JP2010089287A - Printing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the usability of a printing apparatus which has a storage region referable from an external device and can print by copying of a file to the storage region. <P>SOLUTION: Folders 308-310 made corresponding to printing setting are provided in the storage region referable from the external device. Also a document file 307 is provided which explains the method for operating the folders 308-310. A user of the external device can find a printing method using the folders 308-310 by referring to the document file 307 from the external device. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing apparatus, and more particularly, to a printing apparatus that includes a storage device having an area that can be referred to from a connected external device, and can behave as a storage device with respect to the external device.

  A printing apparatus typified by a printer includes a communication interface for receiving data to be printed from an external apparatus such as a computer. Examples of communication interfaces provided in the printing apparatus include USB (Universal Serial Bus), IEEE1394, IEEE802.11x, and the like.

  However, in order to perform printing from an external apparatus using a printing apparatus, it is necessary to install device driver software (hereinafter simply referred to as a driver) for giving a command unique to the printing apparatus to the external apparatus.

  The driver is usually provided in the form of a CD-ROM or the like together with the printing apparatus, or is provided from the manufacturer of the printing apparatus via the Internet, for example. However, not all external devices that can be connected to the printing apparatus can be connected to the Internet, and even if a function to connect to the Internet is provided, the environment is not necessarily connected to the Internet. Also, the CD-ROM may be stored in a different location from the printing device or lost. In this way, a situation may arise where the driver is not available when needed.

  For this reason, there is known a printing apparatus in which a storage device of a printing apparatus is provided with an area that can be referred to from an external apparatus, and data to be printed can be copied to the area, thereby enabling a print instruction from the external apparatus (Patent Document). 1 and Patent Document 2).

JP 2006-227992 JP JP 2005-216201 A

  When using such a printing apparatus, it is possible to instruct printing simply by copying a file to be printed to the storage device of the printing apparatus, so printing can also be performed from an external apparatus in which the driver software of the printing apparatus is not installed. .

  However, since a print instruction by file copy is not common, there is a possibility that the user of the external apparatus may not know how to use the printing apparatus. Furthermore, since there is no driver software, there is no means for detecting that the user desires printing, and there is no means for notifying the user of the printing method.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems of the prior art. In a printing apparatus that has a storage area that can be referred to from an external apparatus and that can perform printing by file copy operation to the storage area, the user-friendliness is provided. The purpose is to improve.

  The above-described object is to provide a printing apparatus having connection means for connecting to an external apparatus, storage means having an area that can be referred to by the external apparatus connected via the connection means, and printing means for printing on a recording medium. The area is provided with a folder associated with the print settings and a document file describing a description for performing printing using the folder, and access to the folder from a connected external device. And detecting means for detecting the data file detected by the detecting means from the connected external device to the folder in accordance with the print setting associated with the folder in which the data file is written. It is achieved by a printing apparatus having control means for printing.

  In addition, the above-described object is to provide a connection unit for connecting to an external device, a storage unit having an area that can be referred to by the external device connected via the connection unit, a printing unit that performs printing on a recording medium, and a user. Is a printing apparatus having an operation means for inputting an instruction and a display means, and a folder associated with the print setting is provided in the area, and further, a folder from the connected external apparatus is transferred to the folder. A detecting unit for detecting access, and a printing unit configured to detect the data file detected by the detecting unit from the connected external device to be written to the folder in accordance with a print setting associated with the folder in which the data file is written. And a display control means for displaying a description of a printing method using a folder on the display means in response to an instruction from the user through the operation means. Also achieved by a printing apparatus characterized by having a.

  With such a configuration, according to the present invention, the user-friendliness can be improved in a printing apparatus that has a storage area that can be referred to from an external device and that can perform printing by file copy operations to this storage area. .

