JP2010117781A - Printing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: At least a user transmits print setting when performing printing using a print setting held in a portable terminal in a printing system that uses a barcode to capture the print setting of a printing apparatus in the portable terminal. It was necessary to perform two steps of sending print contents.
SOLUTION: A mobile terminal captures print settings set in a printing apparatus using a barcode or e-mail, generates a print job from the print settings and print contents captured by the mobile terminal, and transmits the print job to the printing apparatus. Print with.
[Selection] Figure 9

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing system in which a print job is transmitted from an information terminal such as a portable terminal having a camera function and a mail transmission / reception function, and a printing apparatus performs a printing process according to the print job.

  Due to recent technological advances in printing apparatuses, choices of various functions such as image processing and finishing that can be applied to the printing process by the printing apparatus have increased dramatically and become highly functional. Such a high-performance printing apparatus is generally provided with a high-performance user interface such as a large-screen touch panel and a high-level GUI display so that the user can efficiently set advanced print settings. . On the other hand, since mobile terminals such as mobile phones give priority to miniaturization of the main body, a user interface such as a display or a key is often not adopted with a high function.

When the user wants to print print content such as PDF from the portable terminal with the print setting desired by the user, it is very inefficient work if the user performs the print setting using the cheap user interface of the portable terminal. The problem of end up arises. Conventionally, in order to solve this problem, a method in which a printing apparatus graphically displays, for example, a barcode on a printing apparatus operation panel, print settings set by the user on the printing apparatus from a printing apparatus operation panel or the like. For example, there is a method for capturing print settings in a portable terminal by capturing the barcode with a camera built in the mobile phone. The user can set again the print settings made to the printing apparatus in the past by transmitting the print settings taken in the portable terminal to the printing apparatus by infrared transmission. (For example, patent document 1).
JP 2007-36404 A

  However, in the above-described technique, the user needs to transmit print settings from the mobile terminal to the printing apparatus, and then the user needs to transmit print content from the mobile terminal or the like to the printing apparatus. It was necessary to do it once.

  A printing system according to a first aspect of the present invention, which aims to solve the above problems, has the following configuration.

In a printing system comprising an information terminal that sends a print job and a printing device that performs print processing according to the received print job,
Means for causing the user to make print settings on a user interface provided by the printing apparatus (such as a remote operation screen via an operation panel or a web browser) provided by the printing apparatus;
The printing device analyzes the received print job, and if the print job does not contain print settings, means for performing print processing using the print settings already set in the print device, printing during the print job Means for performing print processing using the print settings in the print job if the settings are included;
Means for the printer to display the information unique to the printer and the print setting information set in the printer as a barcode on the user interface provided by the printer;
Means for the mobile terminal to analyze the barcode information captured by the built-in camera or the external camera, and extract information specific to the printing device and print setting information recorded in the barcode;
Means for holding the information associated with the printing device extracted from the barcode and the print setting information in the portable terminal storage device in association with the print setting information;
Is provided.

  A printing system according to a second aspect of the present invention that achieves the above object has the following configuration.

In the printing system of the first invention,
When the mobile terminal analyzes the barcode information photographed by the built-in camera or the external camera, and extracts information specific to the printing device and print setting information recorded in the barcode,
Means for reading out print setting information associated with the printing apparatus specific information extracted from the barcode from the portable terminal, and displaying the print settings that can be set on the portable terminal panel;
Means for allowing the mobile terminal to select a print setting and print content on the mobile terminal panel; a means for receiving a transmission instruction from the user; and a print job including the print setting and the print content when the transmission instruction is received from the user Generating and transferring the print job to the printing device;
Is provided.

  A printing system according to a third aspect of the present invention that achieves the above object has the following configuration.

In a printing system comprising an information terminal that sends a print job and a printing device that performs print processing according to the received print job,
Means for causing the user to perform print settings on a user interface provided by the printing apparatus; and means for performing printing processing using the print settings set in the printing apparatus.
When the printing apparatus receives the received print job via e-mail, the printing apparatus extracts the print job transmission source information from the e-mail and stores it in the storage apparatus in the printing apparatus; Means for sending the unique information and the print setting information set in the printing apparatus as an e-mail addressed to a print job transmission source e-mail address;
When the mobile terminal receives the e-mail and includes the printing device-specific information and the print setting information in the e-mail, the printing device-specific information and the print setting information recorded in the e-mail are extracted. Means,
A means for the portable terminal to store the printing apparatus specific information extracted from the e-mail in association with the print setting information in the portable terminal storage device;
Is provided.

