Information processing method, information processing apparatus, program for information processing apparatus, and storage medium

• US 20020035585A1
• Filed: 09/17/2001
• Published: 03/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Noda, Akihiko
• Granted Patent: US 7,307,742 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/527
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1204 resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1208 resulting in improved quality of the output result, e.g. print layout, colours, workflows, print preview
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1257 by using pre-stored settings, e.g. job templates, presets, print styles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1288 in client-server-printer device configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/1806 Receiving job control commands
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/1817 Buffers

Abstract

To perform control so as to acquire a list of print style information stored in an output device, specify a particular piece of print style information in the acquired list, generate print data associated with the specified piece of print style information, and store the generated print data in the output device or output the generated print data from the output device.

Claims

1. An information processing method for an information processing apparatus capable of communicating with an output device which has a memory for storing received print data without printing it until a print instruction is given, comprising:

a setting step of specifying whether to use print style information when printing said print data stored in said memory at said print instruction; and

a print data generation step of generating print data associated with information as to whether to use said print style information specified in said setting step.

2. The information processing method according to claim 1, wherein said memory is divided into a plurality of areas and said print style information can be specified for each of said plurality of areas.

3. The information processing method according to claim 1, further comprising a print data setting step of setting print data to be processed by said output device, wherein said print data generation step generates print data by attaching both information as to whether to use said print style information and print data setting specified in said print data setting step.

4. The information processing method according to claim 1, further comprising:

a list acquisition step of acquiring a list of multiple pieces of print style information prestored in said memory; and

a specification step of specifying items corresponding to a given piece of print style information contained in the list acquired in said list acquisition step,

wherein said setting step specifies whether to use the given piece of print style information specified in said specification step.

5. The information processing method according to claim 4, further comprising a display control step of displaying print style information corresponding to the given items specified in said specification step on a display.

6. The information processing method according to claim 1, wherein said print data is image data in the form of a page-description language or decompressed bitmap data.

7. The information processing method according to claim 1, further comprising a control step of giving an instruction to send the print data generated in said print data generation step to said output device and store it therein.

8. An information processing method for an information processing apparatus capable of communicating with an output device which outputs received print data, comprising:

a retention step of retaining first print style information and second print style information; and

a print data generation step of generating print data by attaching said first print style information and said second print style information retained in said retention step.

9. The information processing method according to claim 8, further comprising an acquisition step of acquiring print style information preset by said output device, wherein said second print style information is the print style information acquired in said acquisition step.

10. The information processing method according to claim 8, further comprising a print data setting step of setting print style information for said print data according to an instruction entered using a pointing device, wherein said first print style information is the print style information set in said print data setting step.

11. The information processing method according to claim 8, wherein said print data is image data in the form of a page-description language or decompressed bitmap data.

12. The information processing method according to claim 8, further comprising a control step of giving an instruction to send the print data generated in said print data generation step to said output device and store it therein.

14. The information processing method according to claim 13,

wherein said memory is divided into a plurality of areas,

said print style information is specified and stored for each of said plurality of areas,

said information processing method further comprises a specification step of specifying the print style information stored for one of said plurality of areas, and

said acquisition step acquires the print style information specified in said specification step, from said output device.

15. The information processing method according to claim 13, wherein said print data is image data in the form of a page-description language or decompressed bitmap data.

16. The information processing method according to claim 13, further comprising a control step of giving an instruction to send the print data generated in said print data generation step to said output device and store it therein.

18. The information processing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said memory is divided into a plurality of areas and said print style information can be specified for each of said plurality of areas.

19. The information processing apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising print data setting means of setting print data to be processed by said output device, wherein said print data generation means generates print data by attaching both information as to whether to use said print style information and print data setting specified in said print data setting means.

20. The information processing apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising list acquisition means of acquiring a list of multiple pieces of print style information prestored in said memory;

and

specification means of specifying items corresponding to a given piece of print style information contained in the list acquired in said list acquisition means, wherein said setting means specifies whether to use the given piece of print style information specified in said specification means.

21. The information processing apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising display control means of displaying print style information corresponding to the given items specified in said specification means on a display.

22. The information processing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said print data is image data in the form of a page-description language or decompressed bitmap data.

23. The information processing apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising control means of giving an instruction to send the print data generated in said print data generation means to said output device and store it therein.

25. The information processing apparatus according to claim 24, further comprising acquisition means of acquiring print style information preset by said output device, wherein said second print style information is the print style information acquired in said acquisition means.

26. The information processing apparatus according to claim 24, further comprising print data setting means of setting print style information for said print data according to an instruction entered using a pointing device, wherein said first print style information is the print style information set in said print data setting means.

27. The information processing apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said print data is image data in the form of a page-description language or decompressed bitmap data.

28. The information processing apparatus according to claim 24, further comprising control means of giving an instruction to send the print data generated in said print data generation means to said output device and store it therein.

30. The information processing method according to claim 29,

wherein said memory is divided into a plurality of areas,

said print style information is specified and stored for each of said plurality of areas,

said information processing method further comprises specification means of specifying the print style information stored for one of said plurality of areas, and

said acquisition means acquires the print style information specified in said specification means, from said output device.

