JP2007293759A - Printing system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform a print request from a terminal side and the transmission processing of print data at high speed with a simple operation, and to ensure security of personal information. <P>SOLUTION: Position information for performing access to a Web server 1 from a composite machine 2 is previously converted into a two-dimensional code by the Web server 1, displayed on the screen of a PC 4, and photographed by a cellular phone so as to be decoded. The decoded position information is transmitted from the cellular phone 3 to the composite machine 2, so that the composite machine 2 performs access to the Web server 1. The personal information such as a personal name or a company name is preserved in the address book of the cellular phone 3, and then, transmitted to the composite machine 2 together with the position information of print job data through the use of infrared light communication. The composite machine 2 synthesizes the print job data acquired from the Web server 1 with the personal information transmitted from the cellular phone 3, generates the print data desired by a user, and outputs it by printing. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing system, and more specifically, can execute predetermined processing on a server side in response to a request from a terminal side via a network and print a processing result returned from the server side to the terminal side. The present invention relates to a printing system.

  There are provided systems and services that execute predetermined processing on the server side in response to a request from the terminal side via a network, display the processing result returned from the server side to the terminal side, and allow printing.

  For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a leakage prevention method that enables business processing to be performed without fear of leakage of personal information between servers and terminals connected via an external network such as the Internet. Yes.

  In this leakage prevention method, a server and a terminal connected via the Internet are used, a predetermined business process is executed on the server side in response to a request from the terminal side, and a processing result returned from the server side is displayed on the terminal side Display or print with. The server side is provided with a main database for storing information necessary for business processing, and the terminal side is provided with a local database for storing personal information. On the terminal side, the processing result returned from the server side and the corresponding personal information in the local database are combined and displayed or printed.

Further, Patent Document 2 discloses a service server in which a user can easily obtain additional information such as audio information added to an image for which a print order has been received through a network, using a photo print. This service server manages additional information about an image and causes a QR code corresponding to the additional information to be printed on a sheet on which the image is printed. The user can obtain additional information managed by the service server and output it by accessing the additional information via the network by reading the QR code with the camera-equipped mobile phone.
JP 2002-99511 A JP 2005-108200 A

  In a system that executes predetermined processing on the server side in response to a request from the terminal side via the network, displays the processing result returned from the server side to the terminal side, and prints it, for example, printing including personal information Results may be requested.

  For example, in a system that accepts a New Year's card print order through a network, a large number of sample designs are prepared on the New Year's card printing Web page, and the user selects an arbitrary design using the Web page and places an order for creating a New Year's card. be able to.

At this time, by inputting personal information such as a personal name, company name, and address into the Web page, it is possible to order a New Year's card on which such personal information is appropriately printed.
It is also conceivable that image data obtained by combining user information transmitted from the terminal side with a design is created on the server side and returned to the terminal side so that printing can be performed by the terminal side printing apparatus.

  However, in order to realize such a printing system, the user needs to input personal information used for a destination or the like to the Web page in order to designate printing from the Web page. However, in such a case, there is a security concern that personal information input to the Web page leaks. For example, there is a possibility that personal information that has been converted into text may be easily leaked by a search engine that performs text search of a Web page and extracts personal information.

  In the leakage prevention method of Patent Document 1, since a local database of personal information is held on the terminal side, personal information is not transmitted / received via the Web, but a print job with low confidentiality and a personal with high confidentiality are not transmitted. The idea that the designation of information can be executed with a simple operation by a portable device familiar to the user is not disclosed.

