JP2008047048A - Printer and method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a new framework which does not need a special application for performing pull-type printing in a client while using a framework of pull-type printing in which content data are not downloaded to the client in executing printing processing on the basis of the content data held by the server. <P>SOLUTION: This printer is provided with: a means for receiving print data prepared on the basis of a print object file; a means for judging whether or not the print object file of the print data is a designation file for designating the location place of the content data; a means for determining the location place of the content data on the basis of the print data and acquiring content data designated by the determined location place through a communication network in the case of a designation file; and a means for executing printing processing on the basis of the print data in the case of not being the designation file, and on the basis of the acquired content data in the case of the designation file. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing apparatus and method suitable for downloading and printing content data, and a printing system including such a printing apparatus.

  2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, services that provide content via a communication network such as the Internet, whether charged or free, have become widespread.

When printing content provided by such a service, usually, the client device once downloads content data from a server that holds the content, and transmits the downloaded content data to the printing device to perform printing processing. It is common.
JP 2001-43055 A

  When providing content, once the content data is downloaded to the client device, it is difficult to prevent the content data from being illegally copied thereafter.

  Here, if a printing device (pull-type printing device) that can access the server and acquire content data as described in Patent Document 1 is used, the content data is not downloaded to the client device. A printing process can be executed based on the content data.

  However, when such a conventional pull-type printing framework is used, the client device needs to support pull-type printing. In other words, since it is not possible to support pull type printing only with a normal printer driver function of creating print data and transmitting it to the printing apparatus, the location information (URL etc.) of the content data is stored in the pull type printing apparatus. It is necessary to implement a special application or the like having a function of notifying and instructing pull type printing.

  For this reason, the burden of developing such a special application for the printer manufacturer, etc. is generated, and for the user side, such a special application is purposely implemented in order to use the pull type printing framework. The burden of having to do it arises.

  Therefore, the present invention performs pull-type printing in a client device while using a pull-type printing framework in which content data is not downloaded to the client device when executing print processing based on content data held by a server. The purpose is to provide a new framework that does not require special applications.

  The printing apparatus according to the present invention includes a unit that receives print data created based on a print target file via a communication network, and the print target file of the print data specifies a file (content specification) If the print target file of the print data is a content designation file, the location of the content data is determined based on the print data, and the determined location is Acquisition means for acquiring designated content data via a communication network, and if the print target file of the print data is not a content specification file, the print target file of the print data is a content specification file based on the print data In the case, based on the acquired content data, It means for executing a printing process, characterized by comprising a.

  According to this configuration, the print data is simply transmitted from the client apparatus on the printing instruction side as in the conventional case. In other words, the client apparatus notifies the printing apparatus of the location information of the content data and pull type. The content data printing process using the pull-type printing framework can be executed without the need to provide a function for instructing printing.

  Preferably, when the file name of the print target file is set so that the character string indicating the location of the content data is included, the determination means includes a text of a character string indicating the location of the content data in the print target file If data is included, the print target file of the print data is the content in at least one of the cases where the print target file includes image data in which a character string indicating the location of the content data is drawn. It is determined that the file is a designated file.

  The content providing server device of the present invention is a content providing server device configured to be able to communicate with a client device and a printing device via a communication network, and the location of content data is associated with identification information of content data. Content specification file storage means for storing a file to be specified (content specification file), CL download request processing means for transmitting a corresponding content specification file to the client apparatus when a request for downloading content data is received from the client apparatus, And a PR download request processing means for transmitting the corresponding content data to the printing device when a download request is received by designating the location of the content data from the printing device. To.

  According to such a configuration, since the printing process based on the content data can be executed without downloading the content data to the client device, there is no risk that the content data is illegally copied.

  Preferably, the content designation file includes image data in which the corresponding content is drawn at a low resolution.

  The content printing system of the present invention includes the printing apparatus of the present invention and a content providing server.

  Preferably, the CL download request processing means specifies a user who intends to print content data based on a request from a client device, and adds key information for identifying the specified user to a content designation file. When the print target file of the print data is a content specification file, the acquisition unit acquires key information added to the content specification file based on the print data and sends it to the content providing server. And the PR download request processing means identifies the user based on the key information notified from the acquisition means of the printing apparatus with respect to the content data to be transmitted in response to the request from the printing apparatus. Execute billing process To.

  The printing method of the present invention includes a step of receiving print data created based on a print target file via a communication network, and a file (content specification file) in which the print target file of the print data specifies a location of content data And when the print target file of the print data is a content designation file, the location of the content data is determined based on the print data and designated by the determined location Acquiring the content data to be processed via a communication network, and if the print target file of the print data is not a content designation file, the print target file of the print data is a content designation file based on the print data Is based on the acquired content data. And performing a process, characterized by comprising a.

