JP2013134745A - Information processing system, information processing device, method for controlling information processing device, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To print using an expanded function, even if the expanded function is provided in a printer in which no printer driver is installed, without installing the printer driver, in server-less environment.SOLUTION: The information processing system inquires an information processing device having a printer driver of a printer, as a result of the inquiry, identifies the information processing device having the printer driver, and requests setting information of the printer driver to the identified information processing device. Upon receiving the requested setting information, the information processing system generates a printer driver setting screen, accepts an input of printing conditions from a user to the generated printer driver setting screen, and transmits the accepted printing conditions and print data to the information processing device. Another information processing device receiving the transmission, executes the transmitted print data by an application that another different information processing device is provided, and executes the print under the transmitted printing conditions.

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for transmitting a print job from an information processing apparatus having no printer driver to an information processing apparatus having a printer driver and outputting the print job to a printer.

  In recent years, there are many cases where a plurality of printers are installed in an office in recent years, but there are various types of printers, and it is difficult to cope with one type of printer driver. Therefore, when using a printer that exists in a certain area, a printer driver must be installed for each printer. At sites where notebook PCs are carried, printer drivers must be installed for each area where notebook PCs are brought in, which is troublesome for users.

  In order to solve this problem, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-228561, a print job can be transmitted to a server that holds a common printer driver program that controls basic functions and logical printer information that includes function information of each printer. A technology is disclosed in which a printer driver is installed, and the printer driver performs printing by substituting the setting of another printer driver installed in an information processing apparatus that transmits a print command.

JP 2006-155289 A

  However, Patent Document 1 requires a server device that manages a common printer driver, and cannot be realized in a serverless environment.

  In addition, printing is executed by replacing the printer driver that is not yet installed according to the settings of the printer driver that is already installed in the information processing apparatus, and the extended functions other than the basic functions are inquired of the server as an expansion module of the server apparatus. It is realized by doing. Therefore, functions other than the settings of the printer driver already installed in the information processing apparatus cannot be realized without a server.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to enable printing using an extended function without installing a printer driver, even if it is an extended function of a printer without a printer driver installed without a server.

The present invention is an information processing system comprising a first information processing apparatus having a printer driver for controlling a printer, and a second information processing apparatus that executes printing using the printer driver, The information processing apparatus includes: a printer driver presence / absence inquiry unit that inquires about an information processing apparatus having a printer driver for the printer; and information that identifies the first information processing apparatus having the printer driver for the printer by the printer driver presence / absence inquiry unit. A processing device specifying means; a printer driver setting information requesting means for requesting printer driver setting information to the first information processing apparatus specified by the information processing apparatus specifying means; and a setting requested by the printer driver setting information requesting means. Receives information and generates printer driver setting screen Printer driver setting screen generating means, print condition input receiving means for receiving input of printing conditions from the user to the printer driver setting screen generated by the printer driver setting screen generating means, and receiving by the print condition input receiving means Print information transmission means for transmitting the print conditions and print data to the first information processing apparatus, and when the first information processing apparatus is inquired by the printer driver presence / absence inquiry means, the printer driver setting of the printer is set. Printer driver setting information transmission means for transmitting information, and print execution means for executing the print data transmitted by the print information transmission means by an application owned by the first information processing apparatus and executing printing under the printing conditions It is characterized by having.

  According to the present invention, even if an extended function of a printer in which no printer driver is installed without using a server is provided, printing can be performed using the extended function without installing a printer driver.

It is a system configuration figure showing the composition of the information processing system of the present invention. 2 is a hardware block diagram of an information processing apparatus applicable to the client PC 200 and the printer 300 of the present invention. FIG. It is a software block diagram in the information processing system of this invention. It is a sequence chart explaining the flow of processing in the information processing system of the present invention. It is the schematic diagram which showed the image of the printer driver selection screen displayed on the display 210 of client PC200 in the information processing system of this invention. It is the schematic diagram which showed the image of the printer driver selection screen displayed on the display 210 of client PC200 in the information processing system of this invention. 4 is an example of information for generating a print setting screen of a printer driver in the information processing system of the present invention. It is the schematic diagram which showed the image of the printer driver selection screen displayed on the display 210 of client PC200 in the information processing system of this invention. It is the schematic diagram which showed the image of the printing condition input screen displayed on the display 210 of client PC200 in the information processing system of this invention. It is an example of the print setting conditions of the printer driver in the information processing system of the present invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing the configuration of the information processing system of the present invention. Reference numeral 400 denotes a network such as a LAN. The client PC 200 existing on the network (LAN) 400 is a terminal used by a general user for document creation, storage, and printing. A print command when printing is executed is issued from the client PC 200.

