Information processing system reducing inconvenience relating to distance between computer and printer or the like

• US 20060195495A1
• Filed: 02/21/2006
• Published: 08/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Asano, Taiga
• Granted Patent: US 8,274,677 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 708/111
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1454 involving copying of the display data of a local workstation or window to a remote workstation or window so that an actual copy of the data is displayed simultaneously on two or more displays, e.g. teledisplay
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/027 Arrangements and methods specific for the display of internet documents
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display

Abstract

An information processing system includes a device having a printing unit and an information processing apparatus connected to the device via a network. The device includes a display screen sharing client unit configure to acquire data of a display screen displayed at the information processing apparatus and to display the data of the display screen on a display unit of the device, thereby achieving display screen sharing. The information processing apparatus includes a display screen sharing server unit configured to supply the data of the display screen displayed at the information processing apparatus to the device, and a print setting unit configured to acquire, through a network, usage information necessary to use the printing unit in response instruction from the device, and to spontaneously make a setting necessary to cause the printing unit to print document data stored in the information processing apparatus in response to the usage information.

Claims

1. An information processing system, comprising:

a device having a printing unit; and

an information processing apparatus connected to the device via a network,

wherein said device includes a display screen sharing client unit configure to acquire data of a display screen displayed at the information processing apparatus and to display the data of the display screen on a display unit of said device, thereby sharing the display screen with the information processing apparatus,

and wherein said information processing apparatus includes;

a display screen sharing server unit configured to supply the data of the display screen displayed at the information processing apparatus to the device; and

a print setting unit configured to acquire, through a network, printing unit usage information necessary to use the printing unit in response instruction from said device, and to spontaneously make a setting necessary to cause the printing unit to print document data stored in the information processing apparatus in response to the printing unit usage information.

2. The information processing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the printing unit usage information includes information for identifying the device on the network, and wherein the print setting unit is configured to make a setting to share the printing unit via the network in response to the printing unit usage information.

3. The information processing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the printing unit usage information includes a program written as a predetermined script, and wherein the print setting unit is configured to spontaneously make a setting necessary to cause said device to print document data stored in the information processing apparatus by performing the predetermined script.

4. The information processing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the printing unit usage information includes an installer to install a printer driver corresponding to the printing unit, and wherein the print setting unit is configured to install the printer driver in the information processing apparatus by executing the installer.

5. The information processing system as claimed in claim 1, further including, in the device, a print service unit configured to receive the document data to be printed and print setting information regarding the document data, and to cause the printing unit to print the received document data, wherein said print setting unit is configured to cause a print setting display screen to be displayed to cause the document data and the print setting information to be specified, and to transmit the document data and the print setting information specified on the print setting display screen to the print service unit.

6. The information processing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the information processing apparatus includes a conversion unit configured to convert the document data into data having a universal data format that is printable by the printing unit, and to request a printout destination to print the data having the universal data format, and wherein said print setting unit is configured to make a setting to the conversion unit such as to specify said device as the printout destination.

7. The information processing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said device further includes:

a scanner unit; and

a scan control unit configured to cause the scanner unit to perform a scan in response to instruction from the information processing apparatus and to transmit scanned information to the information processing apparatus,

and wherein said information processing apparatus includes;

a scanner setting unit configured to acquire scanner usage information necessary to use the scanner unit in response to instruction from said device and to spontaneously make a setting in response to the scanner usage information such as to make the scanner unit controllable from the information processing apparatus; and

a scanner control unit configured to cause a scanner setting display screen to be displayed to prompt a scan instruction to be entered with respect to the scanner unit controllable from the information processing apparatus, and configured to cause the scanner unit to perform a scan in response to information entered through the scanner setting display screen.

8. The information processing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said device further includes:

a scanner unit;

a scan control unit configured to cause the scanner unit to perform a scan in response to instruction from an input unit provided in said device; and

a scan information transmitting unit configured to transmit image information scanned by said scanner unit to the information processing apparatus,

and wherein said information processing apparatus further includes an image information storage unit configured to receive the image information transmitted from said device and to store the received image information in a predetermined memory area.