  Further, in the service server of Patent Document 2, additional information managed by the service server can be acquired by a QR code, but basically security of personal information is not considered.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, executes predetermined processing on the server side in response to a request from the terminal side via the network, and prints the processing result returned from the server side to the terminal side. An object of the present invention is to provide a printing system that can execute a print request and print data transmission process from a terminal side at a high speed with a simple operation and can secure the security of personal information. To do.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, a first technical means of the present invention includes a server that stores print job data and creates print job designation information indicating a position of the print job data, and print job designation information created by the server. A portable device comprising: an information device for displaying image information; a photographing unit for photographing print job designation information displayed on the information device; and a transmission unit for transmitting position information of print job data based on the print job designation information photographed by the photographing unit A printing system comprising a device and a printing device that acquires print job data from a server device and prints it out according to information indicating the position of the print job transmitted from the portable device, and the portable device stores personal information Personal information storage means for transmitting the personal information together with the position information of the print job data. Is obtained is characterized by synthesized and printed.

  The second technical means stores the print job data, creates a print job designation information indicating the position of the print job data, an information device that displays the print job designation information created by the server, and displays on the information device A photographing device for photographing the print job designation information, a portable device provided with a transmission means for transmitting position information of print job data based on the print job designation information photographed by the photographing means, and a print job transmitted from the portable device And a printing apparatus that obtains print job data from a server according to information indicating the position of the print job and prints out the print job data. The server stores personal information included in the print job data as image data. It is what.

  A third technical means is the image processing apparatus according to the second technical means, wherein the image data is stored in the server in one of GIF, JPG, and PNG file formats.

  According to a fourth technical means, in the first or second technical means, transmission from the portable device to the printing apparatus is executed by infrared communication.

  According to a fifth technical means, in the first or second technical means, the print job designation information is characterized in that information indicating a position of the print job is represented by a two-dimensional code.

  A sixth technical means is the first or second technical means, wherein the server stores the print job data in an HTML format.

  A seventh technical means is the first technical means characterized in that the mobile device has an address book function and stores personal information in the address book.

  According to the present invention, in a printing system that executes predetermined processing on the server side in response to a request from the terminal side through the network and prints the processing result returned from the server side to the terminal side, printing from the terminal side Request and print data transmission processing can be executed at high speed with a simple operation, and security of personal information can be ensured.

In particular, the task of designating files in the server to the multifunction device and the transfer of confidential personal information to the multifunction device can be easily performed by using a mobile terminal familiar to the user, improving operability. Can be made.
In addition, by storing information with a large capacity and low confidentiality such as images such as New Year's cards on a server, the amount of data transferred from the mobile terminal by the user can be reduced.

In addition, personal information such as an address and an address of the user can be prevented from being leaked by transferring the personal information from the portable terminal to the multifunction peripheral through infrared communication without using a network.
In addition, by storing personal information such as a destination and an address in the server in the form of image data, it is possible to prevent leakage of personal information using a search engine such as a text search.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an embodiment of a printing system according to the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a Web server, 2 is a multifunction device, 3 is a mobile phone, 4 is a PC (personal computer), and 5 is a communication network. is there. The Web server 1 corresponds to the server of the present invention, and the PC 4 corresponds to the information device of the present invention. The mobile phone 3 corresponds to the mobile device of the present invention, and has a camera function and an infrared communication function. The multifunction device 2 is a multifunction device having a plurality of image processing functions such as a facsimile, a printer, and a copying machine, and corresponds to the printing apparatus of the present invention.

  A Web server 1, a PC 4, and a multifunction device 2 are connected to the communication network 5. This communication network is the Internet using a public network, but it may be a LAN or WAN communication network, or a LAN or WAN area network connected to the Internet.

  The Web server 1 holds a home page that can be browsed by a terminal device such as a PC 4 connected to the communication network 5. The storage device of the Web server 1 can store various image data templates and data created by the user.

  The user operates the PC 4 to access the Web server 1 and displays the home page published by the Web server 1 on the display screen of the PC 4. Then, print job data can be created using a template or the like according to the operation screen of the home page.

  The Web server 1 saves the print job data created by the above user operation and creates print job designation information indicating the position of the print job data. The print job data designation information indicates address information for enabling access to print job data, for example. The print job designation information is created as image information encoded with a two-dimensional code such as a QR code. In the Web server 1, the print job data is stored in the HTML format.