  A printer 300 is connected to the network 400. When the client PC 200 transmits a print start command from a remote location, the printer 300 receives the print command from the client PC and executes printing.

  FIG. 2 is a hardware block diagram of an information processing apparatus applicable to the client PC 200 and the printer 300 of the present invention. In the client terminal 200, a CPU 201 controls each device connected to the system bus 204 based on a program recorded in the program ROM of the ROM 203, and performs overall control of the entire client terminal 200.

  Further, font data and the like are stored in the font ROM of the ROM 203, and various data are stored in the data ROM of the ROM 203. A RAM 202 functions as a main memory, work area, and the like for the CPU 201.

  A keyboard controller (KBC) 205 controls input from a keyboard (KB) 210 or a pointing device (not shown) such as a mouse. A display controller (DC) 206 controls display on the display 210. The display may be a CRT or another type of display device such as an LCD.

  A memory controller (MC) 207 controls access to the hard disk (HD) 211, a flexible disk (FD) (not shown), a CD-ROM, and the like. A network interface (NW I / F) 208 controls communication with the printer 300 via the network 400.

  FIG. 3 is a software block diagram in the information processing system of the present invention.

  The client PC 200a is a client PC that does not have a printer driver for the printer 300b, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram when a print job created by the client PC 200a cannot be output even if it is transmitted to the printer 300b.

  The client PC 200a has a printer driver presence / absence inquiry unit 301. The printer driver presence / absence inquiry unit 301 transmits an inquiry about the presence / absence of a client PC having a printer driver of the printer b to another client PC by broadcasting.

  An information processing apparatus specifying unit 302 has a function of specifying an information processing apparatus having a printer driver by the printer driver presence / absence inquiry unit 301. A printer driver setting information requesting unit 303 requests printer driver setting information from the information processing apparatus (in the case of FIG. 3, client PC 200b) specified by the information processing apparatus specifying unit 302.

  A printer driver setting screen generation unit 304 generates the printer driver setting information obtained by the printer driver setting information request unit 303 as a printer driver setting screen. A printer condition input accepting unit 305 accepts an input of a user's printing conditions for the screen generated by the printer driver setting screen generating unit 304.

  Reference numeral 306 denotes a print information transmission unit, which is an information processing apparatus (the client PC 200b in the case of FIG. 3) in which the user's printing conditions received by the printer condition input reception unit 305 and data to be printed are specified by the information processing apparatus specifying unit 302 ).

  The client PC 200b is an example of a client PC having a printer driver for the printer b.

  The client PC 200b has a printer driver setting information transmission unit 310, and the printer driver setting information transmission unit 310 responds to the request from the printer driver setting information request unit 303 of the client PC 200a described above with the printer driver setting of the client PC 200b. The information is transmitted to the printer driver setting information request unit 303.

  Reference numeral 311 denotes an application included in the client PC 200b, which processes print data sent from the print information transmission unit 306 of the client PC 200a into a print job. Reference numeral 312 denotes a print command transmission unit, which sets a print condition for the print job created by the application 311 according to the print condition of the user transmitted by the print information transmission unit 306 and transmits it to the printer 300b.

  The print execution unit 320 of the printer 300b prints the print job received from the print command transmission unit 312.

  Next, the basic flow of the information processing system of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 4 is a sequence chart for explaining the flow of processing in the information processing system of the present invention, and S401 to S416 indicate processing steps. 4 is realized by the CPU 201 of the client PC 200 executing an execution program stored in the program ROM 203 on the RAM 202.

  The sequence chart of FIG. 4 is started when the user gives a print instruction using an application program installed in the client PC 200.

  First, in step S401, when the CPU 201 of the client PC 200 receives a print instruction from a user, the CPU 201 displays a printer driver selection screen and receives a printer driver selection from the user. An image of the printer driver selection screen will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing an image of a printer driver selection screen displayed on the display 210 of the client PC 200 in the information processing system of the present invention.

  In FIG. 5, it is assumed that only the printer A driver is installed in the client PC 200a as shown in FIG. Upon receiving a print instruction from the user, the client PC 200a displays a printer driver selection screen as shown in FIG. When the user clicks the drop-down list 501 with a mouse or the like to select a printer driver, only the driver for the printer A that is shown is installed, so that it is displayed in the drop-down list as 502. When the user wants to output with the printer B, the printer B cannot be selected. In this case, when the user presses the “borrow driver” button 503, the process proceeds to the next step S402 in FIG. Returning to the flowchart of FIG.