13. The device of the information processing system as claimed in claim 1.

17. The information processing apparatus of the information processing system as claimed in claim 1.

9. An information processing system, comprising:

a device having a scanner unit; and

an information processing apparatus connected to the device via a network,

wherein said device includes;

a display screen sharing client unit configure to acquire data of a display screen displayed at the information processing apparatus and to display the data of the display screen on a display unit of said device, thereby sharing the display screen with the information processing apparatus; and

a scan control unit configured to cause the scanner unit to perform a scan in response to instruction from the information processing apparatus to transmit image information scanned by said scanner unit to the information processing apparatus,

and wherein said information processing apparatus includes;

a display screen sharing server unit configured to supply the data of the display screen displayed at the information processing apparatus to the device;

a scanner setting unit configured to acquire scanner usage information necessary to use the scanner unit in response to instruction from said device, and to spontaneously make a setting in response to the scanner usage information such as to make the scanner unit controllable from the information processing apparatus; and

a scanner control unit configured to cause a scanner setting display screen to be displayed to prompt a scan instruction to be entered with respect to the scanner unit controllable from the information processing apparatus, and configured to cause the scanner unit to perform a scan in response to information entered through the scanner setting display screen.

14. The device of the information processing system as claimed in claim 9.

18. The information processing apparatus of the information processing system as claimed in claim 9.

10. An information processing system, comprising:

a device having a scanner unit; and

an information processing apparatus connected to the device via a network,

wherein said device includes;

a display screen sharing client unit configure to acquire data of a display screen displayed at the information processing apparatus and to display the data of the display screen on a display unit of said device, thereby sharing the display screen with the information processing apparatus; and

a scan control unit configured to cause the scanner unit to perform a scan in response to instruction from an input unit provided in said device; and

a scan information transmitting unit configured to transmit image information scanned by said scanner unit to the information processing apparatus,

and wherein said information processing apparatus includes;

a display screen sharing server unit configured to supply the data of the display screen displayed at the information processing apparatus to the device; and

an image information storage unit configured to receive the image information transmitted from said device and to store the received image information in a predetermined memory area.

11. The information processing system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the predetermined memory area is a clipboard.

15. The device of the information processing system as claimed in claim 10.

19. The information processing apparatus of the information processing system as claimed in claim 10.

12. An information processing system, comprising:

a device having a FAX unit; and

an information processing apparatus connected to the device via a network,

wherein said device includes;

a display screen sharing client unit configure to acquire data of a display screen displayed at the information processing apparatus and to display the data of the display screen on a display unit of said device, thereby sharing the display screen with the information processing apparatus; and

a FAX control unit configured to cause the FAX unit to perform a FAX transmission of document data received from the information processing apparatus in response to instruction from the information processing apparatus,

and wherein said information processing apparatus includes;

a display screen sharing server unit configured to supply the data of the display screen displayed at the information processing apparatus to the device;

a FAX setting unit configured to acquire FAX usage information necessary to use the FAX unit in response to instruction from said device, and to spontaneously make a setting in response to the FAX usage information such as to make the FAX unit controllable from the information processing apparatus; and

a FAX control unit configured to cause a FAX setting display screen to be displayed to prompt a FAX transmission instruction to be entered with respect to the FAX unit controllable from the information processing apparatus, and configured to cause the FAX unit to perform a FAX transmission of document data stored in the information processing apparatus in response to information entered through the FAX setting display screen.

16. The device of the information processing system as claimed in claim 12.

20. The information processing apparatus of the information processing system as claimed in claim 12.

21. An information processing method for an information processing system which includes a device having a printing unit and an information processing apparatus connected to the device via a network, said method comprising:

a display screen sharing step of making said device and said information processing apparatus share a display screen by displaying, on a display unit of said device, data of a display screen displayed at the information processing apparatus;

a printing unit usage information acquiring step of acquiring, through the network, printing unit usage information necessary to use the printing unit in response to instruction from said device; and

a print setting step of causing the information processing apparatus to make a setting necessary to cause the printing unit to print document data stored in the information processing apparatus in response to the printing unit usage information acquired by said printing unit usage information acquiring step.