Hereinafter, preferred and exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
(First embodiment)
(Configuration of printer 1)
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a printer 1 as an example of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  In the figure, a control unit 109 is a CPU, for example, and controls the overall operation of the printer 1. The RAM 105 is a memory that reads various data and a program executed by the control unit 109 and is used as a work area of the control unit 109. The ROM 103 is a non-volatile memory that stores a program executed by the control unit 109. The communication I / F 104 is an interface for communicating with an external device such as a PC 2 to be described later. In this embodiment, the communication I / F 104 is a USB interface, but is not limited thereto. Specifically, the communication I / F 104 may include one or more interfaces that support a protocol that allows the printer 1 to behave as a storage device when viewed from the connected external device (PC 2 in this embodiment).

  The storage device 106 may be a semiconductor memory or a hard disk drive. The storage device 106 includes, as at least a part thereof, an externally referable area 4 that is readable and writable from an external device that is communicably connected via the communication I / F 104. As will be described later, the printer 1 of this embodiment can behave as an external storage device having this externally referable area 4 when connected to an external device (PC 2 in this embodiment). The storage device 106 is managed by a file system 107 using, for example, FAT (File Allocation Table). The data file stored in the storage device 106 is accessed through the file system 107.

  The access monitoring unit 110 monitors the file system 107 and grasps the situation when an external device accesses (opens / closes, reads, writes) a folder or file in the storage device 106.

  The printing unit 108 is a so-called print engine, and forms an image on a recording medium such as paper based on the control of the control unit 109 and the print data. The recording method used by the printing unit 108 is not limited, and any method such as an electrophotographic method, an ink jet recording method, or a thermal transfer method can be adopted. In the present embodiment, the ink jet recording method is used.

  The display unit 111 includes a color LCD, for example, and displays a GUI screen such as print data and operation guidance based on the control of the control unit 109.

  The operation unit 112 includes a group of input devices for receiving various instructions and settings for the printer 1 from the user, such as keys, buttons, and a touch panel provided on the display unit 111. The operation content of the operation unit 112 is transmitted to the control unit 109, and the control unit 109 performs control according to the operation content.

The control unit 109 is a CPU, for example, and controls the overall operation of the printer 1 by executing a program stored in the ROM 103.
The bus 102 connects the above-described units to each other.

(Configuration of PC2)
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a PC (general-purpose computer apparatus) 2 as an example of the external apparatus in the present embodiment.
In the figure, a display 201 includes a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube), an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), and the like, and displays various GUIs (Graphical User Interfaces), data, and the like. The keyboard 203 and the pointing device 204 are used for inputting characters and pointing to icons and buttons in the GUI. The CPU 205 controls the entire PC 2.

  A ROM 206 (Read Only Memory) stores a program (mainly a boot program) executed by the CPU 205, parameters, and the like. A RAM (Random Access Memory) 207 is used as a work area when the CPU 205 executes various programs, a temporary save area during error processing, and the like.

  A hard disk drive (HDD) 208 stores programs executed by the CPU 205 such as an OS and application programs, and stores user data. It is also used as a virtual storage area. It is assumed that programs that realize various functions of the PC 2 described in the present embodiment are stored in the HDD 208.

  A removable media drive (RMD) 209 is a device that reads / writes or reads a removable recording medium. Specific examples of the RMD 209 include a flexible disk drive, an optical disk drive, a magneto-optical disk drive, a memory card reader, and a removable HDD.

  The USB / IEEE 1394 interface 210 is an example of an interface for connecting various peripheral devices such as a printing apparatus. More specifically, the USB / IEEE 1394 interface 210 is an example of an interface that supports a protocol that the connected printing apparatus can handle as a storage device from the PC 2. Thus, it may be any one or more types of interfaces that support similar protocols. The following description will be made assuming that the interface is a USB interface for ease of explanation and understanding.

  A network interface (I / F) 211 is an interface for connecting the PC 2 to a computer network. The bus 212 includes an address bus, a data bus, and a control bus, and connects the above-described units.

(File structure of printer 1)
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a file configuration formed in a storage area (externally referable area) 4 that can be read and written from an external apparatus, among the storage apparatuses 106 included in the printer 1 of the present embodiment. This file structure is formed and managed by the file system 107.

