PRINT APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD

• US 20200137242A1
• Filed: 01/02/2020
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Maeda, Masao, Saito, Ryohei
• Granted Patent: US 11,283,947 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 3/1207 resulting in the user being informed about print result after a job submission
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1222 Increasing security of the print job
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1231 Device related settings, e.g. IP address, Name, Identification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1236 Connection management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1238 Secure printing, e.g. user identification, user rights for device usage, unallowed content, blanking portions or fields of a page, releasing held jobs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1259 Print job monitoring, e.g. job status
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1268 Job submission, e.g. submitting print job order or request not the print data itself
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1292 Mobile client, e.g. wireless printing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00477 Indicating status, e.g. of a job for control or supervision between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N2201/3219
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00488 providing an audible output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points

Abstract

A print apparatus registers information of the print apparatus in a server via an external access point based on an instruction provided via an operation screen of the print apparatus, obtains print data when an audio control device receives a print instruction by audio so that the server generates the print data, and executes a print process based on the obtained print data.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. A system comprising a print apparatus and a server system,

wherein the print apparatus comprises:

a wireless communication interface configured to perform wireless communication with an external access point to which an audio control device communicates;

at least one memory storing a program;

at least one processor that when executing the program causes the print apparatus to;

transmit state information about a state of the print apparatus to the server system via the external access point,

wherein the server system comprises;

at least one memory storing a program;

at least one processor that when executing the program causes the server system to;

generate a response based on the state information transmitted from the print apparatus in a case where the audio control device receives an inquiry about the state of the print apparatus by user'"'"'s voice,

wherein the state of the print apparatus corresponding to the generated response is notified by the audio control device by audio.

3. The system according to claim 2,

wherein the audio control device communicates to the external access point based on information on the external access point transmitted from a terminal apparatus via a wireless communication in accordance with Bluetooth, and

wherein the wireless communication interface of the print apparatus communicates to the external access point to which the audio control device communicates based on the information on the external access point transmitted from the terminal apparatus.

4. The system according to claim 2,

wherein, in a case where the audio control device receives an inquiry about the state of the print apparatus by user'"'"'s voice, the server system transmits an instruction for checking the state of the print apparatus to the print apparatus, and

wherein, based on receiving the instruction, the print apparatus transmits the state information of the print apparatus to the server system.

5. The system according to claim 2, wherein an amount of a recording material left in the print apparatus is notified as the state of the print apparatus by audio.

6. The system according to claim 2, wherein an amount of paper left in the print apparatus is notified as the state of the print apparatus by audio.

7. The system according to claim 2, wherein, in a case where the audio control device receives a print instruction by user'"'"'s voice, the server system generates print data.

8. A method comprising:

performing wireless communication with an external access point to which an audio control device communicates;

transmitting state information about a state of a print apparatus to a server system via an external access point,

generating a response based on the state information transmitted from the print apparatus in a case where the audio control device receives an inquiry about the state of the print apparatus by user'"'"'s voice,

wherein the state of the print apparatus corresponding to the generated response is notified by the audio control device by audio.

9. The method according to claim 8,

wherein the audio control device communicates to the external access point based on information on the external access point transmitted from a terminal apparatus via a wireless communication in accordance with Bluetooth, and

wherein the wireless communication interface of the print apparatus communicates to the external access point to which the audio control device communicates based on the information on the external access point transmitted from the terminal apparatus.

10. The method according to claim 8,

wherein, in a case where the audio control device receives an inquiry about the state of the print apparatus by user'"'"'s voice, the server system transmits an instruction for checking the state of the print apparatus to the print apparatus, and

wherein, based on receiving the instruction, the print apparatus transmits the state information of the print apparatus to the server system.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein an amount of a recording material left in the print apparatus is notified as the state of the print apparatus by audio.

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein an amount of paper left in the print apparatus is notified as the state of the print apparatus by audio.

13. The system according to claim 8, wherein, in a case where the audio control device receives a print instruction by user'"'"'s voice, the server system generates print data.

14. A server system comprising:

at least one memory storing a program;

at least one processor that when executing the program causes the server system to;

acquire state information about a state of a print apparatus in a case where an audio control device receives an inquiry about the state of the print apparatus by user'"'"'s voice; and

generate a response based on the acquired state information,

wherein the state of the print apparatus corresponding to the generated response is notified by the audio control device by audio.

15. The server system according to claim 14,

wherein, in a case where the audio control device receives an inquiry about the state of the print apparatus by user'"'"'s voice, an instruction for checking the state of the print apparatus is transmitted to the print apparatus, and

wherein, based on receiving the instruction, the print apparatus transmits the state information of the print apparatus to the server system.

16. The server system according to claim 14,

wherein an amount of a recording material left in the print apparatus is notified as the state of the print apparatus by audio.

17. The server system according to claim 14,

wherein an amount of paper left in the print apparatus is notified as the state of the print apparatus by audio.

18. The server system according to claim 14,

wherein, in a case where the audio control device receives a print instruction by user'"'"'s voice, print data is generated.