JP2008186240A - Information notification device and information acquisition device - Google Patents

Abstract

Information can be transmitted on any communication medium.
When a request accepting unit PP3 accepts the above command via an infrared communication unit PP1 at step P01, a status acquisition unit PP4 inquires status information to each unit 31 via a system bus at step P02. The electronic data generation unit PP5 generates a status file SF describing the collected status information and stores it in the RAM 31c. In step P03, the status transmission unit PP6 transmits the status file SF to the mobile phone 50, and after the transmission, the status file SF is deleted from the RAM 31c.
[Selection] Figure 5

Description

  The present invention relates to an information notification device and an information acquisition device, and more particularly to an information notification device and an information acquisition device that input and output information via a predetermined communication means.

Recent mobile phones are equipped with a communication interface for performing infrared communication and Bluetooth (registered trademark of Bluetooth SIG), and output print data from the mobile phone to a printer using such a communication interface. Has been done. Also, a printer that transmits a status indicating the type and capability of the printer to the mobile phone in advance when receiving print data from the mobile phone has been proposed (see Patent Document 1, paragraphs 0031 to 0033).
According to this configuration, since the mobile phone can analyze the type and capability of the printer prior to transmission of the print data, the print data can be transmitted after being processed into a data suitable for the type and capability of the printer. it can. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a problem that print data that cannot be printed by the printer is wasted.
JP 2001-166896 A

However, depending on the communication interface, there is a case where a mechanism for requesting or transmitting the printer status information is not prepared. In such a case, there is a problem that the status information cannot be transmitted. Specifically, for example, a function (command) that can request printer status information via infrared communication or Bluetooth is not provided in a general-purpose OS (Operating System) API that operates on a mobile phone. Since it is general, there is a problem that it is difficult to prepare a mechanism for requesting status information from the printer via infrared communication or Bluetooth.
In order to solve the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide an information notification device and a status transmission program capable of transmitting information with a simple mechanism.

  In order to achieve the above object, the electronic file generation means generates an electronic file that can be communicated by a predetermined communication means, and stores information that cannot be communicated by the communication means in the electronic file. Then, the information transmission unit transmits the electronic file to the information acquisition device via the communication unit. Since the electronic file is communicable by the communication means (for example, a protocol for communicating the electronic file is prepared in the communication means), the information stored in the electronic file is used as the information acquisition device. Can be communicated to.

  Since the OS of the information acquisition device and the information notification device normally handles electronic data in units of electronic files, a mechanism for transferring the electronic file via the communication means is surely prepared. Can think. Therefore, the information can be transmitted without depending on the types of the communication means, the information acquisition device, and the information notification device. The electronic file only needs to be recognizable by at least the information acquisition device and the information notification device, and the file format is not particularly limited. For example, an XML file such as a plain text file (TXT) or a hypertext (HTML, XHTML) file, a CSV file, or the like can be generated, and the above information can be stored in other file formats.

  Since the electronic file need only be generated when necessary in the information notification device, the electronic file may be generated when an information request is received from the information acquisition device via the communication means. Since this information request means requesting transmission of the electronic file, it can be realized by a function (command) for acquiring the electronic file on the information acquisition apparatus side. The electronic file in which the information is stored can be acquired by attaching the electronic file and a parameter specifying the location thereof to a function (command) for acquiring the electronic file.

  Further, when generating the electronic file, it is desirable to generate the electronic file in the RAM. The information only needs to be stored in the electronic file only when there is an information request from the information acquisition device, and there is no need to always maintain the state in which the information is stored. Therefore, the electronic file can be generated in a volatile memory such as a RAM. Furthermore, if the electronic file is recorded in the RAM and the electronic file is transmitted and then deleted from the RAM, only the electronic file storing the latest information is stored in the RAM. Therefore, it is possible to prevent old information from being transmitted to the information acquisition device. In addition, since the RAM can be shared as a work area for various programs, the electronic file can be prevented from pressing the work areas of other programs.

