JP2014195877A - Printing device, printing system, and method for controlling printing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To facilitate handling of image data in an imaging device and a printing device connected via a communication network.SOLUTION: A printing device 3 displays an identifier 60, on the basis of connection information stored, for identifying the connection information. The identifier 60 is imaged by an imaging device 2. The imaging device 2 acquires the connection information on the basis of the identifier 60 imaged. The imaging device 2 establishes connection with the printing device 3 on the basis of the connection information acquired. The imaging device 2 transmits image data to the printing device 3 with which connection is established on the basis of the connection information. The printing device 3 displays the image data transmitted from the imaging device 2 and generates printing data based on the image data.

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing apparatus that performs printing based on image data received from an imaging apparatus via a communication network. The present invention also relates to a printing system including an imaging device and a printing device connected via a communication network.

  There is known a printing system in which image data is generated by an imaging apparatus such as a digital camera or a portable information terminal, and the image data is wirelessly transmitted to a printing apparatus via a communication network. The printing device generates print data based on the image data received from the imaging device, and prints an image corresponding to the print data (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2006-215630 A

  Display screens of digital cameras and portable information terminals are relatively small. Therefore, it is generally unsuitable for the work of displaying a list of image data held by the imaging apparatus and designating data to be printed. Further, when trying to apply image processing to image data on the side of the image pickup apparatus, there is a problem that it is necessary to mount a high-performance computing element and consume a large amount of battery power.

  In order to solve these problems, it is possible to select image data and perform image processing on the printing apparatus side by removing a storage medium or the like for storing image data from the image sensor and inserting it into a medium reading unit provided in the printing apparatus. It is possible. However, there are many users who feel troublesome to insert and remove the storage medium.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a technique for facilitating the handling of image data in an imaging apparatus and a printing apparatus connected via a communication network.

  In order to achieve the above object, a first aspect of the present invention is a printing apparatus, a storage unit that stores communication network connection information, and an identifier generation unit that generates an identifier based on the connection information A display unit that displays the identifier, a communication unit that performs communication based on the connection information and receives image data, and a data processing unit that generates print data based on the image data received by the communication unit And a printing unit for printing the print data.

  In order to achieve the above object, a second aspect that the present invention can take is a printing system, an imaging unit that performs imaging, a generation unit that generates image data based on the imaging result of the imaging unit, and An imaging device having a transmission unit that transmits the image data using a communication network, a storage unit that stores connection information of the communication network, an identifier generation unit that generates an identifier based on the connection information, and a display that displays the identifier A communication unit that communicates with the imaging device based on the connection information and receives the image data, a data processing unit that generates print data based on the image data received by the communication unit, and the print data And a printing apparatus having a printing unit for printing.

  The imaging device captures the identifier displayed on the display unit of the printing device with the imaging unit, acquires the connection information based on the captured identifier, and based on the acquired connection information Establish a connection with the printing device.

  A third aspect that the present invention can take in order to achieve the above object is a method for controlling a printing system, in which a printing apparatus displays an identifier for identifying the connection information based on the stored connection information, The image pickup device picks up an image of the identifier, the image pickup device acquires the connection information based on the picked up identifier, and the image pickup device establishes a connection with the printing device based on the acquired connection information. The imaging device transmits image data to the printing device that is connected based on the connection information when the image is captured, and the printing device displays the image data transmitted from the imaging device. The printing data based on the image data is generated.

  According to the configuration of the present invention, it is possible to easily establish a network connection between the imaging apparatus and the printing apparatus by imaging the identifier displayed on the display unit. Furthermore, since the imaging apparatus is handled as one of the network drives as viewed from the printing apparatus, it is not necessary to remove a removable storage medium that stores image data from the imaging apparatus and attach it to the printing apparatus. This facilitates the handling of image data in an imaging device and a printing device connected via a communication network.

  The generation unit of the imaging device may be configured to generate a thumbnail image having a data amount smaller than the image data based on the image data. In this case, the transmission unit of the imaging device transmits the thumbnail image together with the image data, the communication unit of the printing device receives the thumbnail image, and the display unit of the printing device receives the communication The thumbnail image received by the unit is displayed.

