JP2013140603A - Printer, system, control method thereof and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printer, a system, a control method thereof and a program capable of easily and safely registering information on the configuration of a printer to a service provider under an environment to provide a printing function to a user.SOLUTION: A printing server receives a registration request to register a printer to the printing server from a client terminal. Responding to the received registration request, the printing server transmits information on the configuration of the printer, which is managed with being associated with user information which is input through a user authentication screen transmitted to the client terminal. Responding to an instruction to print data, the printer receives printing data provided by the printing server, and prints the received printing data. Since the printing server manages the transmitted user information and the configuration information of the printer while associating the pieces of information with each other, the printing server can control the printer to print the data and specify the printing setting corresponding to the printer through the print setting screen.

Description

  The present invention relates to a print server that provides a printer with print data generated based on data acquired from an external service, a printer that can communicate with a client terminal, a system, and a control method and program thereof.

  With the improvement of the network environment such as a reduction in communication costs due to broadbandization, the spread of SaaS (Software as a Service) that provides software functions as services on the Internet is expanding. This SaaS does not sell packet software in the form of conventional “licensing” and earns income, but provides a software function as a “service” through the Internet, and earns revenue in the form of a monthly fee. It has become.

  Conventionally, printing systems that manage printers and print jobs on a network in a local area such as an office have been required to support SaaS as a print service on the Internet.

  In addition to SaaS, the spread of a thin client with only a Web browser (a client in the case of using only a server-side program and not using a client-side program) is expected. In SaaS, there is no need to install software such as an application in a terminal such as a personal computer that functions as a client. For this reason, there are significant advantages for users to introduce a thin client, such as reducing the management cost of software distributed to the client and measures against information leakage by not storing data in the client. As described above, the correspondence to the thin client of SaaS is also a big problem for the printing system.

  Since printers managed by the printing system usually have different functions and specifications for each printer, the user needs to register printer configuration information in advance in a server (print server) of the printing system. The print server provides a user interface for a user to set print attributes at the time of printing, a function for tracking a print job until printing is completed, and the like based on the registered configuration information.

  As a method for a user to register printer configuration information in a print server, a method in which the user directly inputs printer configuration information to a user interface for registering a printer provided by a printing system is common. In this method, the user needs to know all the configuration information of the printer, and when there are many items of configuration information that need to be input, the input is troublesome. Therefore, a program for automating registration of printer configuration information may be provided for a terminal operated by a user. This program provides a function for acquiring configuration information from a printer and registering it in a print server.

  In addition, a method has been proposed in which the print server itself accesses the printer to acquire printer configuration information (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Furthermore, a method has been proposed in which the printer itself registers the configuration information with respect to the print server (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

JP 2003-303077 A JP 2003-280856 A

  However, when considering a form in which a service is provided on the Internet, there is a problem in applying the prior art in a method for registering printer configuration information in a printing system.

  For example, when a program that operates on a terminal that instructs registration of printer configuration information acquires printer configuration information and registers it in a print server, in a thin client environment, software other than a Web browser runs on the thin client terminal. Do not work. Therefore, software on the thin client terminal cannot acquire printer configuration information and register it with the print server.

  Also, when acquiring printer configuration information directly from a print server, the print server needs to access the printer. In this case, normally, access from the Internet (outside the local area) to the printer in the local area is not permitted by the firewall, so there is a possibility that the printer configuration information cannot be acquired.

  When providing services on the Internet, managing users to use is essential as a security function. That is, when using a service provided by the printing system, the user first inputs a user ID and password on a login screen provided by the printing system, and the printing system authenticates the user. When registering printer configuration information, the printing system recognizes that it is from an authenticated user, and the printer configuration information is registered by giving the user permission to use the printer. Immediately after that, the user can use the printer.

  Further, when registering printer configuration information directly from the printer to the print server, the print server cannot recognize the user who has registered the printer configuration information. For this reason, a procedure for separately giving the user permission to use the registered printer is necessary, which is inconvenient for the user. A method is also conceivable in which the user inputs authentication information such as a user ID and password to the printer, and the printer registers the configuration information together with the input authentication information in the print server. However, passing authentication information such as a user ID and password for logging in to the printing system once through the printer and then to the print server leads to a security vulnerability.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above problems. An object of the present invention is to provide a printer, a system, a control method thereof, and a program capable of easily and safely registering printer configuration information with the service provider in an environment where a service providing a printing function is used. There is.

