Print data transfer system, method of transferring print data, and computer program product to effect the method
First Claim
1. A print data transfer system comprising:
- a first computer;
a second computer connected to the first computer via a computer network; and
a printer which is connected to the second computer and prints contents represented by print data;
wherein the first computer comprises a first memory that stores the print data, a first transmission unit that executes transmission of the print data, an input device, a display device, and a first controller that controls operation of the first computer, the second computer comprises a second memory that stores user interface data, which is used to display a user interface for allowing a user to input print settings information for the printer, a second transmission unit that executes transmission of the user interface data, and a second controller that controls operation of the second computer, the first controller causes the first transmission unit to send an instruction for starting a transmission process of the print data to the second computer when receiving the instruction for starting the transmission process via the input device, the second controller reads the user interface data from the second memory and causes the second transmission unit to send the user interface data to the first computer when receiving the instruction for starting the transmission process via the second transmission unit, the first controller causes the display device to display the user interface for allowing the user to input print settings information based on the user interface data when receiving the user interface data via the first transmission unit, the first controller reads the print data from the first memory and causes the first transmission unit to send the print data and the print settings information, which is to be used in a printing process by the printer, to the second computer when receiving the print settings information and a transmission instruction of the print data via the input device, and the second controller causes the printer to print the contents represented by the print data according to the print settings information when receiving the print data and the print settings information via the second transmission unit.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In a receiver computer 100, a transmission controller 111 transmits user interface data 171 to a transmitter computer 200. In the transmitter computer 200, a display processing unit 213 causes a user interface for inputting print settings information to be displayed on the screen of a monitor 250, based on the transmitted user interface data 171. When the print settings information is input via an input device 240, a transmission controller 211 transmits color image data 271, color-correction source data 272, and the input print settings information to the receiver computer 100. In the receiver computer 100, a print processing unit 114 carries out a variety of processing operations with respect to color image data, based on the print settings information. A color correction element 118 in the print processing unit 114 carries out a color correction of the color image data using the color-correction source data 272 and color-correction destination data 172 read from a hard disk 170. A printer 180 prints a color image, which is expressed by the contents of the color-corrected color image data. This arrangement enables a printer connected to the receiver computer to print a color image based on the print data transmitted from the transmitter computer via a computer network, even if a printer driver exclusively provided for the printer has not been installed in the transmitter computer.
73 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A print data transfer system comprising:
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a first computer;
a second computer connected to the first computer via a computer network; and
a printer which is connected to the second computer and prints contents represented by print data;
whereinthe first computer comprises a first memory that stores the print data, a first transmission unit that executes transmission of the print data, an input device, a display device, and a first controller that controls operation of the first computer, the second computer comprises a second memory that stores user interface data, which is used to display a user interface for allowing a user to input print settings information for the printer, a second transmission unit that executes transmission of the user interface data, and a second controller that controls operation of the second computer, the first controller causes the first transmission unit to send an instruction for starting a transmission process of the print data to the second computer when receiving the instruction for starting the transmission process via the input device, the second controller reads the user interface data from the second memory and causes the second transmission unit to send the user interface data to the first computer when receiving the instruction for starting the transmission process via the second transmission unit, the first controller causes the display device to display the user interface for allowing the user to input print settings information based on the user interface data when receiving the user interface data via the first transmission unit, the first controller reads the print data from the first memory and causes the first transmission unit to send the print data and the print settings information, which is to be used in a printing process by the printer, to the second computer when receiving the print settings information and a transmission instruction of the print data via the input device, and the second controller causes the printer to print the contents represented by the print data according to the print settings information when receiving the print data and the print settings information via the second transmission unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
the first controller causes the display device to display an icon corresponding to either one of the second computer and the printer, and the instruction for starting the transmission process of the print data is input into the first computer by selecting the icon, which has been displayed by the display device, through an operation of the input device. -
4. A print data transfer system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the print data has a data structure that is independent of a control code structure of the printer.
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5. A print data transfer system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the printer is connected to the second computer via a computer network.