  The printing method of the present invention can be implemented by, for example, an information processing unit (computer) included in a printing apparatus, and a program therefor is installed through various media such as a CD-ROM, a magnetic disk, a semiconductor memory, and a communication network. Or can be loaded. It also includes the case where the program is recorded and distributed on a printer card or a printer option board.

  As described above, according to the present invention, when printing processing is executed based on content data held by a server, pull-type printing is performed in the client device while using a pull-type printing framework in which the content data is not downloaded to the client device. It is possible to provide a new framework that does not require a special application or the like.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of a content printing system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the content printing system 1 includes a client device 10, a content providing server 20, and a printer device 30, respectively.

  The client device 10, the content providing server 20, and the printer device 30 are configured to be able to communicate with each other via a communication network N. The communication network N may be any of a LAN, the Internet, a dedicated line, a packet communication network, a combination thereof, and the like, and may include both wired and wireless. In FIG. 1, only one client device 10, one content providing server 20, and one printer device 30 are shown. However, the content printing system 1 is configured so that there are one or more according to the design. May be.

  The client apparatus 10 includes hardware such as a CPU (processor), ROM, RAM, user interface, communication interface, and HDD, and the CPU is configured to be accessible to each unit via a bus.

  The client device 10 has the same function as an information processing device such as a normal personal computer. For example, the client device accepts various inputs from the user via the user interface / input / output means 11 for outputting information, communication means 12 for transmitting / receiving various data to / from other devices via the communication interface, Printer driver means 13 for controlling the printer device, for example, browser means 14 for transmitting a request to the content providing server 20 in accordance with the HTTP protocol and acquiring (downloading) various files (see FIG. 2). Each of these means is functionally realized by the CPU executing a program stored in the ROM, RAM, HDD, external storage medium, or the like in the client device 10.

  The printer driver means 13 is the same as a normal printer driver. For example, based on a print target file (a file created by an application program running on the client device 10 or a file acquired by the browser means 14), print data is created in a format that can be printed by the printer device 30, and A function of transmitting to the printer device 30 is provided.

  The content providing server 20 includes hardware such as a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, an I / O controller, a communication interface, and an HDD, and the CPU is configured to be accessible to each unit via a bus.

  The content providing server 20 has the same function as a normal content providing server. For example, various requests transmitted in accordance with, for example, the HTTP protocol are received from the content storage unit 21 that stores print content data, the client device 10, and the like, processes according to the request are performed, and the processing result is transmitted to the client device 10 and the like Web server means 22 and the like for transmitting to (see FIG. 2).

  However, the content providing server 20 according to the present embodiment stores content specifying file storage means 23 for storing a file (content specifying file) for specifying the location of the printing content data in association with the identification information of the printing content data. When the Web server unit 22 receives a request for downloading print content data from the client device 10, the Web server unit 22 refers to the content specification file storage unit 23, reads the corresponding content specification file, and reads the client. When the download request is received from the CL download request processing unit 24 to be transmitted to the apparatus 10 and the location of the content data is received from the printer device 30, the content storage unit 21 is referred to and the corresponding content data In that and a PR download request processing unit 25 to be transmitted to the printer device 30 reads, it is different from the conventional configuration (see FIG. 2).

  Each of these means is functionally realized by the CPU executing a program stored in the ROM, RAM, HDD, external storage medium or the like in the content providing server 20.

  The printer device 30 includes a power supply mechanism that includes a paper feed mechanism that supplies paper into the printer device, a print engine that performs printing, and a paper discharge mechanism that discharges paper outside the printer. The print engine includes a paper feed mechanism, a carriage mechanism, a print head, and the like. A serial printer that prints in units of characters, such as an inkjet printer or a thermal transfer printer, a line printer that prints in units of lines, and prints in units of pages. Various print engines corresponding to the page printer to be used can be used.

  The printer device 30 includes an information processing unit including a CPU (processor), a ROM, a RAM, a communication interface, a user interface such as a console panel, and the like. The CPU of the printer device 30 is configured to be accessible to each unit via a bus, and controls the power mechanism unit according to print data sent via a communication interface, for example, to actually perform a printing operation.

  The configuration and operation of the printer device 30 are basically the same as the configuration and operation of the conventional printer device (see FIG. 2). For example, the printer device 30 includes a print data receiving unit 31 that receives print data created based on a print target file, analyzes the print data, generates a raster-format print image, stores it in an image buffer, and stores it in a predetermined unit. A print control unit 32 or the like is provided that transfers a print image for one minute (for example, one pass) from the image buffer to the print engine and executes print processing while controlling the print engine.

