JP5050946B2 - Image forming system and auxiliary storage device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming system and an auxiliary storage device.

  When image formation is performed using an image forming device such as a printing device (printer), it is necessary to create image data in a processing format that is compatible with the printing device or copying machine, and to set processing conditions for the image data. There is also a need to do. For this reason, the request source terminal creates image data in a processing format using a printer driver and sets the processing conditions.

  As can be seen from the necessity of this printer driver, it is necessary to correspond to the printing apparatus and the copying machine.

  Usually, a printer driver corresponding to the printing apparatus or copier to be processed is acquired, and the acquired printer driver is installed in the requesting terminal. However, the operation of searching for and installing a compatible printer driver is cumbersome, and it takes a lot of time for the operation to be used, especially in the case of simple use or temporary use. Therefore, the work that is originally required will be stagnant.

  In introducing the printer driver, techniques shown in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 below are disclosed.

  Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-133620 discloses a technique for introducing driver software and the like stored in a peripheral device by connecting the peripheral device to a terminal that issues a print processing request.

Further, in the prior art disclosed in Patent Document 2, a printer connected to a print requesting PC is recognized as a USB memory, not as a device having a printing function, and the printer from the USB memory is recognized as a USB memory. The driver is acquired and installed, and after installation, it is re-recognized as a printer so that printing processing can be performed.
JP 2002-032228 A JP 2003-150530 A

  If the installed and installed printer driver is no longer necessary, the printer driver remains. In particular, when a large-capacity printer driver is installed, it occupies a storage area and causes a reduction in processing speed.

  Accordingly, the present invention provides an image forming system and an auxiliary storage device that can construct a processing environment in an external storage device and can process the image data using the processing environment by referring to the processing environment when processing the image data. The purpose is to provide.

  To achieve the above object, the invention of claim 1 comprises an information processing terminal, a printer connected to the information processing terminal, and an auxiliary storage device detachably attached to the information processing terminal. The auxiliary storage device defines a printer driver corresponding to the printer, printing environment information for transmitting print data to the printer using the printer driver, and a storage location of the printer driver in the information processing terminal First setting information for referring to the printer driver stored in the auxiliary storage device based on the installation setting information when the auxiliary storage device is mounted. Is stored in the storage location defined by the introduction setting information, and based on the printing environment information stored in the auxiliary storage device, Comprising a printing environment construction means for constructing a printing environment using the auxiliary storage device by creating and registering a second link information referring to the printing environment information stored in the auxiliary storage device.

  The invention according to claim 2 is the invention according to claim 1, wherein the information processing terminal deletes the first link information stored in the storage destination by the printing environment construction unit when the auxiliary storage device is removed. And a restoration control means for deleting the second link information and restoring the state before the auxiliary storage device is mounted.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the invention, the auxiliary storage device is a universal serial bus storage device, and the printing environment construction unit automatically detects mounting of the auxiliary storage device. The printing environment using the auxiliary storage device is constructed.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a management means for managing the type of the printer driver and the number of the auxiliary storage devices according to any one of the first to third aspects, and the auxiliary storage device using the auxiliary storage device. Restrict the construction of a printing environment using a storage device.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to any one of the first to third aspects, the auxiliary storage device has a temporary storage unit for temporarily storing print data to be transmitted to the printer.

  The invention of claim 6 is an auxiliary storage device that is detachably attached to the information processing terminal, and includes a printer driver, printing environment information for transmitting print data to the printer using the printer driver, Introducing setting information defining a storage location of the printer driver in the information processing terminal, and first link information for referring to the printer driver based on the introducing setting information when the information processing terminal is attached to the information processing terminal Is stored in the storage location of the information processing terminal defined by the introduction setting information, and second link information for referring to the print environment information from the information processing terminal is based on the print environment information. The printing environment using the printer driver is constructed in the information processing terminal.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to construct a printing environment in the auxiliary storage device and refer to the processing environment when processing the print data so that image data can be processed using the processing environment. Play.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to effectively use the storage area and prevent a reduction in processing speed without leaving unnecessary information.

  According to the third aspect, since the auxiliary storage device can be recognized based on the universal serial bus standard, there is an effect that a system can be easily constructed.

  According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to return to the state before connection by disconnecting the auxiliary storage device, and it is possible to set a printing environment according to the connected auxiliary storage device.

  Further, according to the fifth aspect, there is an effect that it is possible to effectively use the storage area inside the information processing terminal.

