JP2002351777A - System and method for supplying service for printing out data through communication network - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a system for supplying service for printing out data to an outer printer from a portable terminal even in an environment where a printer device does not exist. SOLUTION: In the system and the method for supplying service for printing out data, service for printing out data to a print device connected to a communication network in accordance with a request from a user terminal connected to the communication network is given. The print request is sent from the user terminal to the server of a print service supplied through the communication network. Data are read from a memory area allocated to store data of the user of the memory device of the server in accordance with the print request, and data are transmitted to the print device through the communication network. The print device prints out data transmitted from the server and charges the user in accordance with the printing out of data.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a personal computer (hereinafter, referred to as a personal computer) having no printing device, a portable information processing terminal device called a PDA, or a portable telephone (including a PHS). The present invention relates to a system and a method for providing a service for printing out data (documents and images) from a printing device located at a predetermined external location.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Laptop personal computers and PDAs
In general, portable small personal computers (hereinafter referred to as “portable terminals”) do not include a printer, and are compatible with the terminal in order to print out created documents. It is necessary to go to a place where a printer to be connected and connect a portable terminal to perform printing. Therefore, if there is no printer, or if there is only a printer whose interface is not compatible with the portable terminal, the created document cannot be printed out, which is inconvenient.

[0003] For example, suppose that a sales employee presents an estimate for a contract to a customer in a negotiation situation in which a contract is exchanged with the customer on the go. If the customer disagrees with the contents of the quote and the quote changes, for example, if the number, type, amount, etc. of the products in the order change, it is desirable to rewrite the quote immediately and make a contract immediately .

[0004] However, even if the contents of the quote can be changed using the portable terminal, a new quote cannot be issued unless the printer is near the printer. Previously, when the contents of the quote changed, the sales staff returned to the company once,
It takes a lot of time and effort to re-write the quotation on the company's PC etc., make an appointment with the customer again and go to the customer's company again,
I can't do business smoothly. In addition, there is also an inconvenience that even if a mistake in the quote or a printing error is found at the customer's place, it cannot be corrected immediately.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, and even in an environment where a printer device is not provided in its own portable terminal device, a printer provided at various places by a service company can be used by a portable terminal. It is intended to provide a service for printing out data.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided a system and method for providing a printout service, wherein data is printed out to a printing device connected to a communication network in response to a request from a user terminal connected to the communication network. It provides a service, sends a print request from the user terminal to the server of the print service provider via the communication network, and, in response to the print request, sends the user data in the memory device of the server. Reading the data from the memory area allocated for storage, transmitting the data to the printing device via the communication network, the printing device printing out the data transmitted from the server, Charge the user according to the printout to the user

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A service for printing out data according to the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings. The user accesses a web site (ASP3) of a print service company from the terminal 1 such as a mobile phone or the personal computer 5 via the Internet 2 and, on a setting screen on the homepage of the site, prints data (document text, still image). Image), and inputs information such as a save request, a print request, a place to print out (such as a store), the number of prints, a paper size, a character, a color, and a magnification. Note that ASP is an abbreviation for application service provider. For places (stores) where printout is possible, ASP3
A map can be displayed on the homepage of the company, the store where the printer is arranged is displayed on the map by an icon, and the user can specify the store on the map screen by clicking with a pointer. In this drawing, in order to make the description easy to understand, two printers 4 and 7 and only one user's mobile phone 1 or one user's personal computer 5 are shown connected to the network 2 respectively. But, in fact,
More printer shops are located and many users are connected to the network.

[0008] A receiving the information for those printing
Upon receiving the information, the SP 3 transmits the data via the Internet 2 to the printer 4 installed in a store designated by the user (such as a convenience store), and temporarily stores the data in a memory in the printer. In this case, user registration is required in advance to use the service.

[0009] When a user registers, the user is given a user identification number or the like from an ASP company that provides a print service. The user inputs a user identification number when transmitting data, and the ASP 3 performs authentication processing of the identification number before permitting data reception and storage, and the authentication result indicates that the user is a correct user. Next, the service is executed.

Next, when the user comes to the store 4 and inputs an identification number or a specific keyword to the printer, printout is started. Alternatively, when the visitor sends a print request from his / her mobile phone 1 or portable terminal to the website of the ASP 3, the ASP 3 transmits a request command to print data of the specified data to the printer 4 of the store. Printout can also be started.

