JP2003140870A - Printing processing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printing processing system capable of receiving a document for printing processing from the client side in a short time as much as possible, and executing printing processing. SOLUTION: A portable remote terminal 1 as a client device transmits the document and information for specifying a printer format. A printing processing device 2 receives the document and the information for specifying the printer format, generates a printing document acquired by formatting the document following layout information related to the information for specifying the printer format, and transmits it to a printer device 3. The printer device 3 prints the printing document.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a print processing system that prints a document provided by a client.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, portable terminals (cellular phones, PDs, etc.) capable of wireless communication via a cellular phone network or the like.
A (Personal Digital Assistants) and the like; hereinafter collectively referred to as mobile terminals) have become widespread, and many users use these terminals on the go. It is also possible to use such communication to send a document created by a mobile terminal to a printer for printing.

The procedure for printing a document created using a portable terminal is as follows. Normally, this procedure involves connecting a mobile terminal to a computer connected to a printer, causing the computer to capture a document created by the mobile terminal, and printing the captured document using the computer. . According to this method, it is necessary to connect to a computer, which makes it difficult to print at a place where the user is out.

Further, a Web server holding an application for creating a document is installed, and this We
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-282000 discloses a technique for accessing a server b, creating a document, and causing the Web server to perform print processing.
It is disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 4937.

[0005]

However, in the conventional print processing system using the Web server, the communication between the Web server and the portable terminal is continuously established from the creation of the document to the completion of the print processing. However, it is difficult to use it in a mobile terminal on the premise of a mobile wireless communication environment. This is because the transmission capacity of the wireless communication network is lower than that of the wired communication, and the data transmission capacity is not yet at a sufficient level, such as sudden disconnection of the line or poor response due to radio wave conditions.

Therefore, a print document is received via a mobile phone network by a wireless communication from a mobile terminal as short as possible, and the received document is printed by a printer or a FAX desired by a user (for example, a FAX installed in a convenience store). It is expected to be provided with a service to send to () and print.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a print processing system capable of receiving a print processing document from a client side in a shortest possible time and executing the print processing. .

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention for solving the problems of the above-mentioned conventional example holds a document to be printed,
A print processing system including: a client device that transmits a print request for the document; and a server device that is communicatively connected to the client device and that executes a print process in response to a print request received from the client device. The server device stores means for accumulating information regarding a print format of a document, means for acquiring information for identifying a print format desired by a user and a document to be printed from the client device, and the means for identifying the print format. Means for formatting the received document according to the print format to generate a print document, and the print document is subjected to print processing.

Further, the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems of the prior art is a print processing apparatus, and means for accumulating information about a print format of a document, means for obtaining a document to be printed, The document acquired as the print target is formatted according to the print format to generate a print document, and the print document is subjected to a print process.

Here, it is preferable that the means for acquiring the document further acquires information for specifying a print format, and the means for generating the print document formats the document according to the specified print format. Further, the received document includes at least one document element, and each document element is classified into any of the information items that are predetermined for each of the specified print formats. It is also preferable that the means for generating a working document formats the document in units of information items.

Further, a program for classifying information items as a unit of format in the specified print format to input document elements and transmitting a document in a state where each document element is classified in the information items is distributed. It is also preferable to have a means for

Furthermore, the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems of the conventional example is a client device, and a means for accumulating information about a print format, the print format together with the information for specifying the accumulated print format. Means for sending a document to be formatted and printed according to
It is characterized in that the information specifying the transmitted print format and the document are subjected to a process of formatting and printing the document in the specified print format.

Further, according to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a print processing method, which comprises a step of receiving a document and information specifying a print format from a client device, and the received document being the specified print. Format in the format,
The method is characterized by including a step of generating a print document and a step of subjecting the generated print document to a predetermined print process.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of providing a print processing service using a server device, wherein a document and information specifying a print format are received from a client device via a network, Received documents
Formatting in the specified print format, generating a print document, distributing the generated print document to the designated printer device, acquiring the print reservation number, and distributing the print reservation number to the client device. It is characterized by

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a print processing program, wherein the computer receives a document and information specifying a print format from a client device, and the received document is stored in the computer. It is characterized by executing a procedure of generating a print document by formatting in the specified print format and a procedure of subjecting the generated print document to a predetermined print process.

[0016]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, a print processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a mobile terminal 1 serving as a client device, a print processing apparatus 2 connected to the mobile terminal 1 via a network, and deployed in various places. And the printer device 3 connected to the network.

The mobile terminal 1 includes a CPU 11 and a storage unit 12.
The print processing apparatus 2 includes a CPU 21, a storage unit 22, and a communication unit 13, a display unit 14, and an operation unit 15.
And a hard disk 23 and a communication unit 24, and the printer device 3 includes a communication unit 31 and a printer unit 32.