  The communication unit may be any communication unit that can transfer the electronic file, and the present invention can be applied to various communication media. For example, by using a wireless signal as a communication medium, the information acquisition apparatus and the print medium can be remotely connected to reliably transmit the information. Furthermore, the present invention can also be applied to remote printing using an infrared signal as a communication medium. In the infrared signal, if the information is stored in the electronic file, the information can be transmitted to the information acquisition device. The technical idea of the present invention is specifically realized not only in the information notification device that executes the function of transmitting the information, but also in a program that realizes the function in cooperation with hardware such as the information notification device. It goes without saying that it is possible.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in the following order.
(1) Configuration of print billing system:
(2) Print accounting process:
(3) Modification:

(1) Configuration of Print Billing System FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a print billing system having a printer as an information notification device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, a print billing system 100 includes a content server (hereinafter abbreviated as a server) 10 in which a large number of contents (images, documents, etc.) are stored, a printer 30 (information notification device), a mobile phone 50 (information acquisition device), And an Internet In, a gateway G, and an antenna At for connecting them. The mobile phone 50 communicates wirelessly with the antenna At in a predetermined radio frequency band. The antenna At is connected to the Internet In via the gateway G, and can communicate with the server 10 that is also connected to the Internet In. The mobile phone 50 and the server 10 can communicate with each other. Both the mobile phone 50 and the printer 30 have an infrared interface (I / F) capable of infrared communication, and can communicate with each other. The antenna At and the mobile phone 50 can communicate with each other via a radio signal conforming to a radio telephone communication standard such as CDMA.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the content server. As shown in the figure, the server 10 includes a control unit 11 and an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) 12, and a WAN I / F 13 is connected thereto. The WAN I / F 13 is connected to the Internet In, and the server 10 communicates with an external device connected to the Internet In via the WAN I / F 13. The HDD 12 stores program data 12b such as a print charging program SP, an OS (Operating System) 12a, and various contents 12c. The control unit 11 includes a CPU 11a, a ROM 11b, and a RAM 11c. The CPU 11a executes the print accounting program SP on the OS while using the RAM 11b as a work area.

  The print billing program SP is composed of a print data distribution unit SP1 and a billing unit SP2. The print data distribution unit SP1 creates and transmits print data PD based on the content 12c requested to be distributed. The print data PD is an electronic file in which layout information, printing conditions, copyright management information, and the like are attached to the data of the content 12c itself. The content 12c only needs to be data that can finally be rendered into pixel data by the printer, and may be either vector data or image data. When the charging unit SP2 confirms that printing of the distributed print data PD has been completed, the accounting unit SP2 acquires a price commensurate with the print data PD, and executes a process for clearing the price.

  FIG. 3 shows a schematic configuration of the printer 30. As shown in the figure, the printer 30 includes a control unit 31, an operation unit 32, an infrared I / F 33, a nonvolatile memory 34, a control circuit 35a, an ink cartridge 35b, a print head unit 35c, an ASIC 36a, a head drive unit 36b, and an I / O. F37a, a carriage mechanism 37b, and a paper feed mechanism 37c are provided. The control unit 31 includes a CPU 31a, a ROM 31b, and a RAM 31c, and the CPU 31a controls the entire printer 30 using the RAM 31c as a work area according to an OS and a control program (status transmission program) PP (not shown) recorded in the ROM 31b. Further, the non-volatile memory 34 stores a printer ID that can uniquely identify the model and individual of the printer 30, and a cumulative number of sheets that are incremented by 1 each time printing on one printing sheet is completed. The units 31, 32, 33, 34, 35a, 36a, and 37a constituting the printer 30 are connected via a system bus so that they can communicate with each other.

  A carriage that reciprocates in the main scanning direction by the carriage mechanism 37b is provided with a cartridge holder on which each ink cartridge 35b is mounted, and a print head unit 35c that includes a print head. The head drive unit 36b receives the applied voltage data corresponding to the print data from the ASIC 36a, generates an applied voltage pattern to the piezo element, and causes the print head incorporating the element to eject ink droplets of four colors in dot units. . The carriage mechanism 37b and the paper feed mechanism 37c connected to the interface (I / F) 37a cause the print head unit 35c to perform main scanning, and sequentially feed sheet-like printing paper while performing page break operations as appropriate, thereby performing sub-scanning. To go.