In order to achieve the above object, a printer according to the present invention comprises the following arrangement. That is,
A print server that provides print data generated based on data acquired from an external service to a printer, and a printer that can communicate with a client terminal;
Receiving means for receiving a registration request for registering the printer in the print server from the client terminal;
Configuration information of the printer managed in association with user information input via a user authentication screen transmitted from the print server to the client terminal in response to reception of the registration request by the receiving unit. A transmission means for transmitting;
Printing means for printing the received print data after the print data provided from the print server is received in response to the fact that the printer is designated to print the data;
Have
Since the transmitted user information and the configuration information of the printer are associated with each other and managed by the print server, the designation for printing the data to the printer and the print setting via the print setting screen corresponding to the printer Can be specified.

  According to the present invention, there is provided a printer, a system, a control method thereof, and a program capable of easily and safely registering printer configuration information with the service provider in an environment using a service that provides a print function. Can be provided.

1 is a diagram illustrating an overall configuration of a printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a basic hardware configuration of a print server according to the embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the basic hardware constitutions of the client terminal of embodiment of this invention. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a basic hardware configuration of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the function structure of the print server, client terminal, and printing apparatus in the printing system of embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the flow of a process until it registers a printing apparatus in a print server by the instruction | indication from the client terminal of embodiment of this invention. 7 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing performed by a printing apparatus in the printer registration processing of FIG. 6 according to the embodiment of the present invention. 7 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing performed by a print server in the printer registration processing of FIG. 6 according to the embodiment of the present invention. 7 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing performed by a print server in the printer registration processing of FIG. 6 according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the screen of the printer registration page to the printing service of embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the screen of the user authentication page to the printing service of embodiment of this invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a screen of a printer registration page for registering a printer with the print service according to the embodiment of this invention. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating printer information registered in a print service according to an embodiment of the present invention. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of processing performed by the print server until a print setting page (print setting screen) is displayed when printing is performed on the printer registered in the print service according to the embodiment of the present invention. 6 is a diagram illustrating a screen of a print data list page for selecting print data stored in a print service according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a screen of a printer selection page for selecting a printer that executes printing of print data according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a screen of a print setting page for setting print attributes when executing printing according to the embodiment of this invention. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of processing performed by a print server in printer deletion processing according to the embodiment of the present invention.

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

  First, a printing system which is a premise of the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  In FIG. 1, reference numeral 101 denotes a print service base that provides a print service on the Internet. A print server 104 configures (realizes) the print service base 101. Reference numeral 102 denotes a local area such as an office. A client terminal 105 and a printing apparatus 106 existing in the local area 102 are connected to each other via an intranet 107. In FIG. 1, only two client terminals 105 and printing apparatuses 106 are shown for convenience, but n (n: integer) connections are also assumed. The print service base 101 and the local area 102 are connected via the Internet 103.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a basic hardware configuration of the print server according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  The print server 104 includes a CPU 201, a RAM 202, a ROM 203, a communication interface 204, a video interface 205, a keyboard 206 and a mouse 207 functioning as an input unit, a hard disk 208, and a CD-ROM drive 209. These various components of the print server 104 are connected to each other via a system bus 210. The system bus 210 includes, for example, a PCI bus, an AGP bus, and a memory bus.

  In FIG. 2, connection chips between the buses and keyboard interfaces, so-called input / output interfaces such as SCSI and ATAPI are omitted.

  The CPU 201 performs various operations such as four arithmetic operations and comparison operations based on an operating system (OS) program and application programs, and controls hardware. The RAM 202 stores an operating system program, an application program, and the like read from a storage medium such as a hard disk 208 or a CD-ROM or CD-R mounted in the CD-ROM drive 209. These programs are executed by the CPU 201.

  The ROM 203 stores a so-called BIOS that controls input / output of data to / from the hard disk 208 in cooperation with the operating system. The communication interface 204 communicates with an external device connected via a network in cooperation with an operating system communication program controlled by the CPU 201. The video interface 205 generates an image signal to be output to the display device. A keyboard 206 and a mouse 207 are used to input instructions to the print server 104.

  The hard disk 208 stores an OS and application programs (for example, a printing system program that implements the present invention).

