PRINT SERVER AND CONTROL METHOD FOR THE SAME

• US 20120133973A1
• Filed: 10/21/2011
• Published: 05/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ito, Morikazu
• Granted Patent: US 9,019,529 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1203 Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. print management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/122 with regard to computing resources, e.g. memory, CPU
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1226 Discovery of devices having required properties
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1231 Device related settings, e.g. IP address, Name, Identification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1232 Transmitting printer device capabilities, e.g. upon request or periodically
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1287 via internet
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1288 in client-server-printer device configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1289 in server-client-printer device configuration, e.g. the server does not see the printer

Abstract

A print server receives a print instruction from a client terminal and causes printing to be performed by a print device selected by the client terminal out of print devices registered with the print server. If a print device unregistered with the print server is selected, the print server acquires device information about the unregistered print device via the client terminal. The print server generates a print setting screen for the unregistered print device from the acquired device information and transmits the print setting screen to the client terminal. The print server further generates print data for the unregistered print device from print settings set by the client terminal on the transmitted print setting screen, and causes the printing to be performed.

Claims

1. A print server that receives a print instruction from a client terminal and causes printing to be performed by a print device selected by the client terminal out of print devices registered with the print server, comprising:

an acquisition unit that acquires device information about a print device unregistered with the print server via the client terminal if the unregistered print device is selected;

a transmission unit that generates a print setting screen for the unregistered print device from the device information acquired by said acquisition unit and transmits the print setting screen to the client terminal; and

a control unit that generates print data for the unregistered print device from print settings set by the client terminal on the print setting screen transmitted by said transmission unit and causes the printing to be performed.

2. The print server according to claim 1, wherein said acquisition unit acquires the device information about the unregistered print device according to a network address of the unregistered print device received from the client terminal.

3. The print server according to claim 2, wherein the network address of the unregistered print device is an address selected by the client terminal out of network addresses of print devices discovered in device discovery.

4. The print server according to claim 2, wherein said acquisition unit acquires the device information by means of a script generated by embedding the network address of the unregistered print device therein.

5. The print server according to claim 1, further comprising a registration unit that registers the unregistered print device with the print server.

6. A control method for a print server that receives a print instruction from a client terminal and causes printing to be performed by a print device selected by the client terminal out of print devices registered with the print server, comprising:

acquiring device information about a print device unregistered with the print server via the client terminal if the unregistered print device is selected;

generating a print setting screen for the unregistered print device from the acquired device information and transmitting the print setting screen to the client terminal; and

generating print data for the unregistered print device from print settings set by the client terminal on the transmitted print setting screen and causing the printing to be performed.

7. A computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for causing a computer to perform the control method for a print server according to claim 6.