As shown in FIG. 3A, the present embodiment has a hierarchical folder structure. Further, the hierarchy is associated with the details of the function, and the function becomes detailed as it goes down the hierarchy.
A printer folder 301 is formed at the top, and a single-print folder 302, a calendar print folder 303, a frame print folder 304, and an N-up print folder 305 are provided as subfolders therein. The N-up printing folder 305 includes an explanatory document file (operation method.htm) 307 describing a printing method using the folder, a 2-up printing folder 308, a 4-up printing folder 309, and an 8-up printing. Three subfolders of the folder 310 are provided.

  The type of subfolder provided in the printer folder 301 can change according to the function of the printer 1 and the configuration of the printing unit 108. Further, a folder that does not include other folders (folder existing in the directory at the lowest level) functions as a so-called hot folder in which printing is performed according to print settings previously associated with stored data files.

The single print folder 302 is associated with normal printing, and prints one copy of the copied image file.
The calendar print folder 303 is associated with a function for printing a calendar with a copied image file.

The frame print folder 304 is a folder associated with frame printing in which a frame image prepared in advance is copied to a copied image file and printed.
The N-up printing folder 305 is associated with an N-up printing function for printing a plurality of (N) pages allocated to one page. The N-up print folder 305 includes 2-up print folders 308 to 8-up print folders 310 corresponding to the number of pages assigned to one page.

  The explanation document file 307 is a description of a printing method (hot folder operation method) using a hot folder existing in the same hierarchy, that is, the 2-up print folder 308 to the 8-up print folder 310 in the example of FIG. It is a document file described. In the present embodiment, the explanation document file 307 is assumed to be in the html format, but may be any general-purpose format such as a text format or a PDF (Portable Document Format) format.

  For example, if printing using the 2-up print folder 308 requires two image files, the description document file 307 needs to copy two images to the “print with 2 up” folder. It is described that printing is started when the second image is copied.

  Similarly, for the 4-up print folder 309 and the 8-up print folder 310, the description document file 307 describes the functions of individual folders and the usage method (operation method) thereof. Therefore, the user of the PC 2 can understand the printing method using the hot folder, the function of each hot folder, and the operation method thereof by opening the explanatory document file 307 from the PC 2.

  FIG. 3B shows an example of a screen in a state where the file configuration of FIG.

(Printing operation)
FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the printing operation of the printer 1 of this embodiment.
In step S <b> 401, the access monitoring unit 110 of the printer 1 checks whether there is a data file to be printed in the printer folder 301.

  Specifically, when a data file whose print instruction has been recognized is moved from a hot folder to another folder (for example, a “printing” folder), the access monitoring unit 110 checks whether the data file exists in the hot folder.

  On the other hand, when the data file that has recognized the print instruction is not moved, the access monitoring unit 110 checks whether a new data file has been copied to the hot folder. In the present embodiment, the former case will be described. In this case, the “printing” folder may be provided in the printer folder 301 (however, it is not regarded as a hot folder even if there is no included folder), and is provided in an area that cannot be accessed from the PC 2 of the storage device 106. May be.

If there is no data file to be printed, the access monitoring unit 110 repeatedly executes S401 and monitors the hot folder.
If there is a data file to be printed, the control unit 109 moves the data file to the printing folder (S402).

  In step S403, the control unit 109 sets print parameters. The print parameters vary depending on the hot folder where the data file was first copied. If the user of the PC 2 copies image data to, for example, the single-sheet print folder 302, the control unit 109 sets print parameters for printing with one file / one page. At this time, the control unit 109 determines the image resizing coefficient in consideration of the size of the image included in the data file and the size of the recording medium set in the printing unit 108.

  In step S404, the control unit 109 decodes the data file as necessary to generate print data. Since image files shot with a digital camera or the like are often compressed and encoded, a decoding process is required for printing. After decoding, the control unit 109 generates print data according to the print parameters and the configuration of the printing unit 108 (such as the type of recording medium and ink). If the data file is in a bitmap format, for example, if decoding is not necessary, the print data can be generated immediately without performing the decoding process.

  In step S <b> 405, the control unit 109 transfers the generated print data to the printing unit 108. The printing unit 108 executes printing by controlling an inkjet recording head, a medium transport mechanism, and the like.