  However, the printer device 30 of the present embodiment determines whether or not the print target file (print source file) from which the print data is generated is the content designation file for the print data received by the print data receiving unit 31. When the print data type determination means 33 for determining the print data and the print source file of the print data are content designation files, the location of the content data is determined based on the print data, and is specified by the determined location. A pull type data acquisition unit 34 for acquiring content data via the communication network N, and the print control unit 32 uses the print data if the print source file of the print data is not a content designation file. If the print source file of the print data is a content specification file Based on the acquired content data, a point to execute the generated printing process the print image is different from the conventional printer device.

  Each of these means is functionally realized by the CPU executing a program stored in the ROM or RAM in the printer device 30, an external storage medium, or the like.

  Hereinafter, a framework for executing print processing based on print content data in the content printing system 1 will be described with reference to flowcharts shown in FIGS. In addition, each process (including the partial process to which the code | symbol is not provided) can be arbitrarily changed in order within the range which does not produce contradiction in the processing content, or can be performed in parallel.

(Print data creation / transmission stage: Fig. 3)
First, when the browser unit 14 accesses the content providing server 20 in accordance with a user operation in the client device 10 (S100), the Web server unit 22 of the content providing server 20 displays, for example, print content list information stored in the server in advance. Is transmitted to the browser means 14 (S101). The list information can be, for example, a thumbnail image of each print content.

  The browser means 14 receives the list information transmitted from the Web server means 22 and displays it on a display or the like connected to the client device 10 (S102). The user can designate print content data with reference to the list information.

  When the browser means 14 receives designation of printing content data from the user (S103), the browser means 14 transmits a download request for the designated printing content data to the content providing server 20 (S104).

  When the CL download request processing unit 24 of the content providing server 20 receives the download request specifying the print content data from the browser unit 14 (S105), the specified print content is referred to the content specifying file storage unit 23. The content designation file corresponding to the data is read and transmitted to the browser means 14 (S106).

  Here, various modes can be considered as a method of designating the location of the print content data in the content designation file.

  For example, it is conceivable to set the file name of the content designation file so as to include a character string indicating the location of the print content data (specifically, the URL in the content storage unit 21) (pattern A). In this case, the content specification file itself may be anything.

  Further, for example, text data of a character string indicating the location of the print content data may be included in the content specification file (pattern B).

  Furthermore, it is possible to consider a mode in which image data in which a character string indicating the location of the content data for printing is included in the content designation file (pattern C).

  However, in any of the above patterns, a specific tag (for example, <PullPrint>, etc.) is added before and after the character string indicating the location so that it can be reliably identified as a content specification file. Is desirable.

  When the browser means 14 receives the content designation file transmitted in response to the download request from the CL download request processing means 24 (S107), the printer driver means 13 determines that the printer device 30 is based on the received content designation file. Print data is created in a printable format and is sent to the printer device 30 (S108).

  Note that the print data created based on the content designation file has the same format as the print data created based on the normal file. For example, the client device 10 includes data describing a text or image to be printed. Information (name, etc.), information on the user who made the print request (user name, etc.), information on the file name of the print source file, information on the output destination printer (IP address, etc.), and the like.

(Print data reception / print process execution stage: FIG. 4)
When the print data receiving unit 31 receives the print data in the printer device 30 (S200), the print data type determining unit 33 displays the type of the received print data, that is, the print source file of the received print data is a content designation file. It is determined whether or not (S201).

  Specifically, when the content specification file is in the form of pattern A, the file name of the print source file is extracted from the print data, and the extracted file name includes a character string indicating the location of the print content data. If it is determined that the print source file is a content designation file.

  In the case of the pattern B, when a character string to be printed is extracted based on the print data, and the extracted character string includes a character string indicating the location of the print content data, the print source file is Judged as a content specification file.

  In the case of the pattern C, image data to be printed is acquired based on the print data, the character string in the image is recognized by applying the OCR technique to the image data, and the print content data is applied to the recognized character string. Is included, the print source file is determined to be a content designation file.

  In the content specification file, if a specific tag is added to the character string indicating the location, the extracted file name or character string must be included in the recognized character string. Alternatively, it may be determined that the print source file is a content designation file.

  If the print source file is not a content designation file (when print data created without passing through steps S100 to S108 is received in S200), the print control means 32 receives the received print data in the same manner as before. In step S202, the printing process is executed. That is, the print data is analyzed to generate a print image and stored in the image buffer. A print image for a predetermined unit (for example, one pass) is transferred from the image buffer to the print engine, and printing is performed while controlling the print engine. Execute.

