Network print system, and information processing apparatus and its control method

• US 6,862,103 B1
• Filed: 01/28/2000
• Issued: 03/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Matsushita, Takashi, Ueda, Akira, Miura, Kiyotaka, Tamura, Masaki, Tsukui, Yasuyuki, Tsukada, Tsunehiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Evans, Arthur G.
• Application Number:
  US09/493,122
• Time in Patent Office: 1,859 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.1, 358/1.15, 358/1.16, 358/1.18, 358/540, 358/450, 358/462, 715/505, 715/507, 715/508, 715/522, 709/203
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

There is disclosed a network print system which aims at printing high-quality image data of, e.g., a form or the like generated using a Web browser. When a form image is displayed on a Web browser of a client, and its print process is instructed, the instruction is sent to a server. The server searches a form template storage unit for an appropriate template, merges it with data by an image generation unit, converts the merged data into PDL data by a print output unit, and prints the converted data as a high-quality image from a printer.

Claims

1. A network print system which connects a server and client,

said client comprising instruction means for displaying an image which is received from said server, and variable data of which is described in a display format, and instructing a print process of displayed data, and

said server comprising:

storage means for storing template data;

means for reading out template data from said storage means based on an instruction from said client and data sent to said client;

generation means for generating print data by merging the readout template data and variable data displayed on said client; and

output means for controlling a printer to print the print data.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of servers equivalent to said server are provided, and the system further comprises load distribution means for determining one of the plurality of servers to which a process corresponding to the instruction is assigned, upon receiving the instruction from said instruction means of said client.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein said load distribution means assigns the process corresponding to the instruction to one of the plurality of servers in an order registered in advance.

4. The system according to claim 2, wherein said load distribution means assigns the process corresponding to the instruction to one of the plurality of servers, which has a fewest number of incomplete processes.

5. The system according to claim 2, wherein said load distribution means further comprises holding means for holding states of the plurality of servers, updates contents of said holding means in accordance with the states of the servers, and does not assign the process corresponding to the instruction to the server which is determined not ready to use with reference to the contents of said holding means.

6. The system according to claim 2, wherein when each of the servers is ready to use, the server sends a ready message to said load distribution means, and said load distribution means updates, upon receiving the message, the contents of said holding means to indicate that the server that sent the ready message is ready to use.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said client further comprises means for designating whether a printer of said client or said server is used as the printer together with a print instruction, and said output means prints out the generated print data from said server or sends the print data to said client in accordance with the designation.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein said client further comprises means for designating whether a printer of said client or said server is used as the printer together with a print instruction, and said output means prints out the generated print data from said server or sends the print data to said client in accordance with the designation.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein said client further comprises a plurality of printers for printing out data, and means for selecting one of said plurality of printers, which is suitable for the print data received from said server, and outputs received print data using the selected printer upon receiving the print data from said server.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein said client further comprises display instruction means for sending a display instruction of desired data to said server, and said server further comprises means for editing said desired data into a display format and sending the edited data to said client upon receiving the display instruction.

11. The system according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of load distribution means equivalent to said load distribution means are provided, and said client selects a desired one of said plurality of load distribution means and issues an instruction by said instruction means.

12. An information processing apparatus connected to a client, comprising:

an image generation unit having;

storage means for storing template data;

means for reading out template data from said storage means in response to an instruction from the client and data sent to the client;

generation means for generating print data by merging the readout template data and variable data displayed on the client; and

output means for controlling a printer to print the print data.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein a plurality of image generation units equivalent to said image generation unit are provided, and the apparatus further comprises load distribution means for determining, upon receiving the instruction from the client, one of the plurality of image generation units to which a process corresponding to an instruction is assigned.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said load distribution means assigns the process corresponding to the instruction to one of the plurality of image generation units in an order registered in advance.

15. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said load distribution means assigns the process corresponding to the instruction to one of the plurality of image generation units, which has a fewest number of incomplete processes.

16. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said load distribution means further comprises holding means for holding states of the plurality of image generation units, updates contents of said holding means in accordance with the states of the image generation units, and does not assign the process corresponding to the instruction to the image generation unit which is determined not ready to use with reference to the contents of said holding means.

17. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein when each of the image generation units is ready to use, the image generation unit sends a ready message to said load distribution means, and said load distribution means updates, upon receiving the message, the contents of said holding means to indicate that the image generation unit that sent the ready message is ready to use.

18. A method of controlling an information processing apparatus connected to a client, comprising:

the read-out step of reading out template data from storage means in response to an instruction from the client and data sent to the client;

the generation step of generating print data by merging the readout template data and variable data displayed on the client; and

the output step of making a printer print the print data.

19. A method of controlling a network print system including:

a client having instruction means for displaying an image which is received from said server, and variable data of which is described in a display format, and instructing a print process of displayed data; and

a plurality of servers each having storage means for storing template data, means for reading out template data from said storage means in response to an instruction from said client and data sent to said client, generation means for generating print data by merging the readout template data and variable data displayed on said client, and output means for controlling a printer to print the print data, said method comprising;

the load distribution step of determining one of said plurality of servers to which a process corresponding to the instruction is assigned, upon receiving the instruction from said instruction means of said client.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the load distribution step includes the step of assigning the process corresponding to the instruction to one of said plurality of servers in an order registered in advance.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein the load distribution step includes the step of assigning the process corresponding to the instruction to one of said plurality of servers, which has a fewest number of incomplete processes.

22. The method according to claim 19, wherein the load distribution step includes the step of holding states of said plurality of servers, updating held contents in accordance with the states of the servers, and not assigning the process corresponding to the instruction to the server which is determined not ready to use with reference to the held contents.

23. The method according to claim 19, wherein the load distribution step includes the step of receiving a message when each of the servers is ready to use, and updating, upon receiving the message, the held contents to indicate that the server that sent the ready message is ready to use.

24. A storage medium which stores a program for making a computer connected to a client function as:

means for reading out template data from storage means in response to an instruction from the client and data sent to the client;

generation means for generating print data by merging the readout template data and variable data displayed on the client; and

output means for controlling a printer to print the print data.

25. A storage medium which stores a program for making a computer, which is connected to:

a client having instruction means for displaying an image which is received from said server, and variable data of which is described in a display format, and instructing a print process of displayed data; and

a plurality of servers each having storage means for storing template data, means for reading out template data from said storage means in response to an instruction from said client and data sent to said client, generation means for generating print data by merging the readout template data and variable data displayed on said client, and output means for controlling a printer to print the print data, function as;

load distribution means for determining one of said plurality of servers to which a process corresponding to the instruction is assigned, upon receiving the instruction from said instruction means of said client.

26. The medium according to claim 25, wherein said load distribution means assigns the process corresponding to the instruction to one of the plurality of servers in an order registered in advance.

27. The medium according to claim 25, wherein said load distribution means assigns the process corresponding to the instruction to one of the plurality of servers, which has a fewest number of incomplete processes.

28. The system according to claim 25, wherein said load distribution means holds states of the plurality of servers, updates held contents in accordance with the states of the servers, and does not assign the process corresponding to the instruction to the server which is determined not ready to use with reference to the held contents.

29. The medium according to claim 25, wherein said load distribution means receives a message when each of the servers is ready to use, and updates, upon receiving the message, the held contents to indicate that the server that sent the ready message is ready to use.