  According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to construct a printing environment in the auxiliary storage device and refer to the processing environment when processing the image data so that the image data can be processed using the processing environment. .

  Hereinafter, an image forming system and an auxiliary storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is an example of a system configuration diagram of an image forming system configured by applying an image forming system and an auxiliary storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  In FIG. 1, an image forming system includes a host device 100 that is an information processing terminal that makes an image formation request for image data created by a predetermined application, and an image forming device 200 that forms an image of image data in response to a request from the host device 100. It comprises and comprises. As an example of the image forming apparatus 200, there is a printing apparatus (printer), for example. In the case of this printing apparatus, print output processing for printing image data requested to be printed from the host apparatus 100 on printing paper as a printing medium is performed. Do.

  In the following embodiments, a printing apparatus which is an example of the image forming apparatus 200 will be described as an example, and the image forming apparatus 200 is indicated as “printing apparatus 200”.

  At this time, the host apparatus 100 and the printing apparatus 200 are connected not only via a network communication network such as a LAN (Local Area Network) but also via peering communication.

  The host device 100 is provided with a communication terminal (communication interface) for connecting an external storage device 300 that is an auxiliary storage device, and the external storage device 300 is connected to the external storage device 300 via the communication interface. A request for print output processing is made to the printing apparatus 200 using the information stored in 300.

  At this time, the external storage device 300 is detachable, and when connected to the host device 100, it is connected, and when it is removed, it is disconnected. Even when the external storage device 300 is attached, the host device 100 is disconnected by the connection release processing with the external storage device 300.

  The external storage device 300 is a storage medium composed of a USB memory or a card-type memory that communicates with the host device 100 via, for example, a USB (Universal Serial Bus) terminal, and includes at least information as described below. Remember.

  In the following description, the external storage device 300 is a USB memory, and the external storage device 300 is indicated as “USB memory 300”. The communication interface of the host device 100 to which the USB memory 300 is connected is indicated as “USB communication interface”.

  In the USB memory 300, in response to an image formation request from the host apparatus 100 to the printing apparatus 200, the image data is converted into a format that can be formed by the printing apparatus 200, and the host apparatus 100 requests the printing apparatus 200 to form an image. The “printer driver” that enables the printing apparatus 200 and “printing environment setting information” that is referred to in the print output process in the printing apparatus 200 are stored. Furthermore, when the USB memory 300 is connected to the host device 100, “installation setting information” is also stored so that the printer driver and printing environment setting information stored in the USB memory 300 can be referred to from the host device 100.

  This installation setting information is configured in a format that is referred to and executed by the OS (Operating System) of the host apparatus 100. Similarly, when the printer driver and the printing environment setting information stored in the USB memory 300 are referred to, the installation setting information is referred to. Reference destination information (hereinafter also referred to as “link information”) is designated.

  In the image forming system having such a configuration, when the USB memory 300 is connected to the host device 100, the host device 100 recognizes the connected USB memory 300 and stores various information stored in the USB memory 300. “Mount processing” is performed to enable reference.

  This mount processing is executed by referring to the installation setting information stored in the USB memory 300, so that the host device 100 can refer to the printer driver and the printing environment setting information also stored in the USB memory 300. This is processing for registering link information in the host device 100.

  When the host device 100 makes a print request, the host device 100 refers to the registered link information, and develops (loads) the printer driver indicated by the link information on the host device 100 and executes it. Further, the printer 200 requests the printing apparatus 200 to print image data in a printing format created using the printer driver based on the printing environment setting information.

  As a result, the printing apparatus 200 prints out the image data based on the printing environment setting information.

  When the USB memory 300 connected to the host device 100 is disconnected, the host device 100 that detects this performs an unmount process. This unmount process is a process for setting the state before the mount process is performed. If the printer driver is expanded, the printer driver is deleted.

  The detailed configuration of the host device 100 at this time is shown in FIG.

  In FIG. 2, the host device 100 includes a USB communication interface 10, a processing control unit 11, an automatic detection unit 12, a type determination unit 13, an information management processing unit 14, an information storage unit 15, a network communication interface unit 16, and an operation unit 17. It comprises and comprises.

  The USB communication interface 10 is a communication terminal for USB communication, and performs mutual communication between the USB memory 300 and the host device 100 by connecting the USB memory 300 that is an external storage device. The USB memory 300 stores a printer driver, printing environment setting information, and introduction setting information.

