JP2003345579A - Print system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a system for downloading and printing desired image data on a Web site by transmitting the URL address information of the Web site obtained by using the book mark function of an Internet browser on a portable information terminal to a multi-function color printer. <P>SOLUTION: This print system is configured of: a means for making a portable information terminal and a print system communicate data; a means for storing the URL address obtained from the Web site through a public line; a means for downloading and storing image data stored in the Web site indicated by the URL address; a means for designating a print specifications when printing the downloaded image data; and a means for printing the downloaded image according to the print specifications. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to, for example, a printing system provided with a means for reading data transmitted from a portable information terminal and a network access function. The present invention relates to a printing system having a function of downloading image data from a Web site and printing in accordance with a specified print format.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With the enhancement of network functions of portable information terminals such as portable telephones and electronic organizers, and expansion of services using the Internet, an environment has been established in which various information can be easily obtained via the Internet. Along with this, it is expected that there will be a demand to print out the obtained information immediately and use it.

That is, when sufficient information cannot be obtained with a display device of a portable information terminal such as a photographic image, a comparison table, a map, or the like, a request to print the information on a printing paper is thought to arise. Can be

[0004] For example, a sales person or a traveler flying outside the company can check product information on their company's homepage and various Web sites.
b. Travel information such as maps found on the site, and photos on electronic albums created by uploading photographic images taken with a mobile phone with a built-in digital camera to a homepage at a forced destination, etc., are available at convenience stores nationwide. There is a conceivable usage form in which printing is performed using a multifunction color printer installed (predicted).

[0005]

However, the portable information terminal transmits the URL address data of the information to be printed out on the network to the multi-function color printer so that the target image data can be downloaded and printed. There was no user interface to do so.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problem. The present invention uses a multi-function according to the present invention to convert URL address information of a Web site obtained by using a bookmark function of an Internet browser on a portable information terminal. The present invention provides a system for downloading and printing image data on a target Web site by transmitting the image data to a color printer.

[0007]

For such a purpose,
The present invention has the following configuration. 1. A means is provided for communicating between the portable information terminal and the multifunction color printer. 2. There is provided a means for designating one or more bookmarks from a bookmark list stored on the portable information terminal and transmitting them to the multifunction color printer.

[0008] 3. There is provided a means for sequentially accessing the Web site indicated by each bookmark transmitted to the multifunction color printer in the above item 2 and downloading the image data. 4. Means for designating print specifications for printing the image data downloaded in step 3 above. 5. Means for printing the download image in accordance with the print specifications specified in 4 above;

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The printing system 200 includes an input control unit 230, a scanner unit 2
40, an operation unit (touch panel keyboard) 250, a short-range wireless communication unit 260, an interface unit 220, a print control unit 280, a print unit main body 290, and the like. The input control unit 230 and the print control unit 280 They are connected via an internal connection cable 270. FIG. 18 is a conceptual diagram of the embodiment of the present invention.

The database 400 includes a my homepage in which various data such as a group photo image of a golf competition displayed in this embodiment are stored, and is configured to be accessible via a network. External storage device such as a hard disk.

In the figure, reference numeral 232 denotes a central processing unit (CPU) in the form of a microprocessor, for example, a clock pulse generating circuit (not shown), a delay circuit, a gate circuit,
It is composed of a sequential circuit having other logic circuits and the like.

Reference numeral 233 denotes a read-only memory (ROM) containing an OS (Operating System) and various control software, etc., which is a microcontroller for sequentially informing the CPU of the control signal when the CPU supplies the control signal to each section. Instruction groups are stored. Reference numeral 234 denotes a readable / writable random access memory (RAM), which has an area for storing the operation status of each device and a storage area for storing input image data.

Reference numeral 231 denotes a communication controller which controls the reception, transfer, storage, etc. of the input of image data transferred via the interface unit 220. 235-2
Reference numeral 38 denotes a scanner controller, an operation unit controller, a short-range wireless communication device controller, and a printer controller, which control each component.