  The printer 30 according to the present embodiment is an inkjet printer that discharges each ink of CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) from a print head to form ink dots on a print medium and prints the ink. Of course, an ink jet printer using other types of ink may be employed as the printer 30, and various ink sublimation printers, laser printers using toner ink, and the like may be employed as the printer 30. The infrared I / F 33 includes a light emitting diode that transmits infrared light and a photodiode that performs reception. For example, infrared communication standards such as IrDA 1.0 to 1.4, FIR, UFIR, and Ir-Simple can be used. Has been. In these communication standards, infrared rays are used as a communication medium for wireless communication, and the communicable distance is about 30 cm to 1 m. The operation unit 32 receives an operation input from the user using, for example, a plurality of operation buttons. In order to display a screen or the like for accepting various operation inputs, the operation unit 32 may be provided with a display unit such as a liquid crystal panel. The non-volatile memory 34 is a memory capable of recording, deleting, and rewriting data according to the control of the control unit 31. For example, a flash memory or an EEPROM can be used.

  The control program PP executed by the control unit 31 includes an infrared communication unit PP1, a print execution unit PP2, a request reception unit PP3, a status acquisition unit PP4, an electronic data generation unit PP5, and a status transmission unit PP6 as internal modules. The infrared communication unit PP1 demodulates various electronic files from the infrared signal received by the infrared I / F 33, and outputs them to the modules PP2 to PP4. Conversely, the electronic file input from each of the modules PP2 to PP4 is modulated into an infrared signal and output to the infrared I / F 33. In the infrared communication described above, an object transfer protocol (for example, OBEX (object exchange protocol) or the like) or a file transfer protocol (for example, FTP or the like) can be used as an upper layer protocol, and exchange is possible in the object transfer protocol. Electronic files can be sent and received as objects.

  The print execution unit PP2 acquires the print data PD as an electronic file from the infrared communication unit PP1, and executes a process for executing printing based on the print data PD. Specifically, the units 31, 32, 33, 34, 35a, 36a, and 37a are controlled based on the printing conditions attached to the print data PD, and the layout process / rendering process / color based on the main body of the print data. Conversion processing / halftone processing / microweave processing is sequentially executed to output a drive signal corresponding to the print image to each of the units 31, 32, 33, 34, 35a, 36a, and 37a. The print execution unit PP2 appropriately obtains status information from the units 31, 32, 33, 34, 35a, 36a, and 37a, and the units 31, 32, 33, 34, 35a, 36a, The control of 37a is executed.

  The request acceptance unit PP3 receives a status request from the infrared communication unit PP1, and sends the status request to the status acquisition unit PP4. The status acquisition unit PP4 inquires status information from each of the units 31, 32, 33, 34, 35a, 36a, and 37a via the system bus and collects status information. The electronic data generation unit PP5 acquires the status information collected by the status acquisition unit PP4 and converts the status information into an electronic file that can be transmitted by the infrared communication unit PP1.

  This electronic file is stored in the RAM 31c as a status file SF. For example, each status information is described as text in a file in the TXT format, HTML format, XML format or the like. The status transmission unit PP6 acquires the status file SF from the RAM 31c and sends the status file SF to the infrared communication unit PP1. As a result, the status file SF is transmitted to the outside via infrared rays. When the status file SF is transmitted, the status transmission unit PP6 deletes the status file SF from the RAM 31c.

  FIG. 4 shows a schematic configuration of the mobile phone 50. In the figure, a cellular phone 50 includes a non-volatile memory 51, a control unit 52, a wireless I / F 53 and an infrared I / F 54 connected to an antenna, a screen for receiving various operation inputs at the time of a call and a print instruction, etc. Is constituted by a liquid crystal display 55 for displaying the sound, an operation unit 56 for accepting an operation input from the user by an operation key, a speaker 57 for outputting sound, and a microphone 58 for inputting sound. The wireless I / F 53 demodulates an audio signal and a data signal from a radio signal input from the antenna, and modulates an audio signal and a data signal input from the microphone 58 and the control unit 52 into the radio signal. The infrared I / F 54 includes a light emitting diode that transmits infrared light and a photodiode that receives light, and an object transfer protocol and an infrared communication standard common to the printer 30 can be used.