  When the USB memory 300 storing these pieces of information is connected to the host apparatus 100 via the USB communication interface 10, the automatic detection unit 12 detects this. The automatic detection unit 12 has a plug-and-play function, and the printing environment in which the USB memory 300 stores the environment setting information created by the host device 200 when the plug-and-play function is executed. The setting information can be used.

  When the USB memory 300 is recognized by the plug-and-play function of the automatic detection unit 12, the type determination unit 13 determines whether the USB memory 300 is a device having information necessary for a print request. That is, it is determined whether the storage device is simply connected as an additional storage device or the USB memory 300 in which information (printer driver and print environment setting information) used when a print request is received from the host device 200 is registered.

  As the determination processing by the type determination unit 13, first, by referring to specific field information in the USB memory, indicates that the field information stores information that needs to be referred to when a print request is made. There is a way to judge. For example, if a flag is set in the designated field information, it indicates that the USB memory stores information that needs to be referred to when a print request is made.

  More specifically, the USB device descriptor returned from the USB memory is referred to, and this is determined by referring to a specific field of the USB device descriptor.

  Second, there is a method for determining whether a file indicating that the host device has information that needs to be referred to when a print request is registered in the USB memory. In this method, for example, it is determined whether a file with a specific name is registered.

  When the type determination unit 13 determines that the USB memory 300 connected via the latter USB communication interface 10 is a device having information necessary for a print request, the determination result is notified to the automatic detection unit 12. To do. As a result, the automatic detection unit 12 requests the information management processing unit 14 to perform a mounting process.

  Subsequently, the information management processing unit 14 requested from the automatic detection unit 12 performs a mounting process so that the printer driver and printing environment setting information stored in the USB memory 300 can be used from the host device 200.

  The information management processing unit 14 registers various information in the information storage unit 15 and updates or deletes the registered information by performing unmount processing in addition to mount processing. The mounting process at this time is based on the introduction setting information of the USB memory 300, and the link information that allows the host device 200 to refer to the printer driver and the printing environment setting information is registered in the information storage unit 15, and the host device 100 This is a process for making it possible to use the printer driver and the print environment setting information indicated by the link information when a print request is made.

  On the other hand, the unmount process is a process for deleting the link information registered by the mount process and setting the storage state before the mount process is performed.

  As a result, the information storage unit 15 is in a state where the printer driver and link information to the printing environment setting information are registered.

  In this state, when a print request is made by operating the operation unit 17 or the like, the processing control unit 11 refers to the link information stored in the information storage unit 15 and sets the printer driver indicated by the link information on the host device 200. Deploy (load) to the work area of and execute.

  The expansion processing (loading) at this time indicates an operation for calling a printer driver stored in the USB memory 300 as an external storage device to the main memory in the host device 100 to make it executable. That is, unlike the state where it is installed in an auxiliary storage device such as a hard disk, it shows a state where it is temporarily stored in the main memory that is initialized when the host device 100 is restarted.

  Then, image data is generated based on the expanded (loaded) printer driver and the printing environment setting information stored in the USB memory 300, and the image data is transmitted to the printing apparatus 200 via the network communication interface 16.

  At this time, if the printer driver and the print environment setting information indicated by the link information cannot be specified (cannot be referred to), the print request is canceled and the process is stopped.

  The information storage unit 15 manages the information stored in the USB memory 300 with the configuration shown in FIG.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a detailed flow of processing performed by the image forming system in the embodiment of the present invention.

  In FIG. 3, the process starts when a USB memory is connected via the USB communication interface of the host device.

  When the connection of the USB memory is detected, the host device recognizes the connected USB memory and performs a mount process that enables operation of information stored in the USB memory (301). A detailed flow of this mounting process is shown in the flowchart of FIG. 4 and will be described below.

  The mounting process at this time makes it possible to specify (refer to) the printer driver and the print environment setting information at the time of a print request.

  When the mount process is performed in this way, the USB memory is recognized by the host device, and the host device enters an idle state in which it can receive a predetermined operation or instruction. When an operation or reception of an instruction is detected in this idle state (302), it is first determined whether the operation or instruction indicates that an operation for disconnecting the USB memory has been performed (303).

  If this determination process does not indicate that the USB memory is disconnected (NO in 303), it is next determined whether the operation or instruction is a print request (304). If this determination is a print request (YES in 304), print output processing of the image data requested to be printed is performed (305). A detailed processing flow in this print output processing is shown in the flowchart of FIG. 5 and will be described below.

  Then, when the print output process is completed, the idle state is entered again, and operations and instructions can be received.

