JP7393477B2 - Information processing device, its control method, and computer program - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, a control method thereof, and a computer program.

When sending print data from a host computer (PC) to a printing device for printing, a print job is generated using the printer driver installed on the PC, and the generated print job is sent to the printing device to print. This configuration is common. An operating system (hereinafter referred to as OS), which is basic software, is installed on such a PC, and a printer driver is configured according to specifications defined by the OS. On the other hand, a vendor that provides a printing device can print jobs from a PC to that printing device by providing a printer driver that is compatible with the printing device and conforms to the specifications of the OS installed on the PC. It can be sent and printed. The printer driver provided by this vendor is compatible with the capabilities of the printing device, and has constraint information (print setting definitions and constraint condition expressions) and constraint scripts suitable for the printing device. Therefore, by printing from the PC using the printing device, the PC user can obtain printed matter that reflects the user's intentions.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2014-209316

On the other hand, in addition to printer drivers provided by printing device vendors, there are standard printer drivers that support only basic printing functions provided by an OS. The standard printer driver provided by such an OS is not a printer driver provided by a printing device vendor, and therefore does not include prohibition information or prohibition scripts that are compatible with the printing device used for printing. Therefore, when such a printer driver is used to cause a printing device to perform printing, there is a problem that there is a possibility that printing that is compatible with the functions of the printing device cannot be performed.

An object of the present invention is to solve at least one of the problems of the prior art described above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a technique for preventing a situation in which printing that is compatible with the functions of an image forming apparatus cannot occur.

In order to achieve the above object, an information processing apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention has the following configuration. That is,
An information processing device that stores a file storing a combination of first setting values that cannot be set simultaneously ,
acquisition means for acquiring the second set value combination from an external device;
updating means for updating the file based on the acquired combination of second setting values;
a storage unit that stores the updated file in association with information about an image forming device associated with a printer driver provided as a function of an operating system of the information processing device;
The present invention is characterized by comprising a control means for controlling so that a combination of setting values that cannot be set at the same time is not included in the print setting based on the stored file.

According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent a print setting from including a combination of setting values that cannot be used in an image forming apparatus.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition, in the accompanying drawings, the same or similar components are given the same reference numerals.

The accompanying drawings are included in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention.
1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a printing system according to an embodiment. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the hardware configurations of a host computer and a printer according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a software configuration of a host computer according to an embodiment. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a printing environment of a printing system according to an embodiment. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a process in which a standard printer driver of a host computer acquires a device function text file from a printer and updates its own device function text file according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a device function text file of a printer according to an embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a device function text file that the standard printer driver of the host computer according to the embodiment has in a default state. 8 is a diagram showing an example of combining the device function text files shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a print setting UI that is displayed on the host computer according to the embodiment and is generated by the configuration module reading a device function text file. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of information that associates a device function text file with a printer, which is stored in the printing system according to the embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the following embodiments do not limit the present invention according to the claims, and not all combinations of features described in the present embodiments are essential to the solution of the present invention. .

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a printing system according to an embodiment.

The printing system according to the embodiment includes a host computer 101, a server 104, and a printer (printing device) 102. Host computer 101 is an example of an information processing device. Server 104 distributes data to host computer 101 . When the printer 102 receives print data in a page description language (PDL) format, it performs printing according to the print data. These devices can communicate with each other through a network 103 that includes a Wide Area Network (WAN). Note that the printer 102 may be a single-function printer that only has a print function, or may be a multifunction device that has a print function, a scan function, a copy function, and the like. Further, a plurality of host computers 101 may be connected to the network 103.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the hardware configurations of the host computer 101 and printer 102 according to the embodiment.

In the host computer 101, a central processing unit (CPU) 201 controls each device connected to the system bus according to a program developed in a random access memory (RAM) 202. It is assumed here that the host computer 101 includes at least one CPU 201. In addition, the CPU 201 loads the program stored in the external memory 209 into the RAM 202 and executes it, thereby realizing the software configuration of the host computer 101 (FIG. 3) and the processing of each step in the flowchart described later. The RAM 202 functions as the main memory, work area, etc. of the CPU 201. A read-only memory (ROM) 203 stores various programs such as a boot program and a basic input/output system (BIOS).