Reference numeral 239 denotes a bus line,
ROM 233, RAM 234, and 231, 235-
238 are electrically connected to each other to transfer memory addresses and data. Reference numeral 220 denotes an input interface unit for connecting to the network connection unit 210 and receiving image data for printing.

Reference numeral 281 denotes a CPU on the print control unit side.
It has the same configuration and function as the CPU 232 described above.
282 is a readable and writable random access memory (R
AM) and has an area for storing the operation status of each component.

283 is a read only memory (ROM)
When the CPU supplies a print control signal to each unit, a microinstruction group for sequentially informing the CPU of the control signal is stored. Reference numeral 284 denotes an input buffer which is a storage device for storing print data transmitted from the printer controller.

Reference numeral 285 denotes a page memory for storing a print bitmap image, and the created print bitmap image is transferred to the printing unit main body 290 via the engine interface 286.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a mobile phone with a network access function according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which a microphone 312, a speaker 313,
Audio interface section 302, analog-to-digital conversion section 303, modulation / demodulation circuit 304, radio circuit 30
5, antenna 311, DSP built-in CPU (Central Processing Unit) 301, display device / display controller 306, operation unit / operation unit controller 307, ROM 308, RA
M309, a system bus 310, and a power supply unit 320.

Here, the audio interface unit 3
A unit 02 has a function of converting an input audio signal from a microphone into a baseband signal and a function of converting the baseband signal into an audio signal and inputting it to a speaker 313.

The analog-to-digital converter 303 is a device that performs control such as conversion between analog and digital signals and waveform shaping of those signals. Modulation / demodulation circuit 304
Is a circuit for modulating a baseband signal.
Reference numeral 05 denotes a circuit which raises the converted signal modulated to the intermediate frequency band to the radio frequency band and supplies it to the antenna 311, and converts the signal in the radio frequency band received by the antenna 311 into a demodulated signal in the intermediate frequency band.

The CPU 301 includes a DSP (Digital Signal).
Processor). 3
08 is a read-only memory (ROM) in which an OS (operating system) and various control software are built-in.
When the CPU supplies a control signal to each section, a microinstruction group for sequentially informing the CPU of the control signal is stored. Also, a Web browser and a URL address registration / call program are stored.

Reference numeral 309 denotes a readable / writable random access memory (RAM), which has an area for storing the operation status of each component and an area for storing the URL address of the Web site. 310 is a bus line,
The CPU 301, ROM 308, RAM 309, and other control signals and data signals are transmitted to the CPU and others.

Reference numeral 306 denotes a display controller and a display unit, which receives a data signal transmitted from a RAM or a ROM under the control of the CPU and visualizes the data under the control of the display controller. .

Reference numeral 307 denotes an operation unit controller and an operation unit, which transmits an input signal from an operation unit such as a keyboard to each unit under the control of the operation unit controller. Reference numeral 320 denotes a power supply unit that supplies power to each unit of the mobile phone according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing an output device to which the present invention can be applied, for example, in the case of a color laser beam printer (color LBP). In FIG.
Is an LBP main body, which inputs and stores print information (character code and the like) supplied from an externally connected host computer, and creates a corresponding character pattern, graphic pattern, and the like according to the information; An image is formed on a recording medium such as printing paper.

Reference numeral 700 denotes an operation panel on which an LCD and a keyboard are arranged. A printer control unit 701 controls the entire LBP body 740 and analyzes character information and the like supplied from the host computer. The printer control unit 701 mainly converts the video signal into a video signal of a character pattern corresponding to the character information,
02 is output.

The laser driver 702 is a semiconductor laser 70
And a laser beam emitted from the semiconductor laser 703 in response to an input video signal.
04 is turned on / off.

The laser beam 704 is dug by the rotary polygon mirror 705 in the left-right direction, and scans and exposes the electrostatic drum 706. As a result, an electrostatic latent image of a character pattern is formed on the electrostatic drum 706. This latent image is developed by a developing unit 707 disposed around the electrostatic drum 706 and then transferred to a recording sheet.