In the PC 4, print job designation information based on a two-dimensional code created by the Web server 1 is displayed on the screen.
Then, the user photographs the two-dimensional code displayed on the screen of the PC 4 using the camera function of the mobile phone 3. The mobile phone 3 decodes the photographed two-dimensional code and acquires print job designation information such as Web site address information.

  The multifunction machine 2 includes a controller unit 2a and an engine unit 2b, and can perform a printing operation in the engine unit 2b in accordance with an instruction from the controller unit 2a. The multifunction machine 2 has a communication function and is connected to the communication network 5.

Next, the user carries the mobile phone 3 to the vicinity of the multifunction device 2 and transmits position information based on the print job designation information decoded using infrared communication to the multifunction device 2.
Then, the multifunction device 2 accesses the Web server 1 according to the position information of the print job data transmitted from the mobile phone 3, acquires the print job data at the designated address, and prints it out.

  Although the embodiment of the printing system of the present invention can be configured by the above configuration, for example, the mobile phone 3 may be a portable information device having a photographing function and a communication function, for example, with a PDA or a communication function. A digital camera or the like may be applied. The multifunction device 2 can be applied as an embodiment of the present invention as long as it has at least a communication function capable of accessing a Web server and a printing apparatus capable of printing out print job data.

  The printing system according to the embodiment of the present invention causes the print job data held in the Web server 1 to be transmitted to the multifunction device 2 and printed out from the multifunction device 2 by using the configuration as described above. At this time, position information for accessing the Web server 1 from the multifunction device 2 is converted into a two-dimensional code in advance by the Web server 1 and displayed on the screen of the PC 4, photographed by the mobile phone 3 and decoded. Then, the MFP 2 can access the Web server 1 by transmitting the position information decoded from the mobile phone 3 to the MFP 2.

  As a feature of the present embodiment at this time, personal information such as a personal name and a company name is stored in the address book of the mobile phone 3, along with the position information of the print job data held in the Web server 1. The personal information is transmitted to the multifunction device 2 using infrared communication. In the multifunction device 2, print job data acquired from the Web server 1 and personal information transmitted from the mobile phone 3 can be combined to generate print data desired by the user and print it out.

That is, according to the present embodiment, the amount of data transmitted by the user from the mobile phone 3 can be greatly reduced by storing information with a large capacity and low confidentiality in the Web server 1, and the print job data The transfer time can be reduced.
Further, highly confidential information such as personal information is stored in the address book of the mobile phone 3 and transmitted directly from the mobile phone 3 to the multifunction device 2 using infrared communication without using a communication network. Thereby, security of highly confidential information such as personal information can be ensured.

  In the present embodiment, the user can use the mobile phone 3 familiar to the user to photograph the print job designation information using a two-dimensional code and transmit it to the multi-function device 2. At this time, the address book of the mobile phone 3 can be used. Personal information can be transmitted using. As a result, the user can easily perform a printing operation, and can provide a printing system with excellent operability.

  Here, personal information can be easily collated with other information, whether directly or indirectly, such as a company name, a store name, or an e-mail address as well as an individual name, an individual address, and a telephone number. In this way, it is general information that can identify a specific individual, and refers to information at a level that should maintain security as personal information.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining an example of generation / storage processing of print job designation information in the printing system of the present invention.
First, the user browses a predetermined homepage using the PC 4, and selects an arbitrary image from images prepared on the homepage (step S1). Further, the selected image is edited according to preference (step S2). The web server 1 stores various images and character templates, and the user can generate a favorite image by appropriately combining them. The final image is saved in the Web server 1 in the HTML format (step S3).

