IMAGE RECORDING SYSTEM, IMAGE RECORDING APPARATUS, NON-TRANSITORY STORAGE MEDIUM STORING INSTRUCTIONS EXECUTABLE BY IMAGE RECORDING APPARATUS, MOBILE TERMINAL, AND NON-TRANSITORY STORAGE MEDIUM STORING INSTRUCTIONS EXECUTABLE BY MOBILE TERMINAL

• US 20140213190A1
• Filed: 01/31/2014
• Published: 07/31/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Inventors: YAMAOKA, Hiroyuki
• Granted Patent: US 9,665,328 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1204 resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1236 Connection management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1292 Mobile client, e.g. wireless printing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/035 in self-organising networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

An image recording system includes a mobile terminal and an image recording apparatus. Having received device-specific information about the mobile terminal through first wireless communication, the image recording apparatus determines whether the image recording apparatus is to communicate with the mobile terminal through second wireless communication. When the image recording apparatus is not to communicate with the mobile terminal through the second wireless communication, the image recording apparatus transmits non-communication information to the mobile terminal through the first wireless communication. When having received the non-communication information through the first wireless communication, the mobile terminal transmits object image data to a server through the second wireless communication or first alternative communication. The image recording apparatus then receives the object image data from the server through the second wireless communication or second alternative communication and controls a recording device to record an image based on the object image data.

Claims

1. An image recording system comprising;

a mobile terminal; and

an image recording apparatus configured to record an image on a recording medium,

the mobile terminal comprising;

a first storage configured to store one or more sets of image data;

a second storage configured to store device-specific information about the mobile terminal;

a mobile-terminal-side first communication device configured to perform first wireless communication that is established when a distance between a sender device and a receiver device is equal to or less than a communicable distance;

a mobile-terminal-side second communication device configured to perform second wireless communication that is established based on device-specific information about a sender device and a receiver device and that is greater in communication speed than the first wireless communication; and

a first controller,

the image recording apparatus comprising;

a recording device configured to record an image on the recording medium based on the image data;

a third storage configured to store apparatus-specific information about the image recording apparatus;

an image-recording-apparatus-side first communication device configured to perform the first wireless communication;

an image-recording-apparatus-side second communication device configured to perform the second wireless communication; and

a second controller,

the first controller of the mobile terminal being configured to;

control the mobile-terminal-side first communication device to perform the first wireless communication;

control the mobile-terminal-side second communication device to perform the second wireless communication;

select at least one set of image data from among the one or more sets of image data stored in the first storage, as object image data based on which an image is to be recorded on the recording medium;

transmit the device-specific information about the mobile terminal which is stored in the second storage, to the image recording apparatus through the first wireless communication; and

after the object image data is selected, transmit the object image data to one of the image recording apparatus and a server that is communicable with the image recording apparatus and the mobile terminal,

the second controller of the image recording apparatus being configured to;

control the image-recording-apparatus-side first communication device to perform the first wireless communication;

control the image-recording-apparatus-side second communication device to perform the second wireless communication;

when the device-specific information about the mobile terminal is received by the image recording apparatus through the first wireless communication, determine whether the image recording apparatus is to communicate with the mobile terminal through the second wireless communication;

when the second controller has determined that the image recording apparatus is to communicate with the mobile terminal through the second wireless communication, transmit the apparatus-specific information about the image recording apparatus to the mobile terminal through the first wireless communication; and

when the second controller has determined that the image recording apparatus is not to communicate with the mobile terminal through the second wireless communication, transmit non-communication information to the mobile terminal through the first wireless communication, the non-communication information indicating that the image recording apparatus is not to communicate with the mobile terminal through the second wireless communication,

the first controller of the mobile terminal being configured to;

when the mobile terminal has received the apparatus-specific information about the image recording apparatus through the first wireless communication, transmit the object image data, to the image recording apparatus through the second wireless communication; and

when the mobile terminal has received the non-communication information through the first wireless communication, transmit the object image data to the server through one of the second wireless communication and first alternative communication that differs from each of the first wireless communication and the second wireless communication,

the second controller of the image recording apparatus being configured to;

