JP5939042B2 - Information processing system, portable terminal device, image processing device, and program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing system, a portable terminal device, an image processing device, and a program.

  An image processing apparatus called an MFP (Multi-Function Peripherals) having a print function or a scan function is generally equipped with a communication function and can send and receive data. Particularly in recent years, with the spread of mobile terminal devices such as doublet terminals and smartphones, image processing devices capable of performing processing in cooperation with the mobile terminal devices have also been proposed.

  For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a printer that performs data communication using short-range wireless communication such as infrared communication and network communication such as the Internet. In the above prior art, when printing out data stored in the server device with a printer, first, the client device (mobile terminal device) performs connection communication with the server device by performing short-range wireless communication with the printer. To the printer. As a result, the printer can specify the server device that is the transmission source of the print data. The printer performs a network communication connection with the server device based on the connection information, and when the network communication connection is established, obtains print data from the server device and performs print output. As a result, the user can cause the user's own mobile terminal device to print out an arbitrary printer.

JP 2009-140030 A

  By the way, the prior art is configured such that the server device holds image data to be printed, and the server device transmits the image data (print data) to the printer based on a print instruction from the mobile terminal device. The portable terminal device may hold image data to be printed by downloading from the Internet or the like through network communication. For this reason, in the future, not only printing image data stored in the server device as in the prior art, but also transmitting image data stored in the mobile terminal device to a printer for printing out may be considered.

  As described above, the mobile terminal device can perform short-range wireless communication in addition to network communication. For this reason, there are two transmission routes for image data: a network communication line and a short-range wireless communication line. However, when using a network communication line, for example, the mobile terminal device may access the address of the server device, make a connection request, and send image data for the first time after an authorization response to the connection request from the server device. It becomes possible connection state. That is, it takes a certain amount of time for the server device to permit the connection request before the network communication line between the mobile terminal device and the server device is established. On the other hand, in short-range wireless communication such as infrared communication, one-to-one data communication is performed between the mobile terminal device and the printer, so that the mobile terminal device and the printer can identify the other party in a relatively short time. . For this reason, when short-range wireless communication is used, communication connection is established in a shorter time than the network communication line described above. Thereby, the portable terminal device can start transmission of image data at an earlier stage than the network communication line by using the short-range wireless communication line.

  However, near-field wireless communication lines such as infrared communication have a slower data communication speed than network communication lines. Therefore, if image data is always transmitted via the short-range wireless communication line, the image data is not transmitted via the network communication line. It may take longer to complete the transmission than to transmit. On the other hand, the network communication line has a higher data communication speed than the short-range wireless communication line. However, as described above, the transmission start of image data is delayed as compared with the short-range wireless communication line. When image data is transmitted via a communication line, it may take longer to complete the transmission than when image data is transmitted via a short-range wireless communication line.

  As described above, even if image data is transmitted through any of the two transmission routes of the network communication line and the short-range wireless communication line, it may take longer to complete the transmission than the other transmission routes. There is. In this case, the user waits in vain until print output is performed. In order to prevent such a situation, for example, a technique capable of selecting one of these two transmission routes to complete job transmission in a short time is desired, but such a technique has not yet been proposed.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems. When a job is transmitted from the portable terminal device to the image processing apparatus, the job transmission can be completed at an early stage, which is convenient for the user. It is an object of the present invention to provide an information processing system, a portable terminal device, an image processing device, and a program in which the above is improved as compared with the prior art.

In order to achieve the above object, an invention according to claim 1 is an information processing system in which a mobile terminal device and an image processing device can perform data communication via a relay server, and the mobile terminal device is capable of short-range wireless communication. The short-range wireless communication is possible with the relay server via a network communication line capable of communicating with the image processing apparatus via a line and having a data communication speed higher than that of the short-range wireless communication line. A job based on an operation instruction by a user is transmitted via at least one of a communication line and the network line, and the image processing apparatus can communicate with the portable terminal device via the short-range wireless communication line. , Capable of communicating with the relay server via the network communication line, the short-range wireless communication line and the network line A job that is received via at least one of them, and is transmitted to the portable terminal device or the image processing device, and is transmitted by the portable terminal device out of the short-range wireless communication line and the network communication line A determination unit configured to determine a communication path in which the time required for completion is short; the portable terminal device communicates at least until a network communication connection is established before starting transmission of a job via the network communication line; Preparation time is required, and the determination means requires a transmission completion time through the short-range wireless communication line to be shorter than a transmission completion time through the network communication line whose job data size includes the communication preparation time. If the data size is less than the data size threshold for determining the data size of the job to be There were determined by predicting that the said communication path, the mobile terminal device, and transmits the job in the communication route based on the determination result by the determination means.

The invention according to claim 2, in the information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the portable terminal apparatus, when the network communication line by said determining means is determined as the communication path, the communication connection of the network communication line A job is transmitted through the short-range wireless communication line until the communication connection is established, and the unsent portion of the job in the short-range wireless communication line is transferred to the network communication line. It is characterized by transmitting.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing system capable of data communication between a portable terminal device and an image processing device via a relay server, wherein the portable terminal device performs the image processing via a short-range wireless communication line. The communication with the relay server is possible via a network communication line capable of communicating with a device and having a data communication speed higher than that of the short-range wireless communication line, and the short-range wireless communication line and the network line A job based on an operation instruction by a user is transmitted via at least one of them, and the image processing apparatus is capable of communicating with the portable terminal device via the short-range wireless communication line and via the network communication line. Can communicate with the relay server via at least one of the short-range wireless communication line and the network line. Executes a job to be received, and is provided in the portable terminal device or the image processing device, and the transmission completion time of the job transmitted by the portable terminal device out of the short-range wireless communication line and the network communication line is short. comprising a determination means for determining a communication path serving as the portable terminal device, prior SL transmits the job via the short-range wireless communication line, after which the network communication line with that network communication connection is established Starting the transmission of the job via, the determination means measures the data communication speed of each of the short-range wireless communication line and the network communication line, based on the measurement result and the data size of the job , One of the short-range wireless communication line and the network communication line is determined as the communication path, and the mobile terminal device determines the determination The said communication path based on the determination result by the stage, characterized in that stops sending of job in another communication line.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the information processing system according to the third aspect of the present invention, the portable terminal device is configured to use the short-range wireless communication line when the network communication line is determined as the communication path by the determining unit. On the condition that the transmitted data size is larger than the transmitted data size in the network communication line, the unsent portion of the job in the short-range wireless communication line is transferred to the network communication line and transmitted. And
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the information processing system according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the mobile terminal device stores a data size of a job in a predetermined storage area.
The invention according to claim 6 is the information processing system according to claim 5, wherein the portable terminal device stores the data size of the job in the storage area before the job is transmitted.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a short-distance wireless communication means for performing data communication with an image processing device within a communicable range of the short-distance wireless communication line via the short-distance wireless communication line. A network communication means for performing data communication with a relay server that relays a job to the image processing apparatus via a network communication line having a data communication speed higher than that of the short-range wireless communication line , and a user operation An operation input means for inputting an instruction, a job transmission means for transmitting a job based on an instruction operation input by the operation input means, the short-range wireless communication line, and a time required for completion of job transmission among the network communication line includes but a determination means for determining one of the short as the communication path for the job, and the network communication means, wherein the network communication Before starting transmission of a job via a line, it takes at least a communication preparation time until a network communication connection is established, and the determination means sets the network communication line whose job data size includes the communication preparation time. If the time required for completion of transmission via the short-range wireless communication line is shorter than the data size threshold for determining the data size of the job for which the time required for completion of transmission via the short-range wireless communication line is shorter than the time required for completion of transmission via the short-range wireless communication line The job transmission unit transmits a job on a communication path based on a determination result by the determination unit.
According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a short-distance wireless communication means for performing data communication with an image processing apparatus within a communicable range of the short-distance wireless communication line via the short-distance wireless communication line. A network communication means for performing data communication with a relay server that relays a job to the image processing apparatus via a network communication line having a data communication speed higher than that of the short-range wireless communication line, and a user operation An operation input means for inputting an instruction, a job transmission means for transmitting a job based on an instruction operation input by the operation input means, the short-range wireless communication line, and a time required for completion of job transmission among the network communication line Discriminating means for discriminating one of the short communication times as a job communication path, wherein the job transmitting means is connected via the short-range wireless communication line. Then, the job is transmitted via the network communication line as the network communication connection is established, and the determining means includes the short-range wireless communication line, the network communication line, And measuring one of the short-range wireless communication line and the network communication line as the communication path based on the measurement result and the data size of the job, and transmitting the job The means is characterized in that the transmission of a job on a communication line different from the communication path is stopped based on a determination result by the determination means.
The invention according to claim 9 is the portable terminal device according to claim 7 or 8, further comprising storage means for storing the data size of the job.
The invention according to claim 10 is the invention according to claim 9, wherein the storage means stores the data size of the job before transmitting the job.
According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a short-distance wireless communication means for performing data communication with an image processing apparatus within a communicable range of the short-distance wireless communication line via the short-distance wireless communication line. And a network communication means for performing data communication with a relay server that relays a job to the image processing apparatus via a network communication line different from the short-range wireless communication line, and an operation input for inputting an operation instruction by a user And a job transmission means for transmitting a job based on an instruction operation input by the operation input means, the short-range wireless communication line, and the network communication line. Discriminating means for discriminating as a communication path of the job, the job transmitting means in the communication path based on the discrimination result by the discriminating means A predetermined identification information for causing the image processing apparatus to execute a job on condition that the short distance wireless communication is performed with the image processing apparatus, and the image processing is performed by performing the short distance wireless communication. When the job is transmitted via the network communication line, the identification information is included in the job and transmitted to the relay server via the network communication line.

According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a short-range wireless communication means for performing data communication via a short-range wireless communication line , and data via a network communication line having a higher data communication speed than the short-range wireless communication line. A program executed in a mobile terminal device comprising network communication means for performing communication and operation input means for inputting an operation instruction by a user, wherein the mobile terminal device is connected to the short-range wireless communication means and the network communication. Data communication with each of the image processing apparatus within the communicable range of the short-range wireless communication line and the relay server that relays a job to the image processing apparatus via the network communication line by controlling the means Communication control means for performing a job based on an instruction operation input by the operation input means via the communication control means. And a job transmitting means for transmitting the data and a determining means for determining one of the short-range wireless communication line and the network communication line that requires a short time for completion of job transmission as a job communication path. The communication control means requires at least a communication preparation time until a network communication connection is established before starting transmission of a job via the network communication line, and the determination means has a job data size of the job It is less than the data size threshold for determining the data size of the job for which the time required for transmission completion via the short-range wireless communication line is shorter than the time required for completion of transmission via the network communication line including the communication preparation time. If discriminates predicts that the short-range wireless communication channel is the communication path, said job transmitting means , And transmits the job in the communication route based on the determination result by the determination means.

According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, in the program according to the twelfth aspect , the job transmission unit establishes a communication connection of the network communication line when the determination unit determines the network communication line as the communication path. A job is transmitted through the short-range wireless communication line until the communication connection is established, and the unsent portion of the job in the short-range wireless communication line is transferred to the network communication line and transmitted. It is characterized by that.

The invention according to claim 14 is the program according to claim 12 , wherein the communication control means starts network communication connection with the relay server when the short-range wireless communication line is determined as the communication path. When the job transmission means is transmitting a job via the short-range wireless communication line and the network communication connection is established earlier than the preset communication preparation time The transmission of the job is started via the network communication line, and the determination unit measures the data communication speed in each communication line, and the measurement result and the data size of the untransmitted portion of the job in each communication line Based on the short distance wireless communication line and the network communication line. Characterized by re-determination as.

According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a short-range wireless communication means for performing data communication via a short-range wireless communication line, and data via a network communication line having a higher data communication speed than the short-range wireless communication line. A program executed in a mobile terminal device comprising network communication means for performing communication and operation input means for inputting an operation instruction by a user, wherein the mobile terminal device is connected to the short-range wireless communication means and the network communication. Data communication with each of the image processing apparatus within the communicable range of the short-range wireless communication line and the relay server that relays a job to the image processing apparatus via the network communication line by controlling the means Communication control means for performing a job based on an instruction operation input by the operation input means via the communication control means. And a job transmitting means for transmitting the data and a determining means for determining one of the short-range wireless communication line and the network communication line that requires a short time for completion of job transmission as a job communication path. The job transmission means transmits a job via the short-range wireless communication line, and then starts transmission of the job via the network communication line as the network communication connection is established, and the determination The means measures the data communication speed of each of the short-range wireless communication line and the network communication line, and based on the measurement result and the data size of the untransmitted portion of the job in each communication line, the short-range One of the wireless communication line and the network communication line whose transmission completion time is short is determined as the communication path. It said job transmitting means, characterized by stops transmitting the job in another communication line with the communication path.

According to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention, in the program according to the fifteenth aspect , the job transmission means transmits the data on the short-range wireless communication line when the determination means determines that the network communication line is the communication path. On the condition that the data size is larger than the transmitted data size in the network communication line, the unsent portion of the job in the short-range wireless communication line is transferred to the network communication line and transmitted. .

The invention according to claim 17 is the program according to any one of claims 12 to 16 , wherein when the data communication speed in the communication path is less than a predetermined value, the job transmission means The communication path is switched to another communication line.

According to an eighteenth aspect of the present invention, in the program according to any one of the twelfth to seventeenth aspects, when the portable terminal device cannot transmit a job via the short-range wireless communication line, the portable terminal is notified to a user. It is further characterized by further functioning as a guidance control means for guiding a predetermined notifying means to move the apparatus within the communicable range.

The invention according to claim 19 is the program according to any one of claims 12 to 18 , wherein when the network communication line is determined as the communication path by the determination unit, the mobile terminal device is The portable terminal device further functions as a guidance control means for guiding a predetermined notification means that the portable terminal device may be moved out of the communicable range.

According to a twentieth aspect of the invention, in the program according to any one of the twelfth to nineteenth aspects, the communication control unit is configured on the condition that the image processing device and the portable terminal device perform short-range wireless communication. Predetermined identification information for causing the image processing apparatus to execute a job is shared and held with the image processing apparatus by performing short-range wireless communication, and the job transmission unit includes the identification information in the job and The data is transmitted to the relay server via a network communication line.

The invention according to claim 21 is the program according to any one of claims 12 to 20 , wherein the communication control means acquires the address information of the relay server from the image processing device by performing short-range wireless communication. The job transmission means identifies the relay server based on the address information and transmits a job to the relay server.