  The CD-ROM drive 209 is used for installing a storage medium such as a CD-ROM, CD-R, and CD-R / W and installing an application program in the hard disk 208, for example. Needless to say, a drive for another storage medium such as a CD-R drive, a CD-R / W drive, or a DVD drive may be used instead of the CD-ROM drive.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a basic hardware configuration of the client terminal according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  The client terminal 105 includes a CPU 301, a RAM 302, a ROM 303, a communication interface 304, a video interface 305, and a keyboard 306 and a mouse 307 as input units. These various components of the client terminal 105 are connected to each other via a system bus 308. The system bus 308 includes, for example, a PCI bus, an AGP bus, and a memory bus.

  In FIG. 3, connection chips between the buses and keyboard interfaces, so-called input / output interfaces such as SCSI and ATAPI are omitted.

  The CPU 301 performs various operations such as four arithmetic operations and comparison operations based on an operating system (OS) program and application programs, and controls hardware.

  The ROM 303 stores an operating system, a web browser program, and the like. The communication interface 304 communicates with an external device connected via a network in cooperation with an operating system communication program controlled by the CPU 301. The RAM 302 stores data downloaded via the communication interface 304. The video interface 305 generates an image signal to be output to the display device. A keyboard 306 and a mouse 307 are used to input instructions to the client terminal 105.

  FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a basic hardware configuration of the printing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  The printing apparatus 106 includes a CPU 401, a RAM 402, a ROM 403, a communication interface 404, a printer engine 405, a hard disk 406, and an operation panel 407. These various components of the printing apparatus 106 are connected to each other via a system bus 408.

  The CPU 401 executes software stored in the hard disk 406 using the RAM 402 as a work memory. Further, the operation of the printing apparatus 106 is set according to a user instruction input from the operation panel 407. The CPU 401 generates image data based on print data such as PDL data input from an external device via the communication interface 404, and supplies the image data to the printer engine 405 for printing. The ROM 403 stores a so-called BIOS that controls input / output of data to / from the hard disk 406.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating functional configurations of the print server, the client terminal, and the printing apparatus in the printing system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  The print server 104 includes a Web page generation unit 503 that generates a Web page for responding to a request from the client terminal 105. Here, the Web page generation unit 503 generates various operation screens for providing a print service to the client terminal 105. Examples of the operation screen include a list of printing devices permitted by the user, a list of printing devices that can print print data to be printed (printing device list), a print setting screen of the printing device registered by the client terminal, and the like. is there. As described above, the Web page generation unit 503 includes a printing device list creation function and a print setting screen creation function.

  The print server 104 also includes a user information management unit 502 that manages user information, and a user authentication unit 501 that performs user authentication based on user information managed by the user information management unit 502.

  The print server 104 also creates and manages printer information (printing device information) that associates the user information of the user authenticated by the user authentication unit 501 with the configuration information of the printing device 106 received from the client terminal. A printer information management unit 504 is provided. As described above, the print server 104 has a printing apparatus management function for managing printing apparatus information that is printer information.

  Furthermore, the print server 104 includes a print data acquisition unit 505 that acquires print data from an external service via the communication interface 304, and a print data storage unit 507 that stores the acquired print data. The print server 104 also includes a print data conversion unit 506 that converts the acquired print data into a format suitable for the printing apparatus 106 as necessary.

  The client terminal 105 includes a Web browser 508 that transmits a request to the print server 104 or the printing apparatus 106 via the communication interface 304 and displays a Web page returned as a response. Thus, the client terminal has a request transmission function and a Web page browsing function.

  The printing apparatus 106 includes a Web page generation unit 509 that generates a Web page for responding to a request from the client terminal 105, and a configuration information collection unit 510 that collects configuration information of the printing apparatus 106. The printing apparatus 106 also includes a print data acquisition unit 511 that downloads print data from the print server 104 via the communication interface 404, and a printing unit 512 that supplies the acquired print data to the printer engine 405 to perform printing.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a flow of processing until a printing apparatus is registered in the print server according to an instruction from the client terminal according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  First, the Web browser 508 of the client terminal 105 that has received the user's instruction transmits a request for a printer registration page (registration screen) to the print service to the printing apparatus 106 (S601).

  The printing apparatus 106 that has received the request for the printer registration page uses the Web page generation unit 509 to set the URL of the printer registration page for the print service in which the configuration information collected by the configuration information collection unit 510 is set as a parameter. Generate. This URL is, for example, 1003 in FIG. Then, the printing apparatus 106 returns a Web page (for example, 1001 in FIG. 10) in which the URL is embedded as a hyperlink (for example, 1002 in FIG. 10) to the client terminal 105 (S602).