  Next, in step S402 in FIG. 4, the CPU 201 of the client PC 200 instructing printing prints the printer of each client PC to another client PC (in the case of FIG. 4, the client PC 200a is directed to the client PC 200b or the client 200c). Queries the driver. This process is broadcast to other client PCs in the same segment.

  In step S403, the CPU 201 of another client PC that has received the inquiry (in the case of FIG. 4, the client PC 200b or the client 200c) lists the printer drivers installed in its own client PC, and inquires the client PC. The list-up result is transmitted to the client PC 200a (in the case of FIG. 4). (Step S404)

  Next, in step S405, the CPU 201 of the client PC 200 instructing printing receives the information in step S404 and transmits the extension information of the file instructing printing to another client having a printer driver.

  In step S406, the CPU 201 of another client PC that has received the extension (client PC 200b in the case of FIG. 4) checks whether there is an application that can print the file with the received extension.

  Thereafter, in step S407, the CPU 201 of another client PC (client PC 200b in the case of FIG. 4) transmits the extension information as a confirmation result of whether there is an application capable of printing the received extension file. To the client PC 200 (in the case of FIG. 4, the client PC 200a).

  Through the processing from step S405 to step S407, another client having an application capable of printing a file to be printed is specified.

  Note that in steps S405 to S407, it is confirmed whether there is an application that can be printed by an extension, but is there an application that can be printed by an identifier other than the extension information of the file instructed to print? You may check it. As an example other than the extension information, a printable application can be confirmed by a code embedded in header information of a file instructed to be printed.

  Next, in step S408, the CPU 201 of the client PC 200 instructing printing determines, from the confirmation result received in step S407, another client PC having an application capable of printing the file instructed to print and the printer driver possessed by the client PC. Identify. Thereafter, printer drivers of other client PCs are also displayed on the printer driver selection screen on the display 210 of the client PC 200, and the selection of the printer driver from the user is accepted. An image of the printer driver selection screen will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing an image of a printer driver selection screen displayed on the display 210 of the client PC 200 in the information processing system of the present invention.

  In FIG. 6, only the printer A driver is installed in the client PC 200a, and the printer A and the printer B are installed in the client PC 200b. In FIG. 6, the printer driver A of the client PC 200a (PC1 in FIG. 6) and the printer driver A and the printer driver B of the client PC 200b (PC4 in FIG. 6) are displayed as 601. When the user wants to print with the printer B in the situation of FIG. 6, the user selects 602 with a mouse or the like and presses the “OK” button 603. Returning to the flowchart of FIG.

  When the printer driver of the printer to be printed is selected by the user in step S408 in FIG. 4, in step S409, the CPU 201 of the client PC 200 instructing printing next prints to another client PC (in the case of FIG. 4). In order to obtain the printer driver setting information of the client PC 200b), the print setting information of the printer driver selected in step S408 is requested.

  In step S410, the CPU 201 of the other client PC that has requested the print setting information (in the case of FIG. 4, the client PC 200b) creates information for generating the print setting screen of the requested printer driver, and print setting information. Information for generating a print setting screen of the printer driver is transmitted to the client PC (in the case of FIG. 4, client PC 200a) that has requested (step S411). An example of information for generating a print setting screen of the printer driver will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 7 is an example of information for generating a print setting screen of the printer driver in the information processing system of the present invention.

  Reference numeral 700 in FIG. 7 denotes information for generating a print setting screen described in XML. An example of the print setting screen created by 700 will be described later with reference to FIG. Returning to the flowchart of FIG.

  When the CPU 201 of the client PC 200 instructing printing (in the case of FIG. 4, the client PC 200a) receives information for generating a print setting screen of the printer driver in step S411 in FIG. 4, the client instructing printing in step S412. The CPU 201 of the PC 200 displays a print condition input screen for the printer on the display 210. An image of a printing condition input screen displayed on the display 210 of the client PC 200 that instructs printing will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing an image of a printer driver selection screen displayed on the display 210 of the client PC 200 in the information processing system of the present invention.

  In FIG. 8, the printer driver designated by the user in step S408 was not displayed in step S401 (FIG. 5). Printer B is displayed. When the user selects the printer B as 801 and presses the “property” button 802, the screen shifts to a printing condition input screen of the printer B as shown in FIG.

  FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing an image of a print condition input screen displayed on the display 210 of the client PC 200 in the information processing system of the present invention.

  900 in FIG. 9 is a screen image generated from the print setting screen information in FIG. 7, and a method for creating each input item will be described below.

  First, a “page setting” tab 901 is generated by a <Tab name = “page setting”> tag 701 described in the third line of FIG.

