Information processing apparatus and information processing method

• US 20060132824A1
• Filed: 12/20/2005
• Published: 06/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Aritomi, Masanori
• Granted Patent: US 7,933,031 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.140
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/608 Secure printing

Abstract

Generation/non-generation of print data for a printer driver is controlled in correspondence with an external print policy for a document to be printed. The print policy includes a print policy file, and defines print-inhibited items in a predetermined description. The predetermined description includes a description directly stored in the print policy file, and a description that requires an external reference.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus connected to a printing apparatus through a communication medium, comprising:

output means for generating print data based on document data, and outputting the generated print data to the printing apparatus;

examination means for examining the presence/absence of a predetermined description specified by an external print policy in the document data with reference to the print policy; and

print data control means for controlling generation of print data by said output means in accordance with an examination result of said examination means,

wherein when it is determined as a result of the examination of said examination means that the document data includes the predetermined description specified by the print policy, said print data control means cancels generation of print data by said output means.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the print policy includes a print policy file,

the print policy file defines print-inhibited items in the predetermined description, and

the predetermined description includes a description which is directly stored in the print policy file, and a description which requires an external reference.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the description which is directly stored in the print policy file includes a print-inhibited keyword in a text format.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the description which requires the external reference and described in the print policy file is a description which refers to an external image.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when it is determined as a result of the examination of said examination means that the document data does not include any predetermined description specified by the print policy, said print data control means permits generation of print data by said output means.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said output means, said examination means, and said print data control means in said information processing apparatus is included in a printer driver installed in said information processing apparatus.

7. A method of controlling an information processing apparatus connected to a printing apparatus through a communication medium, comprising:

an output step of generating print data based on document data, and outputting the generated print data to the printing apparatus;

an examination step of examining the presence/absence of a predetermined description specified by an external print policy in the document data with reference to the print policy; and

a print data control step of controlling generation of print data in the output step in accordance with an examination result of the examination step,

wherein the print data control step includes a step of canceling, when it is determined as a result of the examination in the examination step that the document data includes the predetermined description specified by the print policy, generation of print data in the output step.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the print policy includes a print policy file,

the print policy file defines print-inhibited items in the predetermined description, and

the predetermined description includes a description which is directly stored in the print policy file, and a description which requires an external reference.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the description which is directly stored in the print policy file includes a print-inhibited keyword in a text format.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the description which requires the external reference and described in the print policy file is a description which refers to an external image.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein the print data control step includes a step of permitting, when it is determined as a result of the examination in the examination step that the document data does not include any predetermined description specified by the print policy, generation of print data in the output step.

12. The method according to claim 7, wherein at least one of the output step, the examination step, and the print data control step is included in processing implemented by a printer driver installed in the information processing apparatus.

13. A program for making a computer implement a method of controlling an information processing apparatus of claim 7.

14. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program of claim 13.