OUTPUT SYSTEM, TERMINAL APPARATUS, AND OUTPUT METHOD

• US 20170039014A1
• Filed: 04/24/2015
• Published: 02/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: MORI, Shinya
• Application Number:
  US15/305,113
• Publication Number:
  US 20170039014A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1205 resulting in increased flexibility in print job configuration, e.g. job settings, print requirements, job tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1254 Automatic configuration, e.g. by driver
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1255 Settings incompatibility, e.g. constraints, user requirements vs. device capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1263 based on job priority, e.g. re-arranging the order of jobs, e.g. the printing sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1288 in client-server-printer device configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00344 with a management, maintenance, service or repair apparatus monitoring H04N1/00002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00347 with another still picture apparatus, e.g. hybrid still picture apparatus circuits or arrangements for control or supervision between image input and image output device H04N1/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

An output system includes a first output data generation unit that generates, upon receipt of an output request of target output data, first output data based on the target output data, the first output data having a value of a first output setting item set up by a user when inputting the output request; a second output data generation unit that generates second output data based on the first output data, the second output data having a value of a second output setting item when outputting to output apparatuses; and an output control unit that determines the value of the second output setting item based on priority information which defines a higher priority between the value of the first output setting item and a value of a third output setting item which is set up for the output apparatuses in the second output data generation unit.

Claims

1. An output system in which a terminal apparatus and one or more output apparatuses are connected via a network, comprising:

a first output data generation unit that generates, upon receipt of an output request of target output data, first output data based on the target output data, the first output data having a value of a first output setting item set up by a user when inputting the output request;

a second output data generation unit that generates second output data based on the first output data, the second output data having a value of a second output setting item when outputting to the output apparatuses, and outputs the second output data to the output apparatuses; and

an output control unit that determines the value of the second output setting item based on priority information which defines a higher priority between the value of the first output setting item and a value of a third output setting item which is set up for the output apparatuses in the second output data generation unit.

2. The output system according to claim 1, wherein the output control unit gives a higher priority to the value of the third output setting item than to the value of the first output setting item, as the value of the second output setting item, when the third output setting item has priority over the first output setting item according to the priority information, and gives a higher priority to the value of the first output setting item than to the value of the third output setting item, as the value of the second output setting item, when the first output setting item has priority over the third output setting item according to the priority information.

3. The output system according to claim 1, further comprising a setting information holding unit that stores a rule for controlling the outputting of the second output data,

wherein the output control unit determines one of the output apparatuses as an output destination based on the rule, determines the value of the second output setting item by determining a higher priority between the value of the first output setting item and the value of the third output setting item which is set up for the one of the output apparatuses in the second output data generation unit, and causes the second output data generation unit to output the second output data.

4. The output system according to claim 3, wherein, when the output destination is an information processing apparatus in which the second output data is registered, the output control unit sends a request of registration of the second output data in the information processing apparatus to an output data registration unit, and the output data registration unit registers the second output data in the information processing apparatus in response to receiving the request.

5. The output system according to claim 3, wherein the rule specifies a value of an output setting item associated with a condition depending on whether the condition is met, and, when the rule is applied, the output control unit determines a higher priority of the value of the output setting item specified by the rule over the value of the first output setting item and the value of the third output setting item.

6. The output system according to claim 1, wherein the first output data generation unit is a virtual device driver and the second output data generation unit is a real device driver.

7. The output system according to claim 6, wherein the first output data generation unit is a virtual printer driver and the second output data generation unit is a real printer driver.

8. A terminal apparatus which is connected to one or more output apparatuses via a network, comprising:

a first output data generation unit that generates, upon receipt of an output request of target output data, first output data based on the target output data, the first output data having a value of a first output setting item set up by a user when inputting the output request;

a second output data generation unit that generates second output data based on the first output data, the second output data having a value of a second output setting item when outputting to the output apparatuses, and outputs the second output data to the output apparatuses; and

an output control unit that determines the value of the second output setting item based on priority information which defines a higher priority between the value of the first output setting item and a value of a third output setting item which is set up for the output apparatuses in the second output data generation unit.

9. An output method performed by an output system in which a terminal apparatus and one or more output apparatuses are connected via a network, the output method comprising:

a first output data generation step of generating, upon receipt of an output request of target output data, first output data based on the target output data, the first output data having a value of a first output setting item set up by a user when inputting the output request;

a second output data generation step of generating second output data based on the first output data, the second output data having a value of a second output setting item when outputting to the output apparatuses, and outputting the second output data to the output apparatuses; and

an output control step of determining the value of the second output setting item based on priority information which defines a higher priority between the value of the first output setting item and a value of a third output setting item which is set up for the output apparatuses in the second output data generation step.

10. The output method according to claim 9, wherein the output control step includes giving a higher priority to the value of the third output setting item than to the value of the first output setting item, as the value of the second output setting item, when the third output setting item has priority over the first output setting item according to the priority information, and giving a higher priority to the value of the first output setting item than to the value of the third output setting item, as the value of the second output setting item, when the first output setting item has priority over the third output setting item according to the priority information.

11. The output method according to claim 9, further comprising a setting information holding step of storing a rule for controlling the outputting of the second output data,

wherein the output control step includes determining one of the output apparatuses as an output destination based on the rule, determining the value of the second output setting item by determining a higher priority between the value of the first output setting item and the value of the third output setting item which is set up for the one of the output apparatuses in the second output data generation step, and outputting the second output data.

12. The output method according to claim 11, wherein, when the output destination is an information processing apparatus in which the second output data is registered, the output control step includes sending a request of registration of the second output data in the information processing apparatus to an output data registration unit, and the output data registration unit registers the second output data in the information processing apparatus in response to receiving the request.

13. The output method according to claim 11, wherein the rule specifies a value of an output setting item associated with a condition depending on whether the condition is met, and, when the rule is applied, the output control step includes determining a higher priority of the value of the output setting item specified by the rule over the value of the first output setting item and the value of the third output setting item.

14. The output method according to claim 9, wherein the first output data generation step is performed by a virtual device driver and the second output data generation step is performed by a real device driver.

15. The output method according to claim 14, wherein the first output data generation step is performed by a virtual printer driver and the second output data generation step is performed by a real printer driver.