Alternatively, as another mode, when data is transmitted from the user's terminal 1 to the ASP 3 and the data is stored, the data is not yet transmitted to the printer 4 of the store, and when the user comes to the store, Only when the user sends a print request from the terminal 1 such as a mobile phone to the Web site of the ASP 3, the data can be transmitted from the ASP 3 to the printer 4 of the store and subsequently printed out. In this case, the memory capacity on the printer side will be small.

[0012] Alternatively, as another embodiment, when data is transmitted from the user's terminal 1 to the ASP 3 and stored, a store to be printed out and a time of the printout are designated, and the user is designated at the designated time. Arrives at the store and waits for the printout to be completed, or an employee of the store (4) keeps the printout,
A cash on delivery can also be made to a user who comes to the store at a convenient time. In such a hand-over, it is necessary to check with an identification number or the like in order to confirm that the user is the correct user who has requested the printout.

As an example of a method of collecting a fee, the account number of the user's credit card is also recorded at the time of user registration on the home page of the ASP3 site, and the user's account is registered each time a print request is made on the web. There is a form to be charged. In addition, a printer is provided with a charge input device, and when a predetermined charge is input, the information is transmitted to the ASP 3 and the ASP 3 sends a printout start command to the printer to start printing. There is also. In the latter case, the fee information needs to be transmitted from the ASP 3 to the printer. Alternatively, in the case of a manned store, a form in which the user presses a start switch of the printer when the user pays the fee to the store clerk may be considered.

The items to be charged as service charges for the user include an initial registration fee, a size of a memory area allocated to the user in the server of the ASP 3, a management fee according to a use period of the memory area, and the like. When editing data or converting the data format, the user is charged by appropriately combining items such as the usage amount (such as time charge) and the usage fee according to the amount of data to be printed (number of pages and bytes). Then, it is debited from the user's credit card account, or paid by means such as bank transfer or postal transfer.

It is also possible to give a service use opportunity to a person who has not signed up with a printout service company in advance and has not registered as a user. New unregistered users who need to print out in a hurry enter the desired printing conditions (data fee, number of prints, printing location, etc.) on the ASP3 homepage, and ASP3 will charge for the service of the printing conditions. Is displayed, and when the user agrees with it and enters his / her credit card number, a printout service can be received at a predetermined shop. In the case of sudden use of an unregistered new user, a charge setting higher than the usage fee of the registered user may be set.

In the example in which the quote is changed during negotiations with the customer, the sales employee corresponding to the customer changes the content of the quote or edits such as additional correction using his / her own personal computer 5. Alternatively, the user instructs to edit the quote by calling another person in the company from the mobile phone 1 and edits the quote. Then, the edited quote data is transmitted to the ASP 3 via the Internet 2. Then, when a print request is sent from the personal computer 5 or the mobile phone 1 to the ASP 3, the edited data is transmitted to the printer 4 designated by the user and printed out. In this case, the most convenient place available from the place under negotiation may be selected as the place to print out.

When trying to edit data using a personal computer that does not have data editing software, the data is once converted into a highly versatile data format in the ASP3 into a data format that can be edited on the personal computer. After the conversion, the converted data can be downloaded to the personal computer for editing, and the edited data can be uploaded to the ASP 3 for printing. Even for special data, a highly versatile data format (for example, htm
1 and pdf), and storing the converted data in the ASP 3, allows data to be edited from the ASP 3 as well.

If the editing process in the ASP 3 slows down the operation of the data, or if you want to check the data for a long time, download the data from the ASP 3 to the user's personal computer. After the above editing or confirmation processing, data can be uploaded to the ASP 3 and a print request can be made.

In addition, several kinds of basic forms of frequently used document documents (such as quotes) are prepared in the ASP 3 in advance, and the user selects the form from the portable terminal, and selects the form. Only desired data may be input in the blank space. In that case, the data can be easily corrected from the portable terminal.

The location of the printer is not limited to the convenience store of the above embodiment. For example, places where business people and people can easily gather include station halls and kiosks, government offices, courts, schools, airfield waiting lobbies, hospitals, supermarkets, department stores, photo labs,
Convenience of service by placing printers in as many places as possible by contracting with restaurants, hotels, tenant buildings, trains, airplanes, gas stations, corporate receptions and lobbies, or large apartment lobbies, etc. Sex will be more increased.