  Next, a combo box 902 is created as an input item of “original size” by the <original size> tag 702 from the fourth line to the sixth line, and “A5”, “B5”, “A4” are listed as combo box lists. ”,“ B4 ”, and“ A3 ”are added.

  Also, a spin control 903 is created as an input item of “number of copies” by the <number of copies> tag 703 from the 10th line to the 12th line, and the value change range is set to 1-999.

  Further, radio buttons 904 of “vertical” and “horizontal” are created as input items of “printing direction” by using the <printing direction> tag 704 from the 13th line to the 15th line.

  By creating other input items in the same manner, a print condition input screen as shown in FIG. 9 is generated.

  As described above, by acquiring information on the print setting condition input screen from another client PC that executes printing, it is possible to set extended functions that differ for each printer driver from the client PC that instructs printing without using a server. It has the effect. Returning to the flowchart of FIG.

  In step S412, the CPU 201 of the client PC 200 that instructs printing displays a print condition input setting screen on the display 210. In the next step S413, the print condition is received on the print condition input setting screen of FIG. An example of the print setting condition that has received the data of FIG. 9 will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 10 shows an example of print setting conditions of the printer driver in the information processing system of the present invention.

  1000 in FIG. 10 is an example of a print setting condition described in XML, and the value of each tag element 1000 is the setting condition specified by the user. Returning to the flowchart of FIG.

  When the input of printing conditions is received in step S413 in FIG. 4 and data as shown in FIG. 10 is created, in the next step S414, the CPU 201 of the client PC 200 (in the case of FIG. 4, client PC 200a) instructing printing performs printing. The file to be executed and the print setting conditions as shown in FIG. 10 are transmitted to the client PC that executes printing (in the case of FIG. 4, the client PC 200b).

  In step S415, the CPU 201 of the client PC (in the case of FIG. 4, client PC 200b) that has received the print execution file and the print setting conditions as shown in FIG. 10 performs the application confirmed in step S406. Thus, print data is created. At that time, print data is created in accordance with the print setting conditions received in step S414.

  Next, in step S416, the CPU 201 of the client PC that executes printing (in the case of FIG. 4, client PC 200b) transmits the print data created in step S415 to the printer 300 (in the case of FIG. 4, printer 300b). The printer 300 outputs the print data in accordance with the received print data and finishes the process of FIG.

  With the above processing, the present invention has an effect that even if it is a server-less printer extension function without a printer driver installed, printing can be performed using the extension function without installing a printer driver.

  It should be noted that the configuration and contents of the various data described above are not limited to this, and it goes without saying that the various data and configurations are configured according to the application and purpose.

  Although one embodiment has been described above, the present invention can take an embodiment as, for example, a system, apparatus, method, program, or recording medium, and specifically includes a plurality of devices. The present invention may be applied to a system that is configured, or may be applied to an apparatus that includes a single device.

  Although not particularly shown, when stored in a recording medium, information for managing a program group, for example, version information, creator, etc. is also stored, and information depending on the OS on the program reading side, for example, a program is identified. An icon to be displayed may also be stored.

  Further, data depending on various programs is also managed in the directory. In addition, when a program or data to be installed is compressed, a program to be decompressed may be stored.

  The functions shown in FIG. 4 in this embodiment may be performed by the host computer by a program installed from the outside. In this case, the present invention is applied even when an information group including a program is supplied to the output device from a recording medium such as a CD-ROM, a flash memory, or an FD, or from an external recording medium via a network. Is.

  As described above, a recording medium in which a program code of software for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments is recorded is supplied to the system or apparatus, and the computer (or CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus is stored in the recording medium. It goes without saying that the object of the present invention can also be achieved by reading and executing the program code.

  In this case, the program code itself read from the recording medium realizes the novel function of the present invention, and the recording medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.

  As a recording medium for supplying the program code, for example, a flexible disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, CD-R, DVD-ROM, magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory card, ROM, EEPROM, A silicon disk or the like can be used.

  Further, by executing the program code read by the computer, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but also an OS (operating system) or the like running on the computer based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that a case where the function of the above-described embodiment is realized by performing part or all of the actual processing and the processing is included.

  Furthermore, after the program code read from the recording medium is written in a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted in the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, the function expansion is performed based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that the case where the CPU or the like provided in the board or the function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing.

  Further, the present invention may be applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices or an apparatus composed of a single device. Needless to say, the present invention can be applied to a case where the present invention is achieved by supplying a program to a system or apparatus. In this case, by reading a recording medium storing a program represented by software for achieving the present invention into the system or apparatus, the system or apparatus can enjoy the effects of the present invention.