An operation unit interface (I/F) 204 is an interface that controls an operation unit 205 such as a touch UI (user interface) such as a keyboard or a pointing device. The operation unit 205 functions as a reception unit that receives operations from the user. Display unit I/F 206 controls display on display unit 207 . The display unit 207 functions as a display unit that displays information to the user. An external memory I/F 208 controls access to an external memory 209 such as a hard disk (HD) or solid state disk (SSD). The external memory 209 stores an operating system (OS) 210, an application execution environment 213, various applications 212 corresponding to the touch panel, the desktop, and various files. External memory 209 functions as a storage medium readable by host computer 101. The network I/F 214 is connected to the printer 102 via the network 103 and performs communication control processing. Note that the server 104 also includes the same hardware configuration as the host computer 101 and operates in the same manner. The printer driver (print control program) 211 is a printer driver provided by the OS 210.

Printer 102 is controlled by CPU 221. The CPU 221 operates based on a program ROM of the ROM 223 or a control program stored in the external memory 229. The CPU 221 outputs an image signal as output information to the printing unit (printer engine) 226 via the printing unit I/F 225. Further, the program ROM of the ROM 223 stores a control program for the CPU 221 and the like. The font ROM of the ROM 223 stores font data and the like used when generating the aforementioned output information. If the printer 102 does not have an external memory 229 such as a hard disk, the data ROM of the ROM 223 stores information used by the host computer 101 .

The CPU 221 is capable of communicating with the host computer 101 via the input unit 224 and the network 103, and can notify the host computer 101 of information about the printer 102 and the like. The operation panel 227 includes switches, a display, etc. for user operation. The RAM 222 functions as the main memory, work area, etc. of the CPU 221. The RAM 222 is also used as a development area for the above-mentioned output information, a storage area for environmental data, and the like. External memory 229 is optionally connected to printer 102. The external memory 229 stores font data, emulation programs, form data, programs for interpreting different printer control languages, printer mode setting information input from the operation panel 227, and the like. It also stores a device function text file (printer description file) 230 that describes definitions of functions possessed by this printer 102 and combinations of invalid functions. Access to external memory 229 is controlled by memory controller (MC) 228. The number of external memories 229 is not limited to one, but may be plural.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the software configuration of the host computer 101 according to the embodiment.

The software of the host computer 101 is composed of three layers: an OS 210, an application execution environment 213, and an application 212.

Next, individual elements of the OS 210 will be explained. The OS 210 is broadly divided into a printing system 325 and a printer driver 211. Printing system 325 includes the following elements. The print queue 303 is an area for temporarily storing print jobs when printing is performed using a printer existing on the network 103. In the embodiment, it is assumed that a print queue 303 for the printer 102 has been created. When the print queue 303 is created, a storage area 302 linked to the print queue 303 is created based on some of the functions described in the device function text file 307 of the printer driver 211. This storage area 302 stores individual settings and functions for each print queue. By storing a specific description in the storage area 302 in this way, the function definition section of the device function text file 307 of the printer driver 211 can be controlled for each print queue instead of a print setting function that is switched for each job. function can be provided.

The spooler 301 is a module that temporarily stores and manages an XPS (XML Paper Specification) file, which is print target data received from the application 212. The XPS file stored in the spooler 301 is converted into PDL through a filter pipeline manager 305, which will be described later, and then transmitted to the printer 102 through the spooler 301.

Filter pipeline manager 305 is configured as part of OS 210. The filter 309 of the printer driver 211 is one of the elements constituting the printer driver 211, which will be described later. The filter pipeline manager 305 reads one or more filters 309 based on the definition of the filter configuration 308 of the printer driver 211, and converts the XPS file stored in the spooler 301 into PDL.

The configuration module 304 is a module that has a prohibition function that generates and changes print tickets, corrects incorrect settings, and the like. By calling an API (Application Programming Interface) of the configuration module 304, a print ticket, which is print setting information, and a print capability, which is device capability information, can be acquired. These print tickets and print capabilities are written in an XML (Extensible Markup Language) format.

The printer driver 211 includes a filter 309, a filter configuration 308, a script file 306, and a device function text file 307. The filter 309 is a module called by the filter pipeline manager 305 and has the role of converting an XPS file into PDL. The filter configuration 308 is a definition file referenced by the filter pipeline manager 305, and describes the order in which the filters 309 are called. A script file 306 and a device capabilities text file 307 that describes device capabilities are used to customize the operation of the configuration module 304.

