Print system and information processing apparatus

• US 20020176112A1
• Filed: 05/14/2002
• Published: 11/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Miura, Kiyotaka
• Granted Patent: US 6,988,243 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.18
• 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 3/1257 by using pre-stored settings, e.g. job templates, presets, print styles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1287 via internet
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1288 in client-server-printer device configuration

Abstract

It is desirable for a user to perform optimum printing business in an environment of a print system used by the user, without being conscious of a function of forming document printing data by a server and a function of forming the document printing data by a client. If software for the function of forming the document printing data by the client is installed in a terminal of the client operated by the user, document-form data and document data are distributed from the server to the client in order to use the function.

Claims

1. A print system consisting of a server and a client, said system comprising:

acquisition means for acquiring a template for generating print data corresponding to information displayed at the client, and data to be inserted in the template, in response to a request from the client;

generation means for generating the print data corresponding to the displayed information, based on the template and the data acquired by said acquisition means;

function acquisition means for acquiring information about a function of the client; and

determination means for determining whether the template and the data acquired by said acquisition means are to be transferred from the server to the client, or the print data generated by said generation means is to be transferred from the server to the client, in accordance with the information acquired by said function acquisition means.

2. A print system according to claim 1, wherein said function acquisition means acquires from the client, information indicating whether or not the client has a function of generating the print data based on the template and the data acquired by said acquisition means.

3. A print system according to claim 1, further comprising program transfer means for transferring from the server to the client a program for determining whether or not an external apparatus has a function of generating the print data based on the template and the data acquired by said acquisition means, wherein said function acquisition means acquires the function of the client from information included in the program transferred from said program transfer means.

4. A print system according to claim 1, further comprising transfer means for transferring from the server to the client one of the template and the data acquired by said acquisition means, and the print data generated by said generation means, based on a result of determination by said determination means.

5. A print system according to claim 1, wherein the template is a document form.

6. A print system according to claim 1, wherein the information is displayed by a Web browser based on display data transmitted from the server to the client, and wherein the request is transferred according to communication from the Web browser of the client to a Web server of the server.

7. A print system according to claim 6, wherein the display data transmitted from the server to the client is described by the HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language), and the Web browser and the Web server communicate with the HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol).

8. An information processing apparatus capable of communicating with an external apparatus, said information processing apparatus comprising:

acquisition means for acquiring a template for generating print data corresponding to information displayed at the external apparatus, and data to be inserted in the template, in response to a request from the external apparatus;

generation means for generating the print data corresponding to the displayed information, based on the template and the data acquired by said acquisition means;

function acquisition means for acquiring information about a function of the external apparatus; and

determination means for determining whether the template and the data acquired by said acquisition means are to be transferred to the external apparatus, or the print data generated by said generation means is to be transferred to the external apparatus, in accordance with the information acquired by said function acquisition means.

9. An information processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said function acquisition means acquires from the external apparatus, information indicating whether or not the external apparatus has a function of generating the print data based on the template and the data acquired by said acquisition means.

10. An information processing apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising program transfer means for transferring to the external apparatus a program for determining whether or not the external apparatus has a function of generating the print data based on the template and the data acquired by said acquisition means, wherein said function acquisition means acquires the function of the external apparatus from information included in the program transferred from said program transfer means.

11. An information processing apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising transfer means for transferring to the external apparatus one of the template and the data acquired by said acquisition means, and the print data generated by said generation means, based on a result of determination by said determination means.

12. An information processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the template is a document form.

13. An information processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the information is displayed by a Web browser based on display data transmitted from the server to the external apparatus, and wherein the request is transferred according to communication from the Web browser of the external apparatus to a Web server of the server.

14. An information processing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the display data transmitted from the server to the external apparatus is described by the HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language), and the Web browser and the Web server communicate with the HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol).

16. A program according to claim 15, wherein in said function acquisition step, information indicating whether or not the external apparatus has a function of generating the print data based on the template and the data acquired in said acquisition step is acquired from the external apparatus.

17. A program according to claim 15, further comprising a program transfer step of transferring to the external apparatus a program for determining whether or not the external apparatus has a function of generating the print data based on the template and the data acquired in said acquisition step, wherein in said function acquisition step, the function of the external apparatus is acquired from information included in the program transferred in said program transfer step.

18. A program according to claim 15, further comprising transfer step of transferring to the external apparatus one of the template and the data acquired in said acquisition step, and the print data generated in said generation step, based on a result of determination in said determination step.

19. A program according to claim 15, wherein the template is a document form.

20. A program according to claim 15, wherein the information is displayed by a Web browser based on display data transmitted from the server to the external apparatus, and wherein the request is transferred according to communication from the Web browser of the external apparatus to a Web server of the server.

21. A program according to claim 20, wherein the display data transmitted from the server to the external apparatus is described by the HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language), and the Web browser and the Web server communicate with the HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol).

15. A program to be executed in an information processing apparatus capable of communicating with an external apparatus, said program comprising steps to be executed by a computer, said steps comprising:

an acquisition step of acquiring a template for generating print data corresponding to information displayed at the external apparatus, and data to be inserted in the template, in response to a request from the external apparatus;

a generation step of generating the print data corresponding to the displayed information, based on the template and the data acquired in said acquisition step;

a function acquisition step of acquiring information about a function of the external apparatus; and

a determination step of determining whether the template and the data acquired in said acquisition step are to be transferred to the external apparatus, or the print data generated in said generation step is to be transferred to the external apparatus, in accordance with the information acquired in said function acquisition step.

22. A storage medium capable of being read by a computer in which a program to be executed in an information processing apparatus capable of communicating with an external apparatus is stored comprising steps to be executed by a computer, said steps comprising:

an acquisition step of acquiring a template for generating print data corresponding to information displayed at the external apparatus, and data to be inserted in the template, in response to a request from the external apparatus;

a generation step of generating the print data corresponding to the displayed information, based on the template and the data acquired in said acquisition step;

a function acquisition step of acquiring information about a function of the external apparatus; and

a determination step of determining whether the template and the data acquired in the acquisition step are to be transferred to the external apparatus, or the print data generated in the generation step is to be transferred to the external apparatus, in accordance with the information acquired in said function acquisition step.

23. An information processing method in an information processing apparatus capable of communicating with an external apparatus, said method comprising steps to be executed by the information processing apparatus, said steps comprising:

an acquisition step of acquiring a template for generating print data corresponding to information displayed at the external apparatus, and data to be inserted in the template, in response to a request from the external apparatus;

a generation step of generating the print data corresponding to the displayed information, based on the template and the data acquired in said acquisition step;

a function acquisition step of acquiring information about a function of the external apparatus; and

a determination step of determining whether the template and the data acquired in said acquisition step are to be transferred to the external apparatus, or the print data generated in the generation step is to be transferred to the external apparatus, in accordance with the information acquired in said function acquisition step.