  The control unit 52 includes a CPU 52b and a RAM 52c connected to the system bus 52a. The CPU 52b executes the print relay program CP read from the ROM 52c on an OS (not shown) while using the RAM 52c as a work area. A non-volatile memory 51 is connected to the controller 52, and a mobile phone ID 51 a that can uniquely identify the mobile phone 50 is stored in the memory 51. The CPU 52b executes the print relay program CP read from the ROM 52c on an OS (not shown) while using the RAM 52c as a work area. The print relay program CP is not limited to a native application on the OS, and may be executed on a virtual machine such as Java (registered trademark of Sun Microsystems). The print relay program CP includes a content specifying unit CP1, a print data receiving unit CP2, an infrared communication unit CP3, a status requesting unit CP4, a status analyzing unit CP5, a print data transmitting unit CP6, and a charging request unit CP7.

  The content designation unit CP1 uses a browser or the like to access the server 10 via the wireless I / F 53 and the Internet In, and performs processing for designating the content 12c desired to be printed to the server 10. The print data receiving unit CP2 receives print data PD for printing the content 12c designated via the wireless I / F 53 and the Internet In from the server 10, and stores it in the memory 51 or the RAM 52c. The infrared communication unit CP3 demodulates various electronic files from the infrared signal received by the infrared I / F 54, and outputs them to the modules CP1 to CP7. On the contrary, the electronic files input from the modules CP1 to CP7 are modulated into infrared signals and output to the infrared I / F 54. The status request unit CP4 generates a command for requesting status information from the printer 30, and outputs the command as a status request to the infrared communication unit CP3.

  The status analysis unit CP5 acquires the status file SF demodulated by the infrared communication unit CP3 and analyzes the status information described in the status file SF. If it is confirmed that there is no problem in the status information, the print data transmission unit CP6 outputs the print data PD received from the server 10 to the infrared communication unit CP3. As a result, the print data PD is received by the printer 30 by infrared rays. When the transmission of the print data PD is completed, the print data transmission unit CP6 deletes the print data PD from the memory 51 or the RAM 52c. When receiving the print completion notification transmitted as a file from the printer 30, the charging request unit CP7 transmits a charging request to the server 10 via the wireless I / F 53 and the Internet In.

(2) Print Billing Process FIG. 5 shows the overall flow of the print billing process. In the figure, the print billing process is performed between the server 10, the mobile phone 50 (information acquisition device), and the printer 30 (information notification device). At that time, the control unit included in the server 10, the mobile phone 50, and the printer 30. In 11, 31, 52, a print charging program SP, a print relay program CP, and a control program PP are executed. In step S01, the print data distribution unit SP1 executed by the server 10 generates a thumbnail of each content 12c, and transmits the list to the mobile phone 20 via wireless communication. On the other hand, in the mobile phone 20, the content specifying unit CP 1 is executed, and the content specifying unit CP 1 browses the list of thumbnails according to the operation of the operation unit 56. The content designation unit CP1 accepts designation of the content 12c purchased by the user in step C02, and the designation is transmitted to the server 10 by wireless communication.

  The print data distribution unit SP1 of the server 10 accepts the designation of the content 12c to be purchased in step S02 and creates print data PD for printing the content 12c on the HDD 12. Here, the print data PD includes, for example, layout information for designating a layout such as a frame, a background, and a margin, a print paper size, a paper type, a print resolution, and an ink type used in the content data for rendering the content 12c itself. This is an electronic file to which printing conditions, security information for limiting the printer 30 that can be printed, and the like are attached as a header or footer. When it is designated to print a plurality of sheets, content data and layout information for the number of sheets are transmitted. Further, it is desirable that the print data PD is generated in a dedicated file format and scrambled so that the content data is not expanded to an unspecified person even if the print data PD leaks outside.