As shown in the drawing, a portable terminal device 6 having a wireless interface such as Bluetooth can be connected to the network 2 as a portable terminal of the user, and a print request and data transmission can be performed. .
In the description of the embodiment of the present invention, the case of printing out a quote is described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a printout service can be provided for printouts (including color printing) of images other than documents, such as photographs and illustrations, and tables, graphs, and design drawings of various data. In addition, if a printer capable of making the print medium into a T-shirt or plastic other than paper is arranged, various printer use services can be provided to users other than business users. .

As another example of the use of this service, the same data can be printed out on many different printers (installed shops) at a time, and the printed out data can be provided to a plurality of users. In such a case, when printing a large number of copies, printing can be completed in a shorter time than printing with a single printer, and time is saved.

[0023]

According to the present invention, by storing data on an ASP, even in an environment where a printer cannot be used, data can be printed out to an external printer if the environment allows access to the ASP. In this case, there is an excellent effect that a highly convenient service can be provided to a mobile terminal user, which can easily edit data and convert a data format from a mobile terminal or the like.
Also, as a secondary effect, the number of opportunities for printout users to visit the store where the printer is located increases, and this also has the effect of increasing the sales of products originally sold at the store. You can increase the number of stores.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system diagram of a data printout service according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 User's mobile phone 2 Internet 3 ASP server 4 Convenience store printer 5 User's personal computer 6 User terminal with wireless interface 7 Kiosk printer

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) G06F 17/60 332 G06F 17/60 332 504 504 506 506 506 F-term (Reference) 2C061 AP01 HJ06 HQ17 HX10 5B021 AA01 BB02 EE02

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A print service provider server, comprising: a user terminal connected to a communication network; and a memory device connected to the communication network, the memory device including a memory area allocated for storing contracted user data. A printing device connected to the communication network; and the server reads the user data from the memory device of the server in response to a print request from the user terminal, and reads the data via the communication network. A print service that prints out the data transmitted from the server and charges the user according to the printout of the data. 2. A method for providing a service for printing out data to a printing apparatus connected to a communication network in response to a request from a user terminal connected to the communication network, the server comprising: a server of a print service provider from the user terminal. Sending a print request via the communication network to the communication network, reading the data from a memory area of the memory device of the server allocated for storing the user data in response to the print request, Transmitting the data to the printing apparatus via the PC, the printing apparatus printing out the data transmitted from the server, and charging the user according to the printout of the data. How to do a printout service. 3. The data is transmitted from the user terminal to the server via the communication network, and the transmitted data is stored in a memory area allocated to store the data of the user. 3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the service for printing out is provided. 4. The method for providing a printout service according to claim 2, wherein the user terminal edits or converts the data format of the user via the communication network. 5. The server displays a predetermined format for data on the server homepage, opens the homepage from the user terminal, inputs desired data on the predetermined format, and inputs the input data. 3. The method for providing a printout service according to claim 2, wherein is stored in a memory area allocated to store the user data. 6. A contract concerning a printout service is made between the print service provider and the user, a size of a memory area allocated for storing data of the user, an access time to the server,
Data conversion and / or data editing
3. The charging method according to claim 2, wherein the charging amount is determined according to at least one of data amounts to be printed out.
How to perform the described printout service. 7. The method according to claim 2, wherein the user terminal is one of a mobile phone, a personal computer, and a mobile data processing terminal device. 8. A method for providing a service for printing out data to a printing device connected to a communication network in response to a request from a user terminal connected to the communication network, wherein a server of a print service provider performs the communication. A print request is received from the user terminal via a network, and in response to the print request, the data is read from a memory area of the server memory device allocated for storing the user data, and the communication network is read. Transmitting the data to the printing device via the server, and charging the user for the process of printing out the data transmitted from the server by the printing device. how to. 9. The server converts a data format of data in the memory area of the memory device into a data format editable by the user terminal on the server, and stores the converted data format in the memory area. Reading the data in which the data format has been converted from the memory area to the user terminal, editing the read data on the user terminal and storing the edited data in the memory area of the server via the communication network, Sending the edited data in the memory area to the printing device via the communication network in response to a print request, and providing the user with the user as a price for the printing device to print out the data transmitted from the server. 3. The method for providing a print-out service according to claim 2, wherein billing is performed for the service. 10. The data format of the data in the memory area of the memory device is converted to another data format on the server, the converted data is stored in the memory area, and The data format is edited and stored in the memory area of the server after the data is converted, and the edited data in the memory area is transmitted to the printing apparatus via the communication network in response to a print request, 3. The method of providing a printout service according to claim 2, wherein the printing apparatus charges the user for a process of printing out the data transmitted from the server.