JP4372500B2 - Printing device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing apparatus that is connected to a mobile electronic device via a network, and that receives location information on the network referred to by the mobile electronic device, acquires information based on the location information, and executes printing. .

  In recent years, portable electronic devices typified by mobile phones are rapidly spreading. Unlike conventional PCs (Personal Computers), this portable electronic device is very easy to use instead of specializing in single-purpose applications. The types of portable electronic devices include mobile phones and PDAs (Personal Digital Assistance), and have information such as phone / schedule management / address book / phone book.

  In addition, recent trends in these portable electronic devices include support for the Internet. For example, e-mail can be used to communicate with people all over the world in real time, anywhere, and you can search the Internet directly with a web browser and retrieve the data in it. Also, by applying this, online shopping, ticket arrangements, or even bank transfers provided on the Internet can be performed using portable electronic devices.

  However, on the other hand, no printing means has been provided for portable electronic devices. Since this is specialized for a single purpose, the software (printer driver) for using the printer does not work on the portable electronic device and the portability is regarded as important. Etc.). In such a situation, portable electronic devices generally do not have a small operation display panel, so there is a particular demand to enlarge the referenced information or to keep it on paper by hand. strong. However, since portable electronic devices are very inexpensive, it is impossible for a user to purchase a dedicated printer that is several to several tens of times more expensive than the main body.

  In addition, most copiers installed in convenience stores and general offices are now digitized and converted to MFP (Multi Function Peripheral), and most have copy functions from PCs and other devices. Furthermore, these copiers are often connected to a network and shared on an intranet. Therefore, there is a demand for a system that provides printing means by connecting an MFP installed in such a convenience store or office and a portable electronic device.

  Therefore, when the portable electronic device and the printing device are connected via a network and the location information on the network referred to by the portable electronic device is notified to the printing device, the printing device obtains the printing information by accessing the location information. In some cases, printing is performed (see Patent Documents 1 and 2).

JP 2002-91855 A JP 2002-366471 A

  However, in such a conventional printing apparatus, as shown in Patent Documents 1 and 2, information on a network (such as the Internet) is printed using a printing apparatus connected to the network from a portable electronic device. However, due to the complexity of the information rights relationship, the amount charged by multiple rights holders is often the sum. And it takes a very long time for each right holder to finally agree on the charge for information, and if a right holder changes the requested charge while providing information, the charge included in all Internet information is recalculated. There is a problem that it is very time-consuming.

  In addition, consumption tax may be added to the billing amount, but the consumption tax of information of each right holder may differ, and if the right holder is overseas, further currency conversion There was a problem of becoming necessary.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and when printing information on a network such as Internet content using a portable electronic device, a plurality of rights holders set for one piece of print information. It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing apparatus that is compatible with a flexible charging system in which amounts are summed up, a tax rate corresponding to each charging amount is added, and currency conversion is performed.

To solve the above problems and achieve the object, the invention according to claim 1 is connected to a network, first shows a recording place which the predetermined information is recorded on the network to which portable electronic devices referenced based on the first location information to acquire the predetermined information acquired, a printing apparatus that performs printing, an acquisition unit configured to acquire a document for the portable electronic device from the first location information, the pre-Symbol acquisition means from the document for the portable electronic equipment, and second location information indicating the location information printed information is recorded, at least billing amount, recording where the charging information is recorded that indicates the conversion rate to the currency and Japanese yen And extracting a plurality of third location information, and acquiring corresponding print information based on the second location information extracted by the extraction means, and the plurality of third location information . of Based on the location information, refer to multiple billing information until all billing information can be obtained from the location information, and calculate the final total amount in Japanese yen from the obtained billing amount, currency unit and conversion rate to Japanese yen. Processing means for calculating , and printing means for printing the acquired print information after charging the user with the final total amount in Japanese yen .