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6. A print data transfer system comprising:
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a first computer;
a second computer connected to the first computer via a computer network; and
a printer which is connected to the second computer and prints a color image, the first computer comprising;
a color image device;
a first memory that stores color image data, which is expressible in a first gamut reproducible by the color image device in a color space, and first color-correction data, which is to be used for converting the color image data expressible in the first gamut into another color image data expressible in a second gamut in the color space;
a first transmission unit that transmits and receives data; and
a first controller that controls operation of the first computer, the second computer comprising;
a second memory that stores second color-correction data, which is to be used for converting the color image data expressible in the second gamut into another color image data expressible in a third gamut reproducible by the printer in the color space;
a second transmission unit that transmits and receives data; and
a second controller that controls operation of the second computer, wherein the first controller reads the first color-correction data and the color image data expressible in the first gamut from the first memory and causes the first transmission unit to send the color image data expressible in the first gamut as print data together with the first color-correction data to the second computer, and the second controller reads the second color-correction data from the second memory, carries out a color correction with the first color-correction data and the second color-correction data to convert the color image data expressible in the first gamut into the color image data expressible in the third gamut, and causes the printer to print the color image based on the color-corrected color image data, when receiving the color image data expressible in the first gamut and the first color-correction data via the second transmission unit. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
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9. A print data transfer system comprising:
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a first computer;
a second computer connected to the first computer via a computer network; and
a printer which is connected to the second computer and prints a color image, the first computer comprising;
a color image device;
a first memory that stores color image data, which is expressible in a first gamut reproducible by the color image device in a color space, and first color-correction data, which is to be used for converting the color image data expressible in the first gamut into another color image data expressible in a second gamut in the color space;
a first transmission unit that transmits and receives data; and
a first controller that controls operation of the first computer, the second computer comprising;
a second memory that stores second color-correction data, which is to be used for converting the color image data expressible in the second gamut into another color image data expressible in a third gamut reproducible by the printer in the color space;
a second transmission unit that transmits and receives data; and
a second controller that controls operation of the second computer, wherein the first controller causes the first transmission unit to send a requirement for transfer of color-correction data to the second computer, the second controller reads the second color-correction data from the second memory and causes the second transmission unit to send the second color-correction data to the first computer, when receiving the requirement for transfer, the first controller reads the first color-correction data and the color image data expressible in the first gamut from the first memory, carries out a color correction with the first color-correction data and the second color-correction data to convert the color image data expressible in the first gamut into the color image data expressible in the third gamut, and causes the first transmission unit to send the color-corrected color image data as print data to the second computer, when receiving the second color-correction data via the first transmission unit, the second controller causes the printer to print the color image based on the color-corrected color image data, when receiving the color-corrected color image data via the second transmission unit. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A print data transfer system comprising:
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a first computer;
a second computer connected to the first computer via a computer network; and
a printer which is connected to the second computer and prints a color image, the first computer comprising;
a color image device;
a first memory that stores color image data, which is expressible in a first gamut reproducible by the color image device in a color space, and first color-correction data, which is to be used for converting the color image data expressible in the first gamut into another color image data expressible in a second gamut in the color space;
a first transmission unit that transmits and receives data; and
a first controller that controls operation of the first computer, the second computer comprising;
a second memory that stores second color-correction data, which is to be used for converting the color image data expressible in the second gamut into another color image data expressible in a third gamut reproducible by the printer in the color space;
a second transmission unit that transmits and receives data; and
a second controller that controls operation of the second computer, wherein the first controller reads the first color-correction data and the color image data expressible in the first gamut from the first memory, carries out a first color correction with the first color-correction data to convert the color image data expressible in the first gamut into the color image data expressible in the second gamut, and causes the first transmission unit to send the color image data after the first color correction as print data to the second computer, the second controller reads the second color-correction data from the second memory, carries out a second color correction with the second color-correction data to convert the color image data expressible in the second gamut after the first color correction into the color image data expressible in the third gamut, and causes the printer to print the color image based on the color image data after the second color correction, when receiving the color image data after the first color correction via the second transmission unit. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A method of transferring print data, which represents contents to be printed, from a first computer comprising at least a display device to a second computer, which is connected to a printer, via a computer network, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) causing the first computer to transmit an instruction for starting a transmission process to the second computer, when the first computer receives the instruction for starting the transmission process of the print data;
(b) causing the second computer to transmit user interface data, which is used to display a user interface for allowing a user to input print settings information for the printer, to the first computer, when the second computer receives the instruction for starting the transmission process;
(c) causing the display device to display the user interface for allowing the user to input print settings information based on the user interface data, when the first computer receives the user interface data;
(d) causing the first computer to transmit the print data and the print settings information, which is to be used in a printing process by the printer, to the second computer, when the first computer receives the print settings information and a transmission instruction of the print data; and
(e) causing the printer to print the contents represented by the print data according to the print settings information, when the second computer receives the print data and the print settings information.
