information about the printing device extracted by the device information extraction device, wherein the printing condition setting means comprises: The printing conditions based on the information about the printing device stored in the device information storage means; If set, even when the print requesting apparatus is outside the network to which the printing apparatus is connected, it is possible to obtain information about the printing apparatus at any time using the inquiry mail. Even if the option configuration of the printing device requesting the printing is frequently changed, the printing device can perform the printing as intended by the user without requiring the user to input the change. . Further, if the print requesting apparatus generates and transmits the print request mail according to a print request requesting printing of the image data received through the local network from a terminal connected via a local area network, Even if the terminal actually issues a print request, the print requesting apparatus can request the printing apparatus to perform printing using the print request mail instead of the terminal, and the number of users can be reduced. Accordingly, even if the terminal is prepared so that the print request can be made by a large number of users, only the print requesting apparatus may be set as the source address of the print request mail, and the source of the print request mail may be set. It is possible to suppress an increase in e-mail addresses set as addresses.

Further, the print requesting device generates and transmits the inquiry mail in accordance with a device information inquiry request for requesting an inquiry about information on the printing device received via the local network from a terminal connected via a local network. When the device information description presence / absence determining unit determines that the information on the printing device is described in the reply mail of the inquiry mail, the information on the printing device is stored in the device information storage unit. Transmitting a response to the device information inquiry request including information on the printing device to the terminal through the local area network,
Even if the terminal actually requests the inquiry of the apparatus, the print requesting apparatus requests the printing apparatus to perform printing using the inquiry mail instead of the terminal, and Since the information about the information is collected in the print requesting apparatus, there is a high possibility that the information requested by the print requesting apparatus is stored. As a result, the terminal can be accessed without inquiring the printing apparatus. Is more likely to be able to respond to the request, and the possibility that the inquiry mail is congested can be suppressed. Further, the above-described print requesting apparatus can be provided by a computer using the print requesting program. In the printing system invention, a printing condition for printing the image data is set by the print requesting device based on information about the printing device. The set printing condition is described in a text, and the image data is A print request mail, which is a mail attached with the obtained file and has a destination address set to a mail address pre-assigned to the printing device, is generated, and the mail is the print request mail by the printing device. If it is determined that the mail is the print request mail, the printing condition of the image data is extracted from the description of the body of the print request mail, and the printing condition is determined according to the extracted printing condition. Since print data for printing image data is generated, the print requesting device and the printing device in the printing system are used. Even when the printers are connected to each other via an external network, the print requesting apparatus can transmit the print request mail to the printing apparatus via the external network, thereby transmitting the user's intention to the printing apparatus. This allows the printing apparatus to perform printing as intended by the user. Further, in the printing system, when a firewall is provided at a boundary between the local area network to which the print requesting apparatus is connected and the outside of the local area network to which the printing apparatus is connected, a special measure is given to the firewall. Even without doing so, the print requesting device and the printing device can be protected by the firewall.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a user terminal and a printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an overall configuration of a printing system including a user terminal and a printer according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a specific example of the operation of the printing system when requesting a printer to perform printing according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an exemplary view for explaining a specific example of storage contents of a printer database provided in the user terminal according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a specific example of a dialog screen for a printer driver operating on a user terminal to acquire a user instruction according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a view showing a specific example of a print request mail transmitted from the user terminal to the printer according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a view showing a specific example of a reply mail of the print request mail.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining a specific example of the operation of the printing system when inquiring information about a printer according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a functional block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a user terminal and a printer information server according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart for explaining a specific example of an operation when the printer performs printing in the printing system including the user terminal, the printer information server, and the printer according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a view showing a specific example of a print request mail transmitted from the printer information server according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart for explaining a specific example of the operation of the printing system when inquiring information about the printer according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1a: user terminal 11, 21, printer 1α, 2α: mail server 1β, 2β: printer information server 1γ, 2γ: firewall 300: printer driver 301: print processing control unit 302: print