  In step S406, the control unit 109 deletes the data file that has been printed from the “printing” folder. If the “printing” folder is not used, the control unit 109 deletes the printed data file from the hot folder in step S406.

(Operation when connected)
FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining processing performed when the printer 1 of the present embodiment is connected to the external device (PC 2).
In step S <b> 501, the control unit 109 detects that the USB interface 210 of the PC 2 and the communication I / F 104 of the printer 1 are connected by the USB cable 3. The connection process is started with the PC 2 as the USB host and the printer 1 as the USB device. At this time, the printer 1 is not mounted yet.

  In step S <b> 502, the control unit 109 confirms the configuration of the printing unit 108 and lists formats that can be printed by the printer 1. The printing unit 108 can usually be loaded with recording media of different sizes and different types of ink cartridges. Since the print formats that can be supported may vary depending on the configuration of the printing unit 108, the control unit 109 checks the configuration of the printing unit 108 when connected to the PC 2, and lists the possible print formats.

  In this embodiment, as a result of this listing, it has been found that the print format is capable of single-sheet printing, calendar printing, frame printing, and N-up printing (2-up, 4-up, 8-up). And

  In step S503, the control unit 109 refers to, for example, a non-illustrated non-volatile memory and acquires the language setting of the printer 1. The operation unit 112 has a setting button (not shown), and when the setting button is pressed, a setting menu is displayed on the display unit 111. The setting menu includes a language setting menu. One language can be selected from a plurality of languages in the language setting menu, and a GUI menu or the like is displayed in the selected language. The set language is stored in a nonvolatile memory (not shown) as part of the setting information.

  In step S504, the control unit 109 uses the file system 107 to generate a folder in the externally referable area 4 of the storage device 106 based on the print format listed in step S502 and the language setting acquired in step S503.

  The file system 107 creates a printer folder 301 and subfolders (including hot folders) 302 to 309 in the externally referable area 4 with a hierarchical structure as shown in FIG. As a result, by mounting the printer 1, the folders and files included in the printer folder 301 are displayed on the PC 2 as folders of the storage device that can be used from the PC 2 as shown in FIG. It becomes.

  In step S505, the control unit 109 creates an explanatory document file corresponding to each print format in the subfolder created in step S504. In the present embodiment, for example, it is assumed that a description document file for each possible print format is stored in advance in each non-volatile memory built in the control unit 109 for each settable language. Therefore, the control unit 109 acquires a necessary explanatory document file by searching the nonvolatile memory based on the print format listed in S502 and the language setting acquired in S503. Then, the control unit 109 copies the acquired explanatory document file to the folder created in S504. At this time, the control unit 109 copies the explanation document file to the same hierarchy as the hot folder to be explained. That is, as shown in FIG. 3B, the explanatory document file (operation method.htm) for the hot folders 308 to 310 for N-up printing is copied to the N-up printing folder 305.

  In the example of FIG. 3B, explanation document files for the single print folder 302, the calendar print folder 303, and the frame print folder 304 are not shown. The document file is copied.

  Note that an explanatory document file may be provided for each print format. However, when a hot folder included in the same hierarchy is known in advance, an explanatory document file common to a plurality of hot folders may be prepared. Specifically, in the example of FIG. 3B, the explanatory document files for the single-sheet print folder 302, the calendar print folder 303, and the frame print folder 304 may be combined into one.

  The explanation document file may be a data file in an arbitrary format that can be displayed on an external device (PC2 in this embodiment), and examples thereof include an HTML format, a PDF format, and a text format.

  With the above processing, the printer 1 is ready. In step S506, the control unit 109 responds to the connection request received from the PC 2 in step S501. Specifically, the printer 1 notifies the PC 2 that it is a USB mass storage class in the descriptor information. As a result, the PC 2 recognizes the printer 1 as a USB mass storage class device.

  The OS that is currently used generally includes a USB or IEEE 1394 protocol driver as a standard. Therefore, this series of operations in the PC 2 is normally provided as an OS function, and driver installation is unnecessary.