  If the USB memory is not disconnected and no print request is received (NO in 304), the current idle state is continued, and any of these operations and instructions are performed. Wait until.

  On the other hand, when the USB memory is not connected (YES in 303), the USB memory recognized by the host device is set to the unrecognized state, and the printing environment in the USB memory from the host device is set. An unmount process for making it impossible to refer to the setting information is performed (306).

  As a result, a state before the USB memory is connected to the printing apparatus is set. The detailed flow of this unmount process is shown in the flowchart of FIG.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a detailed flow of the mounting process in the flowchart of the image forming system shown in FIG.

  In FIG. 4, processing is started when a USB memory is connected to the printing apparatus, and it is detected that the connected terminal is a USB memory of an external storage device having a USB communication interface by executing a plug and play function ( 401).

  When the USB memory is detected, it is determined whether the host device is a USB memory having information that needs to be referred to when a print request is made (402). As described above, this determination processing first indicates that the field information stores information that needs to be referred to when a print request is made by referring to specific field information of the USB memory. There is a way to determine whether it is.

  In this method, a determination is made by referring to a USB device descriptor returned from the USB memory and referring to a specific field of the USB device descriptor.

  Second, there is a method for determining whether a file indicating that the host device has information that needs to be referred to when a print request is registered in the USB memory.

  If it is determined by such a method and it is determined that the host device is a USB memory having information that needs to be referred to when a print request is made (YES in 402), the printer in the print output process in the printing device Link information referring to the driver is registered in a storage area for storing system information of the host device (403).

  Further, link information to the printing environment setting information stored in the USB memory and referred to at the time of the print request is also registered in the host device (404).

  If it cannot be determined that the host device is a USB memory having information that needs to be referred to when a print request is made (NO in 402), it is recognized as a storage medium (storage medium) for storing various information. Various types of information can be stored (405).

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a detailed flow of the print output process in the flowchart of the image forming system shown in FIG.

  5, the process starts when a print request is made in FIG. 3 (YES in 304).

  First, in the mount process shown in FIG. 4, the printer driver is searched based on the link information that can refer to the printer driver in the USB memory when a print request is made (501).

  As a result of the search, it is determined whether or not the link destination printer driver has been detected (502). If it cannot be detected (NO in 502), it is determined that the print request cannot be made because the image data in the print format cannot be generated. (503) to finish the process. That is, the print output process in the printing apparatus shown in FIG.

  On the other hand, if the linked printer driver can be detected (YES in 502), the detected printer driver is developed (loaded) in the host device and executed (504). After executing the development of the printer driver, the printing environment setting information to be referred to at the time of the print request is referred to based on the link information (505).

  It is determined whether the print environment setting information indicated by the link information can be searched in the USB memory (506). If the search is possible (YES in 506), a print port is set in the host device (507), A print request is made (508).

  If the print environment setting information based on the link information cannot be searched (NO in 506), an error process is performed (503), and the process ends, as in the case where the printer driver cannot be detected.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a detailed flow of unmount processing in the flowchart of the image forming system shown in FIG.

  In FIG. 6, the process is started when it is detected in FIG. 3 that the USB memory is disconnected (YES in 303).

  When the disconnection of the USB memory is detected, it is detected that the USB memory of the external storage device having the USB communication interface connected by executing the plug and play function is disconnected (601).

  When the disconnection of the USB memory is detected, it is determined whether the connected USB memory stores information that the host device, such as a printer driver and print environment setting information, refers to when a print request is made (602).

  If these pieces of information have been stored (YES in 602), link information referring to the printer driver is deleted from the host device (603). Further, the link information to the printing environment setting information stored in the USB memory is also deleted (604).

  On the other hand, when these pieces of information are not stored (NO in 602), the storage in the USB memory recognized as a storage medium (storage medium) for storing various information is disabled (604). .

  FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a storage state of various information (files) registered in the host device shown in FIG.

  The host apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 7 is used when referring to a file system 701 that stores a file for executing processing in the host apparatus 100, link information that specifies the file stored in the file system 701 as a reference destination, and a file. It has a registration setting information management area 702 for managing setting values. The registration setting information management area 702 is configured by a registry, for example, and manages system information.

  The USB memory 300 stores installation setting information 31, a printer driver 32, and printing environment setting information 33. When the USB memory 300 is connected to the host apparatus 100, the installation setting information 31 is stored in the host apparatus 100 as a mount process. In the registration setting information management area 702.