  The Web server 1 generates a unique address (URL or the like) corresponding to the stored HTML and converts it into a QR code (step S4). Then, the QR code is displayed on the user's PC 4 (step S5). The user captures and captures the QR code displayed on the screen of the PC 4 with the camera of the mobile phone 3 (step S6). In the mobile phone 3, an address decoded from the captured image of the QR code is stored.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart chart for explaining an example of printing processing in the printing system of the present invention.
Assume that the mobile phone 3 stores address data corresponding to HTML data in accordance with the flow of FIG.
Here, the user goes close to the multifunction device 2 and transmits the HTML address stored in the mobile phone 3 to the multifunction device 2 using the infrared communication function (step S11). Further, destination information (address, address, etc.) to be printed is designated from the address book of the mobile phone 3 and transmitted to the multifunction device 2 (step S12). Further, the sender information (name, address, telephone number, mail address, etc.) to be printed is designated as the sender, and is sent to the multifunction device 2 (step S13).

Next, the multi-function device 2 uses the address transmitted from the mobile phone 3 to access the Web server 1 to obtain target HTML data. Then, the HTML data and the destination information transmitted from the mobile phone 3 and the personal information of the transmission source information are combined and printed out (step S14).
Then, it is determined whether or not all the destination information has been printed so that it can cope with a case where a plurality of destination information is transmitted from the mobile phone 3 (step S15). Returning to S14, the HTML data and the next personal information are combined and printed. If all the destination information is printed, the printing process is terminated.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining an example in which the printing system of the present invention is applied to a New Year's card printing service. In the New Year's card printing service, a large number of sample (model) designs are prepared on the New Year's card printing Web page, and the user can select an arbitrary design using the Web page and place an order for creating a New Year's card. The printing system of the present invention can be applied to such New Year's card printing services. In this example, it is assumed that the mobile phone 3 is used as the mobile device, and the position information of the print job data is displayed with a QR code.

First, an example of a New Year's card printing service corresponding to the processing examples of FIGS. 2 and 3 will be described with reference to FIG.
First, the user uses the PC 4 to access a home page that provides a New Year's card printing service. The homepage is assumed to be operated by, for example, a convenience store (convenience store) management entity.
Then, the user browses the home page, selects an arbitrary design from a sample of the New Year's card design prepared on the home page, and further edits the design layout (for example, color change, position change, size change) ( S101).

  When the user's design layout is completed, the layout is stored in the HTML format in the Web server. This design layout is included in the print job data. The Web server creates a unique URL 11 corresponding to the edited design data, and displays the URL 11 as a QR code 10 in the Web page (S102).

The user captures the QR code 10 displayed on the PC 4 screen with the camera of the mobile phone 3. The mobile phone 3 stores the URL 11 decoded from the captured image of the QR code 10.
Then, the user goes to the convenience store (S103), transmits the URL 11 stored in the mobile phone 3 to the multi-function device 2 using the infrared communication function, and further, the data to be synthesized as the address from the address book of the mobile phone 3. Is designated and transmitted to the multifunction device 2 (S104).

  The multi-function device 2 accesses the Web server using the URL transmitted from the mobile phone 3, and acquires the target New Year's card design data from the Web server using the address information described in the URL 11. Then, using the acquired design data and the address data transmitted from the mobile phone 3, the printed matter 12 having the address printed on the front surface and the design data printed on the back surface is printed out (S105).

  In this way, the user can easily print out the edit design data of the Web server from the multifunction device 2 using the mobile phone 3. At this time, personal information such as an address can be transferred to the MFP 2 with high security without using a network, and the edit design data stored in the Web server and the individual transferred from the mobile phone 3 Information can be easily printed out.

(Embodiment 2)
The printing system according to the present embodiment can maintain the security level of the personal information by causing the Web server to store the personal information in the form of image data.
In the present embodiment, using the configuration shown in FIG. 1, print job data held in the Web server 1 is transmitted to the multifunction device 2 and printed out from the multifunction device 2. Here, as in the first embodiment, the positional information for accessing the Web server 1 from the MFP 2 is converted into a two-dimensional code in advance by the Web server, displayed on the PC 4, photographed by the mobile phone 3, and decoded. Keep it. Then, the MFP 2 can access the Web server 1 by transmitting the position information decoded from the mobile phone 3 to the MFP 2.