  The configuration information of the printing apparatus 106 includes, for example, a device address, a device model, presence / absence of a duplex printing function, a paper feed cassette list, presence / absence of a BOX storage function, presence / absence of a PDF printing function, and the like.

  The web browser 508 of the client terminal 105 displays the web page (printer registration page) returned from the printing apparatus 106. Next, the Web browser 508 of the client terminal 105 that has received the user's instruction via the Web page transmits a request for the Web page indicated by the URL of the printer registration page set as the hyperlink to the print server 104. (S603). Here, the user instruction includes a click on a hyperlink of a Web page.

  The web page generation unit 503 of the print server 104 that has received the web page request determines that it is not a request from an authenticated user, and a redirect request to the user authentication page (for example, 1101 in FIG. 11) is used as a response. A reply is made (S604).

  The Web browser 508 of the client terminal 105 that has received the redirect request as a response transmits a request for a user authentication page to be redirected to the print server 104 (S605).

  The web page generation unit 503 of the print server 104 that has received the request for the user authentication page returns a user authentication page to the client terminal 105 (S606).

  Next, the Web browser 508 of the client terminal 105 displays the user authentication page returned from the print server 104. Next, the Web browser 508 of the client terminal 105 that has received a user instruction via the user authentication page transmits a user authentication request to the print server 104 (S607). The user instructions here include inputting a user name and password and clicking a login button. The user authentication request includes the input user name and password.

  Upon receiving the user authentication request, the print server 104 performs user authentication with the user authentication unit 501 based on the user information managed by the user information management unit 502. If the authentication is successful, the printer registration page (for example, 1201 in FIG. 12) that has received the request in S603 is generated by the Web page generation unit 503 and returned as a response to the client terminal 105 (S608).

  Next, the Web browser 508 of the client terminal 105 displays the printer registration page returned from the print server 104. Next, the Web browser 508 of the client terminal 105 that has received a user instruction (input of the printer name and click of the execution button) via the printer registration page transmits a printer registration request to the print server 104. (S609).

  Upon receiving the printer registration request, the print server 104 performs printer registration processing in the printer information management unit 504. Then, the print server 104 generates a Web page in which a message indicating that the printer registration is successful is generated by the Web page generation unit 503, and returns the response to the client terminal 105 as a response (S610).

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing performed by the printing apparatus in the printer registration processing of FIG. 6 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  In step S <b> 701, the printing apparatus 106 receives a request for a printer registration page from the client terminal 105 to the print service. In step S <b> 702, the configuration information collection unit 510 acquires configuration information of the printing apparatus 106.

  In step S703, the web page generation unit 509 creates link information that is the URL (1003 in FIG. 10) of the printer registration page to the print service in which the acquired configuration information is set as a parameter. In step S704, the printing apparatus 106 transmits the Web page (1001 in FIG. 10) in which the generated URL is embedded as a hyperlink (1002 in FIG. 10) to the client terminal 105, and ends the process.

  8 and 9 are flowcharts showing the flow of processing performed by the print server in the printer registration processing of FIG. 6 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  In step S <b> 801, the print server 104 receives a request for a printer registration page from the client terminal 105. In step S802, the web page generation unit 503 determines whether the request is from an authenticated user.

  If it is determined that the request is from an authenticated user (YES in step S802), the process advances to step S810. On the other hand, if it is determined that the request is not a request from the authenticated user (NO in step S802), in step S803, the web page generation unit 503 creates a redirect request to the user authentication page (1101 in FIG. 11). In step S804, the print server 104 transmits the redirect request to the client terminal 105.

  In step S <b> 805, the web page generation unit 503 receives a user authentication page request from the client terminal 105. In step S806, the web page generation unit 503 transmits a user authentication page to the client terminal 105.

  In step S <b> 807, when the print server 104 receives a user authentication request from the client terminal 105, the user authentication unit 501 performs user authentication based on user information managed by the user information management unit 502. In this way, by performing user authentication, it is possible to prevent a user who is not managed by the print service from registering a printer.

  In step S808, the user authentication unit 501 determines whether the user authentication is successful. If it is determined that the user authentication has not been successful (NO in step S808), the process proceeds to step S809. In step S809, the web page generation unit 503 generates a web page in which an authentication failure message (authentication failure message) is embedded, transmits it to the client terminal 105, and returns to step S807.