condition setting unit of user terminal 303: print data Generating unit 304: Job requesting unit 305: User terminal mail generating unit 306: User terminal mail transmitting unit 307: User terminal mail receiving unit 308: User terminal mail analyzing unit 309: Query processing unit 310: User terminal printer DB 311: inquiry requesting unit 401: printer mail receiving unit 402: printer mail analyzing unit 403: printing condition rewriting unit 404: printer print job receiving unit 405: print job management unit 406: print data storage unit 407: printing unit 408: Status acquisition unit 409: Printer Information storage unit 410: Printer mail generation unit 411: Printer mail transmission unit 412: Search unit 601 ... Print job management unit of printer information server 602 ... Print job analysis unit 603 ... Print condition setting unit of printer information server 604: Printer Printer DB of information server 605: Mail generation unit of printer information server 606: Mail transmission unit of printer information server 607: Mail reception unit of printer information server 608: Mail analysis unit of printer information server 609: Query management unit

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A printing apparatus for printing image data obtained from a file attached to a mail, and determining whether or not information on a printing condition of the image data is described in a body of the mail. When the condition description presence / absence determination means and the condition description presence / absence determination means determine that the information about the printing condition of the image data is described in the body of the mail, the image description is made based on the description of the body of the mail. A printing apparatus comprising: printing condition extracting means for extracting data printing conditions; and print data generating means for generating print data for printing the image data in accordance with the printing conditions extracted by the printing condition extracting means. . 2. The print data generating means, when the file is a file of the print data, extracts the image data from the print data and prints the image data in accordance with the print condition extracted by the print condition extracting means. 2. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the print data of the image data extracted from the data is generated. 3. A printing condition setting means for setting printing conditions for printing the image data based on information on a printing device requesting printing of the image data, and a printing condition setting means for setting the printing conditions set by the printing condition setting means to a text. And a print request mail generating means for generating a print request mail in which a destination address is set to a mail address previously assigned to the printing apparatus, the print request mail being a mail attached with a file described in the above section and from which the image data is obtained. Print requesting device. 4. An inquiry mail generating means for generating an inquiry mail for inquiring information about the printing device, and a device information description presence / absence determination for determining whether information about the printing device is described in a reply mail of the inquiry mail. Means and the device information description presence / absence determining means determine that the information about the printing device is described in the reply mail of the inquiry mail. Device information extracting means for extracting information; and device information storing means for storing information about the printing device extracted by the device information extracting means. The printing condition setting means stores the information in the device information storing means. 4. The print request according to claim 3, wherein the printing condition is set based on the information on the printing device. Side device. 5. The print request mail is generated and transmitted according to a print request from a terminal connected via a local area network and requesting printing of the image data received via the local network.
The print requesting device of the description. 6. An inquiry mail is generated and transmitted according to a device information inquiry request for requesting an inquiry about information on the printing device received from the terminal connected via the local network via the local network, and the device information description is provided. When the determination unit determines that the information about the printing device is described in the reply mail of the inquiry mail, the information about the printing device is stored in the device information storage unit, and the information about the printing device is stored. 5. The print requesting apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a response to the apparatus information inquiry request is transmitted to the terminal via the local area network. 7. A print request program for causing a computer to function as the print request device according to any one of claims 3 to 6. 8. A printing apparatus comprising: a printing device for printing image data obtained from a file attached to a mail; and a print requesting device that requests the printing device capable of sending a mail to perform printing. A printing condition setting unit configured to set a printing condition for printing the image data based on information about the printing device; and a printing condition setting unit configured to change the printing condition set by the printing condition setting unit. And a print request mail generating means for generating a print request mail which is a mail attached with a file described in the text and from which the image data can be obtained, the print request mail having a destination address set to a mail address pre-assigned to the printing apparatus. The printing device includes a condition description presence / absence determining unit that determines whether a mail is the print request mail, and the condition description presence / absence determination unit. When it is determined that the mail is the print request mail, the print condition extracting means for extracting the print condition of the image data from the description of the body of the print request mail and the print condition extracting means And a print data generating means for generating print data for printing the image data according to the printing conditions. 9. The printing system according to claim 8, wherein a firewall is provided at a boundary between the local area network to which the print requesting apparatus is connected and the outside of the local area network to which the printing apparatus is connected.