The invention according to claim 22 is the program according to any one of claims 12 to 21 , further causing the portable terminal device to function as encryption key generation means for generating a pair of encryption key and decryption key, The job transmission means encrypts the job based on the encryption key generated by the encryption key generation means, and then transmits the encrypted job to the relay server via the network communication line, and the communication control means Transmits the decryption key to the image processing apparatus via the short-range wireless communication line.
The invention according to claim 23 is a short-range wireless communication means for performing data communication via a short-range wireless communication line, and a network communication means for performing data communication via a network communication line different from the short-range wireless communication line. And an operation input means for inputting an operation instruction by a user, the program being executed in a mobile terminal device by controlling the short-range wireless communication means and the network communication means. Communication control means for performing data communication with each of an image processing device within a communicable range of the short-range wireless communication line and a relay server that relays a job to the image processing device via the network communication line; Job transmission means for transmitting a job based on an instruction operation input by the operation input means via the communication control means And a function for determining one of the short-range wireless communication line and the network communication line that requires a short time for completion of job transmission as a job communication path. A job is transmitted on a communication path based on a determination result by the determination unit, and the communication control unit transmits the job to the image processing device on condition that the image processing device and the mobile terminal device perform short-range wireless communication. Predetermined identification information to be executed is shared and held with the image processing apparatus by performing short-range wireless communication, and the job transmission means includes the identification information in a job via the network communication line. It transmits to the said relay server, It is characterized by the above-mentioned.
According to a twenty-fourth aspect of the invention, in the program according to any of the twelfth to twenty-third aspects, the portable terminal device stores a job data size in a predetermined storage area.
The invention according to claim 25 is characterized in that, in the program according to claim 24, the data size of the job is stored in the storage area before the job is transmitted to the portable terminal device.

The invention according to claim 26 is an image processing apparatus capable of data communication with each of a mobile terminal device and a relay server that relays a job from the mobile terminal device, via a short-range wireless communication line. Via a short-range wireless communication means for performing data communication with the portable terminal device within a communicable range of a short-range wireless communication line , and a network communication line having a higher data communication speed than the short-range wireless communication line Network communication means for performing data communication with the relay server; communication control means for controlling the short-range wireless communication means and the network communication means; job execution means for executing a job received by the communication control means; Of the distance wireless communication line and the network communication line, the time required for completion of job transmission in the mobile terminal device is short. And a discriminating means for discriminating the signal path, the discriminating means includes a job data size, the portable terminal device is a network communications connection when the mobile terminal apparatus transmits the job via the network communication line A data size threshold that makes the transmission completion time shorter when the mobile terminal device transmits a job via the short-range wireless communication line than the transmission completion time including the communication preparation time for establishing; If the job data size is less than the data size threshold, the short-range wireless communication line is predicted to be the communication path, and the communication control unit determines the determination by the determination unit. By notifying the portable terminal device of the result, the portable terminal device is caused to transmit a job on the communication path.

According to a twenty-seventh aspect of the present invention, in the image processing device according to the twenty-sixth aspect , the communication control means sets the data size of the job transmitted before the portable terminal device transmits the job to the short-range wireless communication. Tokusu collected via a communication line, characterized in Rukoto.

The invention according to claim 28 is an image processing apparatus capable of data communication with each of a mobile terminal device and a relay server that relays a job from the mobile terminal device, via a short-range wireless communication line. Data communication with the relay server via a short-range wireless communication means for performing data communication with the portable terminal device within the communicable range of the short-range wireless communication line, and a network communication line different from the short-range wireless communication line Network communication means for performing communication, communication control means for controlling the short-range wireless communication means and network communication means, job execution means for executing a job received by the communication control means, and the short-range wireless communication line, Of the network communication line, the time required to complete the transmission of the job in the portable terminal device or the reception of the job in the image processing device Discriminating means for discriminating completion communication path required time is short, wherein the communication control unit, the job which the portable terminal device is transmitted over a respective said short-range wireless communication line and the network communication line And receiving the data size of the job from the portable terminal device by performing short-range wireless communication with the portable terminal device, and the determining means includes the short-range wireless communication line and the network communication line. Each data communication speed is measured, and based on the measurement result and the data size of the unreceived portion of the job in each communication line, the time required for completion of reception of the short-range wireless communication line and the network communication line one which is a short time to determine as the communication path, the communication control unit, the portable terminal determination result by the determining means By notifying the location, and wherein the Rukoto to send a job in the communication path to the mobile terminal device.

According to a twenty- ninth aspect of the present invention, in the image processing device according to any one of the twenty- sixth to twenty- eighth aspects, when the data communication speed in the communication path is less than a predetermined value, the determination means Is characterized by discriminating another communication line as a new communication path.

The invention according to claim 30 is the image processing apparatus according to any one of claims 26 to 29 , wherein the short distance wireless communication is performed when the short distance wireless communication line is determined as the communication path by the determining means. When the job cannot be received via the line for a predetermined time, the apparatus further includes a guidance control unit that guides the user to the predetermined notification unit so as to move the mobile terminal device within the communicable range. .

The invention according to claim 31 is the image processing apparatus according to any one of claims 26 to 30 , wherein when the network communication line is determined as the communication path by the determining means, the mobile terminal device is notified to a user. It is further characterized by further comprising a guidance control means for guiding a predetermined notification means that it may be moved outside the communicable range.

According to a thirty-second aspect of the invention, in the image processing device according to any one of the twenty-sixth to thirty-first aspects, the communication control means obtains predetermined identification information by performing short-range wireless communication with the portable terminal device. The job execution means executes the job when the communication control means receives a job including the identification information via the network communication line. .

According to a thirty-third aspect of the present invention, in the image processing device according to any one of the twenty-sixth to thirty-second aspects, the communication control unit performs short-range wireless communication with the portable terminal device, thereby The address information of the relay server is transmitted.

The invention according to Claim 34 is the image processing device according to any one of Claims 26 to 33 , further comprising encryption key generation means for generating a pair of encryption key and decryption key, wherein the communication control means An encryption key is transmitted to the portable terminal device via the short-range wireless communication line, and the job execution means is associated with the communication control means receiving an encrypted job via the network communication line. The job is decrypted with the decryption key.
The invention according to claim 35 is an image processing apparatus capable of data communication with each of a portable terminal device and a relay server that relays a job from the portable terminal device, and Data communication with the relay server via a short-range wireless communication means for performing data communication with the portable terminal device within the communicable range of the short-range wireless communication line, and a network communication line different from the short-range wireless communication line Network communication means for performing communication, communication control means for controlling the short-range wireless communication means and network communication means, job execution means for executing a job received by the communication control means, and the short-range wireless communication line, Of the network communication line, the time required to complete the transmission of the job in the portable terminal device or the reception of the job in the image processing device Discriminating means for discriminating a communication path in which the time required for completion is short, and the communication control means notifies the mobile terminal device of the discrimination result by the discriminating means, thereby By transmitting a job on the communication path and performing short-range wireless communication with the portable terminal device, the predetermined identification information is shared and held with the portable terminal device, and the job execution unit includes the communication control unit When the job including the identification information is received via the network communication line, the job is executed.
The invention according to claim 36 is the image processing apparatus according to any one of claims 26 to 35, further comprising storage means for storing the data size of the job.
The invention according to claim 37 is the image processing apparatus according to claim 36, wherein the storage means stores the data size of the job before the portable terminal device transmits the job. .

According to a thirty- eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a short-range wireless communication means for performing data communication via a short-range wireless communication line , and data via a network communication line having a higher data communication speed than the short-range wireless communication line. A network communication means for performing communication, the program executed in the image processing apparatus, wherein the image processing apparatus controls the short-range wireless communication means and the network communication means, thereby the short-range wireless communication A communication control means for performing data communication with each of a mobile terminal device within a communicable range of the line and a relay server that relays a job from the mobile terminal device via the network communication line; the communication control means receives Job execution means for executing a job to be performed, the short-range wireless communication line, and the network communication line Among the portable terminal device determining means for determining one transmission time required to complete the job it is short as a communication path for the job in, to function as the determination unit includes a job data size of the mobile terminal device When transmitting a job through the network communication line, the mobile terminal device uses the short-range wireless communication line for a transmission completion time including a communication preparation time for the mobile terminal device to establish a network communication connection. When the job size is less than the data size threshold, the short-range wireless communication line is determine estimates that a communication path, said communication control means notifies the determination result by the determination unit to the mobile terminal device It allows, characterized in that to transmit the job in the communication path to the mobile terminal device.
The invention according to claim 39 is a short-range wireless communication means for performing data communication via a short-range wireless communication line, and a network communication means for performing data communication via a network communication line different from the short-range wireless communication line. A program executed in an image processing apparatus comprising: the image processing apparatus within a communicable range of the short-range wireless communication line by controlling the short-range wireless communication means and the network communication means. A communication control means for performing data communication with each of the mobile terminal apparatus in the network and a relay server that relays a job from the mobile terminal apparatus via the network communication line, and a job for executing a job received by the communication control means Execution means, and the portable terminal device among the short-range wireless communication line and the network communication line. And a communication control means for determining whether one of the short time required to complete transmission of the job is a communication path of the job, wherein the communication control means is configured such that the portable terminal device includes the short-range wireless communication line and the network communication. Receiving a job to be transmitted through each of the lines, and obtaining a data size of the job from the portable terminal device by performing short-range wireless communication with the portable terminal device, and the determination unit includes the short-range wireless Measure the data communication speed of each of the communication line and the network communication line, and based on the measurement result and the data size of the unreceived portion of the job in each communication line, the short-range wireless communication line and the network communication One of the lines that requires a short time for completion of reception is determined as the communication path, and the communication control means , By notifying the determination result by the determination unit to the mobile terminal device, characterized in that to transmit the job in the communication path to the mobile terminal device.
The invention according to claim 40 is a short-range wireless communication means for performing data communication via a short-range wireless communication line, and a network communication means for performing data communication via a network communication line different from the short-range wireless communication line. A program executed in an image processing apparatus comprising: the image processing apparatus within a communicable range of the short-range wireless communication line by controlling the short-range wireless communication means and the network communication means. A communication control means for performing data communication with each of the mobile terminal apparatus in the network and a relay server that relays a job from the mobile terminal apparatus via the network communication line, and a job for executing a job received by the communication control means Execution means, and the portable terminal device among the short-range wireless communication line and the network communication line. The transmission completion time of the job to be used is determined as a determination unit that determines the one as a communication path of the job, and the communication control unit notifies the determination result by the determination unit to the portable terminal device By causing the portable terminal device to transmit a job in the communication path and performing short-range wireless communication with the portable terminal device, the predetermined identification information is shared with the portable terminal device and held, The job execution means executes the job when the communication control means receives a job including the identification information via the network communication line.

  According to the present invention, when a job transmission is performed from a mobile terminal device to an image processing device, a communication path in which the time required to complete job transmission is short is determined from the short-range wireless communication line and the network communication line. Therefore, the time required for job transmission in the mobile terminal device can be shortened compared to the conventional case. In addition, according to the present invention, a communication path in which the time required to complete job reception in the image processing apparatus is short is determined from the short-range wireless communication line and the network communication line, and the determination result is notified to the portable terminal device. Therefore, the time required for job transmission in the mobile terminal device can be reduced as compared with the conventional case. As a result, the image processing apparatus can execute the job at an early stage, which improves convenience.

It is a figure which shows the example of whole structure of an information processing system. It is a figure which shows an example of the hardware constitutions of a portable terminal device. It is a block diagram which shows an example of a function structure of the control part in a portable terminal device. It is explanatory drawing for demonstrating the concept of a data size threshold value. It is a figure which shows an example of the hardware constitutions of an image processing apparatus. It is a block diagram which shows an example of a function structure of the control part in an image processing apparatus. FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram of a process when the information processing system performs data communication with the relay server. FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram of a process when the information processing system performs data communication with the relay server. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the process sequence of the process performed in the control part of a portable terminal device. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the process sequence of the process performed in the control part of a portable terminal device. It is a figure which shows the transmission transmission completion required time in the case of taking over a communication line from one side to the other. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the process sequence of the process performed in the control part of a portable terminal device in the case of taking over a communication line from one side to the other. It is a figure which shows the time required for completion of job transmission when re-discriminating a communication line. It is a figure which shows the transmission completion required time of the job in 2nd Embodiment. It is a sequence diagram of a process when the information processing system performs data communication with a relay server in the second embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the process sequence of the process performed in the control part of a portable terminal device in 2nd Embodiment. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a time required to complete job transmission when a communication line is handed over from one to another in the second embodiment. FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of a control unit in an image processing apparatus in a third embodiment.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the embodiments described below, members that are common to each other are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions thereof are omitted.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of an information processing system 1 according to the present embodiment. The information processing system 1 includes an image processing device 2 configured by an MFP or the like, and a mobile terminal device 3 that is normally carried by a user and used. Each of the image processing device 2 and the portable terminal device 3 can communicate with the relay server 4 that relays the job via the network 5. The network 5 is a network including a LAN (Local Area Network), a WAN (Wide Area Network), a public telephone network, an Internet network, and the like. Note that the number of the image processing device 2, the mobile terminal device 3, and the relay server 4 is not limited to the illustrated number.

  The image processing apparatus 2 has a function of communicating with the relay server 4 via the network communication line C2. In addition to such a communication function, the image processing apparatus 2 includes a plurality of functions such as a copy function, a scan function, a print function, a BOX function, and a FAX function. The scan function is a function for generating image data by driving a scanning unit 6 provided in the upper part of the main body of the image processing apparatus 2 and performing an original reading operation. The print function is a function for performing print output by driving the print processing unit 7 provided in the central part of the image processing apparatus 2. The copy function is a function in which a scan function and a print function are continuously operated to copy and output a document. The BOX function is a function for storing various data in a predetermined storage area. For example, the BOX function stores image data read by the scan function or stores data received via the network 5. The FAX function is a function for transmitting and receiving image data via a public telephone network. For example, the received image data is stored in a BOX or printed out.

  The image processing apparatus 2 includes an operation panel 8 serving as a user interface when a user operates the image processing apparatus 2 on the front side of the apparatus main body. For example, the image processing apparatus 2 operates at least one of the plurality of functions described above based on a user instruction operation performed on the operation panel 8 and executes a job designated by the user.

  Furthermore, the image processing apparatus 2 performs near field wireless communication via a near field wireless communication line C3 with a specific device within a communicable range by NFC (Near Field Communication) or Bluetooth (registered trademark). It is equipped with a distance wireless communication function. With this short-range wireless communication function, the image processing device 2 can perform one-to-one communication with the mobile terminal device 3 possessed by the user. The image processing apparatus 2 constantly searches for a partner that performs short-range wireless communication, and automatically establishes a communication connection with the partner when detecting that the partner is within the communicable area.

  On the other hand, the mobile terminal device 3 is a portable information processing terminal composed of a doublet terminal, a smartphone, or the like, and is a device occupied by one user. The mobile terminal device 3 includes a display unit 15 configured to display various kinds of information, for example, with a liquid crystal panel. The portable terminal device 3 includes an operation input unit 16 that is provided integrally with the display unit 15 and serves as a user interface. The mobile terminal device 3 is configured to display operation buttons and the like for the user to operate on the display unit 15. When the user operates the operation buttons on the screen, the operation input unit 16 is operated by the user. It is configured to detect an operation instruction.

  In addition, the mobile terminal device 3 has a network communication function for performing network communication with the relay server 4 via the network 5 via the network communication line C1, and within the communicable range of the short-range wireless communication line C3 by NFC or the like described above. Two communication functions including a short-range wireless communication function for performing short-range wireless communication with a specific device are mounted. For example, the mobile terminal device 3 has a web browser function, downloads image data on the web by performing network communication via the network communication line C1, and displays the image data on the display unit 15. Is possible. Then, the mobile terminal device 3 generates a job based on an operation instruction from the user with respect to the image data, and transmits the job to the image processing device 2 via the short-range wireless communication line C3 as necessary. Alternatively, the data is transmitted to the relay server 4 via the network communication line C1.