  According to the configuration of the present invention, first, information corresponding to the thumbnail image can be received from the imaging device and used for list display. Thereafter, if image data corresponding to an image designated as a printing target is acquired from the imaging apparatus at the time of printing, the processing load related to communication and display of the image data can be reduced.

  It is good also as a structure provided with the 2nd imaging device which transmits the imaged image data and the thumbnail image based on the imaged image data. In this case, when the connection between the second imaging device and the printing device is established based on the identifier displayed on the display unit of the printing device, information indicating the imaging device and the second imaging device Information indicating the device, or a thumbnail image transmitted from the imaging device and a thumbnail image transmitted from the second imaging device are displayed on the display unit.

  According to the configuration of the present invention, it is possible to browse image data held by each imaging device and specify an image to be printed in a state where a plurality of imaging devices are connected to the printing device via a network.

  The storage unit of the printing device stores print setting information of the printing unit, and when the data processing unit of the printing device receives the image data at the communication unit, the storage unit stores the received image data. The image processing may be performed according to the print settings. The storage unit stores the image data subjected to the image processing.

  According to the configuration of the present invention, a printing apparatus and a printing system can be configured even with an imaging apparatus that does not include a high-performance arithmetic element. The printing apparatus can perform image processing while receiving a stable power supply from a commercial power source. On the imaging device side, there is no excessive power consumption or heat generation of the battery.

  The imaging device may include an image display unit that displays the image data. In this case, the screen size of the display unit of the printing apparatus is larger than the screen size of the image display unit of the imaging apparatus.

  According to the configuration of the present invention, it is possible to improve the listability and selection workability of image data held by the imaging apparatus.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure explaining the method of establishing a network connection between an imaging device and a printing apparatus. It is a figure explaining the method of establishing a network connection between a some imaging device and a printing apparatus.

  Exemplary embodiments according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a printing system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  The printing system 1 includes an imaging device 2 and a printing device 3. The imaging device 2 and the printing device 3 are connected via an access point 4 so that they can communicate on a wireless local area network (LAN; an example of a communication network).

  The imaging device 2 is a device that images a target and generates image data corresponding to the imaging result. Examples of the imaging device 2 include a digital camera and a portable information terminal having an imaging function. The imaging device 2 includes an imaging unit 21, a generation unit 22, a communication unit 23, an image display unit 24, and a storage unit 25.

  The generation unit 22 has a configuration capable of generating image data based on the imaging result of the imaging unit 21. The communication unit 23 has a configuration capable of transmitting the generated image data to the outside by wireless communication. The image display unit 24 is, for example, a liquid crystal type or organic EL type small display device, and provides a user interface (UI) to the user of the imaging device 2. The storage unit 25 is configured to be able to store the generated image data.

  The printing device 3 includes a housing 31 and a display device 32. The housing 31 accommodates a communication unit 311, a processor 312, a printing unit 313, a communication interface (I / F) 314, and a storage unit 315. The display device 32 is configured to be detachable from the housing 31. The display device 32 includes a display unit 321 and a communication I / F 322.

  The communication unit 311 is connected to the access point 4 so that wired or wireless communication is possible. The communication unit 311 is configured to be able to receive image data from the imaging device 2 that is connected via the access point 4.

  The processor 312 includes an arithmetic element group that executes various arithmetic processes including a central processing unit (CPU). The processor 312 functions as a data processing unit, and is configured to be able to generate print data based on image data received by the communication unit 311. Specifically, print color (YMCK) -based print data is generated from display color (RGB) -based image data. The generated print data defines, for example, an ink discharge amount corresponding to the gradation value.

  The processor 312 functioning as a data processing unit is configured to be able to execute various image processing on the image data received from the imaging device 2. Examples of the image processing include color correction, brightness correction, trimming processing, rotational deformation processing, effect processing, and the like.