when the second controller has determined that the image recording apparatus is to communicate with the mobile terminal through the second wireless communication, after transmission of the apparatus-specific information about the image recording apparatus to the mobile terminal, receive the object image data from the mobile terminal through the second wireless communication and control the recording device to record an image based on the object image data received from the mobile terminal; and

when the second controller has determined that the image recording apparatus is not to communicate with the mobile terminal through the second wireless communication, after transmission of the non-communication information to the mobile terminal through the first wireless communication, receive the object image data from the server through one of the second wireless communication and second alternative communication that differs from each of the first wireless communication, the second wireless communication, and the first alternative communication and control the recording device to record an image based on the object image data received from the server.

2. The image recording system according to claim 1,

wherein one of the first controller and the second controller which belongs to one of the mobile terminal and the image recording apparatus is configured to transmit inquiry information to the other of the mobile terminal and the image recording apparatus through the first wireless communication, and the inquiry information is information for inquiring whether communication between (i) the server communicable with the one of the mobile terminal and the image recording apparatus and (ii) the other of the mobile terminal and the image recording apparatus is possible,

wherein the other of the first controller and the second controller which belongs to the other of the mobile terminal and the image recording apparatus is configured to, upon receiving the inquiry information through the first wireless communication, transmit response information to the one of the mobile terminal and the image recording apparatus through the first wireless communication, and the response information is information indicating whether communication between the server and the other of the mobile terminal and the image recording apparatus is possible, and

wherein the first controller of the mobile terminal is configured to transmit the object image data to a server that is, according to the response information, communicable with the other of the mobile terminal and the image recording apparatus.

3. The image recording system according to claim 2, wherein the first controller of the mobile terminal is configured to transmit address information to the image recording apparatus through the first wireless communication, and the address information is indicative of a location in which the object image data transmitted to the server is stored.

4. The image recording system according to claim 3, wherein the first controller of the mobile terminal is configured to, after transmitting the object image data to the server, receive the address information from the server and transmit the received address information to the image recording apparatus.

5. The image recording system according to claim 1,

wherein the first alternative communication is communication using a public switched telephone network,

wherein the mobile terminal further comprises a third communication device configured to perform the first alternative communication, and

wherein the first controller of the mobile terminal controls the third communication device to perform the first alternative communication.

6. The image recording system according to claim 1,

wherein one of the first controller and the second controller which belongs to one of the mobile terminal and the image recording apparatus has information about a plurality of servers each as the server, and priorities are assigned respectively to the plurality of servers,

wherein the one of the first controller and the second controller which belongs to the one of the mobile terminal and the image recording apparatus is configured to transmit first inquiry information to the other of the mobile terminal and the image recording apparatus through the first wireless communication, and the first inquiry information is information for inquiring whether communication between one server assigned the highest priority among the plurality of servers and the other of the mobile terminal and the image recording apparatus is possible,

wherein the other of the first controller and the second controller which belongs to the other of the mobile terminal and the image recording apparatus is configured to, upon receiving the first inquiry information through the first wireless communication, transmit first response information to the one of the mobile terminal and the image recording apparatus through the first wireless communication, and the first response information is information indicating whether communication between the one server assigned the highest priority and the other of the mobile terminal and the Mage recording apparatus is possible, and

wherein the first controller of the mobile terminal is configured to transmit the object image data to the one server assigned the highest priority when the first response information indicates that the communication between the one server assigned the highest priority and the other of the mobile terminal and the image recording apparatus is possible.

7. The image recording system according to claim 6,

wherein the plurality of servers comprise:

a first server disposed in a LAN to which the image recording apparatus is connected, and communicable with the mobile terminal and the image recording apparatus; and

a second server disposed outside the LAN and communicable with the mobile terminal and the image recording apparatus, and

wherein the priority of the first server is higher than that of the second server.