  The relay server 4 is a server installed on the Internet, for example, and mainly transfers jobs from the mobile terminal device 3 received via the network communication line C1 to the image processing device 2 via the network communication line C2. It is for providing services. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the relay server 4 may be a print server connected to an in-house LAN or the like. The “job” includes a print job for causing the image processing apparatus 2 to print out image data, a FAX job for causing the image processing apparatus 2 to perform FAX transmission of image data, and an image to the image processing apparatus 2. A BOX job for storing data in a BOX is included. In the following description, a case where “job” is a print job will be exemplified. In the following, when it is not necessary to distinguish between the network communication lines C1 and C2, they are simply referred to as “network communication lines”.

  Next, an outline of the present embodiment will be described. When the mobile terminal device 3 detects a print instruction from the user, the mobile terminal device 3 generates a print job based on image data displayed on the display unit 15 by the web browser at that time, for example. At this time, for example, the user holds the portable terminal device 3 over a predetermined part of the image processing device 2 designated in advance. As a result, the mobile terminal device 3 is positioned within the short-range wireless communication range of the image processing device 2, and the mobile terminal device 3 and the image processing device 2 automatically establish a short-range wireless communication connection. At this time, information necessary for printing out image data between the portable terminal device 3 and the image processing device 2 is exchanged via the short-range wireless communication line C3. Thereafter, the mobile terminal device 3 determines, as a communication path, one of the short-range wireless communication line C3 and the network communication line whose transmission job transmission completion time is short.

  Here, as described above, the mobile terminal device 3 can perform short-range wireless communication in addition to network communication. Therefore, there are two transmission routes for the print job, that is, the network communication line and the short-range wireless communication line C3. However, when using a network communication line, for example, the mobile terminal device 3 accesses the address of the relay server 4 to make a connection request, and transmits a print job only after receiving an authorization response to the connection request from the relay server 4. It becomes a connection state that can be done. That is, it takes some time for the relay server 4 to permit a connection request before the network communication line between the mobile terminal device 3 and the relay server 4 is established. On the other hand, in short-range wireless communication, since the one-to-one data communication is performed between the mobile terminal device 3 and the image processing device 2, the mobile terminal device 3 and the image processing device 2 can communicate with each other in a relatively short time. Can be identified. For this reason, when short-range wireless communication is used, communication connection is established in a shorter time than the network communication line described above. As a result, the mobile terminal device 3 can start transmitting a print job earlier than the network communication line by using the short-range wireless communication line C3.

  However, since the short-range wireless communication line C3 is generally slower in data communication speed than the network communication line, if a print job is always transmitted via the short-range wireless communication line C3, the print job is sent via the network communication line instead. May take longer to complete than sending. On the other hand, the network communication line generally has a higher data communication speed than the short-range wireless communication line C3. However, as described above, the transmission start of the print job is started compared to the short-range wireless communication line C3. Therefore, if a print job is always transmitted via the network communication line, it may take longer to complete the transmission than if the print job is transmitted via the short-range wireless communication line C3.

  Therefore, the mobile terminal device 3 determines the time difference between the timing at which the short-range wireless communication line C3 can perform data communication and the timing at which the network communication line having a higher data communication speed than the short-range wireless communication line C3 can perform data communication. Considering this, one of the short-distance wireless communication line C3 and the network communication line that has a short print job transmission completion time is determined as a communication path. As a result, the time required to complete the transmission of the print job can be shortened as compared with the conventional case in which such communication path determination is not performed, so that the print job can be executed early in the image processing apparatus 2.

  The time difference described above is an example for explaining the concept of the present embodiment, and is a time difference that can occur when it is assumed that connection requests are simultaneously made in short-range wireless communication and network communication. However, in the present embodiment, a case where a connection request for network communication is made in a state where a short-distance wireless communication connection has already been established, instead of making a connection request simultaneously in short-range wireless communication and network communication, is illustrated. That is, in the present embodiment, the communication path is first determined after information necessary for print output is exchanged via the short-range wireless communication line C3. That is, at the time of determining the communication path, since a short-distance wireless communication connection has already been established, a print job can be immediately transmitted via the short-distance wireless communication line C3. On the other hand, in the network communication line, a connection request is made based on information exchanged via the short-range wireless communication line C3 as described later. Therefore, the communication connection is established after the connection request is made on the network communication line from the timing when the print job can be transmitted on the short-range wireless communication line C3 until the print job can be transmitted on the network communication line. A time difference is caused by the communication preparation time in the network communication line until the communication is completed.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, the mobile terminal device 3 uses the short-range wireless communication line C3 and the network communication line to select a communication path that takes a short time for completion of transmission of the print job in consideration of the communication preparation time. Determine and send a print job on the communication path. In this case, since the connection request for the network communication is made after the short-range wireless communication connection has already been established, the short-range wireless communication is compared with the case where the connection request is simultaneously made in the short-range wireless communication and the network communication. The time difference between the communication line C3 and the network communication line becomes longer. Hereinafter, the information processing system 1 configured as described above will be described in detail.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of the mobile terminal device 3. The mobile terminal device 3 includes a control unit 21, a network communication control unit 11, a short-range wireless communication control unit 12, a storage unit 22, and the display unit 15 and the operation input unit 16 described above. In addition, when the portable terminal device 3 is comprised with a smart phone etc., the microphone, speaker, etc. for performing a telephone call other than this are provided.

  The control unit 21 includes a CPU 21a and a memory 21b, and controls the operation of each unit. The CPU 21a reads and executes the program 23 and the like stored in the storage unit 22 when the control unit 21 is activated, for example. The program 23 is a program for causing the control unit 21 to function as each processing unit described later. The memory 21b stores temporary data associated with the execution of the program 23 and the like by the CPU 21a.

  The network communication control unit 11 performs communication control when the control unit 21 performs network communication via the network communication line C1. That is, when the mobile terminal device 3 performs network communication with the relay server 4 via the network communication line C1, data transmission / reception is performed via the network communication control unit 11.

  The short-range wireless communication control unit 12 is a processing unit that performs communication control when the control unit 21 performs short-range wireless communication with the image processing apparatus 2 via the short-range wireless communication line C3. When the short-range wireless communication control unit 12 is in a state in which short-range wireless communication can be performed with the image processing apparatus 2, the short-range wireless communication control unit 12 automatically detects this and notifies the control unit 21. Upon receiving this notification, the control unit 21 establishes a communication connection with the image processing apparatus 2. As a result, the control unit 21 can perform short-range wireless communication with the image processing apparatus 2 via the short-range wireless communication control unit 12.

  As described above, the display unit 15 is configured by a color liquid crystal display, for example, and displays various types of information to the user. The operation input unit 16 includes a touch panel sensor arranged on the display screen of the display unit 15 and detects an input operation from the user of the mobile terminal device 3.

  The storage unit 22 is a non-volatile storage device configured by, for example, a solid state drive (SSD). The storage unit 22 stores the above-described program 23 and includes an image data storage unit 24, a threshold information storage unit 25, and an identification information storage unit 26. The image data storage unit 24 stores one or a plurality of image data serving as print candidates, such as a web page downloaded by the above-described web browser. The threshold information storage unit 25 stores a data size threshold that serves as a determination criterion when determining the communication path of a print job. The data size threshold will be described later. The identification information storage unit 26 stores identification information of the image processing apparatus 2 (hereinafter referred to as “image processing apparatus ID”) and address information of the relay server 4. The image processing device ID and address information are information acquired from the image processing device 2 via the short-range wireless communication line C3. The image processing apparatus ID is identification information for the relay server 4 to identify the image processing apparatus 2 that executes the print job. The address information is identification information for specifying the relay server 4 when the mobile terminal device 3 accesses the relay server 4, and is, for example, a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) of the relay server 4.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of the control unit 10 in a state where the CPU 21a activates the program 23 as described above. The control unit 21 executes the above-described program 23 to thereby generate a print job generation unit 31 that generates a print job of image data, a communication control unit 32 that controls the network communication control unit 11 and the short-range wireless communication control unit 12, And it functions as the display control part 33 which displays various information on the display part 15. FIG. The communication control unit 32 includes a determination unit 32a that determines one of the network communication line and the short-range wireless communication line C3 as a communication path, and a print job transmission unit 32b that transmits a print job. Further, the print job transmission unit 32b includes an encryption key generation unit 32c that generates a pair of encryption key and decryption key. When the control unit 21 detects a print instruction from the user via the operation input unit 16, the processing units cooperate to perform the following processing.

  First, when the operation input unit 16 detects a print instruction from the user, the display control unit 33 functions. The display control unit 33 determines whether short-range wireless communication between the image processing device 2 and the mobile terminal device 3 is established at that time, and if the short-range wireless communication is not established, On the other hand, a guidance screen for guiding the mobile terminal device 3 to move within the communicable range of the short-range wireless communication line C3 is displayed on the display unit 15. The communication control unit 32 establishes the short-range wireless communication when the short-range wireless communication with the image processing apparatus 2 can be connected.

  When the short-range wireless communication is established as described above, or when the short-range wireless communication with the image processing apparatus 2 is already established when the print instruction is detected, the display control unit 33 prints to the user. A print setting screen for performing the setting is displayed on the display unit 15. For example, the display control unit 33 reads a print setting screen stored in advance in a predetermined storage area from the storage area and causes the display unit 15 to display the print setting screen. Alternatively, the display control unit 33 requests the image processing device 2 to transmit a print setting screen by performing short-range wireless communication with the image processing device 2 via the communication control unit 32, and the image processing device 2. The print setting screen may be acquired via the short-range wireless communication line C3.

  When the user performs print setting on the print setting screen, the instruction operation is detected by the communication control unit 32 via the operation input unit 16. When detecting the print setting, the communication control unit 32 transmits the print setting information to the image processing apparatus 2 via the short-range wireless communication line C3. On the other hand, when the image processing apparatus 2 receives the print setting information from the portable terminal device 3 via the short-range wireless communication line C3, the image processing apparatus 2 stores the print setting information. Thereby, when the image processing apparatus 2 receives a print job later, it is possible to perform print output based on the print setting of the print job. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the communication control unit 32 may temporarily store the print setting information in a storage area (not shown) and include the print setting information in a print job generated by the print job generation unit 31 described later. .

  Next, in preparation for the case where the communication path is later determined as a network communication line, the communication control unit 32 transmits the image processing apparatus ID and address information (hereinafter, referred to as “image processing apparatus 2” to the image processing apparatus 2 via the short-range wireless communication line C3). Each information is collectively referred to as “identification information”). When the communication control unit 32 receives the identification information from the image processing device 2 via the short-range wireless communication line C3, the communication control unit 32 stores the identification information in the identification information storage unit 26.

  However, since the image processing apparatus ID is for the relay server 4 to identify the image processing apparatus 2 as described above, for example, the relay server 4 always uses one preset image processing apparatus 2. This is not always necessary when the relay server 4 knows in advance the image processing apparatus 2 that executes the print job. Further, since the address information is for the mobile terminal device 3 to identify the relay server 4, for example, when the mobile terminal device 3 transmits a print job to the same relay server 4 every time. It is not always necessary.

  When the identification information is stored in the identification information storage unit 26, the print job generation unit 31 functions next. The print job generation unit 31 reads identification information from the identification information storage unit 26 and also reads image data based on a print instruction from the image data storage unit 24. A print job in which identification information is associated with the image data is generated. When the print job generation unit 31 generates a print job, the print job generation unit 31 measures the data size of the print job, and temporarily stores the data size and the print job in, for example, the memory 21b. This data size is information that is referred to together with a data size threshold when determining a communication path as will be described later.

  When the print job and the data size of the print job are stored in the memory 21b as described above, the determination unit 32a functions next. The determination unit 32a first reads the data size of the print job from the memory 21b, and also reads the data size threshold value from the threshold value information storage unit 25, and performs communication based on whether the data size of the print job is less than a predetermined value. Determine the route. The predetermined value is, for example, data for determining the data size of a print job that takes a shorter time when the print job is transmitted via the short-range wireless communication line C3 than when the print job is transmitted via the network communication line. It is a size threshold. Hereinafter, the data size threshold will be described.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between the data size of the print job and the time required to complete the transmission of the print job in the mobile terminal device 3. The vertical axis represents the data size (B) of the print job, and the horizontal axis represents time (t). In the illustrated example, the network communication line has a higher data communication speed than the short-range wireless communication line C3, and the mobile terminal device 3 can start transmitting a print job via the network communication line. Until now, the case where the communication preparation time Tx is delayed from the start of print job transmission in the short-range wireless communication line C3 is illustrated. Therefore, when the data size is small to some extent, there is a case where the short-distance wireless communication line C3 having a slower data communication speed than the network communication line takes a shorter time to complete the transmission of the print job. The data size threshold is a data size threshold that requires a short time for completion of transmission via the short-range wireless communication line C3, compared to a time for completion of transmission via the network communication line including the communication preparation time Tx.

  More specifically, in FIG. 4, transmission of a print job is started via the short-range wireless communication line C3 at the timing T1, and printing is performed via the network communication line at the timing T3 with a delay of the communication preparation time Tx from the timing T1. It is assumed that job transmission has started. When the print job is generated at the timing T1, since the communication connection of the short-range wireless communication line C3 has already been established as described above, the print job is transmitted via the short-range wireless communication line C3 at the timing T1. Is possible. Therefore, when a print job is transmitted via the short-range wireless communication line C3 at the timing T1, if the data size of the print job is the size B1, the timing T2 before the timing T3 at which the communication connection of the network communication line is established. The transmission of the print job is completed. That is, if the data size is such that transmission can be completed within the communication preparation time Tx, the transmission completion time is longer when the print job is transmitted via the short-range wireless communication line C3 than when the print job is transmitted via the network communication line. Is a short time.

  In some cases, the short-range wireless communication line C3 can transmit a print job in a shorter time than the network communication line even after the communication connection of the network communication line is established. For example, if the data size of the print job is size B2, the transmission is completed at timing T4 in the short-range wireless communication line C3, while the transmission is completed at timing T5 after the timing T4 in the network communication line. . Also in this case, the short distance wireless communication line C3 takes a shorter time for completion of communication than the network communication line.

  When the data size of the print job is size Bx, as shown in FIG. 4, the transmission of the print job is completed at the timing T6 in the short-range wireless communication line C3, and similarly, the printing is performed at the timing T6 on the network communication line. Job submission is complete. That is, the size Bx at the point P where the communication speed line of the short-range wireless communication line C3 and the communication speed line of the network communication line intersect is the time required to complete the transmission of the print job between the short-range wireless communication line C3 and the network communication line. Is the data size almost simultaneously. On the other hand, when the data size is larger than the size Bx, the short-distance wireless communication line C3 delays the time required for completion of transmission compared to the network communication line. Accordingly, by setting the size Bx as a data size threshold value in advance, it is possible to accurately determine the communication path before transmitting the print job.

