NETWORK PRINTER AND PRINTING METHOD USING SAME

• US 20120307263A1
• Filed: 05/17/2012
• Published: 12/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Ichikawa, Takashi, Goto, Takashi, Uematsu, Kaoru
• Application Number:
  US13/473,779
• Publication Number:
  US 20120307263A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.8
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1208 resulting in improved quality of the output result, e.g. print layout, colours, workflows, print preview
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1247 by conversion to printer ready format
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/1806 Receiving job control commands
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/405 Choosing a data source, e.g. on a network
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A printing method, comprising: determining whether or not a printer is capable of executing a printing command sent from a user terminal to the printer through a first communication channel; requesting a cloud computer through a second communication channel to provide an information needed to execute the printing command if the printer is not capable of executing the printing command; and executing the printing command after the information needed to execute the printing command is downloaded to the printer from the cloud computer.

Claims

1. A network printer, comprising:

a first communication channel configured to communicate a first information with a user terminal;

a second communication channel configured to communicate a second information with a cloud computer;

an operation processor configured to analyze a printing command, that is from the user terminal, acquired through the first communication channel to detect the information required to execute the printing command;

a download unit configured to request the cloud computer through the second communication channel to provide the information, which is needed for the execution of the printing command, detected by the operation processor and to download the information needed for the execution of the printing command from the cloud computer;

a printing head configured to print, on a paper, a depiction data generated with the information needed for the execution of the printing command downloaded by the download unit; and

a printing control unit configured to control the printing by the printing head on the paper.

2. The network printer according to claim 1, wherein

the information needed for the execution of the printing command includes a second application software with which the printer is not equipped, the result data processed by the second application software or a printing font.

3. The network printer according to claim 2, wherein

the application software used in the printer includes a setting value for control acquired through an operation processing that is carried out by the cloud computer based on the output data of a various sensors of the printer.

4. A printing method, comprising:

determining whether or not a printer is capable of executing a printing command sent from a user terminal to the printer through a first communication channel;

requesting a cloud computer through a second communication channel to provide an information needed to execute the printing command if the printer is not capable of executing the printing command; and

executing the printing command after the information needed to execute the printing command is downloaded to the printer from the cloud computer.

5. The printing method according to claim 4, wherein

the information needed to execute the printing command includes an application software with which the printer is not equipped, a result data processed by the application software or a printing font.

6. The printing method according to claim 5, wherein

the information needed to execute the printing command includes a setting value for control acquired through an operation processing that is carried out by the cloud computer based on the output data of the various sensors of the printer.