A cut sheet is used as the recording paper. The cut sheet recording paper is stored in a paper cassette 708 mounted on the LBP main body 740, and is taken into the apparatus by a feed roller 709 by a transport roller 710 and a transport roller 711. And supplied to the electrostatic drum 706. Then, the toner image adhered to the soil of the electrostatic drum 706 by the developing device 707 is transferred to the conveyed recording paper. afterwards,
The recording paper is conveyed in the direction of the fixing device 712, where the toner is fixed, and finally guided to the outside by the paper discharge roller 713 and discharged to the outside.

The developing unit 707 and the electrostatic drum 70
6 and the like are configured to perform processing for each of C (cyan), M (magenta), Y (yellow), and K (plaque) dyes, thereby enabling color printing.

Hereinafter, as one embodiment, the URL address and the corresponding bookmark name of the Web site containing the image of interest are stored in the bookmark storage area on the mobile phone by the Web browser function and the bookmark registration function of the mobile phone in FIG. In case of multiple registration,
A bookmark name to be printed out is selected from the bookmark list, transferred to the printing system shown in FIG. 1 from the mobile phone together with the corresponding URL address, and then a print command is issued to issue a print instruction. Will be described with reference to the reference drawings of FIGS. 1 to 15 and the flowcharts of FIGS. 16 and 17.

First, when the power is turned on in the printing system shown in FIG. 1, in step S1 in the flowchart of FIG. 16, the internal state is initialized, and then the process proceeds to step S2, where the initial menu shown in FIG. It is displayed on the touch panel keyboard and waits until a function menu is selected.

Then, when the "selection" display portion is touched,
Since the "copy" display portion on the touch panel keyboard is selected and highlighted by default, the process proceeds to step S4 to execute the copy. Then, since the copy menu display shown in FIG. 6 is performed, "↑", "↓"
By touching the display portion and selecting the copy specification such as paper and number of sheets, by touching the "start" display portion, the process proceeds to snub S5, and the copy is executed according to the selected copy specification.

After the copy is executed, the process returns to step S4 to display the copy menu, so that the copy can be continued in the same manner. If the "end" display portion is touched here, the process proceeds to step S2, where the initial menu shown in FIG. 5 is displayed on the touch panel keyboard, and waits until a function menu is selected.

When the "selection" display portion is touched after touching the "near field communication" display portion, the process proceeds to steps S3 and S6, and the near field communication mode display and the reception list display shown in FIG. And waits until the end key is pressed or data is received. Currently, nothing has been received, so the reception list box is blank.

On the other hand, when the power is turned on in the portable telephone shown in FIG. 2, step S in the flowchart of FIG.
In step 20, after initializing the internal state,
The process proceeds to step 21, where the initial menu shown in FIG. 9 is displayed on the touch panel keyboard, and waits until a function menu is selected.

Then, when the "selection" display portion is touched,
Since the "mobile phone" display portion on the touch panel keyboard is selected and highlighted by default, the process proceeds to step S23 to execute the phone function. Here, the telephone function is executed by operating keys on the operation unit 307 in FIG. When the end key on the operation unit is pressed, the process returns to step 21 in the flowchart of FIG. 17 to display the initial menu, and the apparatus enters a function selection standby state.

If the user touches "Internet" in the function selection standby state during the initial menu display and then touches the "selection" display portion, the process shifts from step S22 to step S27 to access the home page address set at that time. Then, for example, the display shown in FIG. 10 is performed, and Internet access such as a Web browser or search can be executed. Then, when the end key on the operation unit is pressed, the process returns to step 21 in the flowchart of FIG. 17 to display the initial menu and enters a function selection standby state.