  In step S04, the print data distribution unit SP1 transmits the print data PD from the server 10 to the mobile phone 50 by wireless communication. On the other hand, in the mobile phone 50, the print data receiving unit CP2 receives the print data PD in step C03 and stores it in the memory 51. When the reception of the print data PD is completed, the status request unit CP4 makes a status request (information request), assuming that status information needs to be acquired in step C04 (determination means). Specifically, a command for obtaining (get) the status file SF stored in the RAM 31c of the printer 30 via infrared communication is generated (requesting means).

  The path of the RAM 31c in the printer 30 is assigned by the OS executed by the printer 30, and a command for acquiring the status file SF can be generated by appending the path and the file name of the status file SF to the command. . The status request command is modulated into an infrared signal by the infrared communication unit CP3 and transmitted to the printer 30. Note that a command for obtaining an electronic file via infrared by specifying a file name and a path is a command that can be used in the OBEX standard.

  In step P01, the request receiving unit PP3 being executed in the printer 30 receives the command via the infrared communication unit PP1. Then, in step P02, the status acquisition unit PP4 regards the electronic file acquisition request as an information request for status information, and starts processing to generate an electronic file storing status information. Specifically, the status acquisition unit PP4 inquires status information to each of the units 31, 32, 33, 34, 35a, 36a, and 37a via the system bus. Although the status that can be inquired differs depending on the model of the printer 30, for example, the model name, serial number (printer ID), and cumulative number of sheets fed can be acquired from the ROM 31b and the non-volatile memory 34, and from the ink cartridge 35b. The presence / absence of ink and the remaining amount of ink can be acquired, and the size of the set printing paper, the number of paper sheets, the paper type (glossy paper or plain paper, etc.), the presence or absence of paper jam, etc. are obtained from the paper feed mechanism 37c. can do. In addition, the remaining number of jobs to be executed by the printer 30, the head temperature, and the like may be acquired.

  When the status information as described above is collected by the status acquisition unit PP4, the electronic data generation unit PP5 generates a status file SF describing the collected status information and stores it in the RAM 31c. Here, the file name of the status file SF generated by the electronic data generation unit PP5 and the path in the RAM 31c are defined to be always constant. This rule is also registered in the status request unit CP4 of the mobile phone 50 described above, and the specified path and file name are added when generating a command for obtaining the status file SF in step C04 (get). It is possible. That is, in step C04, the path and file name where the status file SF will be created in step P02 are designated in advance.

  FIG. 6 shows an example of contents described in the status file SF. Since the items that can be detected as the status vary greatly depending on the model and the like, only an example will be described here. In the figure, the status file SF is set to TempStatus. It is defined to be created with a file name txt and stored in the root path of the RAM drive, for example. By describing the model name and serial ID of the printer 30 as status information, it is possible to identify the printer 30 connected by infrared rays, and it is possible to transmit the print data PD to the printer 30 as a regular transmission destination. The outflow of 12c can be prevented. By describing the remaining amount of ink as status information, it is possible to determine whether or not an ink amount sufficient for printing the print data PD remains when the print data PD is transmitted. Further, in the printer 30 capable of setting a plurality of types of ink sets, it can be determined whether or not an appropriate ink set is set for printing the print data PD. Furthermore, it is possible to determine whether or not the required number of print sheets of a size capable of printing the print data PD has been set by describing the print paper size and the number of sheets set in the paper feed as status information. . Of course, other status information can be described in the status file SF.

  In step P03, status transmission unit PP6 transmits status file SF to mobile phone 50. Again, infrared is used as a communication medium, but a command for sending an electronic file via infrared (put) can also be used in the OBEX standard. Thus, even in a communication medium such as infrared communication that does not have a mechanism for transmitting and receiving the printer status alone, by storing the status information in a general-purpose electronic file object in which the exchange protocol is defined in the communication medium, Smooth exchange of status information can be realized.

