Direct print system

• US 20050279833A1
• Filed: 06/06/2005
• Published: 12/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Hiroshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,455,229 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/462.460
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00278 with a printing apparatus, e.g. a laser beam printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00363 Bar codes or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00371 on a separate sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00968 by scanning marks on a sheet mark-sheet input means H04N1/00355; sensing record carriers G06K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0055 By radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera

Abstract

Wireless-LAN information is set in a digital still camera in a comparatively simple manner. Specifically, if a digital still camera and a printer are to communicate utilizing a wireless LAN, the printer generates a two-dimensional bar code containing wireless-LAN setting information such as ESS-ID and WEP KEY, and printer setting information such as an IP address. The printer is used to generate a direct print setting sheet on which have been recorded the generated two-dimensional bar code as well as the wireless-LAN setting information and printer setting information. The digital still camera is used to take a picture of the two-dimensional bar code and read the wireless-LAN setting information and printer setting information from the two-dimensional bar code. The read wireless-LAN setting information and printer setting information is set in the digital still camera, and the printer and digital still camera cooperate to perform direct printing using the wireless LAN.

Claims

1. A direct print system that includes a digital camera and a printer that are capable of communicating with each other utilizing a wireless LAN, wherein said printer comprises:

a wireless-LAN information acquisition device for acquiring wireless-LAN information, which includes setting information and transmission-destination information, used in transmission utilizing a wireless LAN;

a bar code generating device for generating a bar code representing the wireless-LAN information that has been acquired by said wireless-LAN information acquisition device; and

an output device for outputting the bar code that has been generated by said bar code generating device;

and said digital camera comprises;

an image sensing device for sensing the image of the bar code that has been output by said output device of said printer and outputting data representing the bar code;

a wireless-LAN information reading device for reading wireless-LAN information from the bar code data that has been output from said image sensing device; and

a wireless LAN transmitting device for transmitting image data, which has been recorded on a recording medium, to said printer using the setting information and transmission-destination information included in the wireless-LAN information read by said wireless-LAN information reading device.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said wireless-LAN information acquisition device includes:

a setting information generating device for generating the setting information; and

a transmission-destination information generating device for generating the transmission-destination information.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said wireless-LAN information acquisition device includes:

a setting information memory for storing the setting information;

a transmission-destination information requesting device for requesting a server, which generates the transmission-destination information, to transmit the transmission-destination information; and

a transmission-destination information receiving device for receiving the transmission-destination information that is transmitted from the server in response to the request by said transmission-destination information requesting device.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said output device of said printer outputs at least one of the setting information and transmission-destination information in addition to the bar code.

5. A printer comprising:

a wireless-LAN information acquisition device for acquiring wireless-LAN information, which includes setting information and transmission-destination information, used in transmission utilizing a wireless LAN;

a bar code generating device for generating a bar code representing the wireless-LAN information that has been acquired by said wireless-LAN information acquisition device; and

an output device for outputting the bar code that has been generated by said bar code generating device.

6. A digital camera comprising:

an image sensing device for sensing the image of a bar code representing wireless-LAN information, which includes setting information and transmission-destination information, used in transmission utilizing a wireless LAN, and outputting data representing the bar code;

a wireless-LAN information reading device for reading the wireless-LAN information from the bar code data that has been output from said image sensing device; and

a wireless-LAN transmitting device for transmitting image data, which has been recorded on a recording medium, to a printer using the setting information and transmission-destination information included in the wireless-LAN information that has been read by said wireless-LAN information reading device.

7. A method of controlling a printer, comprising the steps of:

acquiring wireless-LAN information, which includes setting information and transmission-destination information, used in transmission utilizing a wireless LAN;

generating a bar code representing the acquired wireless-LAN information; and

outputting the generated bar code.

8. A method of controlling a digital camera, comprising the steps of:

sensing the image of a bar code representing wireless-LAN information, which includes setting information and transmission-destination information, used in transmission utilizing a wireless LAN, and obtaining data representing the bar code;

reading the wireless-LAN information from the obtained bar code data; and

transmitting image data, which has been recorded on a recording medium, to a printer utilizing a wireless LAN and using the setting information and transmission-destination information included in the read wireless-LAN information.