  On the other hand, if it is determined that the user authentication is successful (YES in step S808), the process proceeds to step S810. In step S810, the web page generation unit 503 creates a printer registration page (1201 in FIG. 12) reflecting the configuration information parameters set in the URL received in step S801, and transmits the printer registration page to the client terminal 105.

  In step S811, the print server 104 receives a printer registration request from the client terminal 105. In step S812, the printer information management unit 504 determines whether the printer information has already been registered.

  If it is determined that the printer information has not been registered (NO in step S812), the process advances to step S815. In step S815, the printer information management unit 504 creates printer information (FIG. 13) based on the configuration information reflected on the printer registration page. In addition, the printer information management unit 504 adds the user ID of the user authenticated in step S807 to the permitted user list of the created printer information. As a result, printer information is created as printing device information in which the user ID, which is user information, and the configuration information of the printing device are associated with each other.

  In step S817, the Web page generation unit 503 generates a Web page in which a message indicating that printer registration is completed (printer registration completion message) is embedded, transmits the Web page to the client terminal 105, and ends.

  On the other hand, if it is determined that the printer information has been registered (YES in step S812), the process advances to step S813. In step S813, the printer information management unit 504 checks the permitted user list of the printer information, and determines whether the user ID of the user authenticated in step S807 exists in the list. That is, the printer information management unit 504 determines whether or not the user is permitted. If it is determined in step S813 that it does not exist in the list (NO in step S813), the process proceeds to step S816.

  On the other hand, when it determines with existing in a list (it is YES at step S813), it progresses to step S814. In step S814, the Web page generation unit 503 generates a Web page in which a message indicating that the printer has already been registered (printer registration completed message) is embedded, transmits the Web page to the client terminal 105, and ends.

  FIG. 10 is a view showing a screen of a printer registration page for the print service according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  The printer registration page 1001 for the print service is created by the web page generation unit 509 of the printing apparatus 106 and transmitted to the client terminal 105 in step S704 of FIG.

  In the printer registration page 1001, 1003 is an example of the URL of the printer registration page of the print service, and the printer configuration information collected by the configuration information collection unit 510 is set as a parameter. The URL 1003 is embedded as a hyperlink 1002 in the printer registration page 1001 for the print service. The user accesses the print server 104 by clicking a hyperlink 1002 on the Web browser 508 of the client terminal 105.

  In the present invention, the user first accesses the printer registration page 1001 for the print service provided by the printing apparatus 106 via the Web browser 508. As a method for the user to access the printer registration page 1001, for example, there is a method in which a printer administrator in the local area notifies the URL of the printer registration page by mail. Alternatively, a list of printer URLs may be posted on an in-house homepage accessible by the user.

  FIG. 11 is a view showing a screen of a user authentication page for the print service according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  The user authentication page 1101 is transmitted to the client terminal 105 by the Web page generation unit 503 of the print server 104 in step S806 of FIG. The user inputs a user name and password of an account registered in advance in the print service in the input fields 1102 and 1103 and clicks the login button 1104 to transmit a user authentication request to the print server 104. Can do. This user authentication request includes the input user name and password.

  FIG. 12 is a view showing a screen of a printer registration page for registering a printer in the print service according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  The printer registration page 1201 is created by the web page generation unit 503 of the print server 104 and transmitted to the client terminal 105 in step S810 of FIG.

  The printer registration page 1201 reflects printer configuration information set as a parameter of the URL 1003. The user can send a printer registration request to the print server 104 by inputting an arbitrary printer name in the input field 1203 and clicking an execution button 1202.

  FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating printer information registered in the print service according to the embodiment of this invention.

  The printer information is held in the printer information management unit 504 of the print server 104. The printer list includes a plurality of printer information. The printer information includes configuration information (device address, device model, presence / absence of double-sided printing function, paper cassette list, presence / absence of BOX storage function, presence / absence of PDF printing function, etc.) and permission. Consists of a user list. The permitted user list includes a plurality of user IDs. The printer information is created by the printer information management unit 504 and added to the printer list in step S815 of FIG.

  FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing performed by the print server until a print setting page (print setting screen) is displayed when printing is performed on the printer registered in the print service according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  Here, it is assumed that the print data that the user intends to execute printing is downloaded in advance by the print data acquisition unit 505 of the print server 104 and stored in the print data storage unit 507.