The CPU 11 of the portable terminal 1 executes a program stored in the storage unit 12 and also stores various data in the storage unit 12 and executes a reading process.
Further, the CPU 11 outputs an instruction for transmitting data to the communication unit 13 via the network, receives an input of data received via the network from the communication unit 13, and processes the input. Further, the CPU 11 controls the display unit 14, receives information input from the operation unit 15, and performs various processes. The specific processing contents of the CPU 11 will be described in detail later.

The storage unit 12 is, for example, a non-volatile memory device, and operates as a work memory for processing of the CPU 11 as well as programs executed by the CPU 11.
Stores various data. The storage unit 12 also stores information regarding the print format of the document. As shown in FIG. 2, this information associates a print format identifier (format name, etc .; A) with print layout information (margin, column, etc., B). Further, when one document is divided into items and input as a set of a plurality of document elements, an item to be input as a document element for each format (referred to as format information item; C).
Is preferably associated.

The communication unit 13 is, for example, a wireless communication device, is connected to a network such as the Internet using a mobile phone network, and the CPU 1 is connected via these networks.
Various data are transmitted / received according to the instruction 1. Display unit 14
Is a liquid crystal display device or the like, and the operation unit 15 is a touch panel, a button device, or the like arranged on the display device in an overlay manner.

Here, the contents of specific processing of the CPU 11 of the portable terminal 1 will be described. The CPU 11 basically executes a document input process and a print instruction process. Further, a characteristic of this embodiment is that the CPU 11 executes processing relating to selection / identification of a print format. Hereinafter, these processes will be described. First, as the document input process, the CPU 11 accepts input of character string data and image data by a user's key operation or so-called “handwriting input”, which is performed by tracing with a pen or the like on the touch panel. Is stored in the storage unit 12 as a document.

Here, the document may be inputted as a series of texts like a word processor, or may be divided into a plurality of document elements and inputted. In the latter case, for example, in the case of minutes, "Title" item and "Meeting date and time"
Each document element is classified into items, such as the item of bibliographic information such as, and the item of “attendee”, and held. In other words, in the latter case, input is performed after selecting and specifying which print format to use before inputting the document.

When the document is input as a series of texts, the CPU 11 receives the instruction to print the document, starts the print format selection / specification process, and as shown in FIG. , Information about the print format is read from the storage unit 12 and the list is displayed on the display unit 14 (S
1). For example, a list of format names is displayed in a selectable manner.
Then, the CPU 11 waits until the selection of the format from the list is accepted by the instruction input from the operation unit 15 (S2). Then, when the format is selected, the CPU 11
The information (B) relating to the print layout associated with the format specified by the selection (specific format) is read (S3), the layout of the document to be printed is created according to the print layout (S4), and displayed. Part 14
Is displayed on the screen (S5). The processes of the processes S3 to S5 are, so to speak, equivalent to the "preview" function of displaying the print state of the document on the screen.

The CPU 11 checks whether or not there is an instruction to print according to this preview (S6), and if there is an instruction to print as it is (Yes), prints together with the command requesting printing. The target document and the information for identifying the specific format selected in step S2 are transmitted to the print processing apparatus 2 via the network (S
7), the process ends. If there is no instruction to print as it is in step S6 (in the case of No),
Alternatively, the process may be returned to step S1 to select another printing initial stage,
The processing may be terminated as it is.

Further, when the document is divided into document elements and inputted, the CPU 11 has already specified the print format, so that the processing is executed from step S3 without executing steps S1 and S2 of FIG. (A) is started, and in process S7, instead of the information identifying the specific format input in process S2, the information identifying the print format specified when the document is input is transmitted. .

Based on the program stored in the hard disk 23, the CPU 21 of the print processing apparatus 2 acquires a document to be printed via a network, and executes a process of laying out and printing the document. This CPU2
1 embodies a document acquisition unit of the present invention and a printing document generation unit. Specific processing contents of the CPU 21 will be described later in detail.

The storage unit 22 operates as a work memory of the CPU 21. The hard disk 23 stores at least a program executed by the CPU 21 and information regarding a print format. Here, the information about the print format is the same as the information stored in the mobile terminal 1 shown in FIG. 2, the information identifying the print format (format name; A) and the information about the layout (margin, column, header). , Footer setting information; B). The communication unit 24 transmits data to a designated destination via the network according to an instruction input from the CPU 21,
In addition, the data received via the network is received by the C
Output to PU21.

The communication unit 31 of the printer device 3 is connected to the network and outputs the printing document received via the network to the printer unit 32. The printer unit 32
According to the print document received by the communication unit 31, a printed matter in which the document is printed on a sheet is generated.

The operation of the CPU 21 of the print processing apparatus 2 will be described here. The CPU 21 inputs a document received from the mobile terminal 1 via the network, information for specifying a print format, and format information to the communication unit 2.
4 and stores it in the storage unit 22. Then, using the information for specifying the print format as a key, the layout information stored in the hard disk 23 is searched for and acquired corresponding to the specified print format.