31. The information processing method according to claim 29, wherein said print data is image data in the form of a page-description language or decompressed bitmap data.

32. The information processing method according to claim 29, further comprising control means of giving an instruction to send the print data generated in said print data generation means to said output device and store it therein.

13. An information processing method for an information processing apparatus capable of communicating, via an interface, with an output device which has a memory for storing received print data without printing it until a print instruction is given, comprising:

an acquisition step of acquiring print style information prestored in said output device; and

a print data generation step of generating print data by attaching the print style information acquired in said acquisition step.

17. An information processing apparatus capable of communicating with an output device which has a memory for storing received print data without printing it until a print instruction is given, comprising:

setting means of specifying whether to use print style information when printing said print data stored in said memory at said print instruction; and

print data generation means of generating print data associated with information as to whether to use said print style information specified in said setting means.

24. An information processing apparatus capable of communicating with an output device which outputs received print data, comprising:

retention means of retaining first print style information and second print style information; and

print data generation means of generating print data by attaching said first print style information and said second print style information retained in said retention means.

29. An information processing apparatus capable of communicating, via an interface, with an output device which has a memory for storing received print data without printing it until a print instruction is given, comprising:

acquisition means of acquiring print style information prestored in said output device; and

print data generation means of generating print data by attaching the print style information acquired in said acquisition means.

33. A program executed by an information processing apparatus capable of communicating with an output device which has a memory for storing received print data without printing it until a print instruction is given, comprising:

a setting step of specifying whether to use print style information when printing said print data stored in said memory at said print instruction; and

a print data generation step of generating print data associated with information as to whether to use said print style information specified in said setting step.

34. The program according to claim 33, wherein said memory is divided into a plurality of areas and said print style information can be specified for each of said plurality of areas.

35. The program according to claim 33, further comprising a print data setting step of setting print data to be processed by said output device, wherein said print data generation step generates print data by attaching both information as to whether to use said print style information and print data setting specified in said print data setting step.

36. The program according to claim 33, further comprising a list acquisition step of acquiring a list of multiple pieces of print style information prestored in said memory;

and

a specification step of specifying items corresponding to a given piece of print style information contained in the list acquired in said list acquisition step, wherein said setting step specifies whether to use the given piece of print style information specified in said specification step.

37. The program according to claim 36, further comprising a display control step of displaying print style information corresponding to the given items specified in said specification step on a display.

38. The program according to claim 33, wherein said print data is image data in the form of a page-description language or decompressed bitmap data.

39. The program according to claim 33, further comprising a control step of giving an instruction to send the print data generated in said print data generation step to said output device and store it therein.

40. A program executed by an information processing apparatus capable of communicating with an output device which outputs received print data, comprising:

a retention step of retaining first print style information and second print style information; and

a print data generation step of generating print data by attaching said first print style information and said second print style information retained in said retention step.

41. The program according to claim 40, further comprising an acquisition step of acquiring print style information preset by said output device, wherein said second print style information is the print style information acquired in said acquisition step.

42. The program according to claim 40, further comprising a print data setting step of setting print style information for said print data according to an instruction entered using a pointing device, wherein said first print style information is the print style information set in said print data setting step.

43. The program according to claim 40, wherein said print data is image data in the form of a page-description language or decompressed bitmap data.

44. The program according to claim 40, further comprising a control step of giving an instruction to send the print data generated in said print data generation step to said output device and store it therein.

46. The program according to claim 45,

wherein said memory is divided into a plurality of areas,

said print style information is specified and stored for each of said plurality of areas,

said program further comprises a specification step of specifying the print style information stored for one of said plurality of areas, and

said acquisition step acquires the print style information specified in said specification step, from said output device.

47. The program according to claim 45, wherein said print data is image data in the form of a page-description language or decompressed bitmap data.

48. The program according to claim 45, further comprising a control step of giving an instruction to send the print data generated in said print data generation step to said output device and store it therein.

45. A program executed by an information processing apparatus capable of communicating, via an interface, with an output device which has a memory for storing received print data without printing it until a print instruction is given, comprising:

an acquisition step of acquiring print style information prestored in said output device; and

a print data generation step of generating print data by attaching the print style information acquired in said acquisition step.

49. A storage medium that stores, in a computer-readable form, program code for executing an information processing method for an information processing apparatus capable of communicating with an output device which has a memory for storing received print data without printing it until a print instruction is given, wherein said program code comprises:

a setting step of specifying whether to use print style information when printing said print data stored in said memory at said print instruction; and

a print data generation step of generating print data associated with information as to whether to use said print style information specified in said setting step.

50. A storage medium that stores, in a computer-readable form, program code for executing an information processing method for an information processing apparatus capable of communicating with an output device which outputs received print data, wherein said program code comprises:

a retention step of retaining first print style information and second print style information; and

a print data generation step of generating print data by attaching said first print style information and said second print style information retained in said retention step.

51. A storage medium that stores, in a computer-readable form, program code for executing an information processing method for an information processing apparatus capable of communicating, via an interface, with an output device which has a memory for storing received print data without printing it until a print instruction is given, wherein said program code comprises:

an acquisition step of acquiring print style information prestored in said output device; and

a print data generation step of generating print data by attaching the print style information acquired in said acquisition step.