Next, in the function selection standby state during the initial menu display, when the "wireless communication" display portion is touched and then the "selection" display portion is touched, the process proceeds from step S22 to step S24, for example, as shown in FIG. Display a bookmark list as shown below. Then, the flow shifts to step S25 to enter a bookmark selection and transfer command standby state.

Therefore, 1 is added to the "↓" display portion on the display screen.
When touched twice, a display as shown in FIG. 12 is performed,
Since the "8th key in" is selected, if the "transfer" display portion is touched, it is detected in step S25 in FIG. 17 and step S2 is performed.
Move to 6.

Then, at step 26, the URL address corresponding to the bookmark name "8th key invitation" is transmitted to the radio circuit 305 and the antenna 31.
1 and the like, the transmission to the printing system is performed.
The signal is received by the short-range wireless communication device 60, detected in step S8 in FIG. 16, and proceeds to step S9. When the end signal is received after receiving the data signal, the process returns to step S6, as shown in FIG. The bookmark name received on the "8th Key ** Invitation"
Is displayed, steps S7 and S8 are repeatedly executed to wait for the next signal or end key.

On the other hand, the mobile phone side also executes step S in FIG.
After the end of the data transfer in step 26, the process returns to step S21, and after the initial menu is displayed, a selection key input standby state is set.
Next, step S7 in FIG. 16 in which the display in FIG. 8 is performed.
If the "end" display is touched during the execution of step S8 and it is detected in step S7, the process proceeds to step S2 and an initial menu is displayed.

If the user touches "select" after touching the "print" display portion, the process shifts to step S10 to check whether a hook mark is stored in the hook mark storage area. In the example,
Since the bookmark "8th key invitation" is stored as described above, the flow shifts to step S11, where the communication controller 23 is controlled under the control of the CPU.
1, interface unit 220, network connection unit 2
10. Access the storage location on the database 400 indicated by the URL address corresponding to the bookmark via the public line and download the data to the RAM 234 in FIG.

Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S12 to display the print specification setting menu shown in FIG. 13, and then executes steps S13 and S14 to enter a print specification selection and print key input standby state.

As shown in the display of FIG. 13, the printing specifications at this time are A4 paper, single-sided, 1-page printing, and 1-sheet printing by default. Touch to select the print specifications shown in FIG. Then, when the "print" display portion is touched, step S14 is performed.
And the process moves to step S15. Step S15
The downloaded print data on the RAM 234 and the data on the selected print specification are transferred to the printer controller 2 under the control of the CPU 232 on the input control unit and the CPU 281 on the print control unit in FIG.
38, stored in the input buffer 284 via the connection cable 270. After that, the CPU 281 and the program R
After the image of the print data is stored in the page memory 285 according to the print specification under the control of the OM 283, the print image data is stored in the engine interface 286.
The print result is transmitted to the print server 290 via the, and the print result shown in FIG.

In this embodiment, since the number of prints is 16, the transfer to the printing unit via the engine interface is performed a total of 16 times, and the print result shown in FIG. 15 is obtained. Become. Then, after deleting the URL address data corresponding to the bookmark for which printing has been completed, the process proceeds to step S10 to detect whether there is a bookmark pointing to the next data to be printed. However, in this embodiment, the bookmark is stored. Since there is not, the process proceeds to steps S2 and S3 to display the initial menu screen of FIG. 5 and to enter a function selection standby state.

<Other Embodiments> In the first embodiment described above, the operation control of the printing system shown in FIG. 1 and the operation control of the mobile phone shown in FIG. Although the present invention is executed by the control program in the read-only memory ROM, the present invention is not limited to this, and the control program stored in the external storage device can be transferred to the built-in RAM and executed. is there.

Hereinafter, as another embodiment of the present invention, referring to the memory maps shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, data which can be read by a printing system to which the print control apparatus according to the present invention can be applied. The configuration of the processing program will be described.

FIG. 4A is a diagram for explaining a memory map of a storage medium for storing various data processing programs which can be read by a printing system to which the printing system according to the present invention can be applied. FIG. 4B is a diagram illustrating a memory map of a storage medium that stores various data processing programs that can be read by a mobile phone system to which the mobile phone according to the present invention can be applied.