Next, individual elements included in the application execution environment 213 will be explained. The application execution environment 213 includes a touch application execution environment 323 and a desktop application execution environment 324. The touch application execution environment 323 has a group of APIs for executing the touch application 321, which is a type of application 212, and also performs memory management when executing the API. On the other hand, the desktop application execution environment 324 has a group of APIs for executing the desktop application 322, which is a type of application 212, and performs memory management etc. when executing them.

Next, individual elements included in the application 212 will be explained. The application 212 includes two types of applications: a touch application 321 and a desktop application 322. The touch application 321 is a type of application 212 and operates on the touch application execution environment 323. Furthermore, the touch application 321 is selected by the user himself and installed on the host computer 101 through an application distribution system published on the Internet. The desktop application 322 operates when the user specifies an icon displayed on a menu screen or the like, and activates a function corresponding to the specified icon.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of the printing environment of the printing system according to the embodiment. Here, it is assumed that MFPs 401 and 402 shown in FIG. 4 are connected to the network 103 instead of the printer 102.

There may be multiple types of printer drivers for the MFP 401 installed on the host computer 101. For example, the model-specific printer driver 412 is a printer driver dedicated to the MFP 402. On the other hand, the standard printer driver 411 is a printer driver that enables printing to MFPs 401 and 402 that are printers from multiple vendors using a single driver by using a standardized printing method. A standard printer driver 411 is provided together with the OS 210 as one of the functions in the package of the OS 210, and corresponds to the printer driver 211 described above.

As described above, there are a plurality of printer drivers that can be used by the printer 102, and the printer driver that is used differs depending on the Internet connection state, the type of OS 210, the usage environment, and the like. Normally, the OS 210 refers to printer driver version information, etc., and automatically selects and installs a new printer driver with the highest functionality from among available printer drivers. Note that the printer driver includes information for identifying the device, called a hardware ID (HWID) and a compatible ID. When a printer is connected to the host computer 101, the OS 210 acquires ID information from the printer, searches for and installs a printer driver having the corresponding ID.

In the example of FIG. 4, the hardware ID of MFP 401 is "MFP1_abcd" and the hardware ID of MFP 402 is "MFP2_ijkl". Then, print data for the MFP 401 is created by the standard printer driver 411 and sent to the MFP 401. On the other hand, print data for the MFP 401 is created by a standard printer driver 411 or a model-specific printer driver 412 and sent to the MFP 402.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a process in which the printer driver 211 of the host computer 101 acquires a device function text file from the printer 102 and updates its own device function text file 307 according to the embodiment. Note that each operation (step) shown in this flowchart is achieved by the CPU 201 loading programs for realizing each module, component, and application stored in the external memory 209 into the RAM 202 and executing them. Hereinafter, when explaining the control provided by each control module, component, and application, the functional units realized by the CPU 201 will be described as the subject. Further, some processing such as display, reception of user operations, and data transmission/reception processing is realized by the cooperation of the CPU 201, each I/F, and the input/output device connected to the I/F. The process shown in this flowchart is started in response to a print setting screen being activated from the application 212 in response to a user's instruction.

First, in S501, the printer driver 211, which is a standard printer driver, attempts to acquire the device function text file 230 of the printer 102 connected via the network 103. For example, in the printing environment shown in FIG. 4, a standard printer driver 411 is connected to the MFP 401. Therefore, when an instruction to display print settings is issued from the touch application 321 or the desktop application 322, the standard printer driver 411 requests the MFP 401 to obtain a device function text file. That is, the standard printer driver 411 attempts to acquire the device function text file 230 stored in the external memory 229 by the MFP 401 via the network 103.

As described above, the device function text file 230 describes the definition of the functions that the printer has and invalid combinations of functions. Additionally, these functions can be prioritized. The smaller the numerical value, the higher the priority of these functions, and the larger the numerical value, the lower the priority. If a setting is made in which a combination of these functions is invalid, the correct settings are created by rounding down the options of the functions with lower priority to other options. An invalid function combination is defined as a list consisting of multiple pairs of functions and function options. Here, not only a one-to-one combination of functions but also a combination of multiple functions can be defined, and in that case, it is invalid if all the described settings match. Further, the device function text file 230 contains descriptions suitable for the functions of the printer 102, such as the text shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of the device function text file 230 of the printer 102 according to the embodiment.

In FIG. 6, the priority is "100", the default paper size is "A4", and "A4", "A3", and "Custom (user setting)" can be set as paper size options. Also, double-sided printing is set to "no". Further, as an invalid function combination 602, stapling at the upper right and lower left of an A3 size vertical sheet is invalid. Furthermore, the staples at the top left and bottom right of A3 size horizontal paper are disabled.