The printing apparatus according to claim 1 acquires a document for a portable electronic device by an acquisition unit based on first location information in which predetermined information on a network referred to by the portable electronic device is recorded, and the portable electronic device Second location information in which print information is recorded by the extraction means from the document for use, and a plurality of third location information in which billing information indicating at least a billing amount, a currency unit and a conversion rate into Japanese yen is recorded To extract. Subsequently, the print information based on the second place information extracted by the extraction means is acquired by the processing means, and a plurality of pieces of billing information are acquired until all the billing information is obtained based on the plurality of third place information. Repeat the reference, calculate the final total amount in Japanese yen from the acquired charge amount, currency unit and conversion rate to Japanese yen, charge the final total amount to the user in Japanese yen, Execute printing. In this way, multiple billing amount references are repeated until the billing amount can be obtained, and the final amount is calculated. Therefore, it is possible to easily cope with price revisions without changing the print information, and taxation Settings and changes such as the forehead can be easily performed . Moreover, since the final total amount in Japanese yen can be calculated from the currency unit and the conversion rate into Japanese yen in the processing means, there is an effect that it is possible to deal with foreign currency. Furthermore , it is possible to set prices for each of a plurality of price setting right holders, and it is possible to clarify the internal structure (cost sharing) of prices.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of a printing apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

  1 is a block diagram illustrating a first hardware configuration of the printing apparatus of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a second hardware configuration of the printing apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a system configuration diagram in which network connection is performed using the printing apparatus and portable electronic device of FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 is a system configuration in which network connection is performed using the printing device and portable electronic device in FIG. FIG.

  The printing apparatus 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 includes a printing unit 1, a central processing unit 2, an operation unit 3, a network interface unit 4, a one-to-one interface unit 5, and the like. .

  When receiving a print processing request from the central processing unit 2, the printing unit 1 executes printing and notifies the central processing unit 2 of the current number of printing processes.

  The central processing unit 2 issues a print processing request to the printing unit 1 and accepts a request from the user via the operation unit 3, and notifies the user of the processing status and warning content. In addition, the central processing unit 2 can communicate with other devices connected to the network through the network interface unit 4. Further, in the case of the printing apparatus of FIG. 1, it is possible to perform one-to-one communication with a portable electronic device such as a cellular phone through the one-to-one interface unit 5. Moreover, the subject of this invention is solved by processing according to the various algorithms mentioned later.

  The operation unit 3 is connected to the central processing unit 2 and includes a display function for the user and an input function from the user (for example, a print request button).

  The network interface unit 4 has a mechanism for connecting to a network, and can transmit information to and from other OA devices connected to the network. This network interface unit 4 has a unique network identifier, and can send a request from the central processing unit 2 to the network, and can transmit information sent from the network to the central processing unit 2.

  The one-to-one interface unit 5 has a configuration unique to FIG. 1 and is an interface for connecting one-to-one with a portable electronic device such as a cellular phone. For example, the one-to-one interface unit 5 can convert a request from the central processing unit 2 and transmit the request to the portable electronic device, and can transmit a response from the portable electronic device to the central processing unit 2.

  The printing apparatus 10 configured as shown in FIG. 1 is network-connected to the Internet 30 as shown in FIG. 3 and has a one-to-one interface unit for a portable electronic device 20 such as a cellular phone. 5, the printing apparatus 10 and the portable electronic device 20 can transmit information using the one-to-one connection.

  In addition, the printing apparatus 10 configured as shown in FIG. 2 is network-connected to the Internet 30 as shown in FIG. 4, and a portable electronic device 20 such as a mobile phone is also network-connected to the Internet. The printing apparatus 10 and the portable electronic device 20 can transmit information via the Internet 30.

  Using the printing apparatus and printing system configured as described above, characteristic processes in the following embodiments will be described.

  In the first embodiment, it is assumed that the printing system of FIG. 3 or 4 is configured and implemented using the printing apparatus having the configuration of FIG. 1 or FIG. Here, the user of the portable electronic device 20 such as a mobile phone and the place where the printing apparatus 10 is installed are in Japan, the currency is Japanese yen, and the printing information to be printed is overseas. It shall be charged in each local currency.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the printing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a URL referred to by the mobile phone according to the first embodiment. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the contents of printer.html for a mobile phone when referring to URL 8, and FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating billing information when accessing the extracted billing URL.

  First, as shown in FIG. 5, the URL of the screen that is currently referenced by the user of the mobile phone is as shown in FIG. 8 (step S100). At this time, if the user wants to print the content of the reference screen, the URL is transmitted to the printing apparatus 10 (in the case of FIG. 3 via a one-to-one connection, in the case of FIG. 4 via the Internet). To do).

