Printing system, printing apparatus, information terminal apparatus, print control method, storage medium, program, printing method and printing program

• US 20030189722A1
• Filed: 03/28/2003
• Published: 10/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Yoshikawa, Naohiro
• Application Number:
  US10/400,501
• Publication Number:
  US 20030189722A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• 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 3/1205 resulting in increased flexibility in print job configuration, e.g. job settings, print requirements, job tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1231 Device related settings, e.g. IP address, Name, Identification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1243 Variable data printing, e.g. document forms, templates, labels, coupons, advertisements, logos, watermarks, transactional printing, fixed content versioning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/125 Page layout or assigning input pages onto output media, e.g. imposition
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1253 Configuration of print job parameters, e.g. using UI at the client
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server

Abstract

Function information about a printer is collected, an IP address or port number is assigned to the printer based on the collected function information, an IP address or port number specified by a PDA 101 is identified, and printing is performed by a printer engine 207 by implementing a function of the printer predetermined for the specified IP address or port number. For example, significant inconvenience in designating a paper size adaptable printing function, plural page layout printing function or duplex printing function when implementing direct printing of data in the standard document format is eliminated, and improvement in convenience can be attained.

Claims

1. A printing system that communicably connects a printing apparatus and an information terminal apparatus to each other,

wherein said printing apparatus assigns an identification code based on function information about said printing apparatus and performs printing by implementing a function associated with an identification code specified by said information terminal apparatus, and

said information terminal apparatus specifies an identification code and causes said printing apparatus to perform printing.

2. The printing system according to claim 1, wherein said printing apparatus comprises collecting means of collecting the function information about said printing apparatus, means of removing a combination of functions that cannot operate simultaneously based on said collected function information, assigning means of assigning an identification code associated with the removed function information, outputting means of outputting the assigned identification code, identifying means of identifying the identification code specified by said information terminal apparatus, and printing means of performing printing by implementing a function of said printing apparatus predetermined for the specified identification code, and said information terminal apparatus comprises specifying means of specifying an identification code associated with a function to be utilized in said printing apparatus and causing said printing apparatus to perform printing.

3. The printing system according to claim 1, wherein said identification code is assigned to a function provided in said printing apparatus or a combination of functions provided therein.

4. The printing system according to claim 1, wherein said identification code is an IP address of said printing apparatus.

5. The printing system according to claim 1, wherein said identification code is a port number of said printing apparatus.

6. The printing system according to claim 1, wherein said function information includes information about a functional configuration of said printing apparatus, a paper size capable of being handled by said printing apparatus and a printing capability of said printing apparatus.

7. A printing apparatus capable of communicating with an information terminal apparatus, comprising:

collecting means of collecting function information about said printing apparatus;

assigning means of assigning an identification code based on said collected function information;

outputting means of outputting said assigned identification code;

identifying means of identifying the identification code specified by said information terminal apparatus; and

printing means of performing printing by implementing a function of said printing apparatus predetermined for said specified identification code.

8. The printing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said identification code is assigned to a function provided in said printing apparatus or a combination of functions provided therein.

9. The printing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said identification code is an IP address of said printing apparatus.

10. The printing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said identification code is a port number of said printing apparatus.

11. The printing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said function information includes information about a functional configuration of said printing apparatus, a paper size capable of being handled by said printing apparatus and a printing capability of said printing apparatus.

12. The printing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the printing apparatus has a paper size adaptable printing function that allows printing of a document onto a plurality of sizes of paper by scaling up or scaling down the document, a plural page layout printing function that allows printing of plural pages of a document onto one sheet of paper and a duplex printing function that allows printing of a document onto both sides of a sheet of paper.

13. An information terminal apparatus capable of communicating with a printing apparatus that performs printing by implementing a function associated with an identification code based on function information thereof, comprising:

specifying means of specifying an identification code for identifying said printing apparatus and causing said printing apparatus to perform printing.

14. A print control method in a printing system having a printing apparatus and an information terminal apparatus connected to each other, comprising:

a step of assigning an identification code based on collected function information about the printing apparatus;

a step of identifying a specified identification code; and

a step of performing printing by implementing a processing associated with said specified identification code.

15. A computer-readable storage medium that stores a program for implementing a print control method applied to a printing system having a printing apparatus and an information terminal apparatus connected to each other, wherein the program comprises:

a step of collecting function information about said printing apparatus;

a step of assigning an identification code based on said collected function information about the printing apparatus;

a step of identifying a specified identification code; and

a step of performing printing by implementing a processing associated with said specified identification code.

16. A printing method, comprising:

a step of assigning an IP address to a printing function; and

a printing step of performing printing using a printing function associated with a specified IP address when print data is received.

17. A printing apparatus, comprising:

storage means of storing an association between a printing function and an IP address; and

printing means of performing printing using a printing function associated with a specified IP address when print data is received.

18. A printing program, comprising:

a step of assigning an IP address to a printing function; and

a printing step of performing printing using a printing function associated with a specified IP address when print data is received.

19. A print control apparatus, comprising:

a storage unit that stores information including an association between a printing function and an IP address;

a selecting unit that selects an IP address associated with a printing function based on the information stored in said storage unit; and

an instructing unit that instructs a printer located at the IP address selected by said selecting unit to perform printing.

20. A print control method, comprising:

a selecting step of selecting an IP address associated with a printing function; and

an instructing step of instructing a printer located at the IP address selected by said selecting step to perform printing.

21. A print control program, comprising:

a selecting step of selecting an IP address associate with a printing function; and

an instructing step of instructing a printer located at the IP address selected by said selecting step to perform printing.