8. The image recording system according to claim 1,

wherein the plurality of servers comprise:

a first server disposed in a LAN to which the image recording apparatus is connected, and communicable with the mobile terminal and the image recording apparatus; and

a second server disposed outside the LAN and communicable with the mobile terminal and the image recording apparatus,

wherein the first controller of the mobile terminal is configured to;

when the mobile terminal has received the apparatus-specific information about the image recording apparatus through the first wireless communication, transmit the object image data to the image recording apparatus through direct wireless communication, the direct wireless communication being established as the second wireless communication to transfer information directly between the mobile terminal and the image recording apparatus; and

when the mobile terminal has received the non-communication information through the first wireless communication, transmit the object image data to the first server through particular wireless communication different from the direct wireless communication, the particular wireless communication being established as the second wireless communication.

9. The image recording system according to claim 1,

wherein the plurality of servers comprise:

a first server disposed in a LAN to which the image recording apparatus is connected, and communicable with the mobile terminal and the image recording apparatus; and

a second server disposed outside the LAN and communicable with the mobile terminal and the image recording apparatus,

wherein the first controller of the mobile terminal is configured to;

when the mobile terminal has received the apparatus-specific information about the image recording apparatus through the first wireless communication, transmit the object image data to the image recording apparatus through direct wireless communication, the direct wireless communication being established as the second wireless communication to transfer information directly between the mobile terminal and the image recording apparatus; and

when the mobile terminal has received the non-communication information through the first wireless communication, transmit the object image data to the second server through the first alternative communication that differs from each of the first wireless communication and the second wireless communication.

10. The image recording system according to claim 1,

wherein the plurality of servers comprise:

a first server disposed in a LAN to which the image recording apparatus is connected, and communicable with the mobile terminal and the image recording apparatus; and

a second server disposed outside the LAN and communicable with the mobile terminal and the image recording apparatus,

wherein the first controller of the mobile terminal is configured to;

when the mobile terminal has received the apparatus-specific information about the image recording apparatus through the first wireless communication, transmit the object image data to the image recording apparatus through direct wireless communication, the direct wireless communication being established as the second wireless communication to transfer information directly between the mobile terminal and the image recording apparatus;

when the mobile terminal has received the non-communication information through the first wireless communication and when the image recording apparatus is communicable with the first server, transmit the object image data to the first server through wireless communication that uses the second wireless communication and differs from the direct wireless communication; and

when the mobile terminal has received the non-communication information through the first wireless communication and when the image recording apparatus is not communicable with the first server and is communicable with the second server, transmit the object image data to the second server through the first alternative communication that differs from each of the first wireless communication and the second wireless communication.

11. An image recording apparatus comprising:

a recording device configured to record an image on a recording medium based on image data;

a storage configured to store apparatus-specific information about the image recording apparatus;

a first communication device configured to perform first wireless communication that is established when a distance between a sender device and a receiver device is equal to or less than a communicable distance;

a second communication device configured to perform second wireless communication that is established based on device-specific information about a sender device and a receiver device and that is greater in communication speed than the first wireless communication; and

a controller configured to;

control the first communication device to perform the first wireless communication;

control the second communication device to perform the second wireless communication;

when the first communication device has received device-specific information about a mobile terminal that communicates with the image recording apparatus, determine whether the image recording apparatus is to communicate with the mobile terminal through the second wireless communication;

when the second controller has determined that the image recording apparatus is to communicate with the mobile terminal through the second wireless communication, after transmission of the apparatus-specific information about the image recording apparatus to the mobile terminal through the first wireless communication, receive object image data from the mobile terminal through the second wireless communication and control the recording device to record an image based on the object image data received from the mobile terminal; and

when the second controller has determined that the image recording apparatus is not to communicate with the mobile terminal through the second wireless communication, transmit, to the mobile terminal through the first wireless communication, non-communication information indicating that the image recording apparatus is not to communicate with the mobile terminal through the second wireless communication and after transmission of the non-communication information to the mobile terminal, receive the object image data from the server through one of the second wireless communication and alternative communication that differs from each of the first wireless communication and the second wireless communication and control the recording device to record an image based on the object image data received from the server.