  In step C05, the status analysis unit CP5 in the mobile phone 50 receives the status file SF via the infrared communication unit CP3, and for example, the TXT status file SF is stored in the RAM 52c of the mobile phone 50. When the reception of the status file SF is completed, the printer 30 deletes the status file SF from the RAM 31c in step P04. As described above, since the RAM 31c is used as a work area when the control program PP is executed, it is desirable to delete the RAM 31c from the RAM 31c in order to secure more free space. Further, the status file SF in which old status information is described can be prevented from remaining in the RAM 31c, and only the latest status information can always be transmitted to the mobile phone 50.

  On the other hand, in the mobile phone 50 in which the status file SF received in the RAM 52c is stored, the status analysis unit CP5 expands the status file SF in step C06 and extracts each status information described in the status file SF. Analysis is performed (extraction means). In the mobile phone 50, the print data PD is stored in the memory 51. Here, the print condition attached to the print data PD is compared with each status information, and the print data PD is printed with the current status. Whether or not there is a problem is determined. For example, it is determined that there is a problem when printing paper having a size specified as a printing condition in the print data PD is not set in the printer 30. On the other hand, when printing is impossible, for example, when there is an error or when the remaining amount of ink is 0, it is determined that there is a problem regardless of the printing conditions specified in the print data PD. The

  If it is determined in step C07 that there is a problem, the status analysis unit CP5 displays an error display on the liquid crystal display 55 in step C12. As a result, the user can recognize that there is a problem with the printer 30 and its settings and that printing is not performed. If an error is displayed, the print data PD is deleted from the memory 51 of the mobile phone 50 in step C13. Also in this case, it is possible to prevent the print data PD from remaining in the mobile phone 50 and to prevent unauthorized duplication of the print data PD and the content 12c. In the above processing, no charge is charged if printing cannot be executed. Therefore, it is possible to prevent unauthorized charges.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in step C07 that there is no problem, the print data transmission unit CP6 transmits the print data PD to the printer 30 in step C08. When the print data PD is transmitted from the mobile phone 50, the print execution unit PP2 of the printer 30 receives the print data PD in step P05, and subsequently expands (scrambles) the print data PD in step P06. In this case, scramble is released). First, print conditions are extracted from the print data PD, and the units 31, 32, 33, 34, 35a, 36a, and 37a are controlled according to the print conditions.

  At this time, layout processing / rendering processing / color conversion processing / halftone processing / microweave processing are sequentially executed on the basis of the main body of the print data, and a print image is generated in each of the units 31, 32, 33, 34, 35a, 36a, and 37a. A process of outputting a corresponding drive signal is performed. As a result, a print image based on the print data PD can be printed under the print conditions specified by the print data PD. In this embodiment, the printer 30 extracts print conditions from the print data PD. However, the print conditions are previously extracted from the print data PD by the mobile phone 50 and the extracted print conditions alone are transmitted to the printer 30. You may do it. Further, the cellular phone 50 may perform processes up to each stage of layout processing / rendering processing / color conversion processing / halftone processing / microweave processing.

  On the other hand, in the mobile phone 50 that has completed the transmission of the print data PD, the print data PD is deleted from the memory 51 of the mobile phone 50 in step C13. As a result, the print data PD can be prevented from remaining in the mobile phone 50, and unauthorized duplication of the print data PD and the content 12c can be prevented. When the print execution unit PP2 completes printing in the printer 30, the electronic data generation unit PP5 generates a status file SF indicating completion of printing and stores it in the RAM 31c. In step P07, the status transmission unit PP6 transmits a status file SF indicating completion of printing to the mobile phone 50 as a completion notification.

  In the mobile phone 50, the status analysis unit CP5 receives the status file SF in step C10 and recognizes the completion of printing. When the completion of printing is recognized, the charging request unit CP7 transmits a charging request to the server 10 in the subsequent step C11. In other words, in this embodiment, the completion of printing in the printer 30 is set as a charge requirement. In server 10, billing unit SP2 receives the billing request in step S05, and executes billing processing in step S06. For example, the content 12c corresponding to the print data PD for which printing has been completed is specified based on the billing request transmitted from the mobile phone 50, and the price corresponding to the content 12c is acquired. And the process for charging the said price with respect to the user who possesses the mobile telephone 50 is performed.