  In response to a user instruction, the Web browser 508 of the client terminal 105 transmits a request for a user authentication page (1101 in FIG. 11) to the print server 104.

  In step S <b> 1401, the web page generation unit 503 receives a user authentication page request from the client terminal 105. In step S1402, the web page generation unit 503 transmits a user authentication page to the client terminal 105.

  In step S1403, when the print server 104 receives a user authentication request from the client terminal 105, the user authentication unit 501 performs user authentication based on the user information managed by the user information management unit 502. By performing user authentication, it is possible to prevent a user who is not managed by the print service from performing printing.

  In step S1404, the user authentication unit 501 determines whether the user authentication is successful. If it is determined that user authentication has not been successful (NO in step S1404), the process advances to step S1405. In step S1405, the web page generation unit 503 generates a web page in which an authentication failure message (authentication failure message) is embedded, transmits the web page to the client terminal 105, and returns to step S1403.

  On the other hand, if it is determined that the user authentication is successful (NO in step S1404), the process advances to step S1406. In step S1406, the web page generation unit 503 creates a print data list page (1501 in FIG. 15) and transmits it to the client terminal 105. The print data list page indicates the print data of the user authenticated in step S1403 and stored in the print data storage unit 507.

  In step S1407, the print server 104 receives a print request for print data included in the print data list page transmitted in step S1406. In step S1408, the printer information management unit 504 searches for a printer that is permitted to be used by the user authenticated in step S1403 and has a function of printing the selected print data. Here, the function of printing the selected print data is, for example, a PDF printing function. The web page generation unit 503 creates a printer list page (1601 in FIG. 16) including a list of corresponding printers. In step S1409, the Web page generation unit 503 transmits the printer list page to the client terminal 105.

  In this way, by searching for printers that are permitted to be used by the user and creating a printer list page, it is possible to prevent printing instructions from being issued to unauthorized printers. In addition, by searching for a printer that has the function of printing the selected print data (that is, the print data can be printed) and creating a printer list page, printing to the printer that cannot print the selected print data Can prevent instructions.

  In step S1410, when the print server 104 receives a printer selection request from the client terminal 105, the web page generation unit 503 creates a print setting page (1701 in FIG. 17) reflecting the printer information of the selected printer. In step S1411, the web page generation unit 503 transmits the print setting page to the client terminal 105.

  Here, the reflected printer information may be, for example, that duplex printing can be selected by a printing method when a duplex printing function is provided. If the BOX storage function is not provided, an item for specifying BOX storage may not be displayed. Furthermore, only a cassette having a paper feed cassette list can be selected by the paper feed unit. By creating a print setting page reflecting the printer information, it is possible to prevent a print attribute that cannot be used by the selected printer from being set.

  FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a screen of a print data list page for selecting print data stored in the print service according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  The print data list page 1501 is created by the Web page generation unit 503 based on the user print data stored in the print data storage unit 507 in step S1406 of FIG.

  Reference numeral 1502 denotes a search button for searching for print data. Reference numeral 1503 denotes a print button for instructing execution of printing of the selected print data to be printed. Reference numeral 1504 denotes a delete button for deleting registered printer information. Reference numeral 1505 denotes a preview button for displaying a print preview of the selected print data to be printed.

  Reference numeral 1506 denotes an update button for updating the contents of the print data list 1509. Reference numeral 1507 denotes a button for selecting all displayed print data. Reference numeral 1508 denotes a button for canceling all of the displayed print data selections.

  The user can send a print request for the print data to the print server 104 by selecting print data to be printed from the displayed print data list 1509 and clicking a print button 1503.

  FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a screen of a printer selection page for selecting a printer that executes printing of print data according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  The printer selection page 1601 is displayed when the print button 1503 is clicked on the print data list page 1501 of FIG. In step S1408 of FIG. 14, the printer selection page 1601 is created by the Web page generation unit 503 as a list of printers that are allowed to be used by the user and transmitted to the client terminal 105.

  The client terminal 105 can select a desired printer from the list of printers that can be used for printing shown on the printer selection page 1601. In the example of FIG. 16, this list is composed of radio buttons, and only one of the printers can be selected.

  When a return button 1602 is clicked, the screen returns to the screen of FIG. When a next button 1603 is clicked, a printer selection request for selecting the selected printer is transmitted to the print server 104.