  Thereby, in the PC 2, the printer 1 is mounted as a removable disk, and the corresponding disk icon is displayed on the display 201. As a result, the user of the PC 2 can handle the printer 1 as a general storage device, and can access the printer folder 301, its subfolders, and the explanatory document file.

  As described above, when connected to an external device, the printing apparatus of this embodiment behaves as a storage device accessible from the external device and prints a file written from the external device to the storage device. Therefore, it is possible to provide a printing apparatus that can perform printing from an external apparatus even if driver software is not installed in the external apparatus.

  In addition, since the document file describing the printing method is held so as to be accessible from the external device, even a user who is unfamiliar with the print instruction by the file copy operation can easily perform desired printing.

  Further, since the document file is selected according to the language setting, the user can refer to the explanation document file described in a language that the user can understand by appropriately setting the language setting of the printing apparatus. This is more convenient than the case where all the explanatory document files described in each of the settable languages are provided so as to be referred to, and the user searches for the explanatory document file in a desired language by himself / herself.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.
The present embodiment is characterized in that a method for operating a folder used for a print instruction is displayed on a display device of a printer. Since the printer of this embodiment may also have the same configuration as the printer 1 of the first embodiment, description regarding the configuration is omitted.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the printer 1 according to this embodiment. In FIG. 6, the same operations as those of FIG.
In FIG. 6, S501 to S506 are operations common to the first embodiment except that there is no description document file generation step in S505.

  In step S507, the access monitoring unit 110 monitors whether the PC 2 has accessed the printer folder 301 or its subfolder. The access here includes not only input / output (writing / reading) of a file to / from a folder but also an operation that does not involve a file operation, such as a folder opening / closing operation.

  When there is an access to the folder, the control unit 109 stores the accessed folder in, for example, the RAM 105 in response to a notification from the access monitoring unit 110 in S508. In the present embodiment, the control unit 109 can store a plurality of accessed folders as folder access history information together with the access order.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of the data structure of the folder access history information.
The folder access history information is initialized, for example, when a connection with the PC 2 is detected in S501.
Each data member has a size of 2 bytes, and one record is formed by a pair of an index to the next data and a folder number as information for specifying the accessed folder. Thus, each record has a list structure with an index to the next record. The record corresponding to the last access becomes the first record.

  Reference numeral 601 denotes an index to the top data, and a record including the folder number accessed last in this index can be specified. From the index to the next data in the record, the next record, that is, the record to the folder number accessed immediately before can be obtained. Similarly, the folder number can be obtained by going back in the access order.

Reference numerals 602 and 604 are indexes to the next record included in each of the above-described records.
Reference numerals 603 and 605 denote folder numbers included in the respective records.

  Returning to FIG. 6, in step S <b> 509, the control unit 109 determines whether a guidance button included in the operation unit 112 has been pressed, for example. The guidance button is a button that is pressed when the user instructs the printer 1 to display an operation description. If the printer 1 can determine that the user has instructed to display an operation description, other buttons and other detection methods can be provided.

If the guidance button has not been pressed, the control unit 109 returns the process to S507 and continues monitoring the folder access.
If the guidance button has been pressed, in S510, the control unit 109 serving as a display control unit acquires the corresponding explanatory document file.

  Specifically, the control unit 109 refers to the folder access history information stored in the RAM 105 and acquires the folder number included in the latest record from the index 601 at the head. Then, the control unit 109 acquires an explanatory document file corresponding to the acquired folder number. At this time, the control unit 109 acquires an explanatory document file that has been technically processed in a language corresponding to the language setting acquired in S503.

  In the present embodiment as well, as in the first embodiment, for example, a description document file for each folder is stored in advance in each non-volatile memory built in the control unit 109 for each language that can be set in the printer 1. . Therefore, the control unit 109 can obtain the explanatory document file corresponding to the accessed folder by searching the nonvolatile memory based on the accessed folder number and the language setting. The difference from the first embodiment is that the obtained explanation document file is not copied to the subfolder. As a result, the memory capacity can be saved, the number of files can be reduced, and file management is facilitated. In particular, when there are explanatory document files that can be used in common in a plurality of folders, copying is not performed for each folder, so the effect is great.