Next, the process advances to step S502, and the printer driver 211 determines whether the device function text file 230 was acquired in step S501. If it is determined that the device function text file 230 has been acquired, the process advances to step S503; otherwise, the process advances to step S506. In step S506, the printer driver 211 checks whether the device function file synthesized for the printer 102 exists in the storage area 302 as a cache. Here, whether the file exists as a cache is determined based on whether the device function text file synthesized in S504, which will be described later, exists in the storage area 302 and is a file for the printer 102 in question. If the printer driver 211 determines in step S507 that a device function file synthesized for the printer 102 is stored, the process advances to step S508 and notifies the printing system 325 of the device function text file stored in the storage area 302. Then, this process ends. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S507 that the device function file for the printer 102 is not stored, the process advances to step S509, where the basic device function text file is notified to the printing system 325, and this process ends.

On the other hand, when the device function text file 230 can be obtained in S502, the process advances to S503, and the printer driver 211 generates a device function text file that describes the definition of basic functions of the standard printer driver 411 and invalid combinations of functions. Get 307. Note that the device function text file 307 is a file that the standard printer driver 411 has in a default state, and is described in text as shown in FIG. 7, for example.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the device function text file 307 that the standard printer driver 211 of the host computer 101 according to the embodiment has in a default state.

Here, the priority is "100", the default paper size is "A4", and "A4" and "Custom (user setting)" can be set as paper size options. The paper orientation priority is "200", the default orientation is "portrait", and "portrait" and "landscape" can be set as options. Further, as stapling settings, the priority can be set to "300," the default option is "none," and the stapling position options can be set to "top left," "bottom left," "top right," and "bottom right."

Next, proceeding to S504, the printer driver 211 combines the device function text file 230 acquired from the printer 102 in S501 and the device function text file 307 acquired from the standard printer driver 211 in S503, and creates a new device function text file. generate.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example in which the device function text files shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 are combined.

In FIG. 8, duplicate descriptions due to function definitions or invalid combinations of functions are merged, and descriptions specific to the device are added or the original description contents are deleted. For example, "A4", "A3", and "Custom" are written in FIG. 6, and "A4" and "Custom" are written in FIG. "Custom" is written there. Furthermore, the prohibition conditional expression shown at 602 in FIG. 6 is synthesized in the same manner, and the synthesized device function text file is described as shown at 802 in FIG.

Note that at the time of S504, the new device function text file is not saved, but the file is saved in the next process of S505. In step S505, the printer driver 211 notifies the printing system 325 of the device function text file synthesized in step S504. This notification is to pass the content of the synthesized device function text file and information about the printer 102 that prohibits the content from the printer driver 211 to the printing system 325.

The printing system 325 that has received the notification from the printer driver 211 stores the synthesized device function text file as a file in the storage area 302. The synthesized device function text file is then associated with the printer 201. The association information is stored in the storage area 302 as shown in FIG.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of information that associates a device function text file with a printer, which is stored in the printing system 325 according to the embodiment.

Here, for example, it is shown that the MFP 401 is associated with the synthesized device function text file GPD_MFP 401, and the hardware ID "MFP1_abcd" of the MFP 401 is used for the association. Note that GPD is an abbreviation for "generic printer description" and indicates a printer description file that describes printer specifications.

When the printer driver 211 performs prohibition processing, the configuration module 304 is called via the printing system 325. The configuration module 304 reads association information shown in FIG. 10, for example, and performs prohibition processing according to the association.

For example, assume that the association information is as shown in FIG. 10, the name of the printer 201 connected to the host computer 101 is "MFP401", and printing is instructed by an application program. In this case, the configuration module 304 of the OS 210 can generate a print job suitable for the printer (MFP 401) by reading the device function text file of "GPD_MFP 401" stored in the storage area 302.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a print setting UI displayed on the host computer 101 according to the embodiment and generated by the configuration module 304 reading a device function text file.

9(A) shows the print setting UI when the basic device function text file 307 shown in FIG. 7 is read, and FIG. 9(B) shows the print setting UI when the combined device function text file 307 shown in FIG. 8 is read. Give an example. For example, in Figure 9(B), the "Double-sided printing" function is displayed, and in Figure 9(B), the items displayed in "Paper size" include the A3 size described in Figure 6. It differs from FIG. 9(A) in that

Note that although the process shown in the flowchart shown in FIG. 5 is started in response to the print setting screen being activated from the application 212 in response to a user's instruction as described above, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, it may be executed when creating the print queue 303 or when using the print queue 303 for the first time.