  Since the installation setting information 31 indicates link information to the printer driver 32 and the printing environment setting information 33 in the USB memory 300, the registration setting information management area 702 of the host device 200 can be used as a printer in the USB memory 300. The driver 32 and the print environment setting information 33 can be referred to.

  When a print request is made with the USB memory 300 connected to the host device 100, the printer driver 32 indicated by the installation setting information 31 registered in the registration setting information management area 702 is designated in the file system 701. The image data is developed in the work area, and image data to be printed is created with reference to the print environment setting information 33 in the USB memory.

  The image data created in this way is transmitted to the printing apparatus as a print request, and print output processing is performed.

  In the present invention, the program is executed from a recording medium (CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, etc.) storing a program for executing the above-described operation in an image forming system having a communication function or configuring the above-described means. It is also possible to configure an image forming system that executes the above-described processing by installing the above in a computer and executing it. A computer constituting the image forming system is connected to a central processor unit (CPU), a read only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), and a hard disk via a system bus. The CPU performs processing using the RAM as a work area according to a program stored in the ROM or the hard disk.

  The medium for supplying the program may be a communication medium (a medium for temporarily or fluidly holding the program such as a communication line or a communication system). For example, the program may be posted on an electronic bulletin board (BBS: Bulletin Board Service) of a communication network and distributed via a communication line.

  The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and shown in the drawings, and can be implemented with appropriate modifications within a range not changing the gist thereof.

1 is an example of a system configuration diagram of an image forming system configured by applying an image forming system and an auxiliary storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a diagram showing a detailed configuration of a host device (information processing terminal) in an image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 5 is a flowchart showing a detailed flow of processing performed by the image forming system in the embodiment of the present invention. 4 is a flowchart showing a detailed flow of a mounting process in the flowchart of the image forming system shown in FIG. 3. 4 is a flowchart showing a detailed flow of print output processing in the flowchart of the image forming system shown in FIG. 3. 4 is a flowchart showing a detailed flow of unmount processing in the flowchart of the image forming system shown in FIG. 3. The figure which shows the storage state of the various information (file) registered into the host apparatus shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 USB communication interface 11 Processing control part 12 Automatic detection part 13 Type determination part 14 Information management processing part 15 Information storage part 16 Network communication interface part 17 Operation part 100 Host apparatus (information processing terminal)
200 Image forming apparatus (printing apparatus)
300 External storage device (USB memory)

Claims (6)

An information processing terminal;
A printer connected to the information processing terminal;
An auxiliary storage device detachably attached to the information processing terminal;
Comprising
The auxiliary storage device is
A printer driver corresponding to the printer;
Printing environment information for transmitting print data to the printer using the printer driver;
Storing installation setting information defining a storage location of the printer driver in the information processing terminal;
The information processing terminal
When mounting the auxiliary storage device, based on the installation setting information, first link information for referring to the printer driver stored in the auxiliary storage device is stored in a storage location defined by the installation setting information. And generating and registering second link information referring to the printing environment information stored in the auxiliary storage device based on the printing environment information stored in the auxiliary storage device. An image forming system comprising a printing environment construction means for constructing a used printing environment. The information processing terminal
When the auxiliary storage device is removed, the first link information stored in the storage destination by the printing environment construction unit is deleted, and the second link information is deleted and the state before the auxiliary storage device is mounted. The image forming system according to claim 1, further comprising recovery control means for recovering the image. The auxiliary storage device is
Universal serial bus storage device,
The printing environment construction means includes
The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary storage device is automatically detected to construct a printing environment using the auxiliary storage device. The management means for managing the type of the printer driver and the number of the auxiliary storage devices is provided, and the construction of a printing environment using the auxiliary storage device using the auxiliary storage device is limited. The image forming system described. The auxiliary storage device is
The image forming system according to claim 1, further comprising a temporary storage unit that temporarily stores print data to be transmitted to the printer. An auxiliary storage device detachably attached to the information processing terminal,
A printer driver;
Printing environment information for sending print data to the printer using the printer driver;
Storing installation setting information defining a storage location of the printer driver in the information processing terminal;
When mounting on the information processing terminal, based on the introduction setting information, the first link information for referring to the printer driver is stored in the storage location of the information processing terminal defined by the introduction setting information, and Assisting the information processing terminal to construct a printing environment using the printer driver by causing the information processing terminal to register second link information referring to the printing environment information from the information processing terminal based on the printing environment information Storage device.

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