  As a feature of this embodiment at this time, personal information such as a personal name and a company name is stored in the Web server 1 in the form of image data such as GIF without being stored in the address book of the mobile phone 3. The print job data is stored in the HTML format including the image data of the personal information. By storing the personal information in the Web server 1 as image data, it is possible to prevent the personal information from leaking even if a search engine that performs text search or the like circulates.

  When the mobile phone 3 decodes the position information of the print job data and transmits it to the multifunction device 2, the multifunction device 2 acquires the print job data and prints it out. Since the print job data includes image data of personal information, a desired print output can be obtained.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining another example of print job designation information generation / storage processing in the printing system of the present invention.
First, the user browses a predetermined homepage using the PC 4, and selects an arbitrary image from images prepared on the homepage (step S21). Further, the selected image is edited according to preference (step S22). The web server 1 stores various images and character templates, and the user can generate a favorite image by appropriately combining them.

  Further, the user transmits destination information (address, address, etc.) corresponding to the image data generated using the PC 4 to the Web server 1 (step S23). Here, the destination information can be transmitted to the Web server 1 by writing the destination information in a predetermined column of the home page published by the Web server 1. Further, the sender information (name, address, telephone number, mail address, etc.) is written on the homepage and transmitted to the web server 1 (step S24).

  The Web server 1 converts the destination information and the personal information of the transmission source information transmitted from the PC 4 into GIF format image data and stores it in the Web server 1 (step S25). Here, not limited to GIF, image data such as JPG and PNG can be adopted as appropriate. In the Web server 1, the image selected and edited by the user and the personal information in the GIF format are stored in the HTML format (step S26). In this case, the data of the personal information is linked to the image edited by the user, and the data is obtained as a desired print image.

  The Web server 1 generates a unique address (URL or the like) corresponding to the stored HTML and converts it into a QR code (step S27). Then, the QR code is displayed on the user's PC 4 (step S28). The user captures and captures the QR code displayed on the screen of the PC 4 with the camera of the mobile phone 3 (step S29). In the mobile phone 3, an address decoded from the captured image of the QR code is stored.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart chart for explaining an example of printing processing in the printing system of the present invention.
It is assumed that the mobile phone 3 stores HTML data according to the flow of FIG. Here, the user goes close to the multifunction device 2 and transmits the HTML address stored in the mobile phone 3 to the multifunction device 2 using the infrared communication function (step S31).
The multi-function device 2 accesses the Web server 1 using the address transmitted from the mobile phone 3, acquires the target HTML data, and prints it out (step S32).

  Then, the multifunction device 2 determines whether or not all the destination information has been printed so as to cope with a case where a plurality of pieces of destination information are transmitted from the mobile phone 3 (step S33), and printing of all the destinations is completed. If not, the process returns to step S32, and the HTML data and the next personal information are combined and printed. If all the destination information is printed, the data acquired from the Web server 1 is deleted (step S34), and the printing process is terminated.

Next, an example of a New Year's card printing service corresponding to the processing examples of FIGS. 5 and 6 will be described with reference to FIG. 4 described above.
In the printing system of this example, personal information such as a personal name and a company name is held in the Web server 1 instead of the mobile phone 3. At this time, in order to maintain the security of the personal information, the personal information such as the personal name and the company name is stored not as text data but as image data such as GIF.

First, the user uses the PC 4 to access a home page that provides a New Year's card printing service. The homepage is assumed to be operated by, for example, a convenience store (convenience store) management entity.
Then, the user browses the home page, selects an arbitrary design from a sample of the New Year's card design prepared on the home page, and further edits the design layout (for example, color change, position change, size change). Further, the user transmits destination information (address, address, etc.) corresponding to the edited New Year's card design layout to the Web server 1 using the PC 4 (S101).