  The printing unit 313 is a so-called print engine that includes a medium transport mechanism and a print head (not shown). The printing unit 313 performs printing on the medium transported to a predetermined position by the transport mechanism by the print head in response to a command from the processor 312.

  The display unit 321 is, for example, a liquid crystal type or organic EL type small display device, and a touch panel is mounted on the surface. The screen size of the display unit 321 is larger than the screen size of the image display unit 24 of the imaging device 2 (see FIG. 2). The display unit 321 provides a UI to the user of the printing apparatus 3.

  The communication I / F 322 is an I / F that communicates with the communication I / F 314 accommodated in the housing 31. When the display device 32 is separated from the housing 31, it is configured to be able to perform short-range wireless communication such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) or infrared communication with the communication I / F 314.

  The storage unit 315 has an area for storing the network address of the printing apparatus 3 as connection information 51. The connection information 51 is used for establishing a network connection between the imaging device 2 and the printing device 3.

  The processor 312 functions as an identifier generation unit, and generates data representing an identifier corresponding to the connection information 51. The processor 312 transmits the data to the display device 32 through the communication I / Fs 314 and 322, and causes the display unit 321 to display an identifier represented by the data. FIG. 2A shows a state where a QR code (registered trademark) 60 that is a two-dimensional code as an example of an identifier is displayed on the display unit 321.

  The user images the QR code 60 displayed on the display unit 321 by the imaging unit 21 of the imaging device 2 (in the illustrated example, a portable information terminal). The connection information 51 indicated by the QR code 60 is stored in the storage unit 25 of the imaging device 2. That is, the imaging device 2 acquires the connection information 51 by imaging the QR code 60.

  By performing a predetermined operation at an arbitrary timing thereafter, a connection request is issued from the communication unit 23 of the imaging device 2 to the access point 4 based on the acquired connection information 51 as shown in FIG. The The access point 4 that has received the request establishes a network connection between the imaging device 2 and the printing device 3.

  The establishment of the connection is recognized by the processor 312 through the communication unit 311 and notified to the user through the display unit 321 as shown in FIG. When the user performs a predetermined operation, the processor 312 requests image data from the imaging device 2 via the communication unit 311. That is, the storage unit 25 of the imaging device 2 is handled as one of the network drives as viewed from the printing device 3.

  Upon receiving the image data request from the printing apparatus 3, the imaging apparatus 2 transmits the image data generated by the generation unit 22 and stored in the storage unit 25 to the printing apparatus 3 through the communication unit 23. The image data received by the communication unit 311 of the printing apparatus 3 is sent to the display device 32 by the processor 312 and displayed as a thumbnail on the display unit 321.

  That is, the display unit 321 displays a list of thumbnail images 61 indicating image data held by the imaging apparatus 2 that is connected using the QR code 60. The user selects a desired image from the thumbnail images 61 displayed as a list through the UI provided on the display unit 321, performs image processing as necessary, designates the number of images, and inputs a print instruction.

  The processor 312 functions as a data processing unit in response to the print instruction, generates print data from image data corresponding to the designated image and applied with image processing as necessary, and prints the print unit 313. Let it run.

  FIG. 3A illustrates a case where a plurality of imaging devices are connected to the printing device 3 over a wireless LAN. Here, a digital camera 2A is shown as an example of the second imaging device.

  In order to establish a network connection between the digital camera 2A and the printing apparatus 3, as described with reference to FIG. 2A, the QR code 60 displayed on the display unit 321 is displayed on the imaging unit of the digital camera 2A. Take an image. Since the subsequent connection request, connection establishment, and image data request and transmission are as described with reference to FIG. 2B, repeated descriptions are omitted. As a result, the storage unit of the imaging apparatus 2A is handled as one of the network drives as viewed from the printing apparatus 3.

  When a plurality of imaging devices 2 and 2A are connected to the printing device 3 via a network, the display unit 321 displays a list of icons 62 and 63 indicating the imaging devices 2 and 2A. In other words, information indicating the imaging devices 2 and 2 </ b> A that are connected using the QR code 60 is displayed as a list on the display unit 321.