  When the corresponding explanatory document file is acquired, the control unit 109 serving as a display control unit displays the explanatory document file on the display unit 111 in S511. The format of the explanatory document file is not particularly limited as long as it can be displayed by the printer 1 and is suitable for the display capability of the display unit 111, but the simplest format may be a text format. Further, when the number of characters that can be displayed at one time by the display unit 111 is small, the display may be performed in a plurality of times.

  When the explanatory document file is displayed on the display unit 111, the control unit 109 returns the process to S507 and repeats the monitoring of the folder access and the determination of whether the guidance button has been pressed.

  If it is determined that the guidance button has been pressed in S509 and the folder number is acquired from the folder access history information in S510, the control unit 109 determines whether the folder number is the same as the folder number corresponding to the currently displayed explanatory document file. If it is the same, the index to the next data is referred to, and the explanation document file corresponding to the folder number obtained from the record next to the record including the folder number corresponding to the explanation document file currently being displayed is obtained. indicate.

  With this configuration, each time the user presses the guidance button, the user can check the explanation of the accessed folder in order from the last accessed folder.

  As described above, when connected to an external device, the printing apparatus of this embodiment behaves as a storage device accessible from the external device, and prints a transfer file by an operation of storing from the external device to the storage device. Therefore, it is possible to provide a printing apparatus that can perform printing from an external apparatus even if driver software is not installed in the external apparatus.

  Further, since the document file describing the printing method is displayed according to the user's instruction, it is possible to know the operation method of the folder that the printing apparatus has even if it is not in front of the external apparatus. At this time, since the obtained explanatory document file is not copied to the subfolder, the memory capacity can be saved, the number of files can be reduced, and file management is facilitated. As a result, the memory capacity can be saved, the number of files can be reduced, and file management is facilitated. In particular, when there are explanatory document files that can be used in common in a plurality of folders, copying is not performed for each folder, so the effect is great.

  Furthermore, since the folder access history is stored and the explanatory document files are displayed in the order of access, the user can easily understand the relationship between the displayed document and the accessed folder.

  Further, since the explanatory document file is selected according to the language setting, the user can refer to the explanatory document file described in a language that the user can understand by appropriately setting the language setting of the printing apparatus. .

  In the present embodiment, the control unit 109 can record the information of the folder from which the explanation document file is acquired as history information. Specifically, a flag field indicating whether or not an explanatory document file has been acquired is added to each record of the folder access history information, and a flag in the flag field corresponding to the folder number from which the explanatory document file has been acquired is set (value is 0). To 1).

  It can be predicted that the folder whose flag field remains 0 has been accessed but the explanatory document file has not been acquired. For example, when a data file is written in a folder, the control unit 109 refers to the flag field of each record in the folder access history information corresponding to the folder before executing the print processing corresponding to the folder. If the flag field of each record is 0, the explanation document file corresponding to the folder has never been read, so the explanation document file is automatically acquired and displayed, or the user explanation document file is referred to. Can be encouraged to do. Then, the control unit 109 executes the printing process after displaying the explanatory document file automatically or in response to a user operation. As a result, it is possible to check the description more reliably and to prevent printing failure.

(Other embodiments)
The embodiments described above can also be implemented in combination.
In the above-described embodiment, the general-purpose computer has been described as an example of the external device. However, any device that supports a protocol that allows the printing apparatus to behave as a storage device can be used as the external device. As described above, such protocols include, for example, the USB protocol and the IEEE 1394 protocol, and any device that supports any of these protocols can be used as an external device. Specifically, a digital still camera or a digital video camera may be used.

  In the above embodiment, only the example in which the printing apparatus behaves as a USB mass storage class device has been described. However, the external device may support the IEEE 1394 protocol, and the printing device may behave as a storage device (such as a camera storage subunit) that can be read and written by an AV / C command.

The above-described embodiment can also be realized in software by a computer (or CPU, MPU, etc.) included in the printing apparatus.
Therefore, the computer program itself supplied to the computer in order to implement the above-described embodiment by the computer also realizes the present invention. That is, the computer program itself for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments is also one aspect of the present invention.