As explained above, according to the embodiments, even if the printer driver included with the OS is used, there is an effect that printing processing tailored to the connected printing device can be executed based on prohibition information obtained from the connected printing device. .

Note that in the above embodiment, an example has been described in which prohibition processing tailored to the printing device is executed based on prohibition information acquired from the printing device, but the present invention is not limited to this. Of course, the present invention can also be applied to the case where print data that allows the maximum use of the functions of the printer is created based on the function information and is sent to the printer for printing.

(Other embodiments)
The present invention provides a system or device with a program that implements one or more of the functions of the embodiments described above via a network or a storage medium, and one or more processors in the computer of the system or device reads and executes the program. This can also be achieved by processing. It can also be realized by a circuit (for example, ASIC) that realizes one or more functions.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, to set out the scope of the invention, the following claims are hereby appended.

101...Host computer, 102...Printer, 201...CPU, 210...OS, 211...Printer driver, 230...Printer device function text file, 302...Storage area, 303...Print queue, 307...OS device function text file

Claims (21)

An information processing device that stores a file storing a combination of first setting values that cannot be set simultaneously ,
acquisition means for acquiring the second set value combination from an external device;
updating means for updating the file based on the acquired combination of second setting values;
a storage unit that stores the updated file in association with information about an image forming device associated with a printer driver provided as a function of an operating system of the information processing device;
a control means for controlling so that a combination of setting values that cannot be set at the same time is not included in the print settings based on the stored file;
An information processing device comprising: The acquisition means acquires from the external device setting values that can be set simultaneously in the image forming apparatus in addition to the combination of the second setting values ;
The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the updating means writes the setting value acquired from the external device into the file. 3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising display means for displaying a print setting screen based on the setting values written in the file. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the control means controls so that the print settings set via the print settings screen do not include a combination of setting values that cannot be set simultaneously. . 5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the printer driver performs processing related to generation of print data that can be printed by image forming apparatuses of a plurality of vendors. 6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the printer driver is a printer driver provided by a vendor different from a vendor that provides the image forming apparatus. 7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the printer driver is a printer driver that generates a print job based on a standardized printing method. 8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the file is associated with the printer driver and describes functions that can be provided by the image forming apparatus. Information processing device. 9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second set value combination is a combination of a paper size set value and a set value of another setting item. 10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the combination of setting values that cannot be set at the same time is a combination of prohibited setting values. A method for controlling an information processing device that stores a file storing a combination of first setting values that cannot be set simultaneously, the method comprising:
an acquisition step of acquiring the second set value combination from an external device;
an updating step of updating the file based on the acquired combination of second setting values;
A combination of setting values that cannot be set at the same time is printed based on the file stored in association with image forming device information linked to a printer driver provided as a function of the operating system of the information processing device. a control process that controls not to be included in the settings;
A control method characterized by having the following. further comprising another acquisition step of acquiring setting values that can be used in the image forming apparatus from the external device,
Claim characterized in that, in the updating step, the file is updated based on the combination of the second setting values obtained in the obtaining step and the setting values obtained in the other obtaining step. 12. The control method according to 11. 13. The control method according to claim 12 , further comprising a display control step of displaying a print setting screen based on the file. 14. The control step is characterized in that the control step performs control so that the print settings set via the displayed print settings screen do not include a combination of setting values that cannot be set at the same time. Control method described. 15. The control method according to claim 11, wherein the printer driver performs processing related to generation of print data that can be printed by image forming apparatuses of a plurality of vendors. 16. The control method according to claim 11, wherein the printer driver is a printer driver provided by a vendor different from a vendor that provides the image forming apparatus. 17. The control method according to claim 11, wherein the printer driver is a printer driver that generates a print job based on a standardized printing method. 18. The file according to claim 11 , wherein the file is associated with the printer driver and describes functions that can be provided by the image forming apparatus. control method . 19. The control method according to claim 11 , wherein the second set value combination is a combination of a paper size set value and a set value of another setting item. The control method according to any one of claims 11 to 19, wherein the external device is an image forming device. A computer program that causes a computer of an information processing device to execute each step of the control method according to any one of claims 11 to 20.

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