  For example, when the user validates the selection of the icon 63 through the UI, a list of thumbnail images 64 corresponding to the image data stored in the storage unit of the corresponding imaging device 2A is displayed. The user selects a desired image from the thumbnail images 64 displayed in a list through the UI provided on the display unit 321, performs image processing as necessary, designates the number of images, and inputs a print instruction. The icons 62 and 63 and the thumbnail images 61 and 64 are not necessarily displayed at the same time.

  According to the above configuration, the processor 312 functions as an identifier generation unit, and generates the QR code 60 based on the connection information 51 stored in the storage unit. The generated QR code 60 is displayed on the display unit 321. The imaging devices 2 and 2A acquire the connection information 51 by imaging the displayed QR code 60, and establish a connection with the printing device 3 via the wireless LAN based on the connection information 51. The processor 312 requests image data from the imaging devices 2 and 2A that are connected using the QR code 60. The communication unit 311 receives image data from the imaging devices 2 and 2 </ b> A that are connected using the QR code 60. A processor 312 that functions as a data processing unit generates print data based on image data received by the communication unit 311. The printing unit 313 performs printing based on the print data.

  Therefore, the network connection between the imaging devices 2 and 2A and the printing device 3 can be easily established by imaging the QR code 60 displayed on the display unit 321. Furthermore, since the imaging devices 2 and 2A are treated as one of the network drives as viewed from the printing device 3, the removable storage medium for storing the image data is removed from the imaging devices 2 and 2A and is attached to the printing device 3. Is no longer necessary. This facilitates the handling of image data in the imaging devices 2 and 2A and the printing device 3 connected via the communication network.

  The display unit 321 displays a list of thumbnail images 61 and 64 indicating image data held by the imaging devices 2 and 2A that are connected using the QR code 60. When the generation unit 22 of the imaging devices 2 and 2A is configured to be able to generate a thumbnail image having a data amount smaller than the image data, first, information corresponding to the thumbnail image is received from the imaging devices 2 and 2A and used for list display. be able to. Thereafter, if image data corresponding to an image designated as a print target is acquired from the imaging devices 2 and 2A at the time of printing, the processing load related to communication and display of the image data can be reduced.

  The display unit 321 displays a list of the imaging devices 2 and 2 </ b> A that are connected using the QR code 60. A list of the above thumbnail images can be displayed for each image sensor. Therefore, in a state where a plurality of imaging devices are connected to the printing device 3 via a network, the image data held by each imaging device can be browsed and an image to be printed can be designated.

  The processor 312 functioning as a data processing unit performs image processing on the data received from the imaging devices 2 and 2A. Accordingly, the printing apparatus 3 and the printing system 1 can be configured even with the imaging apparatuses 2 and 2A that are not equipped with a high-performance arithmetic element. On the printing apparatus 3 side, image processing can be performed while receiving stable power supply from a commercial power source. On the side of the imaging devices 2 and 2A, there is no excessive power consumption or heat generation of the battery.

  The screen size of the display unit 321 included in the printing device 3 is larger than the screen size of the image display unit 24 included in the imaging devices 2 and 2A. Therefore, it is possible to improve the listability and selection workability of the image data held by the imaging devices 2 and 2A.

  The display device 32 including the display unit 321 is detachable from the casing 31 of the printing device 3. Therefore, it is possible to browse and select the image data held by the imaging devices 2 and 2A without selecting a location within a range where short-range wireless communication by the communication I / Fs 314 and 322 is possible.

  The above embodiment is for facilitating understanding of the present invention, and does not limit the present invention. The present invention can be changed and improved without departing from the gist thereof, and the present invention includes the equivalents thereof.

  As indicated by a broken line in FIG. 1, the storage unit 315 may have a region 52 for storing image data received from the imaging devices 2 and 2A.

  In this case, the storage unit 315 of the printing apparatus 3 can be used as a network connection storage (NAS). Further, another image can be selected and edited (application of image processing) through the display unit 321 while performing background printing for an image.