  The printing apparatus 10 that acquired the URL (step S101) acquires printer.html for a mobile phone from the acquired URL (step S102). The contents shown in Fig. 9 are written in the printer.html for this mobile phone. The PRINT_URL in the PRINTIMAGE tag of this URL is the URL of the high-resolution image for printing. The kakin in the PRINTIMAGE tag of this URL Is the URL for billing.

  The printing apparatus 10 extracts a PRINTIMAGE tag from printer.html acquired from the URL using an XML analysis algorithm (step S103), and determines a print URL and a charge URL as a charge reference destination (step S104).

  Then, the printing apparatus 10 can acquire print information by accessing the extracted and determined print URL (step S105).

  Further, the printing apparatus 10 can acquire the charging information by accessing the extracted and determined charging URL (step S106). The acquired billing information has contents as shown in FIG. That is, it is described that KAKIN in the PRINTKAKIN tag of this billing URL is the billing amount, the tax rate is 7%, the currency is the US dollar, and the conversion rate to the Japanese yen is 125 yen / 1.00 USD.

  For this reason, the printing apparatus 10 converts the amount obtained by adding the tax amount ($ 0.07) to the charge amount ($ 1.00) to the Japanese yen based on this charge information at the time of printing (1.07 × 125 = 133.75 ≒ 134 yen) As a result, the billing amount is calculated (step S107), and after charging the user (step S108), printing is executed (step S109).

  As described above, according to the first embodiment, it is possible to easily cope with the price revision without changing the print information, and it is possible to easily set and change the taxable amount. Can also handle foreign currency.

  Also in the case of the second embodiment, it is assumed that the printing system of FIG. 3 or FIG. 4 is configured and implemented using the printing apparatus of FIG. 1 or FIG. The place where the user of the portable electronic device 20 such as a mobile phone and the printing apparatus 10 are installed is in Japan, the currency is Japanese yen, and the printing information to be printed is overseas. It shall be charged in local currency.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the printing apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a URL referred to by the mobile phone according to the second embodiment, and FIG. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a charging information pattern 1 when accessing the charging URL, FIG. 13 is a diagram showing charging information pattern 2 when accessing the extracted charging URL, and FIG. 14 is a diagram of FIG. FIG. 15 is a diagram showing reference destination information when a billing amount reference destination is further described in the PRINTKAKIN tag, and FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a pattern 3 of billing information when the extracted billing URL is accessed. 16 is a diagram showing reference destination information when a charge amount reference destination is further described in the PRINTKAKIN tag of FIG.

  First, as shown in FIG. 6, the values of “final charge amount” and “maximum taxing rate” of the printing apparatus 10 are set to 0 before the processing is started (step S200). Then, the URL of the screen that the mobile phone user is currently referring to is as shown in FIG. 8 (step S201). At this time, if the user wants to print the content of the reference screen, the URL is transmitted to the printing apparatus 10 (in the case of FIG. 3 via a one-to-one connection, in the case of FIG. 4 via the Internet). To do).

  The printing apparatus 10 that has acquired the URL (step S202) acquires printer.html for a mobile phone from the acquired URL (step S203). The contents shown in FIG. 11 are written in the printer.html for this mobile phone. The PRINT_URL in the PRINTIMAGE tag of this URL is the URL of the high-resolution image for printing. The kakin in the PRINTIMAGE tag of this URL There are multiple URLs for billing. In the example of FIG. 11, there are two charging URLs.

  The printing apparatus 10 extracts a PRINTIMAGE tag from printer.html acquired from the URL using an XML analysis algorithm (step S204), and determines a print URL and a charge URL as a charge reference destination (step S205). In the case of the second embodiment, a plurality of charging URLs are held (step S206).

  Then, the printing apparatus 10 can acquire print information by accessing the extracted and determined print URL (step S207).

  Further, the printing apparatus 10 can acquire the charging information by accessing the charging URL extracted and determined (step S208). The acquired billing information can be divided into the following three patterns as shown in FIGS. A feature of the second embodiment is that a plurality of billing amount references are repeated until the billing amount can be acquired.

  For example, in the billing information shown in pattern 1 of FIG. 12, KAKIN in the PRINTKAKIN tag of this billing URL is the billing amount, the tax rate is 3%, the currency is the US dollar, and the conversion rate to the Japanese yen is 125 yen / 1.00 USD Is described. Then, after adding US $ 1.00 to the final billing amount, the billing amount is not referred to any more. If this tax rate is higher than the previous maximum tax rate, this value (3%) is set as the maximum tax rate.