22. The information processing method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the printing unit usage information includes information for identifying the device on the network, and wherein the print setting step makes a setting to share the printing unit via the network in response to the printing unit usage information.

23. The information processing method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the printing unit usage information includes a program written as a predetermined script, and wherein the print setting step makes a setting necessary to cause said device to print document data stored in the information processing apparatus by performing the predetermined script.

24. The information processing method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the printing unit usage information includes an installer to install a printer driver corresponding to the printing unit, and wherein the print setting step installs the printer driver in the information processing apparatus by executing the installer.

25. The information processing method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the information processing system further includes, in the device, a print service unit configured to receive the document data to be printed and print setting information regarding the document data, and to cause the printing unit to print the received document data, wherein said print setting step causes a print setting display screen to be displayed to cause the document data and the print setting information to be specified, and to transmit the document data and the print setting information specified on the print setting display screen to the print service unit.

26. The information processing method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the information processing apparatus includes a conversion unit configured to convert the document data into data having a universal data format that is printable by the printing unit, and to request a printout destination to print the data having the universal data format, and wherein said print setting step makes a setting to the conversion unit such as to specify the device as the printout destination.

27. The information processing method as claimed in claim 21, wherein said device further includes a scanner unit, said method further comprising:

a scanner setting step of causing the information processing apparatus to acquire scanner usage information necessary to use the scanner unit in response to instruction from said device, and to make a setting in response to the scanner usage information such as to make the scanner unit controllable from the information processing apparatus;

a scan request step of causing the information processing apparatus to cause a scanner setting display screen to be displayed to prompt a scan instruction to be entered with respect to the scanner unit controllable from the information processing apparatus, and to transmit a scan instruction to the device in response to information entered through the scanner setting display screen; and

a scan performing step of causing the scanner unit to perform a scan in response to the scan instruction from the information processing apparatus to transmit scanned information to the information processing apparatus.

28. The information processing method as claimed in claim 21, wherein said device further includes a scanner unit, said method further comprising:

a scan performing step of causing the scanner unit to perform a scan in response to instruction from an input unit provided in said device;

a scan information transmitting step of causing the device to transmit image information scanned by said scanner unit to the information processing apparatus; and

an image information storage step of causing the information processing apparatus to receive the image information transmitted from said device to store the received image information in a predetermined memory area.

29. An information processing method for an information processing system which includes a device having a scanner unit and an information processing apparatus connected to the device via a network, said method comprising:

a display screen sharing step of making said device and said information processing apparatus share a display screen by displaying, on a display unit of said device, data of a display screen displayed at the information processing apparatus;

a scanner setting step of causing the information processing apparatus to acquire scanner usage information necessary to use the scanner unit in response to instruction from said device, and to make a setting in response to the scanner usage information such as to make the scanner unit controllable from the information processing apparatus;

a scan request step of causing the information processing apparatus to cause a scanner setting display screen to be displayed to prompt a scan instruction to be entered with respect to the scanner unit controllable from the information processing apparatus, and to transmit a scan instruction to the device in response to information entered through the scanner setting display screen; and

a scan performing step of causing the scanner unit to perform a scan in response to the scan instruction from the information processing apparatus to transmit scanned information to the information processing apparatus.

30. An information processing method for an information processing system which includes a device having a scanner unit and an information processing apparatus connected to the device via a network, said method comprising:

a display screen sharing step of making said device and said information processing apparatus share a display screen by displaying, on a display unit of said device, data of a display screen displayed at the information processing apparatus;

a scan performing step of causing the scanner unit to perform a scan in response to instruction from an input unit provided in said device;

a scan information transmitting step of causing the device to transmit image information scanned by said scanner unit to the information processing apparatus; and

an image information storage step of causing the information processing apparatus to receive the image information transmitted from said device to store the received image information in a predetermined memory area.