12. A non-transitory storage medium storing a plurality of instructions executable by a computer of an image recording apparatus, the image recording apparatus comprising a recording device configured to record an image on a recording medium based on image data;

a storage configured to store apparatus-specific information about the image recording apparatus;

a first communication device configured to perform first wireless communication that is established when a distance between a sender device and a receiver device is equal to or less than a communicable distance; and

a second communication device configured to perform second wireless communication that is established based on device-specific information about a sender device and a receiver device and that is greater in communication speed than the first wireless communication,

the plurality of instructions, when executed by the computer, causing the image recording apparatus to;

control the first communication device to perform the first wireless communication;

control the second communication device to perform the second wireless communication;

when the image recording apparatus has received device-specific information about a mobile terminal that communicates with the image recording apparatus, determine whether the image recording apparatus is to communicate with the mobile terminal through the second wireless communication;

when the image recording apparatus has determined that the image recording apparatus is to communicate with the mobile terminal through the second wireless communication, transmit the apparatus-specific information about the image recording apparatus to the mobile terminal through the first wireless communication and after transmission of the apparatus-specific information about the image recording apparatus to the mobile terminal, receive object image data from the mobile terminal through the second wireless communication and control the recording device to record an image based on the object image data received from the mobile terminal; and

when the image recording apparatus has determined that the image recording apparatus is not to communicate with the mobile terminal through the second wireless communication, transmit, to the mobile terminal through the first wireless communication, non-communication information indicating that the image recording apparatus is not to communicate with the mobile terminal through the second wireless communication and after transmission of the non-communication information to the mobile terminal, receive the object image data from the server through one of the second wireless communication and alternative communication that differs from each of the first wireless communication and the second wireless communication and control the recording device to record an image based on the object image data received from the server.

13. A mobile terminal comprising:

a first storage configured to store one or more sets of image data;

a second storage configured to store device-specific information about the mobile terminal;

a first communication device configured to perform first wireless communication that is established when a distance between a sender device and a receiver device is equal to or less than a communicable distance;

a second communication device configured to perform second wireless communication that is established based on device-specific information about a sender device and a receiver device and that is greater in communication speed than the first wireless communication; and

a controller configured to;

control the first communication device to perform the first wireless communication;

control the second communication device to perform the second wireless communication;

select at least one set of image data from among the one or more sets of image data stored in the first storage, as object image data based on which an image is to be recorded on a recording medium;

transmit the device-specific information about the mobile terminal which is stored in the second storage, to an image recording apparatus through the first wireless communication;

when the mobile terminal has received the apparatus-specific information about the image recording apparatus from the image recording apparatus through the first wireless communication, transmit the object image data to the image recording apparatus through the second wireless communication; and

when the mobile terminal has received, from the image recording apparatus through the first wireless communication, non-communication information indicating that communication between the image recording apparatus and the mobile terminal is not to be performed through the second wireless communication, transmit the object image data to a server communicable with the image recording apparatus, through one of the second wireless communication and alternative communication that differs from each of the first wireless communication and the second wireless communication.

14. A non-transitory storage medium storing a plurality of instructions executable by a computer of a mobile terminal, the mobile terminal comprising:

a first storage configured to store one or more sets of image data;

a second storage configured to store device-specific information about the mobile terminal;

a first communication device configured to perform first wireless communication that is established when a distance between a sender device and a receiver device is equal to or less than a communicable distance; and

a second communication device configured to perform second wireless communication that is established based on device-specific information about a sender device and a receiver device and that is greater in communication speed than the first wireless communication,

the plurality of instructions, when executed by the computer, causing the mobile terminal to;

control the first communication device to perform the first wireless communication;

control the second communication device to perform the second wireless communication;

select at least one set of image data from among the one or more sets of image data stored in the first storage, as object image data based on which an image is to be recorded on a recording medium;

transmit the device-specific information about the mobile terminal which is stored in the second storage, to an image recording apparatus through the first wireless communication;

when the mobile terminal has received the apparatus-specific information about the image recording apparatus from the image recording apparatus through the first wireless communication, transmit the object image data to the image recording apparatus through the second wireless communication; and

when the mobile terminal has received, from the image recording apparatus through the first wireless communication, non-communication information indicating that communication between the image recording apparatus and the mobile terminal is not to be performed through the second wireless communication, transmit the object image data to a server communicable with the image recording apparatus, through one of the second wireless communication and alternative communication that differs from each of the first wireless communication and the second wireless communication.