  On the other hand, if the print source file is a content designation file, the pull type data acquisition unit 34 determines the location of the print content data based on the received print data (S203).

  Specifically, when the content designation file is in the form of pattern A, the predetermined location can be determined by extracting a character string indicating the location of the print content data from the file name of the print source file. Similarly, when the content designation file is in the form of pattern B or pattern C, the location of the content data for printing is determined from the character string printed based on the print data or the character string recognized by applying the OCR technique. What is necessary is just to extract the character string to show.

  If a specific tag is added to the character string indicating the location in the content specification file, the extraction position of the character string indicating the location of the print content data is determined based on the position of the specific tag. can do.

  Next, the pull-type data acquisition unit 34 transmits a print content data download request to the content providing server 20 by designating the determined location according to, for example, the HTTP protocol (S204).

  When the PR download request processing unit 25 of the content providing server 20 receives a download request specifying the location of the print content data from the pull-type data acquisition unit 34 (S205), the content storage unit 21 refers to the content storage unit 21 and responds. The content data for printing is read and transmitted to the printer device 30 (S206).

  When the pull-type data acquisition unit 34 receives the print content data (acquires via the communication network N) (S207), the print control unit 32 executes a print process based on the acquired print content data. (S208). In other words, the print content data is subjected to necessary image processing to generate a print image, which is stored in the image buffer, a predetermined unit (for example, one pass) of the print image is transferred from the image buffer to the print engine, Printing is performed while controlling the print engine.

  When the print content data is in the PDF format or the JPEG format, the printer device 30 can execute printing by interpreting these formats as in the conventional device. Further, the printer device 30 may have a function equivalent to that of the printer driver unit. In this case, print data is created based on print content data using the function, and then printing based on normal print data is performed. You may comprise so that a process may be performed.

  As described above, in this embodiment, the content providing server 20 specifies the location of the print content data instead of transmitting the print content data in response to the print content data download request from the client device 10. Since the content designation file to be transmitted is transmitted, the content data for printing is not downloaded to the client device 10, and there is no risk of unauthorized copying.

  Further, in the printer device 30, based on the received print data, more specifically, depending on whether the print data is created based on the content designation file, whether to execute normal print processing or pull-type print processing, Therefore, the client device 10 only transmits print data as in the conventional case. In other words, the client device 10 notifies the printer device 30 of the location information of the print content data and pulls it. The content data printing process using the pull type printing framework can be executed without the need for providing a type printing instruction function.

(Modification)
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be variously modified and applied. For example, in the above embodiment, the printer apparatus has been described as an example of the printing apparatus. However, the present invention can also be applied to a printing apparatus such as a copying machine, a facsimile machine, and a multifunction machine.

  In the above embodiment, the content providing server 20 is configured to transmit the printing content data to the printer device 30. For example, when transmitting a request from the printer device 30 to the content providing server 20 in S204, the model of the printer device 30 is used. The content providing server 20 generates print data in a format that can be printed by the printer device 30 based on the model information, and transmits the print data to the printer device 30. May be.

  Further, when paying content is provided by the content providing server 20, for example, a billing framework as shown below may be introduced.

  First, the CL download request processing unit 24 of the content providing server 20 specifies a user who wants to print the printing content based on the download request from the client device 10 (for example, the IP address of the client device 10 and the user). The key information that identifies the specified user is added to the content designation file and transmitted to the client device 10. In the client device 10, print data is created based on the content designation file to which the key information is added and transmitted to the printer device 30. The pull-type data acquisition unit 34 of the printer device 30 acquires key information added to the content designation file based on the print data received from the client device 10, and when transmitting a request to the content providing server 20 in S204, for example, The acquired key information is notified to the content providing server 20. The PR download request processing means 25 of the content providing server 20 identifies the user based on the key information notified from the pull type data acquisition means 34 of the printer device 30 regarding the content data to be transmitted in response to the request from the printer device 30. The billing process for the identified user is executed.

  In order to appropriately execute the charging process as a price for printing, the printer apparatus 30 notifies the content providing server 20 that the printing process of the printing content data has been completed normally, and the content providing server In 20, it is desirable to charge on the condition that the end notification is received.

  Further, for example, an authentication device (magnetic card reader, fingerprint reader, barcode reader, etc.) is connected to the printer device 30 and authentication information is acquired from the user who desires printing via the authentication device. Based on the authentication information The content data for printing may be acquired from the content providing server 20 on condition that user authentication can be performed. When such a configuration is adopted, the printer device 30 can notify the content providing server 20 of the identification information of the authenticated user who wants to print, so the content providing server 20 adds the key information to the content designation file as described above. Even without using the framework, it is possible to identify and charge the user who downloaded the content data for printing.