  FIG. 17 is a diagram showing a screen of a print setting page for setting print attributes when executing printing according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  The print setting page 1701 is displayed when the next button 1603 in FIG. 16 is clicked. The print setting page 1701 is created by reflecting the selected printer information by the Web page generation unit 503 in step S1410 of FIG. 14 and transmitted to the client terminal 105.

  In the print setting page 1701, in addition to displaying the printer name of the printer and the status of the current printer, input control for print settings is configured.

  Reference numerals 1702 and 1703 denote combo boxes for selecting a printing method and a paper feeding unit, and any one of the printing methods and paper feeding units in the list registered in each combo box can be selected. When a return button 1704 is clicked, the screen returns to the screen of FIG. When a print button 1705 is clicked, a print setting request is transmitted to the print server 104.

  FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing performed by the print server in the printer deletion processing according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  This printer deletion process is a process for deleting (deregistering) the printer information managed by the printer information management unit 504. In this process, for example, first, the delete button 1504 of the print data list page 1501 is clicked. Then, the printer selection page 1601 in FIG. 16 is displayed, and when a next button 1603 is clicked, a printer deletion request for deleting the selected printer is transmitted to the print server 104.

  In step S <b> 1801, the print server 104 receives a printer deletion request from the client terminal 105. In step S1802, the printer information management unit 504 deletes the user ID of the user who transmitted the request from the permitted user list of printer information.

  In step S1803, the printer information management unit 504 determines whether the permitted user list is empty. If it is determined that the permitted user list is not empty (NO in step S1803), the process advances to step S1805. On the other hand, if it is determined that the permitted user list is empty (YES in step S1803), the printer information management unit 504 deletes the printer information in step S1804.

  In step S 1805, the Web page generation unit 503 generates a page in which a message indicating that the printer deletion is complete (printer deletion completion message) is embedded, and transmits the page to the client terminal 105.

  In this way, the user can delete the printer registered in the print service.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, printer configuration information can be easily registered in a service (server) that provides a printing function under the Internet and a thin client environment such as SaaS.

  In this embodiment, the user authentication unit, user information management unit, Web page generation unit, printer information management unit, print data acquisition unit, print data conversion unit, and print data storage unit of the print server are on one server machine. Is arranged. However, it goes without saying that the configuration may be such that the servers are arranged on a plurality of server machines and the servers cooperate with each other. In addition, the user information management unit, the printer information management unit, and the print data storage unit may be configured to perform load distribution by sharing with a shared server and clustering with other server machines. .

  In this embodiment, user information is managed by the print service and user authentication is performed. However, the print service itself does not have a user authentication unit and a user information management unit by cooperating with an external authentication service. It may be a simple configuration.

  Although the embodiment has been described in detail above, the present invention can take an embodiment as a system, apparatus, method, program, storage medium, or the like. Specifically, the present invention may be applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices, or may be applied to an apparatus composed of a single device.

  In the present invention, a software program (in the embodiment, a program corresponding to the flowchart shown in the drawing) that realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments is directly or remotely supplied to a system or apparatus. In addition, this includes a case where the system or the computer of the apparatus is also achieved by reading and executing the supplied program code.

  Accordingly, since the functions of the present invention are implemented by computer, the program code installed in the computer also implements the present invention. In other words, the present invention includes a computer program itself for realizing the functional processing of the present invention.

  In that case, as long as it has the function of a program, it may be in the form of object code, a program executed by an interpreter, script data supplied to the OS, or the like.

  Examples of the recording medium for supplying the program include a floppy (registered trademark) disk, a hard disk, and an optical disk. Further, as a recording medium, magneto-optical disk, MO, CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory card, ROM, DVD (DVD-ROM, DVD-R), etc. is there.

  As another program supply method, a browser on a client computer is used to connect to an Internet home page. Then, the computer program itself of the present invention or a compressed file including an automatic installation function can be downloaded from a homepage of the connection destination to a recording medium such as a hard disk. It can also be realized by dividing the program code constituting the program of the present invention into a plurality of files and downloading each file from a different homepage. That is, a WWW server that allows a plurality of users to download a program file for realizing the functional processing of the present invention on a computer is also included in the present invention.