(3) Modified Example In the above, the embodiment in which the print data PD transmitted from the server 10 is printed by the printer 30 has been described. However, in the present invention, the print data PD is not necessarily transmitted from the server 10. There is no. That is, the present invention can be realized between the information notification device (printer 30) and the information acquisition device (mobile phone 50) connected to the information notification device via a predetermined communication medium. Even when the print data PD created in this way is printed by the mobile phone 50, the status information can be transmitted by the method of the present invention. Also, an example has been given in which the information notification device (printer 30) and the information acquisition device (mobile phone 50) can communicate with each other by infrared rays. However, the electronic file of the present invention is transmitted on another communication medium. May be. For example, the status file SF can be transmitted by OBEX over wireless communication such as Bluetooth. Of course, the communication medium is not limited to wireless, but may be wired.

  Furthermore, although the above embodiment has exemplified the transmission of the status file SF when there is a status request from the information acquisition device (mobile phone 50), the status file SF may be transmitted at another timing. Good. For example, the information notification device (printer 30) collects status information and generates a status file SF periodically and transmits (pushes) the status file SF to the information acquisition device (mobile phone 50). Good. In this way, the information acquisition device (mobile phone 50) can always acquire the latest status information. Furthermore, in addition to the mobile phone 50, a PDA or PC is used as the information acquisition device of the present invention, and in addition to the printer 30, a home appliance is used as the information notification device of the present invention. The invention can be applied.

1 is a block diagram of a print billing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. It is a block diagram of a content server. It is a block diagram of a printer. It is a block diagram of a mobile phone. It is a flowchart of a printing accounting process. It is a figure which shows the content of a status file.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Content server, 11 ... Control part, 11a ... CPU, 12 ... HDD, 12a ... OS, 12b ... Program data, 12c ... Content, 20 ... Mobile phone, 30 ... Printer, 31 ... Control part, 31a ... CPU, 32 Operation unit 33 Infrared I / F 34 Nonvolatile memory 50 Mobile phone 51 Memory 52 Control unit 52a System bus 52b CPU 53 Wireless I / F 54 Infrared I / F, 55 ... liquid crystal display, 56 ... operation unit, 57 ... speaker, 58 ... microphone, At ... antenna, CP ... print relay program, CP1 ... content designation unit, CP2 ... print data receiving unit, CP3 ... infrared communication unit , CP4 ... Status request unit, CP5 ... Status analysis unit, CP6 ... Print data transmission unit, CP7 ... Billing request unit, G ... Gate Hay, In ... Internet, PD ... Print data, PP ... Control program, PP1 ... Infrared communication unit, PP2 ... Print execution unit, PP3 ... Request acceptance unit, PP4 ... Status acquisition unit, PP5 ... Electronic data generation unit, PP6 ... Status transmission unit, SF ... status file, SP ... print accounting program, SP1 ... print data distribution unit, SP2 ... accounting unit.

Claims (8)

An electronic file generating means for generating an electronic file communicable by a predetermined communication means, and storing information that cannot be communicated by the communication means in the electronic file;
An information notification device comprising: information transmission means for transmitting the electronic file to the information acquisition device via the communication means.   The information notification apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electronic file generation unit generates the electronic file after receiving an information request from the information acquisition apparatus via the communication unit.   2. The electronic file generating means regards an acquisition request for a predetermined electronic file from the information acquisition device as the information request, and generates the electronic file storing the information. 2. The information notification device according to any one of 2.   The information notification apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the electronic file generation unit generates the electronic file on a RAM.   5. The status notification device according to claim 4, wherein the information transmission unit deletes the electronic file from the RAM after transmitting the electronic file.   The information notification device according to claim 1, wherein the communication unit uses a radio signal as a communication medium.   The information notification apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the communication unit is a communication unit in which a command for obtaining the information is not defined. A determination means for determining whether or not to acquire information that cannot be communicated by the communication means from an information notification device capable of communicating by a predetermined communication means;
Request means for making a predetermined information request to the information notification device when it is determined to acquire the information;
Acquisition means for acquiring an electronic file from the information notification device via the communication means;
An information acquisition apparatus comprising: extraction means for extracting the information from the acquired electronic file.

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