Although not shown, information for managing a group of programs stored in the storage medium, for example, version information, a creator, etc., is also stored, and information dependent on the OS on the program reading side, for example, the program is identified. Icons to be displayed may also be stored. Further, data dependent on various programs is also managed in the directory. When a program for installing various programs on a computer is compressed, a program for decompressing the program may be stored.

As described above, the storage medium storing the program codes of the software for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to the system, and the system reads out and executes the program codes stored in the storage medium. However, it goes without saying that the object of the present invention is achieved.

In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the novel function of the present invention, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention. As a storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a flexible disk, an MO, a CD-ROM, a DVD-ROM, or the like can be used.

[0053]

As described above, according to the present invention, the URL address of the Web site and the corresponding hook mark name obtained by using the mobile phone having the Internet access function are stored in the mobile phone. When it is necessary to perform printing, the short-range wireless communication unit mounted on the color printing system according to the present invention transmits only the URL address data and the corresponding bookmark name from the mobile phone and reads the same. An effect that a desired color printing result can be obtained without imposing a large load on the telephone side is obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printing system that is a component of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a mobile phone that is a component of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of a printing apparatus main body in the printing system shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a memory map of a storage medium storing various data processing programs readable by the printing system according to the present invention, and a memory map of a storage medium storing various data processing programs readable by the mobile phone according to the present invention. FIG.

FIG. 5 is a display diagram (initial menu / function selection) of a touch panel keyboard of the printing system according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a display diagram (copy) of the touch panel keyboard of the printing system according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a display diagram (short-range wireless communication) of the touch panel keyboard of the printing system according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a display diagram (short-range wireless communication) of the touch panel keyboard of the printing system according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a display example (initial menu / function selection) of a touch panel keyboard of a mobile phone which is a component of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a display example of a touch panel keyboard of a mobile phone, which is a component of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a display example (bookmark list) of a touch panel keyboard of a mobile phone, which is a component of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a display example (bookmark list) of a touch panel keyboard of a mobile phone, which is a component of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a display example (printing specification) of a touch panel keyboard of a printing system that is a component of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating a display example (printing specification) of a touch panel keyboard of a printing system that is a component of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an example of print output.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of an operation of the printing system according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing a flow of an operation of the mobile phone according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing the concept of the present embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

231 Communication control controller 232 CPU 233 0S / ROM with built-in various control software 234 RAM 235 Scanner controller 236 Touch panel keyport controller 237 Short-range wireless communication controller 238 Printer controller 239 System bus 240 Scanner unit 250 Operation unit (touch panel keyport) 260 Short-range wireless communication Unit 270 internal connection cable 281 CPU 282 RAM 283 program ROM 284 input buffer 285 page memory 286 engine interface 290 printing unit 301 DSP built-in CPU 302 audio I / F 303 analog / digital conversion unit 304 modulation / demodulation circuit 305 modulation / demodulation circuit 305 wireless circuit 306 display unit (display) (Controller 10 display unit) 307 Operation unit (Controller 10 operation unit) 308 ROM Web browser, bookmark registration /
309 RAM (built-in URL address storage area, etc.) 310 System bus 311 Antenna 312 Microphone 313 Speaker 320 Power supply unit

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A printing system having a function of downloading image data from a Web site on a network designated by URL address data received from a portable information terminal and printing the image data according to a designated print format. Means for performing data communication between the terminal and the printing system; means for storing the URL address obtained by the portable information terminal from a public site via a public line; and a website indicated by the URL address received from the portable information terminal. Means for downloading and storing the image data stored on the site; means for specifying the print specifications when printing the stored download image data; and the specified print specifications Means for printing a download image in accordance with Printing system. 2. The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the means for performing data communication between the portable information terminal and the printing system is a wireless communication means.