  In addition, the storage unit 315 is provided with an area 53 for storing print settings, and the processor 312 functioning as a data processing unit applies image processing corresponding to the print settings to image data stored in the area 52 in advance. Also good. Examples of the print setting include a setting for optimizing the reproducibility of a person-centered image and a setting for optimizing the reproducibility of a night scene image. The image data received from the imaging devices 2 and 2A is stored in the storage unit 315 in a state where image processing according to these print settings is applied.

  According to such a configuration, it is possible to shorten the processing time from when the printing instruction is input until the printing unit 313 executes printing, and to improve the throughput.

  The identifier used to establish the network connection between the imaging devices 2 and 2A and the printing device 3 is not limited to the QR code 60. As long as the imaging devices 2 and 2A can recognize the connection information 51 through imaging, a one-dimensional barcode, a character string indicating a network address, or the like can be appropriately employed.

  1: printing system 2, 2A: imaging device, 3: printing device, 31: housing, 32: display device, 51: connection information, 52: storage area for image data, 53: storage area for print settings, 61, 64: Thumbnail image, 60: QR code, 62, 63: Icon indicating imaging device, 311: Communication unit, 312: Processor, 313: Printing unit, 315: Storage unit, 321: Display unit

Claims (8)

A storage unit for storing communication network connection information;
An identifier generating unit that generates an identifier based on the connection information;
A display unit for displaying the identifier;
A communication unit that performs communication based on the connection information and receives image data;
A data processing unit that generates print data based on image data received by the communication unit;
A printing unit for printing the print data;
A printing apparatus comprising: An imaging device including an imaging unit that performs imaging, a generation unit that generates image data based on an imaging result of the imaging unit, and a transmission unit that transmits the image data using a communication network;
A storage unit that stores connection information of a communication network; an identifier generation unit that generates an identifier based on the connection information; a display unit that displays the identifier; and the image data that communicates with the imaging device based on the connection information A communication unit that receives the data, a data processing unit that generates print data based on the image data received by the communication unit, and a printing apparatus that includes a printing unit that prints the print data;
A printing system comprising:   The imaging device captures the identifier displayed on the display unit of the printing device with the imaging unit, acquires the connection information based on the captured identifier, and based on the acquired connection information The printing system according to claim 2, wherein a connection with a printing apparatus is established. The generation unit of the imaging device generates a thumbnail image having a data amount smaller than the image data based on the image data,
The transmission unit of the imaging device transmits the thumbnail image together with the image data,
The communication unit of the printing apparatus receives the thumbnail image,
The printing system according to claim 2, wherein the display unit of the printing apparatus displays the thumbnail image received by the communication unit. A second imaging device that transmits captured image data and a thumbnail image based on the captured image data;
When the second imaging device is connected to the printing device based on the identifier displayed on the display unit of the printing device, information indicating the imaging device and the second imaging device are indicated. The printing system according to claim 4, wherein information or a thumbnail image transmitted from the imaging device and a thumbnail image transmitted from the second imaging device are displayed on the display unit. The storage unit of the printing apparatus stores information on print settings of the printing unit,
The data processing unit of the printing apparatus performs image processing according to the print setting on the received image data when the image data is received by the communication unit,
The printing system according to claim 2, wherein the storage unit stores image data that has been subjected to the image processing. The imaging apparatus has an image display unit that displays the image data,
The printing system according to claim 2, wherein a screen size of the display unit of the printing apparatus is larger than a screen size of the image display unit of the imaging apparatus. The printing apparatus displays an identifier for identifying the connection information based on the stored connection information,
Let the imaging device image the identifier,
Based on the imaged identifier, the imaging device acquires the connection information,
Based on the acquired connection information, the imaging device establishes a connection with the printing device,
The imaging device transmits image data to the printing device in which a connection is established based on the connection information when the image is captured,
A printing system control method, wherein the printing apparatus displays image data transmitted from the imaging apparatus and generates print data based on the image data.