  Here, the destination information can be transmitted to the Web server by writing the destination information in a predetermined column of the home page published by the Web server. Further, the sender information (name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, etc.) is written on the home page and transmitted to the Web server.

  In the Web server, the destination information and the personal information of the transmission source information transmitted from the PC 4 are converted into image data such as GIF format and stored in the Web server. In the Web server, the image selected and edited by the user and the personal information are stored in the HTML format. In this case, the data of the personal information is linked to the image edited by the user, and the data is obtained as a desired print image.

The Web server creates a unique URL 11 corresponding to the edited design data and personal information, and displays the URL 11 as a QR code 10 in the Web page (S102).
The user captures the QR code 10 displayed on the screen of the personal computer 5 with the camera of the mobile phone 3. The mobile phone 3 stores the URL 11 decoded from the captured image of the QR code 10.
Then, the user goes to the convenience store (S103), and transmits the URL 11 stored in the mobile phone 3 to the multifunction device 2 using the infrared communication function (S104).

The multi-function device 2 accesses the Web server using the URL 11 transmitted from the mobile phone 3, and acquires design data for the target New Year's card from the Web server using the address information described in the URL 11. The data to be acquired includes personal information such as destination information and sender information as well as New Year's card design data.
Then, the multifunction device 2 prints out the printed matter 12 having the address printed on the front surface and the design data printed on the back surface in accordance with the acquired data.

  In this way, the user can easily print out the edit design data of the Web server from the multifunction device 2 using the mobile phone 3. At this time, personal information such as an address is stored in the Web server as image data, so that personal information can be prevented from leaking even if a search engine that performs a text search or the like circulates.

It is a figure for demonstrating embodiment of the printing system of this invention. 6 is a flowchart for explaining an example of generation / storage processing of print job designation information in the printing system of the present invention. 6 is a flowchart chart for explaining an example of printing processing in the printing system of the present invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the example which applied the printing system of this invention to the New Year's card printing service. 6 is a flowchart chart for explaining an example of printing processing in the printing system of the present invention. 6 is a flowchart chart for explaining an example of printing processing in the printing system of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Web server, 2 ... MFP, 2a ... Controller part, 2b ... Engine part, 3 ... Mobile phone, 4 ... PC, 5 ... Communication network, 10 ... QR code, 11 ... URL, 12 ... Printed matter.

Claims (7)

A server for storing print job data and creating print job designation information indicating the position of the print job data;
An information device for displaying the print job designation information created by the server;
A portable device comprising photographing means for photographing the print job designation information displayed on the information device, and transmission means for transmitting position information of print job data based on the print job designation information photographed by the photographing means;
A printing system comprising: a printing device that obtains print job data from the server device according to information indicating a position of a print job transmitted from the portable device, and prints out the print job data;
The portable device includes personal information storage means for storing personal information, and transmits the personal information together with position information of the print job data.
The printing system is characterized in that the print job data and the personal information are combined and printed. A server for storing print job data and creating print job designation information indicating the position of the print job data;
An information device for displaying the print job designation information created by the server;
A portable device comprising photographing means for photographing the print job designation information displayed on the information device, and transmission means for transmitting position information of print job data based on the print job designation information photographed by the photographing means;
A printing system comprising: a printing device that obtains print job data from the server and prints it according to information indicating the position of the print job transmitted from the portable device;
The printing system, wherein the server stores personal information included in the print job data as image data.   The printing system according to claim 2, wherein the image data is stored in one of a GIF, JPG, and PNG file format.   3. The printing system according to claim 1, wherein transmission from the portable device to the printing apparatus is executed by infrared communication.   3. The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the print job designation information includes information indicating a position of the print job expressed in a two-dimensional code.   3. The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the server stores the print job data in an HTML format.   The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the portable device has an address book function, and the personal information is stored in the address book.

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