  Subsequently, in the billing information shown in pattern 2 in FIG. 13, a billing amount reference destination is further described in the PRINTKAKIN tag of this billing URL. In this case, step S209 is repeated for the reference destination information shown in FIG. Although the reference destination information shown in FIG. 13 is one, there may be a plurality.

  Furthermore, the billing information shown in pattern 3 of FIG. 15 is that the billing amount is KAKIN in the PRINTKAKIN tag of this billing URL, the tax rate is 7%, the currency is the US dollar, and the conversion rate to the Japanese yen is 125 yen / 1.00 USD Is described. In this case, after adding US $ 1.00 to the final billing amount, the billing amount is not referred to any more. Also, if this tax rate is higher than the previous maximum tax rate, this value (7%) will be the highest tax rate.

  Then, the above step S209 is repeated for the reference destination information shown in FIG. Although the reference destination information shown in FIG. 15 is one, there may be a plurality.

  In this way, the printing apparatus 10 calculates the maximum taxation rate for the final charge amount totaled at the time of printing, calculates the charge amount by converting into Japanese yen as in the first embodiment (step S210), and calculates it. After charging the user (step S211), printing is executed (step S212).

  As described above, according to the second embodiment, it is possible to easily cope with the price revision without changing the print information, and it is possible to set the price for each of a plurality of price setting right holders. This makes it possible to clarify the internal structure (cost sharing) of prices. In addition, it is possible to easily set the maximum taxable amount or change the taxable amount for a plurality of price setting rights holders, and to deal with foreign currency.

  Also in the case of the third embodiment, it is assumed that the printing system of FIG. 3 or 4 is configured and implemented using the printing apparatus of FIG. 1 or 2 described above. The place where the user of the portable electronic device 20 such as a mobile phone and the printing apparatus 10 are installed is in Japan, the currency is Japanese yen, and the printing information to be printed is overseas. It shall be charged in local currency.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the printing apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 17 is a diagram showing pattern 1 of billing information when the billing URL extracted in the third embodiment is accessed. FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a pattern 3 of billing information when the extracted billing URL is accessed.

  First, as shown in FIG. 7, the value of the “final charge amount” of the printing apparatus 10 is set to 0 before starting the process (step S300). Then, the URL of the screen that is currently referenced by the user of the mobile phone is as shown in FIG. 8 (step S301). At this time, if the user wants to print the content of the reference screen, the URL is transmitted to the printing apparatus 10 (in the case of FIG. 3 via a one-to-one connection, in the case of FIG. 4 via the Internet). To do).

  The printing apparatus 10 that acquired the URL (step S302) acquires printer.html for a mobile phone from the acquired URL (step S303). The contents shown in FIG. 11 are written in the printer.html for this mobile phone. The PRINT_URL in the PRINTIMAGE tag of this URL is the URL of the high-resolution image for printing. The kakin in the PRINTIMAGE tag of this URL There are multiple URLs for billing. In the example of FIG. 11, there are two charging URLs.

  The printing apparatus 10 extracts a PRINTIMAGE tag from printer.html acquired from the URL using an XML analysis algorithm (step S304), and determines a print URL and a charge URL as a charge reference destination (step S305). In the case of the third embodiment, a plurality of charging URLs are held (step S306).

  Then, the printing apparatus 10 can acquire print information by accessing the extracted and determined print URL (step S307).

  Further, the printing apparatus 10 can acquire the charging information by accessing the charging URL extracted and determined (Step S308). The acquired billing information can be divided into the following three patterns as shown in FIGS. The feature of the third embodiment is that a plurality of billing amount references are repeated until the billing amount can be acquired.

  For example, in the billing information shown in pattern 1 of FIG. 17, KAKIN in the PRINTKAKIN tag of this billing URL is the billing amount, the tax rate is 7%, the currency is the US dollar, and the conversion rate to the Japanese yen is 125 yen / 1.00 USD Is described. After adding $ 1.07, which is the amount charged ($ 1.00) multiplied by the tax rate (1.07), to the final amount, no further reference will be made to the amount charged.