  The data size threshold as described above is calculated in advance based on, for example, the data communication speed of each communication line and the communication preparation time Tx, and is stored in the threshold information storage unit 25. The data communication speed and communication preparation time Tx of each communication line are theoretical values, for example. That is, in this case, communication path determination is always performed based on the same data size threshold. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the data communication speed and communication preparation time Tx of each communication line may be past average values, for example. And you may comprise so that the newest information of a data size threshold value may be updated regularly based on those average values.

  Returning to FIG. 3, when the determination unit 32a determines the communication path, if the data size of the print job is less than the data size threshold based on the data size threshold, the short distance wireless communication line C3 is set. On the other hand, if the data size of the print job exceeds the data size threshold, the network communication line is determined as the communication path. If the data size of the print job is the same as the data size threshold, any communication line may be used as the communication path. In the following, a case where the data size of the print job is a data size threshold and a network communication line is a communication path will be exemplified.

  When the determination unit 32a derives the determination result as described above, the print job transmission unit 32b reads the print job from the memory 21b and starts transmitting the print job on the communication path based on the determination result. For example, when the short-range wireless communication line C3 is determined as the communication path, the print job transmission unit 32b starts transmitting a print job via the short-range wireless communication line C3. On the other hand, when the network communication line is determined as the communication path, the print job transmission unit 32b reads the print job from the memory 21b and specifies the relay server 4 based on the address information included in the print job. . Then, the print job transmission unit 32 b starts network communication connection with the relay server 4. That is, the print job transmission unit 32b makes a connection request to the relay server 4 via the network communication line, completes a predetermined negotiation with the relay server 4, and then establishes a network communication connection with the relay server 4. . When the network communication connection is established, the print job transmission unit 32b transmits the print job to the relay server 4. Accordingly, since the print job is transmitted through the communication path determined in advance, the transmission of the print job can be completed in a shorter time compared to the case of transmitting the print job via the other communication line.

  Further, when transmission of a print job is started via a network communication line, the user is informed that the mobile terminal device 3 may be moved outside the communicable range of the short-range wireless communication line C3. good. That is, in this case, the display control unit 33 functions as a guidance control unit, and when the network communication line is determined as a communication path by the determination unit 32a, the mobile terminal device 3 is out of the communication range of the short-range wireless communication line C3. The display unit 15 displays a guidance screen for guiding the user to move to the display unit 15. For example, in the case where short-distance wireless communication is performed by holding the posture in which the user holds the portable terminal device 3 over a predetermined part of the image processing device 2, the display control unit 33 cancels the posture. Guide good things. As a result, the user is released from the posture, and thus the physical burden is reduced.

  When a print job is transmitted via a network communication line, the print job may be encrypted to improve security. In this case, the encryption key generation unit 32c functions. That is, the encryption key generation unit 32c generates a pair of encryption key and composite key when the determination unit 32a determines that the network communication line is a communication path. Then, the print job transmission unit 32b encrypts the print job generated by the print job generation unit 31 with the encryption key. When the print job is encrypted by the encryption key generation unit 32c, the print job transmission unit 32b encrypts the print job via the network communication line on the condition that the network communication line is established at that time. Is transmitted to the relay server 4. On the other hand, the encryption key generation unit 32c transmits the generated composite key to the image processing device 2 via the short-range wireless communication line C3. However, the transmission timing of the decryption key via the short-range wireless communication line C3 is before the attitude release guidance described above is performed. The timing for generating the pair of encryption key and composite key is not limited to after the communication path is determined, and may be before the communication path is determined as will be described later.

  By the way, the above-described processing is processing for predicting and determining a communication path before transmitting a print job. Therefore, for example, when a communication failure occurs in the communication line determined as the communication path or the communication line is busy, the actual data communication speed may be slower than the theoretical value or the like, for example. . In this case, the transmission of the print job may not be completed by the expected transmission completion time. Therefore, after transmitting the print job on the communication path, the mobile terminal device 3 measures the data communication speed and determines again the communication path based on whether the data communication speed is less than a predetermined value. good.

  That is, the determination unit 32a starts measuring the data communication speed when the print job transmission unit 32b starts transmitting the print job, and periodically determines whether the data communication speed is less than a predetermined value. to decide. The predetermined value is, for example, a theoretical value of the data communication speed of a communication line different from the communication line that is determined as the communication path at that time. For example, the theoretical value of the data communication speed of each communication line is stored in advance in a storage area (not shown). When the short-distance wireless communication line C3 is preliminarily determined as a communication path, the print job transmission unit 32b starts transmission of a print job via the short-distance wireless communication line C3 and then transmits the network communication line from the storage area. The theoretical value of the data communication speed is read, and the data communication speed in the short-range wireless communication line C3 is compared with the theoretical value of the data communication speed of the network communication line. When the print job transmission unit 32b detects that the data communication speed in the short-range wireless communication line C3 is slower than the theoretical value, the print job transmission unit 32b stops the transmission of the print job through the short-range wireless communication line C3 and closes until then. An untransmitted portion of the print job transmitted via the distance wireless communication line C3 is transferred to the network communication line and transmitted. However, if the network communication connection is started from this time, the transmission completion time is delayed by the time until the network communication connection is established. Therefore, for example, even if the communication path is determined to be the short-range wireless communication line C3, the network communication connection may be established in advance.

  On the other hand, if the network communication line is determined in advance as a communication path and the data communication speed in the network communication line is slower than the theoretical value of the data communication speed of the short-range wireless communication line C3, the print job transmission unit 32b The transmission of the print job via the network communication line is stopped, and the non-transmitted portion of the print job that has been transmitted through the network communication line is transferred to the short-range wireless communication line C3. However, in this case, when the guidance for releasing the posture described above is performed, the mobile terminal device 3 may be moved outside the communicable range of the short-range wireless communication line C3. Therefore, the display control unit 33 guides the mobile terminal device 3 to move within the communicable range of the short-range wireless communication line C3 when the communication control unit 32 cannot perform short-range wireless communication for a predetermined time. May be displayed on the display unit 15. Thereby, the portable terminal device 3 can be moved within the communicable range of the short-range wireless communication with respect to the user.

  When the relay server 4 receives the print job from the mobile terminal device 3, the relay server 4 specifies the image processing device 2 that executes the print job based on the image processing device ID included in the print job. Then, the relay server 4 starts a network communication connection with the image processing apparatus 2 and transfers the print job to the image processing apparatus 2 as the communication connection is established. However, if the network communication connection with the image processing apparatus 2 is started after the relay server 4 receives the print job, the time required to complete the transmission of the print job is delayed by the time required to establish the communication connection. Therefore, for example, when the image processing apparatus 2 always uses the same relay server 4, a network communication connection between the relay server 4 and the image processing apparatus 2 may be established in advance. As a result, as soon as the relay server 4 receives the print job, transfer to the image processing apparatus 2 can be started.

  Next, the image processing apparatus 2 will be described.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of the image processing apparatus 2. The image processing apparatus 2 includes a control unit 41, a network communication control unit 42, a short-range wireless communication control unit 43, and a storage device 45, and includes the scan unit 6, the print processing unit 7, and the operation panel 8 described above. And are configured to be able to communicate with each other by being connected via the bus 50.

  The control unit 41 includes a CPU 41a and a memory 41b, and controls the operation of each unit. The CPU 41a reads and executes the program 46 and the like stored in the storage device 45. The program 46 is a program for causing the control unit 41 to function as various processing units to be described later. The memory 41b stores temporary data associated with the CPU 41a executing the program 46 and the like.

  The network communication control unit 42 performs communication control when the control unit 41 performs network communication via the network communication line C2. That is, when the image processing apparatus 2 performs data communication with the relay server 4 via the network 5, data transmission / reception is performed via the network communication control unit 42.

  The short-range wireless communication control unit 43 is a processing unit that performs communication control when the control unit 41 performs short-range wireless communication with the mobile terminal device 3 via the short-range wireless communication line C3. When the short-range wireless communication control unit 43 can perform short-range wireless communication with the mobile terminal device 3, the short-range wireless communication control unit 43 automatically detects this and notifies the control unit 41. Upon receiving this notification, the control unit 41 establishes a communication connection with the mobile terminal device 3. As a result, the control unit 41 can perform short-range wireless communication with the mobile terminal device 3 via the short-range wireless communication control unit 43.

  The operation panel 8 is composed of, for example, a color liquid crystal display, and is composed of a display unit that displays various types of information and a touch panel sensor disposed on the display screen of the display unit, and an operation input unit that detects an operation by the user. And.

  The storage device 45 is a non-volatile storage device configured by, for example, a hard disk device. The storage device 45 stores the program 46 described above, and includes a print job storage unit 47 that stores a print job from the mobile terminal device 3 and an identification information storage unit 48 that stores identification information. The identification information storage unit 48 stores an image processing apparatus ID and address information in advance.

  FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of the control unit 41. The control unit 41 functions as the communication control unit 51, the print control unit 52 (job execution unit of the present invention), and the panel control unit 53 when the above-described CPU 41 a executes the program 46.

  The communication control unit 51 controls the network communication control unit 42 and the short-range wireless communication control unit 43. And the communication control part 51 performs the data communication with the relay server 4 via the network communication control part 42, and the data communication with the portable terminal device 3 via the near field communication control part 43 as needed.

  The print control unit 52 executes the print job received by the communication control unit 51 by controlling the print processing unit 7. As a result, the print processing unit 7 performs print output. For example, the print control unit 52 performs RIP (Raster Image Processing) processing of image data included in a print job, and causes the print processing unit 7 to perform print output based on print settings specified in the print job. .

  The panel control unit 53 controls the operation panel 8. That is, the panel control unit 53 detects an operation instruction to the operation panel 8 by the user and causes the operation panel 8 to display a display screen based on the operation instruction.

  Hereinafter, processing performed in cooperation with each processing unit configured as described above will be described.

  When the short-range wireless communication control unit 43 automatically connects the short-range wireless communication with the mobile terminal device 3, the communication control unit 51 starts data communication with the mobile terminal device 3 via the short-range wireless communication line C3. For example, when receiving a print setting screen transmission request from the mobile terminal device 3, the communication control unit 51 reads the print setting screen from a predetermined storage area and transmits it to the mobile terminal device 3. When the communication control unit 51 receives print setting information from the mobile terminal device 3 via the short-range wireless communication line C3, the communication control unit 51 stores the print setting information in the print job storage unit 47. Next, the communication control unit 51 reads the identification information (image processing device ID, address information) from the identification information storage unit 48 and transmits it to the mobile terminal device 3 via the short-range wireless communication line C3.

  When the identification information is transmitted to the image processing apparatus 2 as described above, the above-described determination process is performed in the mobile terminal device 3. Therefore, the communication control unit 51 may establish a network communication connection with the relay server 4 at this timing, for example. As a result, the relay server 4 can transmit the print job via the network communication line at an early stage. However, the network communication connection between the image processing device 2 and the relay server 4 is not limited to the above timing, and may be performed when the image processing device 2 is activated, or the relay server 4 is connected to the mobile terminal as described above. You may perform when the connection request transmitted from the relay server 4 is received in connection with the reception of the print job from the apparatus 3.

  The communication control unit 51 waits until the mobile terminal device 3 receives a print job transmitted via the short-range wireless communication line C3 or the network communication line, and prints via the short-range wireless communication line C3 or the network communication line. When a job is received, the print job is stored in the print job storage unit 47. However, the communication control unit 51 may receive a decryption key of the print job via the short-range wireless communication line C3 before the print job is transmitted. In this case, the communication control unit 51 stores the decryption key in the print job storage unit 47.

  When the print job is stored in the print job storage unit 47, the print control unit 52 functions next. The print control unit 52 reads the print setting information from the print job storage unit 47 and executes the print job based on the print setting information. At this time, the print job may be encrypted. In this case, the print control unit 52 reads the decryption key from the print job storage unit 47, decrypts the print job with the decryption key, and executes the print job. Run. In addition, as described above, there is a case where a print job is transmitted by switching the communication path in the mobile terminal device 3, and specific processing in that case will be described later.

  Here, in the above example, the processing in which the image processing device 2 transmits identification information to the mobile terminal device 3 by the short-distance wireless communication between the mobile terminal device 3 and the image processing device 2 is illustrated. However, in the case where the mobile terminal device 3 holds the identification information in advance, it is not always necessary to perform short-range wireless communication in advance, and thus the mobile terminal device 3 does not need to go through the above processing procedure. The print job can be transmitted to the image processing apparatus 2 via the relay server 4. In this case, since it is not necessary to perform short-range wireless communication, the user can transmit a print job from the mobile terminal device 3 to the image processing device 2 via the relay server 4 even from a destination, for example. However, in such a case, since it is possible to perform print output even if there is no print job transmission source user near the image processing apparatus 2, there is a possibility that the printed matter may be read by a third party. Yes, not preferred for security. Accordingly, as described below, predetermined identification information (hereinafter referred to as “job identification information”) for causing the image processing apparatus 2 to perform print output on condition that the portable terminal device 3 and the image processing apparatus 2 perform short-range wireless communication. The image processing apparatus 2 may be configured to execute the print job when the image processing apparatus 2 receives the print job including the job identification information. Note that the job identification information may be session information for specifying that the mobile terminal device 3 and the image processing device 2 are data communication processing related to one print job.

  In the image processing device 2, when the communication control unit 51 transmits identification information to the portable terminal device 3 in association with the short-range wireless communication line C <b> 3 with the portable terminal device 3, the communication control unit 51 generates job identification information to identify the identification information. The information is stored in the storage unit 48 and the job identification information is transmitted to the mobile terminal device 3 together with the identification information.

  On the other hand, in the mobile terminal device 3, the communication control unit 51 causes the identification information storage unit 26 to store identification information including job identification information received via the short-range wireless communication line C3. Accordingly, the portable terminal device 3 and the image processing device 2 are in a state in which job identification information is held mutually via the short-range wireless communication line C3. Then, when generating the print job, the print job generation unit 31 generates a print job including the job identification information based on the identification information including the job identification information and the image data. The print job transmission unit 32b transmits a print job including job identification information through a communication path.

  In the image processing apparatus 2, when receiving the print job, the communication control unit 51 stores the print job in the print job storage unit 47 as described above. When the communication control unit 51 stores the print job in the print job storage unit 47, the print control unit 52 searches the identification information storage unit 48 and uses the same job identification information as the job identification information stored in the identification information storage unit 48. It is determined whether or not the print job includes identification information. The print control unit 52 executes the print job when the print job includes the same job identification information as the job identification information stored in the identification information storage unit 48. On the other hand, the print control unit 52 does not execute the print job when the print job does not include the same job identification information as the job identification information stored in the identification information storage unit 48. As a result, the print job transmitted without performing short-range wireless communication is not executed, and therefore, print output is prevented from being performed when the user who transmitted the print job does not exist near the image processing apparatus 2. be able to.

  7 and 8 are sequence diagrams illustrating an example of a process when the information processing system 1 performs data communication with the relay server 4. FIG. 7 illustrates the case where the short-range wireless communication line C3 is determined as the communication path, and FIG. 8 illustrates the case where the network communication line is determined as the communication path. In the above description, several timings of network communication connection between the image processing apparatus 2 and the relay server 4 are illustrated. However, in the following, network communication connection with the relay server 4 is established as the image processing apparatus 2 is activated. The case where it is done is illustrated.