31. An information processing method for an information processing system which includes a device having a FAX unit and an information processing apparatus connected to the device via a network, said method comprising:

a display screen sharing step of making said device and said information processing apparatus share a display screen by displaying, on a display unit of said device, data of a display screen displayed at the information processing apparatus;

a FAX setting step of causing the information processing apparatus to acquire FAX usage information necessary to use the FAX unit in response to instruction from said device, and to make a setting in response to the FAX usage information such as to make the FAX unit controllable from the information processing apparatus;

a FAX transmission request step of causing the information processing apparatus to cause a FAX setting display screen to be displayed to prompt a FAX transmission instruction to be entered with respect to the FAX unit controllable from the information processing apparatus, and to transmit a request for FAX transmission of document data stored in the information processing apparatus to the device in response to information entered through the FAX setting display screen; and

a FAX controlling step of causing the FAX unit to perform a FAX transmission of the document data received from the information processing apparatus in response to the FAX transmission instruction from the information processing apparatus.

32. A record medium having a program embodied therein for causing a computer, which is connected via a network to a device having a printing unit, and has a display screen thereof displayed on a display unit of said device through display screen sharing, to perform:

a printing unit usage information acquiring step of acquiring, through the network, printing unit usage information necessary to use the printing unit in response to instruction from said device; and

a print setting step of making a setting necessary to cause the printing unit to print document data stored in the computer in response to the printing unit usage information acquired by said printing unit usage information acquiring step.

33. The record medium as claimed in claim 32, wherein the printing unit usage information includes information for identifying the device on the network, and wherein the print setting step makes a setting to share the printing unit via the network in response to the printing unit usage information.

34. The record medium as claimed in claim 32, wherein the printing unit usage information includes a program written as a predetermined script, and wherein the print setting step makes a setting necessary to cause said device to print the document data stored in the computer by performing the predetermined script.

35. The record medium as claimed in claim 32, wherein the printing unit usage information includes an installer to install a printer driver corresponding to the printing unit, and wherein the print setting step installs the printer driver in the computer by executing the installer.

36. The record medium as claimed in claim 32, wherein said print setting step causes a print setting display screen to be displayed to prompt document data and print setting information to be specified, and to transmit the document data and the print setting information specified on the print setting display screen to a predetermined device.

37. The record medium as claimed in claim 32, wherein said device further includes a scanner unit, said program further causing the computer to perform:

a scanner setting step of acquiring scanner usage information necessary to use the scanner unit in response to instruction from said device, and making a setting in response to the scanner usage information such as to make the scanner unit controllable from the computer; and

a scan request step of causing a scanner setting display screen to be displayed to prompt a scan instruction to be entered with respect to the scanner unit controllable from the computer, and transmitting a scan instruction to the device in response to information entered through the scanner setting display screen.

38. A record medium having a program embodied therein for causing a computer, which is connected via a network to a device having a scanner unit, and has a display screen thereof displayed on a display unit of said device through display screen sharing, to perform:

a scanner setting step of acquiring scanner usage information necessary to use the scanner unit in response to instruction from said device, and making a setting in response to the scanner usage information such as to make the scanner unit controllable from the computer;

a scan request step of causing a scanner setting display screen to be displayed to prompt a scan instruction to be entered with respect to the scanner unit controllable from the computer, and to transmit a scan instruction to the device in response to information entered through the scanner setting display screen.

39. A record medium having a program embodied therein for causing a computer, which is connected via a network to a device having a FAX unit, and has a display screen thereof displayed on a display unit of said device through display screen sharing, to perform:

a FAX setting step of acquiring FAX usage information necessary to use the FAX unit in response to instruction from said device, and making a setting in response to the FAX usage information such as to make the FAX unit controllable from the computer;

a FAX transmission request step of causing a FAX setting display screen to be displayed to prompt a FAX transmission instruction to be entered with respect to the FAX unit controllable from the computer, and to transmit a request for FAX transmission of document data stored in the computer to the device in response to information entered through the FAX setting display screen.