  Subsequently, in the billing information shown in the same pattern 2 as FIG. 13, a billing amount reference destination is further described in the PRINTKAKIN tag of this billing URL. In this case, step S309 is repeated for the same reference destination information as in FIG. Although the reference destination information shown in FIG. 13 is one, there may be a plurality.

  Further, in the billing information shown in pattern 3 of FIG. 18, the billing amount US $ 1.00, billing amount reference destination, and tax rate 7% are described in the PRINTKAKIN tag of the billing URL. The conversion rate to Japanese yen is 125 yen / 1.00 USD. In this case, after adding 1.07 US dollars obtained by multiplying the charge amount (1.00 US dollars) by the tax rate (1.07) to the final amount, step S309 is repeated for the same reference destination information as in FIG. Also in this case, there may be a plurality of billing amount reference destinations.

  In this way, the printing apparatus 10 calculates the final billing amount totaled at the time of printing, calculates the billing amount by converting into Japanese yen as in the first embodiment (step S310), and bills the user for it. (Step S311), printing is executed (step S312).

  As described above, according to the third embodiment, it is possible to easily cope with the price revision without changing the print information, and it is possible to set a price for each of a plurality of price setting right holders. This makes it possible to clarify the internal structure (cost sharing) of prices. In addition, it is possible to easily set and change the taxable amounts for a plurality of price setting rights holders, and it is also possible to deal with foreign currencies.

  As described above, the printing apparatus according to the present invention is connected to a mobile electronic device via a network, and when location information on the network referred to by the mobile electronic device is notified, information based on the location information is acquired and printed. It is useful for a printing apparatus that executes the above, and is particularly suitable for a billing system in the case of printing Internet content using a mobile phone or the like.

It is a block diagram explaining the 1st hardware constitutions of the printing apparatus of this invention. It is a block diagram explaining the 2nd hardware constitutions of the printing apparatus of this invention. FIG. 2 is a system configuration diagram in which network connection is performed using the printing apparatus of FIG. 1 and a portable electronic device. FIG. 3 is a system configuration diagram in which a network connection is performed using the printing apparatus of FIG. 2 and a portable electronic device. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the printing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the printing apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. 10 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the printing apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows URL which the mobile telephone of Example 1 is referring. It is a figure which shows the content of printer.html for mobile phones at the time of referring URL of FIG. It is a figure which shows the accounting information at the time of accessing the extracted accounting URL. It is a figure which shows URL which the mobile telephone of Example 2 is referring. It is a figure which shows the pattern 1 of the accounting information at the time of accessing the extracted accounting URL. It is a figure which shows the pattern 2 of the accounting information at the time of accessing the extracted accounting URL. FIG. 14 is a diagram showing reference destination information when a billing amount reference destination is further described in the PRINTKAKIN tag of FIG. 13. It is a figure which shows the pattern 3 of the accounting information at the time of accessing the extracted accounting URL. FIG. 16 is a diagram showing reference destination information when a charge amount reference destination is further described in the PRINTKAKIN tag of FIG. 15. It is a figure which shows the pattern 1 of the accounting information at the time of accessing the accounting URL extracted in Example 3. FIG. It is a figure which shows the pattern 3 of the accounting information at the time of accessing the extracted accounting URL.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Printing part 2 Central processing part 3 Operation part 4 Network interface part 5 One-to-one interface part 10 Printing apparatus 20 Portable electronic device 30 Internet

Claims (1)

Is connected to the network, a printing apparatus in which a portable predetermined information on the network in which the electronic device is referenced to acquire the predetermined information based on the first location information indicating the recording location is recorded, performs printing And
Obtaining means for obtaining a document for a portable electronic device from the first location information;
Before SL document for the portable electronic device obtained by the obtaining unit, and a second location information indicating the location information printed information is recorded, billing information that indicates at least the billing amount, an exchange rate to the currency and Japanese yen Extracting means for extracting a plurality of pieces of third location information indicating the recording location where
The corresponding print information is acquired based on the second location information extracted by the extraction means, and all the charging information can be acquired from the location information based on the plurality of third location information. Processing means for repeatedly referencing a plurality of billing information and calculating the final total amount in Japanese yen from the obtained billing amount, currency unit and Japanese yen conversion rate;
Printing means for printing the acquired print information after charging the final total amount in Japanese yen to the user ;
Printing apparatus comprising: a.

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