  As shown in FIG. 7, first, the image processing apparatus 2 establishes a network communication connection with the relay server 4 as it starts (process P1). In this state, when the mobile terminal device 3 detects a print instruction from the user (process P2), it establishes a short-range wireless communication connection with the image processing device 2 (process P3). At this time, if the short-range wireless communication with the image processing apparatus 2 has already been established, it is not necessary to perform the process for establishing the connection.

  Next, the mobile terminal device 3 determines the communication path based on the data size of the print job and the data size threshold (process P4). At this time, for example, when the short-range wireless communication line C3 is determined as the communication path, the mobile terminal device 3 transmits a print job to the image processing apparatus 2 via the short-range wireless communication line C3 (process P5). When the reception of the print job is completed, the image processing apparatus 2 performs print output (process P6).

  As shown in FIG. 8, when the network communication line is determined as the communication path, the processes P11 to P14 are the same as described above. When the mobile terminal device 3 determines that the network communication line is a communication path, it establishes a network communication connection with the relay server 4 (process P15), and transmits a print job to the relay server 4 (process P16). The relay server 4 transfers the print job to the image processing apparatus 2 (process P17). When the reception of the print job is completed, the image processing apparatus 2 performs print output (process P18).

  9 and 10 are flowcharts of processing executed in the control unit 21 of the mobile terminal device 3. When the control unit 21 executes the program 23 as it starts, the control unit 21 waits until a print instruction from the user is detected (NO in step S1). When detecting a print instruction (YES in step S1), the control unit 21 determines whether or not the short-range wireless communication line C3 has already been established (step S2). When the short-range wireless communication line C3 has not been established yet (NO in step S2), the control unit 21 moves the mobile terminal device 3 to the user within the communicable range of the short-range wireless communication line C3. Inform. When the control unit 21 detects the image processing device 2 that is the counterpart of the short-range wireless communication, the control unit 21 establishes a short-range wireless communication connection with the image processing device 2 (step S4). Note that if the short-distance wireless communication connection has already been established in step S2 (YES in step S2), the control unit 21 skips steps S3 and S4. Next, after causing the user to make print settings, the control unit 21 acquires identification information from the image processing apparatus 2 (step S5).

  Next, the control unit 21 reads out image data to be printed from the image data storage unit 24 (step S6), and also reads out identification information from the identification information storage unit 26 (step S7), and generates a print job (step S7). Step S8). Next, the control unit 21 performs a communication path determination process for determining a communication path (step S9).

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart of the communication path determination process. First, the control unit 21 reads the data size threshold from the threshold information storage unit 25 (step S21). If the data size of the print job is less than the data size threshold (YES in step S22), the control unit 21 determines the short-range wireless communication line C3 as a communication path (step S23). Then, the control unit 21 starts transmitting a print job via the short-range wireless communication line C3 (step S29).

  On the other hand, when the data size of the print job is equal to or larger than the data size threshold (NO in step S22), the control unit 21 determines the network communication line as a communication path (step S24). In this case, the control unit 21 starts network communication connection with the relay server 4 (step S25). Next, the control unit 21 generates a pair of encryption key and decryption key, encrypts the print job with the encryption key (step S26), and performs image processing on the composite key via the short-range wireless communication line C3. It transmits to the apparatus 2 (step S27). Next, when the network communication connection is established (YES in step S28), the control unit 21 transmits the print job via the network communication line (step S29). On the other hand, when the network communication connection has not been established yet (NO in step S28), the control unit 21 waits until the network communication connection is established. Thus, the communication path determination process ends.

  Returning to FIG. 9, when the communication determination process is completed as described above, the control unit 21 measures the data communication speed in the communication path (step S10). If the data communication speed is less than the predetermined value (YES in step S11), the communication path is switched to a communication line different from the communication path used so far (step S12). On the other hand, when the data communication speed is equal to or higher than the predetermined value (NO in step S11), the control unit 21 skips step S12. The control unit 21 repeats the processes of steps S10 to S12 until the transmission of the print job is completed (NO in step S13). When the transmission of the print job is completed (YES in step S13), the control unit 21 ends the process.

  By the way, in the above, when a network communication line is determined as a communication path, a case where a network communication connection is established is waited and a print job transmission is started as the network communication connection is established. . That is, in this case, the print job is not transmitted until the network communication connection is established. Therefore, until the network communication connection is established, the print job is transmitted first via the short-range wireless communication line C3, and then the network communication connection is established, so that the short-range wireless communication line C3 By taking over the transmission of the print job to the network communication line, the time required for completion of transmission can be further shortened.

  FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a communication completion time that can be shortened when the transmission of a print job is taken over from the short-range wireless communication line C3 to the network communication line. In other words, when transmission of a print job is started via the short-range wireless communication line C3 at the timing T1, it is assumed that the timing at which the network communication connection is established is the timing T2. Assuming that the data size is size B1, the transmission job transmission completion time in the network communication line is the required time Ty, and the transmission is completed at timing T3. Even in such a process, a print job can be transmitted in a shorter time in the case of using the network communication line only between the timings T3 and T4 than the transmission completion time Tz in the case of using the short-range wireless communication line C3. Can be completed.

  On the other hand, when the communication path is taken over, the data size of the print job to be transmitted later via the network communication line can be reduced by transmitting the print job via the short-range wireless communication line C3 until the timing T2. it can. In other words, when transmission of a print job is started via the network communication line from timing T2, an untransmitted portion of the print job that has been transmitted through the short-range wireless communication line C3 is transferred to the network communication line. The transmission completion time is Tyz, and transmission is completed at timing T2a. In this case, it is possible to complete the transmission of the print job in a short time only between the timings T2a to T3 as compared to the case where the print job is simply transmitted via the network communication line described above.

  Next, specific processing contents of the control unit when taking over the communication path will be described.

  FIG. 12 is a flowchart of the communication path determination process (step S9 in FIG. 9) in the control unit 21 when the communication line is taken over. In the same manner as described above, the control unit 21 first reads out the data size threshold from the threshold information storage unit 25 (step S31). Then, the control unit 21 determines whether or not the data size of the print job is less than the data size threshold (step S32). If the data size of the print job is less than the data size threshold (YES in step S32). ), The short distance wireless communication line C3 is determined as a communication path (step S33), and a print job is transmitted via the short distance wireless communication line C3 (step S34). The above processing is the same as described above.

  On the other hand, if the data size of the print job is equal to or larger than the data size threshold (NO in step S32), the network communication line is determined as the communication path (step S35). At this time, the control unit 21 generates a pair of encryption key and composite key, encrypts the print job with the encryption key (step S36), and composites it with the image processing apparatus 2 via the short-range wireless communication line C3. The key is transmitted (step S37). Then, the control unit 21 starts transmitting a print job via the short-range wireless communication line C3 (step S38). Next, the control unit 21 starts network communication connection with the relay server 4 (step S39).

  Subsequently, the control unit 21 waits until the network communication connection is established (NO in step S40). When the network communication connection is established (YES in step S40), the transmission of the print job via the short-range wireless communication line C3 is stopped. (Step S41). Next, the control unit 21 specifies an untransmitted portion of the print job that has been transmitted through the short-range wireless communication line C3 so far (step S42), and transfers the untransmitted portion to the network communication line (step S42). Step S43). Thus, the communication path determination ends.

  When the communication path is switched from one to the other as described above, the communication control unit 51 in the image processing apparatus 2 combines the print jobs received by switching the communication path and stores them in the print job storage unit 47 as one print job. Let In this case, for example, the above-described job identification information is held in advance by the portable terminal device 3 and the image processing device 2 at the start of the short-range wireless communication so that the image processing device 2 can specify the print jobs before and after the switching. You can keep it. Then, when transmitting the print job, the mobile terminal device 3 transmits the job identification information to the image processing device 2 in association with the print job. Thereby, even when the communication path is switched, the same job identification information before and after the switching is associated with the print job. When the image processing apparatus 2 receives the print job by switching the communication path, the image processing apparatus 2 identifies the same print job before and after the switching based on the job identification information, and combines the print jobs and saves them as one print job. To do.

  By the way, when the short-distance wireless communication line C3 is preliminarily determined as a communication path, after transmission of a print job is started in the short-distance wireless communication line C3, the connection timing of the actual network communication connection is detected. In addition, the time required for completion of communication may be shortened.

  FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a transmission completion time that can be shortened when the connection timing of such a network communication connection is detected. As described above, in this embodiment, since the data size threshold is predicted and derived based on the communication preparation time Tx that is a theoretical value, the network communication connection is actually performed before the communication preparation time Tx. There is a possibility to establish. For example, it is assumed that the data size threshold when the theoretical value of the communication preparation time Tx is the timing T1 to T2b is the size Bx. When the data size of the print job is a size B1 that is less than the data size threshold, in the above example, the transmission completion time Tz in the short-range wireless communication line C3 is greater than the transmission completion time Tyb in the network communication line. Since it is a short time, the short-range wireless communication line C3 is predicted as a communication path and is determined. However, in reality, there is a possibility that a network communication connection can be established at the timing T2a. In this case, the transmission completion required time of the network communication line is the transmission completion required time Tya, which is shorter than the transmission completion required time Tz when the print job is transmitted via the short-range wireless communication line C3. Therefore, when the theoretical value and the actual measurement value of the communication preparation time Tx are different as described above, the transmission completion time can be shortened by re-determining the network communication line as the communication path. Specific processing will be described below.

  For example, when the short-range wireless communication line C3 is determined as the communication path at the timing T1, the print job transmission unit 32b starts transmission of the print job via the short-range wireless communication line C3 at the timing T1. At this time, the print job transmission unit 32b also starts network communication connection. Then, the print job transmission unit 32b determines whether or not the network communication connection is established before the timing T2b based on the theoretical value of the communication preparation time Tx. When the network communication connection is established before the timing T2b when the communication preparation time Tx based on the theoretical value elapses, the print job transmission unit 32b starts transmitting the print job via the network communication line. In this case, a print job is transmitted in parallel through the short-range wireless communication line C3 and the network communication line.

  Then, the determination unit 32a measures the data communication speed in each communication line. When the measurement result is obtained at timing T2, for example, based on the measurement result and the data size of the untransmitted portion of the print job in each communication line. The transmission completion time in each communication line is calculated, and one of the short-distance wireless communication line C3 and the network communication line whose transmission completion time is short is determined again as a communication path. The print job transmission unit 32b transmits the print job through the re-determined communication path based on the determination result by the determination unit 32a. For example, when the short-range wireless communication line C3 is re-determined as the communication path, the transmission of the print job on the network communication line is stopped. On the other hand, when the network communication line is re-determined as the communication path, the print job transmission unit 32b stops the transmission of the print job via the short-range wireless communication line C3. The illustrated example illustrates a case where a network communication line is redetermined as a communication path. As a result, as shown in the figure, the transmission of the print job is completed at the timing T3, so the transmission completion time is shortened only between the timings T3 and T3a when the transmission of the print job is completed via the short-range wireless communication line C3. Can be made. Further, in this case, as described above, an untransmitted portion of the print job that has been transmitted through the short-range wireless communication line C3 may be transferred to the network communication line.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the mobile terminal device 3 uses, as a print job communication path, one of the short-range wireless communication line C3 and the network communication line whose print job transmission completion time is short. Determine. The print job transmission unit 32b transmits the print job through a communication path based on the determination result by the determination unit 32a. As a result, the print job is transmitted through the communication path in which the time required to complete the transmission of the print job is short, so that the transmission of the print job can be completed early. As a result, the print job can be executed at an early stage, so that the user can obtain the printed matter at an early stage.

  In the present embodiment, the determination unit 32a determines whether or not the data size of the print job is less than a predetermined value. If the data size is less than the predetermined value, the short-range wireless communication line C3 is connected to the communication path. It is predicted and determined. According to such a configuration, since the communication path is determined based on the data size threshold, for example, the processing is simpler than the case where the communication path is determined after actually measuring the data communication speed.

  In particular, in the above embodiment, the data size threshold is stored in the threshold information storage unit 25, and the communication path determination process is performed based on whether the data size of the print job is less than the data size threshold. Since the data size threshold is defined in consideration of the communication preparation time Tx in the network communication line as described above, the communication path can be accurately determined at the stage before transmitting the print job.

  In this embodiment, when the network communication line is determined as the communication path by the determination unit 32a, the print job transmission unit 32b passes through the short-range wireless communication line C3 until the communication connection of the network communication line is established. The print job is transmitted, and the unsent portion of the print job in the short-range wireless communication line C3 is transferred to the network communication line as the communication connection is established. As a result, the transmission completion time is shorter than when a print job is simply transmitted via a network communication line.

  In the above-described embodiment, the communication control unit 32 also starts network communication connection with the relay server 4 along with the start of short-range wireless communication with the image processing apparatus 2. The print job transmission unit 32b transmits a print job via the short-range wireless communication line C3 after the short-range wireless communication line C3 is determined as the communication path, and is a theoretical value. When the network communication connection is established earlier than the communication preparation time Tx based on the above, transmission of the job is started via the network communication line. Then, the determination unit 32a measures the data communication speed in each communication line, and based on the measurement result and the data size of the untransmitted portion of the print job in each communication line, the short-range wireless communication line C3 and the network communication line Of these, the one whose transmission completion time is short is determined again as a communication path. Accordingly, since it is possible to flexibly cope with the case where the network communication connection is established in a shorter time than expected, the print job is transmitted in a shorter time than when the print job is simply transmitted through the short-range wireless communication line C3. be able to.

  In the present embodiment, the print job transmission unit 32b, when a print job is transmitted on the communication path and the data communication speed on the communication path is less than a predetermined value, Is a configuration for switching the communication path to another communication line. As a result, switching to a communication line with a high data communication speed is performed, so that it is possible to reduce the time required to complete transmission of a print job.

  In the present embodiment, if data communication on the short-range wireless communication line C3 is not possible, there is a possibility that the user has moved the mobile terminal device 3 out of the communicable range of the short-range wireless communication line C3. The user is guided to move the mobile terminal device 3 within the communicable range. Thereby, the user can know that the portable terminal device 3 is away from the communicable range.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, when a network communication line is discriminate | determined as a communication path, it is the structure which guides the user that the portable terminal device 3 may be moved out of a communicable range. This is convenient because the user does not have to worry about the position of the mobile terminal device 3 thereafter.

  In the present embodiment, job identification information for causing the image processing apparatus 2 to execute a print job on condition that the image processing apparatus 2 and the mobile terminal apparatus 3 perform short-range wireless communication is used as short-distance wireless communication. By doing so, it is shared with the image processing apparatus 2 and held. Then, the print job transmission unit 32b includes the job identification information in the print job and transmits it to the relay server 4 via the network communication line. As a result, it is possible to perform print output when the user is near the image processing apparatus 2, so that security is improved. In the above example, the case where the image processing apparatus 2 generates job identification information is illustrated, but the mobile terminal apparatus 3 may generate the job identification information.