The CPU 21 formats the document received as the print target by referring to the information regarding the layout. At this time, for example, the information to be included in the header and the information to be included in a predetermined position in the text are combined based on the received format information, and thus, for printing including the margin and column settings, the header and the footer, etc. The document is generated. The CPU 21 outputs an instruction to send this print document to the printer device 3 to the communication unit 24.

Next, the operation of the print processing system according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described. The mobile terminal 1 and the print processing apparatus 2 hold information about print formats (information about layout) as shown in FIG. FIG. 4 shows a layout example when the minutes are specifically printed, and includes a title section P, a bibliographic information section Q, and an attendee entry section R.
The layout includes a decision item writing section S, a reserved item writing section T, and a remark writing section U. The items of format information corresponding to the layout shown in FIG. 4 are title p, bibliographic information q, attendees r, decision items s, reserved items t, and remarks u.

When a user who participates in a conference while away from home inputs a minutes (document) on the portable terminal 1, the user first selects the print format of "minutes". Then, the mobile terminal 1 refers to the format information associated with the print format of the “minutes”, and among the items of the document elements to be input, the information p to r that can be input before the conference and the information during the conference or after the conference. A list of “meeting contents” summarizing s to u as information to be input is presented (FIG. 5A). When inputting the title p, for example, the user selects "title" from the list shown in FIG. In response to this selection, the mobile terminal 1 provides an interface for inputting a title (FIG. 5 (b)),
The user inputs the title on this interface and presses the "Next" button (in the case of a pen-operated mobile terminal,
"Tap" the surface of the operation unit 15 with a pen).

The mobile terminal 1 provides an interface (FIG. 5 (c)) for accepting the input of the item of the document element to be input next in a predetermined order, for example, the bibliographic information such as the meeting date and time, and the user , Input the bibliographic information on this interface and press the "Next" button. In this way, the user can obtain a document by the input interface (FIG. 5 (d)) of the attendees' items and the list (FIG. 5 (e)) of the agenda items (decision matters s, pending matters t, remarks u, etc.) Input the elements and generate the document.

When the user gives a print instruction to print this document, the mobile terminal 1 performs a preview according to the layout information stored in the storage unit 12. Here, as shown in FIG. 4, the layout information includes an array of items of each document element as a unit, and a format setting in the unit (character alignment position and font designation, “minutes content”, etc.). Including setting of fixed character string placement position, etc.,
The CPU 11 of the mobile terminal 1 will generate a preview according to this layout information. Note that, here, the case where the mobile terminal 1 generates a preview according to a document actually input is described as an example, but depending on the processing capability of the CPU 11 of the mobile terminal 1, an overview of the layout generated in advance as a preview It is also preferable to display only the image data representing (the image representing the result of laying out the document as an example, not the input document). Further, this preview step may be omitted.

When the user gives an instruction to print according to the preview (or when the preview is not performed), the portable terminal 1 sends the document and the print format information to the print processing apparatus 2 via the network. Send. Since communication between the mobile terminal 1 and the print processing apparatus 2 is generally performed only at this time, it is not necessary to connect for a long time from the creation of the document to the start of the printing instruction. At this time, the user
It is also preferable to send information (URL or the like) for specifying the desired printer device 3 to the print processing device 2.

The print control device 2 acquires the document and the information for specifying the print format via the network, reads the layout information associated with the specified print format from the hard disk 23, and prints the document according to the layout information. Lay out. That is, as shown in FIG. 4, an array in which the items of each document element are used as a unit, and the format setting within the unit (character alignment position and font designation,
The document is formatted and a print document is generated based on the setting of the fixed character string arrangement position such as “minutes content”. The print control device 2 transmits this print document to the printer device 3 via the network. The printer device 3 holds this print document. When the print control device 2 receives the information specifying the desired printer device 3 from the user, the information is transmitted to the specified printer device 3.

The user goes to the place where the printer device 3 is installed and instructs the printer device 3 to print the print document. Then, the printer device 3 executes printing of the print document, and the user receives the printed paper.

[Security Consideration] The user should send the password information together with the document to the print processing apparatus 2 so that the printing document requested by the user cannot be obtained by anyone other than the user. May be In this case, the print processing apparatus 2 sends the password information to the printer apparatus 3 together with the formatted print document. Then, the printer device 3 receives the password information together with the print document, stores the received print document without immediately printing, and receives the password information when the password information is input from an operation unit (not shown). The printing of the print document may be started.

Further, the portable terminal 1 and the printer device 3 are Bl
When a short-distance communication function such as uetooth is provided, the password information may be exchanged using this. That is, when the mobile terminal 1 recognizes that the printer device 3 is in the vicinity, it transmits password information using the short-range communication function, the printer device 3 receives this password information, and the print processing device 2 sends it. Printing of the received print document may be started.