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16. A method of transferring print data for printing a color image from a first computer comprising at least a color image device to a second computer, which is connected to a printer, via a computer network, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing color image data, which is expressible in a first gamut reproducible by the color image device in a color space, and first color-correction data, which is to be used for converting the color image data expressible in the first gamut into another color image data expressible in a second gamut in the color space, in the first computer, and providing second color-correction data, which is to be used for converting the color image data expressible in the second gamut into another color image data expressible in a third gamut reproducible by the printer in the color space, in the second computer;
(b) causing the first computer to transmit the color image data expressible in the first gamut as the print data together with the first color-correction data to the second computer;
(c) causing the second computer to carry out a color correction with the first color-correction data and the second color-correction data to convert the color image data expressible in the first gamut into the color image data expressible in the third gamut, when the second computer receives the color image data expressible in the first gamut and the first color-correction data; and
(d) causing the printer to print a color image based on the color-corrected color image data.
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17. A method of transferring print data for printing a color image from a first computer comprising at least a color image device to a second computer, which is connected to a printer, via a computer network, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing color image data, which is expressible in a first gamut reproducible by the color image device in a color space, and first color-correction data, which is to be used for converting the color image data expressible in the first gamut into another color image data expressible in a second gamut in the color space, in the first computer, and providing second color-correction data, which is to be used for converting the color image data expressible in the second gamut into another color image data expressible in a third gamut reproducible by the printer in the color space, in the second computer;
(b) causing the first computer to transmit a requirement for transfer of color-correction data to the second computer;
(c) causing the second computer to transmit the second color-correction data to the first computer, when the second computer receives the requirement for transfer;
(d) causing the first computer to carry out a color correction with the first color-correction data and the second color-correction data to convert the color image data expressible in the first gamut into the color image data expressible in the third gamut, when the first computer receives the second color-correction data;
(e) causing the first computer to transmit the color-corrected color image data as the print data to the second computer; and
(f) causing the printer to print a color image based on the color-corrected color image data, when the second computer receives the color-corrected color image data.
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18. A method of transferring print data for printing a color image from a first computer comprising at least a color image device to a second computer, which is connected to a printer, via a computer network, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing color image data, which is expressible in a first gamut reproducible by the color image device in a color space, and first color-correction data, which is to be used for converting the color image data expressible in the first gamut into another color image data expressible in a second gamut in the color space, in the first computer, and providing second color-correction data, which is to be used for converting the color image data expressible in the second gamut into another color image data expressible in a third gamut reproducible by the printer in the color space, in the second computer;
(b) causing the first computer to carry out a first color correction with the first color-correction data to convert the color image data expressible in the first gamut into the color image data expressible in the second gamut;
(c) causing the first computer to transmit the color image data after the first color correction as the print data to the second computer;
(d) causing the second computer to carry out a second color correction with the second color-correction data to convert the color image data expressible in the second gamut after the first color correction into the color image data expressible in the third gamut, when the second computer receives the color image data after the first color correction; and
(e) causing the printer to print a color image based on the color image data after the second color correction.
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19. A computer program product that causes a computer comprising at least a display device to transmit print data to a receiver, which is connected to a printer, via a computer network, the computer program product comprising:
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a computer readable medium;
a first program code unit that causes the computer to transmit an instruction for starting a transmission process of the print data to the receiver when the instruction for starting the transmission process is input;
a second program code unit that causes the computer to receive user interface data, which is used to display a user interface for allowing a user to input print settings information for the printer, when the user interface data is transmitted from the receiver, and that causes the display device to display the user interface for allowing a user to input print settings information based on the user interface data; and
a third program code unit that causes the computer to transmit the print data and the print settings information, which is to be used in a printing process by the printer, to the receiver when the print settings information and a transmission instruction of the print data are input, wherein each of the program code units is registered on the computer readable medium.
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20. A computer program product that causes a computer, which is connected to a printer, to receive print data transmitted from a transmitter comprising at least a display device via a computer network, the computer program product comprising:
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a computer readable medium;
a first program code unit that causes the computer to transmit user interface data, which is used to display a user interface for allowing a user to input print settings information for the printer, to the transmitter when the computer receives an instruction for starting a transmission process of the print data transmitted from the transmitter; and
a second program code unit that causes the computer to receive the print data and the print settings information, which is to be used in a printing process by the printer, when the print data and the print settings information are transmitted from the transmitter, and that causes the printer to print contents represented by the print data according to the print settings information, wherein each of the program code units is registered on the computer readable medium.
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Specification