  The computer program for realizing the above-described embodiment may be in any form as long as it can be read by a computer. For example, it can be composed of object code, a program executed by an interpreter, script data supplied to the OS, but is not limited thereto.

  A computer program for realizing the above-described embodiment is supplied to a computer via a storage medium or wired / wireless communication. Examples of the storage medium for supplying the program include a magnetic storage medium such as a flexible disk, a hard disk, and a magnetic tape, an optical / magneto-optical storage medium such as an MO, CD, and DVD, and a nonvolatile semiconductor memory.

  As a computer program supply method using wired / wireless communication, there is a method of using a server on a computer network. In this case, a data file (program file) that can be a computer program forming the present invention is stored in the server. The program file may be an executable format or a source code.

Then, the program file is supplied by downloading to a client computer that has accessed the server. In this case, the program file can be divided into a plurality of segment files, and the segment files can be distributed and arranged on different servers.
That is, a server apparatus that provides a client computer with a program file for realizing the above-described embodiment is also one aspect of the present invention.

  In addition, a storage medium in which the computer program for realizing the above-described embodiment is encrypted and distributed is distributed, and key information for decrypting is supplied to a user who satisfies a predetermined condition, and the user's computer Installation may be allowed. The key information can be supplied by being downloaded from a homepage via the Internet, for example.

Further, the computer program for realizing the above-described embodiment may use an OS function already running on the computer.
Further, a part of the computer program for realizing the above-described embodiment may be configured by firmware such as an expansion board attached to the computer, or may be executed by a CPU provided in the expansion board. Good.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a printer 1 as an example of a printing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structural example of PC2 as an example of the external device which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a file configuration formed in a storage area that is readable and writable from an external device in the storage device 106 included in the printer 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a printing operation of the printer 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 4 is a flowchart for explaining processing performed when the printer 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention is connected to an external device. 10 is a flowchart for explaining processing performed when the printer according to the second embodiment of the present invention is connected to an external device. It is a figure which shows the example of the data structure of the folder access history information in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

Claims (8)

Connection means for connecting to an external device;
Storage means having an area that can be referred to by an external device connected via the connection means;
A printing apparatus having printing means for printing on a recording medium,
In the area, a folder associated with the print setting, and a document file describing an explanation for performing printing using the folder are provided,
further,
Detecting means for detecting access to the folder from the connected external device;
Control for causing the printing means to print the data file detected by the detection means to be written from the connected external device to the folder according to the print setting associated with the folder in which the data file is written. A printing apparatus.   The printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a generation unit configured to generate the folder and the document file in accordance with a configuration of the printing unit when connected to the external apparatus via the connection unit.   3. The printing according to claim 2, wherein the generation unit generates the document file described in a language corresponding to a language setting of the printing device when connected to the external device via the connection unit. apparatus. Connection means for connecting to an external device;
Storage means having an area that can be referred to by an external device connected via the connection means;
Printing means for printing on a recording medium;
Operation means for the user to input instructions;
A printing apparatus having display means,
In the area, a folder associated with the print setting is provided,
further,
Detecting means for detecting access to the folder from the connected external device;
Control for causing the printing means to print the data file detected by the detection means to be written from the connected external device to the folder according to the print setting associated with the folder in which the data file is written. Means,
A printing apparatus comprising: a display control unit configured to display a description of a printing method using the folder on the display unit in response to an instruction from a user through the operation unit. A storage means for storing a history of a folder in which the detection means has detected access;
The printing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the display control unit refers to the storage unit according to the instruction and causes the display unit to display a description corresponding to the folder accessed last.   The display control means causes the display means to display a description corresponding to the folder accessed immediately before each time the instruction is given while the description is displayed on the display means. The printing apparatus according to claim 5.   7. The display device according to claim 4, wherein the display control unit displays the description in a language corresponding to a language setting of the printing apparatus when connected to the external device via the connection unit. The printing apparatus according to claim 1.   8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the external device is notified that the device is a USB mass storage class device in response to the connection with the external device via the connection unit. The printing apparatus according to item.

Images