  Further, for example, the content designation file may be configured to have a function other than the function of designating the location of the print content data. For example, print content reference image data (for example, print content is rendered at a lower resolution than the original resolution) in the content specification file so that the user can confirm the contents of the corresponding print content based on the content specification file. Or image data that is partially missing).

  In addition, for example, in order to prevent unlimited pull-type printing, the location of the print content data specified by the content specification file is set to be invalidated a predetermined number of times or within a predetermined period. It is possible to keep it. Alternatively, when the user who downloads the printing content data can be identified as in the case of executing the accounting process, a framework for limiting the number of downloads and the period for each user may be adopted.

  Further, for example, the encrypted print content data may be transmitted from the content providing server 20 to the printer device 30 in order to ensure the security of the print content data. For example, using a public key encryption technique, the printer device 30 generates a public key and a secret key, and notifies the content providing server 20 of the public key, and the content providing server 20 prints using the public key. It is conceivable to encrypt the content data for use.

  Further, for example, as information specifying the location of the print content data, information other than the URL directly indicating the location of the print content data, for example, the combination of the device name of the content providing server 20 and the data name of the print content data Information can also be used. In this case, the content providing server 20 stores a table in which information other than the URL of the printing content data and the URL of the printing content data are associated with each other, and the table from the printer device 30 is referred to this. The print content data corresponding to the request may be read out.

2 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the content printing system 1. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating functional configurations of a client device 10, a content providing server 20, and a printer device 30. FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining a print data creation / transmission stage. 6 is a flowchart for explaining a print data reception / print process execution stage.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Content printing system, 10 Client apparatus, 11 Input / output means, 12 Communication means, 13 Printer driver means, 14 Browser means, 20 Content provision server, 21 Content storage means, 22 Web server means, 23 Content designation file storage means, 24 CL download request processing means, 25 PR download request processing means, 30 printer device, 31 print data receiving means, 32 print control means, 33 print data type determination means, 34 pull type data acquisition means

Claims (8)

Means for receiving print data created based on a file to be printed via a communication network;
Determining means for determining whether a print target file of the print data is a file designating a location of content data (hereinafter referred to as a “content designating file”);
When the print target file of the print data is a content specification file, the location of content data is determined based on the print data, and the content data specified by the determined location is acquired via a communication network Means,
Means for executing print processing based on the print data when the print target file of the print data is not a content specification file, and based on the acquired content data when the print target file of the print data is a content specification file; A printing apparatus comprising:   When the file name of the print target file is set so as to include a character string indicating the location of the content data, the determination means includes text data of a character string indicating the location of the content data in the print target file. If the print target file includes image data in which a character string indicating the location of the content data is drawn, the print target file of the print data is a content designation file in at least one of the cases. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the printing apparatus is determined. A content providing server device configured to be able to communicate with a client device and a printing device via a communication network,
Content specification file storage means for storing a file (hereinafter referred to as “content specification file”) specifying the location of the content data in association with the identification information of the content data;
CL download request processing means for transmitting a corresponding content designation file to the client device when a request for downloading content data is received from the client device;
A content providing server comprising PR download request processing means for transmitting corresponding content data to a printing apparatus when a download request is received from a printing apparatus by designating the location of the content data.   4. The content providing server according to claim 3, wherein the content designation file includes image data in which the corresponding content is rendered at a low resolution.   A content printing system comprising the printing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 and the content providing server according to claim 3 or 4. The CL download request processing means identifies a user who intends to print content data based on a request from a client device, adds key information for identifying the identified user to a content designation file, and adds the key information to the client device. Send
The acquisition means acquires the key information added to the content designation file based on the print data and notifies the content providing server when the print target file of the print data is a content designation file,
The PR download request processing means identifies the user based on the key information notified from the acquisition means of the printing apparatus with respect to the content data to be transmitted in response to the request from the printing apparatus, and performs a charging process for the identified user 6. The content printing system according to claim 5, wherein the content printing system is executed. Receiving print data created based on a file to be printed via a communication network;
A determination step of determining whether or not a print target file of the print data is a file specifying a location of content data (hereinafter referred to as a “content specification file”);
When the print target file of the print data is a content specification file, the location of content data is determined based on the print data, and the content data specified by the determined location is acquired via a communication network Process,
Executing print processing based on the print data if the print target file of the print data is not a content specification file, and executing print processing based on the acquired content data if the print target file of the print data is a content specification file; A printing method comprising:   A program for causing a computer to execute the printing method according to claim 7.

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