  Furthermore, by downloading and reading out a program represented by software for achieving the present invention from a server, database, etc. on a network using a communication program, the system or apparatus can enjoy the effects of the present invention. It becomes.

  In addition, all the structures which combined each embodiment mentioned above and its modification are also included in this invention.

200 client PC
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 300 Printer 301 Printer driver existence inquiry part 302 Information processing apparatus specific | specification part 303 Printer driver setting information request part 304 Printer driver setting screen generation part 305 Printer condition input reception part 306 Print information transmission part 310 Printer driver setting information transmission part 311 Application 312 Printing Command transmission unit 320 Print execution unit

Claims (6)

An information processing system comprising a first information processing apparatus having a printer driver that controls a printer, and a second information processing apparatus that executes printing using the printer driver,
The second information processing apparatus
Printer driver presence / absence inquiry means for inquiring an information processing apparatus having a printer driver for the printer;
An information processing apparatus specifying means for specifying a first information processing apparatus having a printer driver for the printer by the printer driver presence / absence inquiry means;
Printer driver setting information requesting means for requesting printer driver setting information to the first information processing apparatus specified by the information processing apparatus specifying means;
A printer driver setting screen generating means for receiving the setting information requested by the printer driver setting information requesting means and generating a printer driver setting screen;
A print condition input accepting means for accepting an input of a print condition from a user to the printer driver setting screen generated by the printer driver setting screen generating means;
Print information transmitting means for transmitting the print conditions and print data received by the print condition input receiving means to the first information processing apparatus;
The first information processing apparatus includes:
When inquired by the printer driver presence / absence inquiry means, printer driver setting information transmission means for transmitting printer driver setting information of the printer;
Print information transmitted by the print information transmitting means is executed by an application owned by the first information processing apparatus, and has print command transmitting means for transmitting a print command under the print conditions. Processing system.   The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the printer driver presence / absence inquiry unit also inquires about the presence / absence of an application capable of executing print data.   The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the printer driver presence / absence inquiry unit makes a wide area transmission (broadcast). An information processing apparatus that executes printing using the printer driver of a first information processing apparatus having a printer driver that controls a printer,
Printer driver presence / absence inquiry means for inquiring an information processing apparatus having a printer driver for the printer;
An information processing apparatus specifying means for specifying a first information processing apparatus having a printer driver for the printer by the printer driver presence / absence inquiry means;
Printer driver setting information requesting means for requesting printer driver setting information to the first information processing apparatus specified by the information processing apparatus specifying means;
A printer driver setting screen generating means for receiving the setting information requested by the printer driver setting information requesting means and generating a printer driver setting screen;
A print condition input accepting means for accepting an input of a print condition from a user to the printer driver setting screen generated by the printer driver setting screen generating means;
Print information transmission means for transmitting the print conditions and print data received by the print condition input reception means to the first information processing apparatus;
An information processing apparatus comprising: A control method in a second information processing apparatus for executing printing by using the printer driver of the first information processing apparatus having a printer driver for controlling a printer,
A printer driver presence / absence inquiry step for inquiring an information processing apparatus having a printer driver for the printer;
An information processing device specifying step of specifying a first information processing device having a printer driver for the printer by the printer driver presence / absence inquiry step;
A printer driver setting information requesting step for requesting printer driver setting information to the first information processing device specified in the information processing device specifying step;
A printer driver setting screen generating step for receiving the setting information requested in the printer driver setting information requesting step and generating a printer driver setting screen;
A print condition input receiving step for receiving a print condition input from the user to the printer driver setting screen generated in the printer driver setting screen generating step;
A print information transmission step of transmitting the print condition and print data received in the print condition input reception step to the first information processing apparatus;
The control method in the 2nd information processor characterized by having. A second information processing apparatus that executes printing using the printer driver of the first information processing apparatus having a printer driver that controls the printer;
Printer driver presence / absence inquiry means for inquiring an information processing apparatus having a printer driver for the printer;
An information processing apparatus specifying means for specifying a first information processing apparatus having a printer driver for the printer by the printer driver presence / absence inquiry means;
Printer driver setting information requesting means for requesting printer driver setting information to the first information processing apparatus specified by the information processing apparatus specifying means;
A printer driver setting screen generating means for receiving the setting information requested by the printer driver setting information requesting means and generating a printer driver setting screen;
A print condition input accepting means for accepting an input of a print condition from a user to the printer driver setting screen generated by the printer driver setting screen generating means;
Print information transmission means for transmitting the print conditions and print data received by the print condition input reception means to the first information processing apparatus;
A program for causing a computer to function as a second information processing apparatus.

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