  In the above embodiment, the communication control unit 32 acquires the address information of the relay server 4 from the image processing device 2 by performing short-range wireless communication. Then, the print job transmission unit 32 b specifies the relay server 4 based on the address information, and transmits the print job to the relay server 4. As a result, it is possible to save the user from setting the address information of the relay server 4 in advance in the mobile terminal device 3, thereby improving usability.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, the portable terminal device 3 is provided with the encryption key production | generation part 32c which produces | generates a pair of encryption key and a decryption key. Then, the print job transmission unit 32b encrypts the print job based on the encryption key generated by the encryption key generation unit 32c, and then transmits the encrypted print job to the relay server 4 via the network communication line. To do. On the other hand, the communication control unit 32 transmits the decryption key to the image processing apparatus 2 via the short-range wireless communication line C3. This improves security when a print job is transmitted via the network communication line.

(Second Embodiment)
In the first embodiment described above, the communication path is determined before starting transmission of a print job. In the second embodiment, the control unit 21 transmits a print job on each of the short-range wireless communication line C3 and the network communication line, and then determines the communication path based on the data communication speed on each communication path.

  FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between the data communication speed and the communication completion time in each communication line in the present embodiment. FIG. 14A illustrates a case where the data communication speed of the network communication line is faster than that of the short-range wireless communication line C3, and FIG. 14B illustrates data communication of the short-range wireless communication line C3 than that of the network communication line. The case where the speed is high is illustrated.

  As shown in FIG. 14A, when the network communication line has a higher data communication speed than the short-range wireless communication line C3 and the data size is less than the size Bx, the communication preparation time Tx occurs. The short-distance wireless communication line C3 that does not perform the print job transmission completion time is shorter than the network communication line that requires the communication preparation time Tx. On the other hand, when the data size is equal to or larger than the size Bx, the time required to complete the transmission of the print job is shorter on the network communication line than on the short-range wireless communication line C3. For example, when the data size of the print job is size B1, when the print job is transmitted via the network communication line, the transmission completion time from the timing T2a that is the timing for determining the communication path becomes the required time Ty, and the timing T3 The transmission is completed at. On the other hand, when the short-range wireless communication line C3 is used, the transmission completion required time from the timing T2a becomes the transmission completion required time Tz, and the transmission is completed at the timing T4. In this case, the time required to complete transmission of the print job is shorter for the network communication line than for the short-range wireless communication line C3 only between timings T3 and T4.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 13B, when the short-range wireless communication line C3 has a higher data communication speed than the network communication line, unlike the above, the short-range wireless communication line C3 regardless of the data size. In this case, the time required to complete the transmission of the print job is always shorter than that of the network communication line. For example, when the data size is B1, when transmission of a print job is started from the timing T1 via the short-range wireless communication line C3, the transmission completion time from the timing T2a for determining the communication path is the transmission completion. The required time Tz is reached, and transmission is completed at timing T3. On the other hand, when the network communication line is used, the transmission completion required time from timing T2a is the transmission completion required time Ty, and the transmission of the print job is completed at timing T4. Therefore, in this case, the short-distance wireless communication line C3 takes a shorter time for completion of transmission of the print job than the network communication line only between the timings T3 and T4.

  FIG. 15 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of a process of the information processing system 1 in the present embodiment. In FIG. 15, the image processing apparatus 2 and the relay server 4 are already in a network communication connection.

  As shown in FIG. 15, when the mobile terminal device 3 detects a print instruction by the user (process P31), the mobile terminal device 3 is subject to the condition that the image processing device 2 exists within the communicable range of the short-range wireless communication line C3. A short-range wireless communication connection is established with the image processing apparatus 2 via the short-range wireless communication line C3 (process P32). Then, the mobile terminal device 3 starts measuring the data communication speed of the short-range wireless communication line C3 (process P34).

  Then, the mobile terminal device 3 establishes a network communication connection with the relay server 4 (process P35). As the network communication connection is established, the portable terminal device 3 transmits a print job to the relay server 4 via the network communication line (process P36). When the relay server 4 receives the print job from the mobile terminal device 3, the relay server 4 transfers the print job to the image processing device 2 (process P37).

  When transmitting the print job to the relay server 4 via the network communication line as described above, the mobile terminal device 3 starts measuring the data communication speed of the network communication line (process P38). At this time, the mobile terminal device 3 determines the communication path based on the data communication speed of the short-range wireless communication line C3 and the data communication speed of the network communication line (process P39).

  The mobile terminal device 3 continues the transmission of the print job on the communication line determined as the communication path, and stops the transmission of the print job on the communication line not determined as the communication path. For example, when the short-range wireless communication line C3 is determined as the communication path, as shown in the figure, the mobile terminal device 3 continues to transmit the print job via the short-range wireless communication line C3, while the network communication line The transmission of the print job via is stopped (process P40). Accordingly, the relay server 4 stops receiving the print job and stops transferring the print job (process P41). Although not shown, when the network communication line is determined as the communication path, the mobile terminal device 3 continues to transmit the print job via the network communication line and transmits the print job via the short-range wireless communication line C3. Discontinue.

  When the image processing apparatus 2 completes reception of the print job via the short-range wireless communication line C3, the image processing apparatus 2 performs print output by executing the print job (process P42).

  FIG. 16 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a communication path determination process in the control unit 21 of the present embodiment. In this embodiment, the overall process is the same as that shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 16, first, the encryption key generation unit 32c generates a pair of encryption key and decryption key, and transmits the decryption key to the image processing device 2 via the short-range wireless communication line C3 (step S3). S51). This is because the processing becomes complicated if transmission of a print job is started later via the short-range wireless communication line C3 and then the decryption key is transmitted by interrupting the short-range wireless communication line C3. This is for simplicity. Then, the print job transmission unit 32b encrypts the print job with the encryption key (step S52). Subsequently, the print job transmission unit 32b transmits the print job to the image processing apparatus 2 via the short-range wireless communication line C3 (step S53). When the print job transmission unit 32b starts transmitting a print job via the short-range wireless communication line C3 as described above, the determination unit 32a starts measuring the data communication speed of the short-range wireless communication line C3 ( Step S54).

  Next, the communication control unit 32 starts a network communication connection with the relay server 4 (step S55). Then, the print job transmission unit 32b waits until the network communication connection is established (NO in step S56), and when the network communication connection is established (YES in step S56), the short-range wireless communication line C3 previously performed is performed. It is determined whether or not the transmission of the print job via is completed (step S57). If the print job transmission unit 32b has already completed the transmission of the print job via the short-range wireless communication line C3 (YES in step S57), the process ends (see FIG. 9). On the other hand, if the print job transmission unit 32b has not yet completed the transmission of the print job via the short-range wireless communication line C3 (NO in step S57), the print job transmission unit 32b transmits the print job to the relay server 4 via the network communication line. Is started (step S58). Then, the determination unit 32a starts measuring the data communication speed of the network communication line (step S59).

  The determination unit 32a calculates the transmission completion time in each communication line based on the data communication speed of each communication line and the untransmitted portion of the print job in each communication line, and the transmission completion time in each communication line. Are compared (step S60). As a result, if the determination unit 32a determines that the short-range wireless communication line C3 is short (YES in step S61), the print job transmission unit 32b cancels the transmission of the print job via the network communication line. (Step S62). On the other hand, when the determination unit 32a determines that the network communication line is short (NO in step S61), the print job transmission unit 32b stops transmission of the print job via the short-range wireless communication line C3 (step S61). S63). Thus, the communication path determination process ends.

  FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating a transmission completion time that can be shortened when a print job is transferred from the short-range wireless communication line C3 to the network communication line. That is, also in this embodiment, the transmission completion time can be shortened by transferring the print job from the short-range wireless communication line C3 to the network communication line as in the first embodiment described above.

  For example, it is assumed that transmission of a print job is started via the short-range wireless communication line C3 at timing T1, and transmission of the print job is started via a network communication line at timing T2. When the network communication line is determined as the communication path at the timing T2a, the print job transmission unit 32b cancels the transmission of the print job that has been performed through the network communication line and uses the short-range wireless communication line C3. Also stops sending print jobs. Then, transmission is started by taking over the untransmitted portion of the print job transmitted via the short-range wireless communication line C3 to the network communication line.

  Thus, assuming that the data size of the print job is size B1, the transmission completion required time when the communication line is taken over as described above is the transmission completion required time Tyz, and the transmission is completed at timing T2b. On the other hand, the transmission completion required time when the print job is simply transmitted via the network communication line is the transmission completion required time Ty, and the transmission is completed at timing T3. Therefore, in this case, transmission of the print job can be completed in a short time only between the timings T2b to T3. However, unlike the illustrated example, when the network communication line has an extremely high data communication speed than the short-distance wireless communication line C3, the data already transmitted via the network communication line at the timing T2a when the print job is taken over. There is a possibility that a situation occurs in which the size is larger than the data size transmitted via the short-range wireless communication line C3. Therefore, the print job transmission unit 32b compares the transmitted data size of the print job on the network communication line and the transmitted data size of the print job on the short-range wireless communication line C3 before performing the above takeover. The takeover is preferably performed when the transmitted data size of the print job in the short-range wireless communication line C3 is larger than the transmitted data size in the network communication line.

  As described above, in this embodiment, the print job transmission unit 32b transmits a print job via the short-range wireless communication line C3, and then, via the network communication line as the network communication connection is established. Start sending the print job. Then, the determination unit 32a measures the data communication speeds of the short-range wireless communication line C3 and the network communication line, and based on the measurement result and the data size of the unsent portion of the print job in each communication line. In this configuration, one of the communication lines whose transmission completion time is short is determined as a communication path. As a result, the print job is transmitted through the communication path in which the time required to complete the transmission of the print job is short, so that the transmission of the print job can be completed early. Further, in the present embodiment, since the communication path is determined based on the actual data communication speed, it is possible to accurately determine the communication path that takes a short time for transmission completion.

  In the present embodiment, the print job transmission unit 32b determines that the transmitted data size in the short-range wireless communication line C3 is the transmission completed in the network communication line when the determination unit 32a determines that the network communication line is a communication path. This is a configuration in which the unsent portion of the job in the short-range wireless communication line C is transferred to the network communication line on condition that the data size is larger than the data size. As a result, it is possible to shorten the time required for completion of transmission compared to a case where a print job is simply transmitted via a network communication line.

(Third embodiment)
In 1st Embodiment mentioned above, the structure which the portable terminal device 3 discriminate | determines a communication path based on the data size threshold was illustrated. In the present embodiment, the image processing apparatus 2 performs processing for determining a communication path based on a data size threshold. However, since the basic configuration of the image processing apparatus 2 and the determination method for determining the communication path are the same as described above, the description of the same configuration as above is omitted, and only the configuration different from the above is described. Give an explanation.

  FIG. 18 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of the control unit 41 in the image processing apparatus 2a according to the present embodiment. Each processing unit in the control unit 41 is basically the same as described above, but in this embodiment, the communication control unit 51 includes a determination unit 51a. The image processing device 2a further includes a threshold information storage unit 55.

  The communication control unit 51 establishes a short-range wireless communication connection with the mobile terminal device 3 and then transmits identification information to the mobile terminal device 3 via the short-range wireless communication line C3. Request transmission of print job data size. The portable terminal device 3 transmits the data size of the print job to the image processing device 2a via the short-range wireless communication line C3 before transmitting the print job. Note that when the data size of the print job is transmitted to the image processing apparatus 2a, the mobile terminal apparatus 3 is in a state of waiting for a determination result notification from the image processing apparatus 2a described later.

  In the image processing apparatus 2a, when receiving the print job data size via the short-range wireless communication line C3, the communication control unit 51 stores the data size in a predetermined storage area such as the print job storage unit 47, for example. Next, the determination unit 51a reads the data size from the storage area, reads the data size threshold from the threshold information storage unit 55, and determines whether the data size of the print job is less than the data size threshold. Is determined. That is, the communication control unit 51 determines the short-range wireless communication line C3 as a communication path when the data size of the print job is less than the data size threshold, and when the data size is equal to or larger than the data size threshold, A network communication line is determined as a communication path.

  Here, the data size threshold is the same as that in the first embodiment, and the communication communication preparation until the theoretical value of the data communication speed of the network communication line and the network communication connection between the mobile terminal device 3 and the relay server 4 is established. This is a fixed value derived based on the theoretical value of time Tx. However, when the short-range wireless communication is started, the past average value of the data communication speed and the communication preparation time Tx is acquired in advance from the mobile terminal device 3, and the latest data size threshold is calculated based on the average value. May be.

  When the determination unit 51a determines the communication path as described above, the communication control unit 51 notifies the mobile terminal device 3 of the determination result by the determination unit 51a via the short-range wireless communication line C3. Thereby, based on the notification, the mobile terminal device 3 transmits the print job through the communication path based on the determination result by the determination unit 51a.

  When the communication control unit 51 starts receiving a print job via the short-range wireless communication line C3 or via the network communication line, the communication control unit 51 stores the received print job in the print job storage unit 47. At this time, in the communication control unit 51, the determination unit 51a measures the data communication speed in the communication path. When the data communication speed is less than the predetermined value, the determination unit 51a re-determines the communication path as a communication line different from the communication path. The communication control unit 51 re-notifies the mobile terminal device 3 of the re-discrimination result via the short-range wireless communication line C3 based on the discrimination result by the discrimination unit 51a. When a print job is received via the short-range wireless communication line C3, the communication control unit 51 interrupts the process and performs the above notification.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, when the mobile terminal device 3 transmits a print job out of the short-range wireless communication line C3 and the network communication line in the image processing apparatus 2a, the transmission completion time is short. The communication path is determined. And the communication control part 51 is a structure which transmits a print job in the said communication path | route with the portable terminal device 3 by notifying the portable terminal device 3 of the discrimination | determination result by the discrimination | determination part 51a. Thereby, since the mobile terminal device 3 is caused to transmit the print job through the communication path, the mobile terminal device 3 can complete the transmission of the print job at an early stage.

  In the present embodiment, the communication control unit 51 transmits the data size of the print job to the mobile terminal device 3 when the image processing device 2a and the mobile terminal device 3 start short-range wireless communication. Make a request. As a result, the data size of the print job can be acquired before the portable terminal device 3 transmits the print job. When the data size is less than the predetermined value, the determination unit 51a predicts and determines that the short-range wireless communication line C3 is a communication path. Thus, since the communication path is determined based on the data size of the print job, for example, the processing is relatively simple compared to the case where the communication path is determined by actually measuring the data communication speed of each communication line.

  In the present embodiment, when performing the above-described prior determination, the communication path is determined based on the data size of the print job and the data size threshold considering the communication preparation time Tx. Thus, the communication path can be accurately determined before the mobile terminal device 3 transmits the print job.

  In the present embodiment, the communication control unit 51 is configured to transmit identification information to the mobile terminal device 3 by performing short-range wireless communication with the mobile terminal device 3. The identification information includes address information of the relay server 4. As a result, it is possible to save the user from setting the address information of the relay server 4 in the mobile terminal device 3 in advance.

  In the present embodiment, after determining the communication path, the determination unit 51a measures the data communication speed on the communication path. If the data communication speed is less than a predetermined value, the determination unit 51a Discriminates another communication line as a new communication path. Thereby, the transmission of the print job can be completed in a shorter time compared to the case where the mobile terminal device 3 simply transmits the print job through the communication path.

