Imaging apparatus, system having imaging apparatus and printing apparatus, and control method therefor

• US 7,224,480 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2002
• Issued: 05/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Tatsuya, Ogiwara, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Poon; King Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): EBRAHIMI DEHKORDY, SAEID
• Application Number:
  US10/281,184
• Publication Number:
  US 20030081251A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,674 Days
• Field of Search: 35/11.5, 35/11.6, 354/01, 355/00, 399/66, 399/407, 399/227, 400/62, 709228-229
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00278 with a printing apparatus, e.g. a laser beam printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0015 Control of image communication with the connected apparatus, e.g. signalling capability
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0027 Adapting to communicate with plural different types of apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0044 Connecting to a plurality of different apparatus; Using a plurality of different connectors connection via a network H04N2201/0039
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0049 By wire, cable or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0093 Facsimile machine H04N2201/0094 takes precedence

Abstract

An imaging apparatus capable of outputting a sensed image to a printing apparatus issues a print request command containing a parameter for designating a print mode to a PD printer apparatus connected via an interface. The imaging apparatus transmits image data corresponding to the print mode on the basis of a data request from the PD printer apparatus. The imaging apparatus transmits, to the PD printer apparatus, the print request command in which the parameter is changed to invalid data, thereby designating printing of the transmitted image data.

Claims

1. A system having an imaging apparatus which outputs a sensed image and a printing apparatus connected to the imaging apparatus via an interface,

the imaging apparatus comprising:

issuing means for issuing a print request command containing a parameter for designating a print mode to the printing apparatus connected to the imaging apparatus via the interface;

transmission means for transmitting image data corresponding to the print mode; and

means for transmitting, to the printing apparatus, the print request command in which the parameter for designating the print mode is changed to invalid data to instruct printing of the image data transmitted by the transmission means, and

the printing apparatus comprising;

data request means for transmitting a data request to the imaging apparatus in accordance with the print request command;

reception means for receiving the image data transmitted from the imaging apparatus in accordance with the data request from said data request means; and

print control means for printing the image data in accordance with reception of the image data by said reception means and the print mode, and so controlling the printing apparatus so as to print unprinted image data in response to receiving the print request command in which the parameter is changed to invalid data.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the parameter includes information about at least one of a type of print medium used for printing by the printing apparatus, the size of the print medium, index printing, the presence/absence of trimming, and the presence/absence of a date.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the invalid data includes NULL data.

4. An imaging apparatus capable of outputting a sensed image to a printing apparatus, comprising:

issuing means for issuing a print request command containing a parameter for designating a print mode to the printing apparatus connected to the imaging apparatus via an interface;

transmission means for transmitting image data on the basis of a data request from the printing apparatus; and

means for transmitting, after the print request command containing a valid parameter for designating the print mode is transmitted to the printing apparatus, the print request command in which the parameter is changed to invalid data, in order to designate the start of printing of unprinted image data that is transmitted by said transmission means, in a case that printing of the image data transmitted by said transmission means is designated.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the parameter includes information about at least one of a type of print medium used for printing by the printing apparatus, the size of the print medium, the presence/absence of trimming, and the presence/absence of date.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the print request command in which the parameter is changed to invalid data designates the start of printing of unprinted image data transmitted by said transmission means, in a case a plurality of items of image data are arranged in one printing sheet and printed on the one printing sheet and the number of items of image data transmitted by said transmission means does not reach the number of items of image data that are to be printed in one printing sheet.

7. A control method of an imaging apparatus capable of outputting a sensed image to a printing apparatus, the method comprising:

an issuing step of issuing a print request command containing a parameter for designating a print mode to the printing apparatus connected to the imaging apparatus via an interface;

a transmission step of transmitting image data on the basis of a data request from the printing apparatus; and

a step of transmitting, after the print request command containing a valid parameter for designating the print mode is transmitted to the printing apparatus, the print request command in which the parameter is changed to invalid data in order to designate the start of printing of unprinted image data that is transmitted in said transmission step, in a case that printing of the image data transmitted in said transmission step is designated.

8. A computer-readable storage medium which stores a program which executes the control method defined in claim 7.

9. A computer-medium program which is stored on a computer readable storage medium and which executes the control method defined in claim 7.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the parameter includes information about at least one of a type of print medium used for printing by the printing apparatus, the size of the print medium, the presence/absence of trimming, and the presence/absence of date.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein the print request command in which the parameter is changed to invalid data designates the start of printing of unprinted image data transmitted in said transmission step, in a case a plurality of items of image data are arranged in one printing sheet and printed on the one printing sheet and the number of items of image data transmitted in said transmission step does not reach the number of items of image data that are to be printed in one printing sheet.

12. A printing apparatus connected via an interface to an imaging apparatus for outputting a sensed image, comprising:

data request means for transmitting a data request to the imaging apparatus in accordance with a print request command;

reception means for receiving image data transmitted from the imaging apparatus in accordance with the data request from said data request means; and

print control means for printing image data received by said reception means, in a case that the number of items of image data received by said reception means has reached a defined number of image data corresponding to the print mode that is designated by a valid parameter of the print request command, and controlling said printing apparatus so as to print unprinted image data received by said reception means, in response to the print request command in which the parameter is changed to invalid data.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein in a case that a valid parameter of the print request command designates a print mode in which a plurality of items of image data are arranged in one printing sheet and printed on the one printing sheet, said print control means prints unprinted image data received by said reception means in response to the print request command in which the parameter is changed to invalid data, even if the number of items of image data received by said reception means does not reach the number of items of image data that are to be printed in one printing sheet.

14. A control method of a printing apparatus connected via an interface to an imaging apparatus for outputting a sensed image, the method comprising:

a data request step of transmitting a data request to the imaging apparatus in accordance with a print request command;

a reception step of receiving image data transmitted from the imaging apparatus in accordance with the data request from said data request means; and

a print control step of printing image data received in said reception step, in a case that the number of items of image data received in said reception step has reached a defined number of image data corresponding to the print mode that is designated by a valid parameter of the print request command, and controlling the printing apparatus so as to print unprinted image data received in said reception step, in response to the print request command in which a parameter is changed to invalid data.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein in a case that a valid parameter of the print request command designates a print mode in which a plurality of items of image data are arranged in one printing sheet and printed on the one printing sheet, in said print control step, unprinted image data received by said reception means is printed in response to the print request command in which the parameter is changed to invalid data, even if the number of items of image data received in said reception step does not reach the number of items of image data that are to be printed in one printing sheet.

16. A computer-readable storage medium which stores a program which executes the control method defined in claim 14.

17. A computer readable program which is stored on a computer readable storage medium and which executes the control method defined in claim 14.