  In addition, the program of the present invention is encrypted, stored in a storage medium such as a CD-ROM, distributed to users, and key information for decryption is downloaded from a homepage via the Internet to users who have cleared predetermined conditions. Let me. It is also possible to execute the encrypted program by using the key information and install the program on a computer.

  Further, the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the computer executing the read program. Further, the function of the above-described embodiment can be realized by an OS or the like running on the computer based on an instruction of the program and performing part or all of the actual processing.

  Further, the program read from the recording medium is written in a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer. Thereafter, based on the instructions of the program, the CPU or the like provided in the function expansion board or function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing, and the functions of the above-described embodiments are also realized by the processing.

Claims (8)

A print server that provides print data generated based on data acquired from an external service to a printer, and a printer that can communicate with a client terminal;
Receiving means for receiving a registration request for registering the printer in the print server from the client terminal;
Configuration information of the printer managed in association with user information input via a user authentication screen transmitted from the print server to the client terminal in response to reception of the registration request by the receiving unit. A transmission means for transmitting;
Printing means for printing the received print data after the print data provided from the print server is received in response to the fact that the printer is designated to print the data;
Have
Since the transmitted user information and the configuration information of the printer are associated with each other and managed by the print server, the designation for printing the data to the printer and the print setting via the print setting screen corresponding to the printer Can be specified,
A printer characterized by that. The transmission means transmits the configuration information of the printer, transmits the Web screen for causing the client terminal to access the print server, and displaying the user authentication screen on the client terminal. The printer according to claim 1. The printer according to claim 1, wherein the printer configuration information includes at least a double-sided printing function, a paper feed cassette, and a device model. The transmission unit transmits a URL of a printer registration page in which the configuration information of the printer is set as a parameter.
4. The printer according to claim 1, wherein, in the client terminal, the configuration information of the printer is transmitted to the print server in response to selection of the hyperlink of the URL. 5. . A print server that provides print data generated based on data acquired from an external service to a printer, and a printer,
Receiving means for receiving a registration request for registering the printer with the print server;
Configuration information of the printer managed in association with user information input via a user authentication screen for inputting user information for the print server in response to reception of the registration request by the receiving means. A transmission means for transmitting;
Printing means for printing the received print data after receiving the print data provided in response to the fact that the printer is designated to print the data;
Have
Since the transmitted user information and the configuration information of the printer are managed in association with each other, designation for printing the data to the printer and designation of print settings via a print setting screen corresponding to the printer are performed. Become possible,
A system characterized by that. A print server that provides print data generated based on data acquired from an external service to a printer, and a printer control method capable of communicating with a client terminal,
Receiving a registration request for registering the printer with the print server from the client terminal;
Configuration information of the printer managed in association with user information input via a user authentication screen transmitted from the print server to the client terminal in response to reception of the registration request by the receiving step. A transmission process to transmit;
A printing step of printing the received print data after the print data provided from the print server is received in response to the fact that the printer is designated to print the data;
Have
Since the transmitted user information and the configuration information of the printer are associated with each other and managed by the print server, the designation for printing the data to the printer and the print setting via the print setting screen corresponding to the printer Can be specified,
And a printer control method. A system control method comprising a print server for providing print data generated based on data acquired from an external service to a printer, and the printer,
Receiving a registration request for registering the printer with the print server;
Configuration information of the printer managed in association with user information input via a user authentication screen for inputting user information for the print server in response to reception of the registration request by the receiving step. A transmission process to transmit;
A printing step of printing the received print data after receiving the print data provided in response to a designation to print the data to the printer;
Have
Since the transmitted user information and the configuration information of the printer are managed in association with each other, designation for printing the data to the printer and designation of print settings via a print setting screen corresponding to the printer are performed. Become possible,
A system control method characterized by the above. A program for causing a computer to control a print server that provides print data generated based on data acquired from an external service to a printer and a printer that can communicate with a client terminal,
The computer,
Receiving means for receiving a registration request for registering the printer in the print server from the client terminal;
Configuration information of the printer managed in association with user information input via a user authentication screen transmitted from the print server to the client terminal in response to reception of the registration request by the receiving unit. A transmission means for transmitting;
Printing means for printing the received print data after the print data provided from the print server is received in response to the fact that the printer is designated to print the data;
To function,
Since the transmitted user information and the configuration information of the printer are associated with each other and managed by the print server, the designation for printing the data to the printer and the print setting via the print setting screen corresponding to the printer Can be specified,
A program characterized by that.

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