(Fourth embodiment)
In the said 3rd Embodiment, the image processing apparatus 2a illustrated the process which discriminate | determines a communication path based on a data size threshold value. The fourth embodiment exemplifies a process for determining a communication path based on an actual measurement value of data communication speed. In this embodiment, the basic configuration of the image processing apparatus 2a is the same as that of the third embodiment. However, the image processing apparatus 2a does not necessarily need to store the data size threshold.

  The communication control unit 51 transmits the identification information via the short-range wireless communication line C3 in the same manner as described above, and sends a print job data size transmission request to the mobile terminal device 3 to thereby print the print job from the mobile terminal device 3. Get the data size of. When the mobile terminal device 3 transmits the data size of the print job to the image processing device 2a, the mobile terminal device 3 starts transmitting the print job via each communication line. However, the mobile terminal device 3 transmits a print job on the network communication line after the network communication connection is established.

  The communication control unit 51 causes the print job storage unit 47 to store a print job received via each of the short-range wireless communication line C3 and the network communication line. That is, the communication control unit 51 stores print jobs in different storage areas for each communication line. The determination unit 51a measures the data communication speed on each communication line.

  When determining the data communication speed of each communication line, the determination unit 51a performs a communication path determination process as described below. That is, the determination unit 51a calculates the data size of the unreceived part in each communication line based on the total data size of the print job and the received data size in each communication line. Then, the determination unit 51a calculates the reception completion time for each communication line based on the unreceived data size in each communication line and the data communication speed of each communication line, and the reception completion required for each communication line. Compare time. Then, one of the short-distance wireless communication line C3 and the network communication line that has a shorter reception completion time is determined as a communication path.

  When the determination unit 51a determines the communication path as described above, the communication control unit 51 notifies the mobile terminal device 3 of the determination result via the short-range wireless communication line C3. At this time, the communication control unit 51 interrupts the print job reception process and makes the above notification. Then, the mobile terminal device 3 continues the transmission of the print job on the communication path based on the notification out of the short-range wireless communication line C3 and the network communication line, and stops the other transmission.

  Further, the determination unit 51a measures the data communication speed in the communication path after the determination, and re-determines another communication line as the communication path when the data communication speed is less than a predetermined value. And the communication control part 51 notifies the portable terminal device 3 of the re-discrimination result by the discrimination | determination part 51a via the near field communication line C3. At this time, if the print control unit 51 receives a print job via the short-range wireless communication line C3, the communication control unit 51 interrupts the print job reception process and performs the above notification. Then, the mobile terminal device 3 transmits a print job through a communication path based on the re-discrimination result. As a result, the time required for reception completion is further shortened.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the communication control unit 51 receives a print job transmitted by the mobile terminal device 3 via each of the short-range wireless communication line C3 and the network communication line. Then, the determination unit 51a measures the data communication speed of each communication line, and based on the measurement result and the data size of the unreceived portion of the print job in each communication line, the short-range wireless communication line C3 and the network communication One of the lines whose reception completion time is short is determined as a communication path. Then, by notifying the mobile terminal device 3 of the determination result, the mobile terminal device 3 is caused to transmit a print job through a communication path based on the determination result. Thereby, the mobile terminal device 3 can complete the transmission of the print job at an early stage. In the present embodiment, since the required time for completion of reception is determined based on the measured value of the data communication speed, the communication path can be accurately determined.

  Also in the third and fourth embodiments, the following processing may be performed as in the first and second embodiments. For example, when the short-range wireless communication line C3 is determined as the communication path and the print job cannot be received through the short-range wireless communication line C3 for a predetermined time, the panel control unit 53 functions as a guidance control unit. A guidance screen for moving the mobile terminal device 3 within the communicable range to the user may be displayed on the operation panel 8. Thereby, the portable terminal device 3 can be moved to an appropriate position for the user to perform short-range wireless communication.

  Further, when the network communication line is determined as the communication path, the panel control unit 53 displays a guidance screen on the operation panel 8 for guiding the user that the mobile terminal device 3 may be moved out of the communicable range. It may be displayed. As a result, the user does not have to worry about the position of the mobile terminal device 3 thereafter.

  In addition, the communication control unit 51 transmits the job identification information to the mobile terminal device 3 at the start of the short-range wireless communication with the mobile terminal device 3, thereby sharing the job identification information with the mobile terminal device 3 and holding it. The print control unit 52 may execute the print job when the communication control unit 51 receives a print job including the job identification information from the relay server 4 via the network communication line. As a result, when the user who issued the print job is near the image processing apparatus 2a, the print output can be performed, so that security is improved.

  Further, the image processing apparatus 2a may include the encryption key generation unit 32c illustrated in FIG. That is, the image processing apparatus 2a further includes an encryption key generation unit 32c that generates a pair of encryption key and decryption key. The encryption key generation unit 32c generates a pair of encryption key and decryption key at the start of short-range wireless communication between the mobile terminal device 3 and the image processing device 2a, and transmits the identification information including the encryption key. To do. In this case, the encryption key generation unit 32 c stores the decryption key in, for example, the identification information storage unit 48. Then, the mobile terminal device 3 encrypts and transmits the print job based on the encryption key. On the other hand, in the image processing apparatus 2a, when the communication control unit 51 receives an encrypted print job via the short-range wireless communication line C3 and / or the network communication line, the communication control unit 51 stores the print job in the print job storage unit 47. . When reception of the print job is completed, the print control unit 52 reads the decryption key from the identification information storage unit 48, decrypts the print job with the decryption key, and executes the print job. This improves security.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment regarding this invention was described, this invention is not restricted to the content mentioned above, A various modification is applicable.

  For example, in the above-described first and second embodiments, the case where the image processing apparatus 2 is an MFP having a printing function and a scanning function is illustrated, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, a printing apparatus having only a printing function may be used as long as it can perform network communication and short-range wireless communication.

  In the first to fourth embodiments described above, the process in which the relay server 4 voluntarily transfers the print job to the image processing apparatus 2 is exemplified, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, when the image processing apparatus 2 periodically confirms a job with the relay server 4 and the relay server 4 starts receiving a print job from the mobile terminal apparatus 3, the relay server 4 responds to the job confirmation. By doing so, the print job may be transferred to the image processing apparatus 2.

  In the second embodiment described above, the process for calculating the transmission job transmission completion time in the mobile terminal device 3 based on the measured value of the data communication speed and determining the communication path based on the transmission completion time required. Was illustrated. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the time required to complete the reception of the print job in the image processing apparatus 2 may be calculated based on the measured value of the data communication speed, and the communication path may be determined based on the time required to complete the reception. In this case, the mobile terminal device 3 transmits the data size of the print job to the image processing device 2 before transmitting the print job. Then, the image processing device 2 measures the data communication speed of the short-range wireless communication line C3 and the data communication speed of the network communication line, and sends these measurement results to the portable terminal device 3 via the short-range wireless communication line C3. In addition to notifying, the data size of the unreceived part is notified. Then, the mobile terminal device 3 derives the time required for completion of reception in the image processing device 2 based on the notification, and determines a communication path based on the derived result. That is, in this case, the mobile terminal device 3 determines the communication path based on the time required for reception completion in the image processing device 2. However, the image processing apparatus 2 needs to interrupt the process of receiving a print job in the short-range wireless communication line C3 and perform the above notification.

  In the third embodiment described above, the image processing apparatus 2a preliminarily sets a communication path in the portable terminal device 3 that requires a short time for completion of transmission of the print job in the network processing line and the short-range wireless communication line C3. The case where it discriminate | determines was illustrated. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the communication path may be determined in advance based on the time required to complete reception of the print job in the image processing apparatus 2a among the network communication line and the short-range wireless communication line C3. That is, in this case, the threshold information storage unit 55 includes a network that includes the communication preparation time Tx in the reception completion time when a print job is received from the mobile terminal device 3 via the short-range wireless communication line C3. A data size threshold value for determining the data size of the print job that is shorter than the time required for completion of reception when receiving the print job from the relay server 4 via the communication line is stored. The data size threshold is a fixed value derived in advance based on the theoretical value of the data communication speed or communication preparation time Tx of each communication line, for example. Then, the determination unit 51a may determine the communication path based on the data size threshold in the same manner as described above.

  Further, in the above-described third embodiment, when the mobile terminal device 3 receives the determination result based on the data size threshold from the image processing device 2, the process of transmitting a print job on the communication path based on the determination result is exemplified. . However, in addition to simply transmitting a print job through the communication path, for example, a print job takeover process illustrated in FIG. 11 may be performed based on the determination result notification, as in the first embodiment. Similarly, in the fourth embodiment, the handover process shown in FIG. 17 may be performed as in the second embodiment. In this case, the mobile terminal device 3 acquires the determination result notification from the image processing device 2 at the timing T2a shown in FIG.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Information processing system 2 Image processing apparatus 3 Portable terminal device 4 Relay server 7 Print processing part 8 Operation panel (notification means)
11 Network communication control unit (network communication means)
12 Near field communication control part (Near field communication means)
15 Display (notification means)
16 Operation input part (operation input means)
25 Threshold information storage unit (threshold storage means)
32 Communication control unit (communication control means)
32a Discriminator (discriminating means)
32b Print job transmission unit (job transmission means)
33 Display control means (guidance control means)
42 Network communication unit (network communication means)
43 Near Field Communication Controller (Near Field Communication Unit)
51 Communication control unit (communication control means)
51a Discriminator (discriminating means)
52 Print Control Unit (Job Execution Unit)
53 Panel control unit (guidance control means)
55 Threshold information storage unit (threshold storage means)

Claims (40)