[Download of Print Format] The operator of the print processing apparatus 2 (so-called network printer service provider) may develop various print formats according to the needs of the user. In such a case, it is also preferable that the print processing apparatus 2 downloads the print format information to the mobile terminal 1 side via the network. That is, the print processing apparatus 2 distributes the identifier of the print format, the information about the print layout, and the items to be input as document elements (if necessary) to the mobile terminal 1 side. The information is received and stored in the storage unit 12.

Further, the print processing apparatus 2 distributes the program module executed by the mobile terminal 1 for specifying the print format, and stores the program module in the storage unit 12 on the mobile terminal 1 side. If necessary, this program module may be executed to instruct generation and printing of a document. This aspect can be performed using the distribution technology of the Java (registered trademark) program.

[Document Elements Not Input] Among the format information items associated with the specified print format, the print processing apparatus 2 sets "for the items not input by the interface shown in FIG. It is also possible to set a character string such as "-not entered-". Further, in consideration that the user may not want to print a certain item, the print document may be generated without laying out the items that have not been input. In addition, the interface of FIG. 5 is configured to allow an instruction to “skip” an item, and only when there is an explicit instruction of “skip”, the item is removed from the layout to generate a print document. May be.

[0043]

According to the present invention, a client device that holds a document to be printed and sends a print request for the document, and a client device that is communicatively connected to the client device and that responds to a print request received from the client device. A print processing system including a server apparatus that executes print processing according to claim 1, wherein the server apparatus accumulates information related to a print format of a document, and information from a client apparatus that specifies a print format desired by a user. Since a document to be printed is acquired, the received document is formatted according to the specified print format to generate a print document, and the print document is subjected to print processing, the print processing system is provided. The print processing document can be received from the client side as quickly as possible, and the print processing can be executed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration block diagram of a print processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of print format setting information.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of preview processing in the mobile terminal 1.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a print format layout.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a format information item setting interface.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 mobile terminal, 2 print processing device, 3 printer device,
11,21 CPU, 12,22 storage unit, 13,2
4, 31 communication unit, 14 display unit, 15 operation unit, 23
Hard disk, 32 printers.

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Satoko Noguchi             Fuji Zero, 2274 Hongo, Ebina City, Kanagawa Prefecture             Co., Ltd. Ebina Office F-term (reference) 2C061 AP01 HH03 HJ06 HJ08 HK04                       HN05 HN15 HQ17                 2C087 AB05 BA06 BD01 BD41 BD46                       CA02                 5B021 AA02 BB01 BB04 BB08 CC05

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A client device that holds a document to be printed and sends a print request for the document, and a client device that is communicably connected to the client device and performs print processing in response to a print request received from the client device. A print processing system including a server device for executing the print job, wherein the server device stores information about a print format of a document, information for specifying a print format desired by a user from the client device, and print The target document is included in the print process, and the target document is formatted according to the specified print format to generate the print document. A print processing system characterized by the above. 2. A means for accumulating information on a print format of a document, a means for acquiring a document to be printed, a means for formatting the document acquired as the print target according to the print format, and generating a print document. And a print processing apparatus, wherein the print document is subjected to print processing. 3. The print processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the means for acquiring the document further acquires information for specifying a print format, and the means for generating the print document is the specified print. A print processing apparatus, which formats a document according to a format. 4. The print processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the received document includes at least one document element, and each document element is determined in advance for each of the specified print formats. The information processing apparatus is classified into any of the information items described above, and the means for generating the print document formats the document in units of the information items. 5. The print processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the document elements are classified into information items that are units of a format in the specified print format and document elements are input, and each document element is classified into the information items. A print processing apparatus, comprising means for delivering a program for transmitting a document in a closed state. 6. A transmission method, comprising: means for accumulating information about a print format; and means for transmitting a document to be printed after being formatted according to the print format together with information for identifying the accumulated print format. A client device, characterized in that the information for specifying the specified print format and the document are subjected to a process of formatting and printing the document in the specified print format. 7. A step of receiving a document and information specifying a print format from a client device; a step of formatting the received document in the specified print format to generate a print document; And a step of subjecting the generated print document to a predetermined print processing, the print processing method comprising: 8. A server device is used to receive a document and information for specifying a print format from a client device via a network, format the received document in the specified print format, and print the document. A method of providing a print processing service, comprising: generating a document, delivering the generated print document to a designated printer device, acquiring a print reservation number thereof, and delivering the print reservation number to the client device. 9. A procedure of receiving a document and information for specifying a print format from a client device in a computer, formatting the received document in the specified print format, and generating a print document. A print processing program that executes a procedure and a procedure of subjecting the generated print document to a predetermined print processing.