An information processing system capable of data communication between a portable terminal device and an image processing device via a relay server,
The portable terminal device
It is possible to communicate with the image processing apparatus via a short-range wireless communication line, and to communicate with the relay server via a network communication line whose data communication speed is higher than that of the short-range wireless communication line. Sending a job based on an operation instruction by a user via at least one of the short-range wireless communication line and the network line,
The image processing apparatus includes:
It is possible to communicate with the portable terminal device via the short-range wireless communication line, and to communicate with the relay server via the network communication line, and at least one of the short-range wireless communication line and the network line Run a job to receive via
A communication path that is provided in the portable terminal device or the image processing device and determines a communication path in which the time required to complete the transmission of the job transmitted by the portable terminal device is short among the short-range wireless communication line and the network communication line. With a discrimination means,
The portable terminal device requires at least a communication preparation time until a network communication connection is established before starting transmission of a job via the network communication line,
The determination means determines the job data size in which the time required for completion of transmission via the short-range wireless communication line is shorter than the time required for completion of transmission via the network communication line including the communication preparation time. If it is less than the data size threshold for determining, the short-range wireless communication line is predicted and determined to be the communication path,
The information processing system , wherein the portable terminal device transmits a job on a communication path based on a determination result by the determination unit. When the network communication line is determined as the communication path by the determination unit, the mobile terminal device transmits a job via the short-range wireless communication line until a communication connection of the network communication line is established, The information processing system according to claim 1 , wherein an untransmitted portion of a job in the short-range wireless communication line is transferred to the network communication line as the communication connection is established. An information processing system capable of data communication between a portable terminal device and an image processing device via a relay server,
The portable terminal device
It is possible to communicate with the image processing apparatus via a short-range wireless communication line, and to communicate with the relay server via a network communication line whose data communication speed is higher than that of the short-range wireless communication line. Sending a job based on an operation instruction by a user via at least one of the short-range wireless communication line and the network line,
The image processing apparatus includes:
It is possible to communicate with the portable terminal device via the short-range wireless communication line, and to communicate with the relay server via the network communication line, and at least one of the short-range wireless communication line and the network line Run a job to receive via
A communication path that is provided in the portable terminal device or the image processing device and determines a communication path in which the time required to complete the transmission of the job transmitted by the portable terminal device is short among the short-range wireless communication line and the network communication line. With a discrimination means,
The mobile terminal device transmits a job via the short-range wireless communication line, and then starts transmitting a job via the network communication line as a network communication connection is established,
The determination means measures the data communication speed of each of the short-range wireless communication line and the network communication line, and based on the measurement result and the data size of the job, the short-range wireless communication line and the network One of the communication lines is determined as the communication path,
The information processing system , wherein the mobile terminal device stops transmission of a job on a communication line different from the communication path based on a determination result by the determination unit . In the portable terminal device, when the network communication line is determined as the communication path by the determining unit, the transmitted data size in the short-range wireless communication line is larger than the transmitted data size in the network communication line. 4. The information processing system according to claim 3 , wherein the unsent portion of the job in the short-distance wireless communication line is transferred to the network communication line on condition that it is large. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the portable terminal device stores a job data size in a predetermined storage area. The information processing system according to claim 5, wherein the portable terminal device stores the data size of the job in the storage area before transmitting the job. Short-range wireless communication means for performing data communication with an image processing device within the communicable range of the short-range wireless communication line via the short-range wireless communication line;
Network communication means for performing data communication with a relay server that relays a job to the image processing apparatus via a network communication line having a higher data communication speed than the short-range wireless communication line;
An operation input means for inputting an operation instruction by the user;
Job transmission means for transmitting a job based on an instruction operation input by the operation input means;
Discriminating means for discriminating one of the short-range wireless communication line and the network communication line as a job communication path that requires a short time for completion of job transmission;
With
The network communication means requires at least a communication preparation time until a network communication connection is established before starting transmission of a job via the network communication line,
The determination means determines the job data size in which the time required for completion of transmission via the short-range wireless communication line is shorter than the time required for completion of transmission via the network communication line including the communication preparation time. If it is less than the data size threshold for determining, the short-range wireless communication line is predicted and determined to be the communication path,
The portable terminal device, wherein the job transmission unit transmits a job on a communication path based on a determination result by the determination unit. Short-range wireless communication means for performing data communication with an image processing device within the communicable range of the short-range wireless communication line via the short-range wireless communication line;
Network communication means for performing data communication with a relay server that relays a job to the image processing apparatus via a network communication line having a higher data communication speed than the short-range wireless communication line;
An operation input means for inputting an operation instruction by the user;
Job transmission means for transmitting a job based on an instruction operation input by the operation input means;
Discriminating means for discriminating one of the short-range wireless communication line and the network communication line as a job communication path that requires a short time for completion of job transmission;
With
The job transmission means transmits a job via the short-range wireless communication line, and then starts transmitting a job via the network communication line as a network communication connection is established,
The determination means measures the data communication speed of each of the short-range wireless communication line and the network communication line, and based on the measurement result and the data size of the job, the short-range wireless communication line and the network One of the communication lines is determined as the communication path,
The portable terminal device , wherein the job transmission unit stops transmission of a job on a communication line different from the communication path based on a determination result by the determination unit. The portable terminal device according to claim 7, further comprising a storage unit that stores a data size of the job. The portable terminal device according to claim 9, wherein the storage unit stores a data size of the job before transmitting the job. Short-range wireless communication means for performing data communication with an image processing device within the communicable range of the short-range wireless communication line via the short-range wireless communication line;
Network communication means for performing data communication with a relay server that relays a job to the image processing apparatus via a network communication line different from the short-range wireless communication line;
An operation input means for inputting an operation instruction by the user;
Job transmission means for transmitting a job based on an instruction operation input by the operation input means;
Discriminating means for discriminating one of the short-range wireless communication line and the network communication line as a job communication path that requires a short time for completion of job transmission;
With
The job transmission unit transmits a job on a communication path based on a determination result by the determination unit, and performs predetermined processing for causing the image processing device to execute a job on condition that short-distance wireless communication is performed with the image processing device. The identification information is shared and held with the image processing apparatus by performing short-range wireless communication, and when the job is transmitted via the network communication line, the identification information is included in the job and the network communication line is And transmitting to the relay server via the mobile terminal device. Short-range wireless communication means for performing data communication via a short-range wireless communication line; network communication means for performing data communication via a network communication line having a data communication speed higher than that of the short-range wireless communication line; An operation input means for inputting an operation instruction by a user, and a program executed in a mobile terminal device comprising the mobile terminal device,
By controlling the short-range wireless communication means and the network communication means, an image processing apparatus within a communicable range of the short-range wireless communication line and a job to the image processing apparatus via the network communication line Communication control means for performing data communication with each of the relay servers to be relayed;
A job transmission unit that transmits a job based on an instruction operation input by the operation input unit via the communication control unit; and
Discriminating means for discriminating one of the short-range wireless communication line and the network communication line as a job communication path that requires a short time for completion of job transmission;
Function as
The communication control means requires at least a communication preparation time until a network communication connection is established before starting transmission of a job via the network communication line,
The determination means determines the job data size in which the time required for completion of transmission via the short-range wireless communication line is shorter than the time required for completion of transmission via the network communication line including the communication preparation time. If it is less than the data size threshold for determining, the short-range wireless communication line is predicted and determined to be the communication path,
The program according to claim 1, wherein the job transmission unit transmits a job on a communication path based on a determination result by the determination unit. The job transmission means, when the network communication line is determined as the communication path by the determination means, transmits a job through the short-range wireless communication line until a communication connection of the network communication line is established, 13. The program according to claim 12 , wherein the unsent portion of the job in the short-range wireless communication line is transferred to the network communication line and transmitted as the communication connection is established. The communication control unit starts network communication connection with the relay server when the short-range wireless communication line is determined as the communication path,
The job transmission means is a case where a job is transmitted via the short-range wireless communication line, and when the network communication connection is established earlier than the preset communication preparation time. , Start sending the job via the network communication line,
The determining means measures the data communication speed in each communication line, and based on the measurement result and the data size of the untransmitted portion of the job in each communication line, the short-range wireless communication line and the network communication line 13. The program according to claim 12 , wherein one of the transmission completion times that is short is re-determined as the communication path. Short-range wireless communication means for performing data communication via a short-range wireless communication line; network communication means for performing data communication via a network communication line having a data communication speed higher than that of the short-range wireless communication line; An operation input means for inputting an operation instruction by a user, and a program executed in a mobile terminal device comprising the mobile terminal device,
By controlling the short-range wireless communication means and the network communication means, an image processing apparatus within a communicable range of the short-range wireless communication line and a job to the image processing apparatus via the network communication line Communication control means for performing data communication with each of the relay servers to be relayed;
A job transmission unit that transmits a job based on an instruction operation input by the operation input unit via the communication control unit; and
Discriminating means for discriminating one of the short-range wireless communication line and the network communication line as a job communication path that requires a short time for completion of job transmission;
Function as
The job transmission means transmits a job via the short-range wireless communication line, and then starts transmitting a job via the network communication line as a network communication connection is established,
The determination means measures the data communication speed of each of the short-range wireless communication line and the network communication line, and based on the measurement result and the data size of the job, the short-range wireless communication line and the network One of the communication lines is determined as the communication path,
The program according to claim 1, wherein the job transmission unit stops transmission of a job on a communication line different from the communication path based on a determination result by the determination unit . When the network communication line is determined as the communication path by the determination unit, the job transmission unit is configured such that the transmitted data size in the short-range wireless communication line is larger than the transmitted data size in the network communication line. 16. The program according to claim 15 , wherein, on condition that it is large, the unsent portion of the job in the short-range wireless communication line is transferred to the network communication line and transmitted. Said job transmitting unit, when the data communication speed in the communication path is less than the predetermined value, according to claim 12 or 16, characterized in that switch the communication route to another communication line from the communication route to it The program according to any one. When the portable terminal device cannot transmit a job via the short-range wireless communication line, a guidance control unit that guides the user to a predetermined notification unit so as to move the portable terminal device within the communicable range. program according to any one of claims 12 to 17, characterized in that to further function as a. A predetermined notification means that the portable terminal device may be moved out of the communicable range to the user when the network communication line is determined as the communication path by the determining means. The program according to any one of claims 12 to 18 , further functioning as guidance control means for guiding the user. The communication control means performs short-distance wireless communication with predetermined identification information for causing the image processing apparatus to execute a job on condition that the image processing apparatus and the portable terminal device perform short-range wireless communication. And share it with that image processing device,
The program according to any one of claims 12 to 19 , wherein the job transmission unit includes the identification information in a job and transmits the identification information to the relay server via the network communication line. The communication control means acquires the address information of the relay server from the image processing device by performing short-range wireless communication,
Said job transmitting means, said identifying the relay server based on the address information, the program according to any one of claims 12 to 20 and transmits the job to the relay server. Further causing the portable terminal device to function as encryption key generation means for generating a pair of encryption key and decryption key;
The job transmission means encrypts the job based on the encryption key generated by the encryption key generation means, and then transmits the encrypted job to the relay server via the network communication line,
The program according to any one of claims 12 to 21 , wherein the communication control unit transmits the decryption key to the image processing apparatus via the short-range wireless communication line. Short-range wireless communication means for performing data communication via a short-range wireless communication line, network communication means for performing data communication via a network communication line different from the short-range wireless communication line, and an operation instruction input by a user An operation input means for executing the program in a portable terminal device,
By controlling the short-range wireless communication means and the network communication means, an image processing apparatus within a communicable range of the short-range wireless communication line and a job to the image processing apparatus via the network communication line Communication control means for performing data communication with each of the relay servers to be relayed;
A job transmission unit that transmits a job based on an instruction operation input by the operation input unit via the communication control unit; and
Discriminating means for discriminating one of the short-range wireless communication line and the network communication line as a job communication path that requires a short time for completion of job transmission;
Function as
The job transmission unit transmits a job on a communication path based on a determination result by the determination unit ,
The communication control means performs short-distance wireless communication with predetermined identification information for causing the image processing apparatus to execute a job on condition that the image processing apparatus and the portable terminal device perform short-range wireless communication. And share it with that image processing device,
The job transmission means includes the identification information in a job and transmits the job to the relay server via the network communication line . The program according to any one of claims 12 to 23, wherein the portable terminal device stores a data size of a job in a predetermined storage area. The program according to claim 24, wherein the portable terminal device stores the data size of the job in the storage area before transmitting the job. An image processing apparatus capable of data communication with each of a portable terminal device and a relay server that relays a job from the portable terminal device,
Near field communication means for performing data communication with the mobile terminal device within the communicable range of the near field wireless communication line via the near field wireless communication line,
Network communication means for performing data communication with the relay server via a network communication line having a higher data communication speed than the short-range wireless communication line;
Communication control means for controlling the short-range wireless communication means and the network communication means;
Job execution means for executing a job received by the communication control means;
Discriminating means for discriminating between the short-range wireless communication line and the network communication line a communication path in which the time required for completion of job transmission in the portable terminal device or the time required for completion of job reception in the image processing apparatus is short. When,
With
The determination means includes a transmission completion requirement including a data size of a job and a communication preparation time for the mobile terminal device to establish a network communication connection when the mobile terminal device transmits a job via the network communication line. The data size threshold of the job is compared with the data size threshold that makes the time required for completion of transmission shorter when the mobile terminal device transmits the job via the short-range wireless communication line than the time. If it is less than the threshold, determine that the short-range wireless communication line is the communication path,
The image processing apparatus, wherein the communication control unit notifies the portable terminal device of a determination result by the determining unit, thereby causing the portable terminal device to transmit a job on the communication path. Said communication control unit, an image according to claim 26, wherein the portable terminal device acquires the data size of the job to be transmitted before transmitting the job via the short-range wireless communication line Processing equipment. An image processing apparatus capable of data communication with each of a portable terminal device and a relay server that relays a job from the portable terminal device,
Near field communication means for performing data communication with the mobile terminal device within the communicable range of the near field wireless communication line via the near field wireless communication line,
Network communication means for performing data communication with the relay server via a network communication line different from the short-range wireless communication line;
Communication control means for controlling the short-range wireless communication means and the network communication means;
Job execution means for executing a job received by the communication control means;
Discriminating means for discriminating between the short-range wireless communication line and the network communication line a communication path in which the time required for completion of job transmission in the portable terminal device or the time required for completion of job reception in the image processing apparatus is short. When,
With
The communication control means receives the job transmitted by the portable terminal device via each of the short-range wireless communication line and the network communication line, and performs the short-range wireless communication with the portable terminal device. Is obtained from the portable terminal device,
The determination means measures the data communication speed of each of the short-range wireless communication line and the network communication line, and based on the measurement result and the data size of the unreceived portion of the job in each communication line, One of the short-range wireless communication line and the network communication line is determined as one of the communication path, the reception completion time is short,
The image processing apparatus, wherein the communication control unit notifies the portable terminal device of a determination result by the determining unit, thereby causing the portable terminal device to transmit a job on the communication path. Said determination means, when data communication speed in the communication path is less than a predetermined value, according to claim 26 or 28, characterized in that to determine the different communication line as a new communication path and the communication path to it The image processing apparatus according to any one of the above. When the short distance wireless communication line is determined as the communication path by the determining means, when the job cannot be received through the short distance wireless communication line for a predetermined time, the portable terminal device is communicated to the user. range image processing apparatus according to any one of claims 26 to 29, characterized in further comprise a guidance control means for guiding to a predetermined notification means to move into. If the network communication line is determined as the communication path by the determination unit, a guidance control unit that guides a predetermined notification unit that the mobile terminal device may be moved out of the communicable range to the user. the image processing apparatus according to any one of claims 26 to 30, characterized in that it further comprises a. The communication control means performs a short-range wireless communication with the mobile terminal device to share and hold predetermined identification information with the mobile terminal device,
Said job execution means, wherein when said communication control means receives a job including the identification information via the network communication line, in any one of claims 26 to 31 and executes the job Image processing apparatus. Said communication control unit, by performing the portable terminal device and the short-distance wireless communication, in any one of claims 26 to 32 and transmits the address information of the relay server for the mobile terminal device The image processing apparatus described. An encryption key generating means for generating a pair of encryption key and decryption key;
The communication control means transmits the encryption key to the portable terminal device via the short-range wireless communication line,
Said job execution means, said communication control means, with the encrypted job be received via the network communication line, according to claim 26, characterized in that the decrypted by the decryption key that job 34. The image processing apparatus according to any one of thru 33 . An image processing apparatus capable of data communication with each of a portable terminal device and a relay server that relays a job from the portable terminal device,
Near field communication means for performing data communication with the mobile terminal device within the communicable range of the near field wireless communication line via the near field wireless communication line,
Network communication means for performing data communication with the relay server via a network communication line different from the short-range wireless communication line;
Communication control means for controlling the short-range wireless communication means and the network communication means;
Job execution means for executing a job received by the communication control means;
Discriminating means for discriminating between the short-range wireless communication line and the network communication line a communication path in which the time required for completion of job transmission in the portable terminal device or the time required for completion of job reception in the image processing apparatus is short. When,
With
The communication control unit notifies the portable terminal device of the determination result by the determining unit, thereby causing the portable terminal device to transmit a job on the communication path and performing short-range wireless communication with the portable terminal device. By doing so, the predetermined identification information is shared and held with the mobile terminal device,
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the job execution unit executes the job when the communication control unit receives the job including the identification information via the network communication line . 36. The image processing apparatus according to claim 26, further comprising storage means for storing the data size of the job. 37. The image processing apparatus according to claim 36, wherein the storage unit stores the data size of the job before the portable terminal device transmits the job. Short-range wireless communication means for performing data communication via a short-range wireless communication line; network communication means for performing data communication via a network communication line having a data communication speed higher than that of the short-range wireless communication line; A program executed in an image processing apparatus comprising: the image processing apparatus;
By controlling the short-range wireless communication means and the network communication means, a portable terminal device within a communicable range of the short-range wireless communication line and a job from the portable terminal device via the network communication line Communication control means for performing data communication with each of the relay servers to be relayed;
Job execution means for executing a job received by the communication control means; and
Discriminating means for discriminating one of the short-range wireless communication line and the network communication line as a communication path for the job, which is a short time required for completion of job transmission in the mobile terminal device;
Function as
The determination means includes a transmission completion requirement including a data size of a job and a communication preparation time for the mobile terminal device to establish a network communication connection when the mobile terminal device transmits a job via the network communication line. The data size threshold of the job is compared with the data size threshold that makes the time required for completion of transmission shorter when the mobile terminal device transmits the job via the short-range wireless communication line than the time. If it is less than the threshold, determine that the short-range wireless communication line is the communication path,
The communication control unit notifies the determination result by the determination unit to the mobile terminal device, and causes the mobile terminal device to transmit a job on the communication path. In an image processing apparatus comprising: short-range wireless communication means for performing data communication via a short-range wireless communication line; and network communication means for performing data communication via a network communication line different from the short-range wireless communication line A program to be executed, wherein the image processing device is
By controlling the short-range wireless communication means and the network communication means, a portable terminal device within a communicable range of the short-range wireless communication line and a job from the portable terminal device via the network communication line Communication control means for performing data communication with each of the relay servers to be relayed;
Job execution means for executing a job received by the communication control means; and
Discriminating means for discriminating one of the short-range wireless communication line and the network communication line as a communication path for the job, which is a short time required for completion of job transmission in the mobile terminal device;
Function as
The communication control means receives the job transmitted by the portable terminal device via each of the short-range wireless communication line and the network communication line, and performs the short-range wireless communication with the portable terminal device. Is obtained from the portable terminal device,
The determination means measures the data communication speed of each of the short-range wireless communication line and the network communication line, and based on the measurement result and the data size of the unreceived portion of the job in each communication line, One of the short-range wireless communication line and the network communication line is determined as one of the communication path, the reception completion time is short,
The communication control unit notifies the determination result by the determination unit to the mobile terminal device, and causes the mobile terminal device to transmit a job on the communication path. In an image processing apparatus comprising: short-range wireless communication means for performing data communication via a short-range wireless communication line; and network communication means for performing data communication via a network communication line different from the short-range wireless communication line A program to be executed, wherein the image processing device is
By controlling the short-range wireless communication means and the network communication means, a portable terminal device within a communicable range of the short-range wireless communication line and a job from the portable terminal device via the network communication line Communication control means for performing data communication with each of the relay servers to be relayed;
Job execution means for executing a job received by the communication control means; and
Discriminating means for discriminating one of the short-range wireless communication line and the network communication line as a communication path for the job, which is a short time required for completion of job transmission in the mobile terminal device;
Function as
The communication control unit notifies the portable terminal device of the determination result by the determining unit, thereby causing the portable terminal device to transmit a job on the communication path and performing short-range wireless communication with the portable terminal device. By doing so, the predetermined identification information is shared and held with the mobile terminal device,
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the job execution unit executes the job when the communication control unit receives the job including the identification information via the network communication line .

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