  A printing system according to a fourth aspect of the present invention that achieves the above object has the following configuration.

  In the invention according to any one of the first to third inventions, the print job is composed of a print setting that defines a print processing operation of the printing apparatus and a print content that is document information interpretable by the printing apparatus. Has a data structure.

  A printing system according to a fifth aspect of the present invention that achieves the above object has the following configuration.

In a printing system comprising an information terminal that sends a print job and a printing device that performs print processing according to the received print job,
Means for reading out print setting information from the storage device in the portable terminal and displaying a plurality of print settings that can be set on the portable terminal panel; and means for causing the user to select a plurality of print settings;
Means for the mobile terminal to display difference information of the selected plurality of print settings on the mobile terminal panel;
Is provided.

  As described above, the first to fifth inventions related to the present application have the following effects. The user can easily capture the print settings set in the printing apparatus into the portable terminal by e-mail automatically returned from the printing apparatus when shooting by the camera or sending a print job. Further, the user can freely combine print contents and print settings on the mobile terminal and transmit the print contents to the printing apparatus. Since the print setting and the print content are transmitted as one print job from the mobile terminal to the printing apparatus, the user only has to perform one transmission procedure in the printing operation, and the effect of reducing the amount of work of the user is achieved. is there.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

<Printer overview>
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an outline of a system configuration of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  The host 101, such as a personal computer, performs print job input to a printer and printer control. The printing apparatus 102 has a function of receiving a print job from an external apparatus and performing a printing process. The infrared transmission / reception unit 103 performs infrared transmission / reception with an external device, and enables, for example, input of a print job from an external device and provision of information to the external device. The panel unit 104 has a function of receiving various operations from the user and also has a function of displaying various types of information graphically on the panel, thereby enabling information input and provision with the user. The printer controller 105 generates raster data for each page based on a printing device control language supplied from an external device, and sends the raster data to the printer engine 106. Based on the raster data supplied from the printer controller 105, the printer engine 106 forms a latent image on the photosensitive drum, and records the image by transferring and fixing the latent image on a recording medium (electrophotographic method). To do.

  FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of the tandem color printing apparatus 102.

  In the figure, reference numeral 201 denotes a printing apparatus casing. Reference numeral 202 denotes an operation panel on which a switch for giving various instructions by the user, an LED display, an LCD display, and the like for displaying messages, printer settings, and the like are arranged. It is one mode. Reference numeral 203 denotes a board accommodating portion that accommodates boards constituting the electronic circuit portions of the printer controller 105 and the printer engine 106.

  A paper cassette 220 holds the paper (recording medium) S and has a mechanism for electrically detecting the paper size by a partition plate (not shown). Reference numeral 221 denotes a cassette clutch which takes out the uppermost sheet S of the paper S placed on the paper cassette 220 and feeds the taken paper S by a driving force transmitted from a driving means (not shown). It has a cam that conveys up to. The cam rotates intermittently each time a sheet is fed, and feeds one sheet S corresponding to one rotation. Reference numeral 223 denotes a paper detection sensor that detects the amount of paper S held in each paper cassette 220.

  The paper feed roller 222 is a roller that conveys the leading edge of the paper S to the registration shutter 224. Reference numeral 224 denotes a registration shutter that can stop paper feeding by pressing the paper S.

  230 is a manual feed tray, and 231 is a manual paper feed clutch. The manual paper feed clutch 231 is used for conveying the leading edge of the paper S to the manual paper feeding roller 232, and the manual paper feeding roller 232 is used for conveying the leading edge of the paper S to the registration shutter 224. The sheet S to be used for image recording is fed by selecting one of the sheet cassette 220 and the manual feed tray 230.

  The printer engine 106 communicates with the printer controller 105 according to a predetermined communication protocol, and selects one of the paper feeding means from the paper cassette 220 and the manual feed tray 230 in accordance with an instruction from the printer controller 105. Then, the printer engine 106 conveys the sheet S from the corresponding sheet feeding unit to the registration shutter 224 in response to a print start instruction. The printer engine 106 includes a paper feeding unit, a mechanism relating to an electrophotographic process such as formation, transfer, and fixing of a latent image, a paper discharge unit, and a control unit thereof.

  204a, 204b, 204c, and 204d are image recording units having photosensitive drums 205a, 205b, 205c, and 205d, a toner holding unit, and the like, and form a toner image on the sheet S by an electrophotographic process. On the other hand, 206a, 206b, 206c, and 206d are laser scanner units that supply image information by a laser beam to the image recording unit.

  In the image recording units 204a, 204b, 204c, and 204d, a paper transport belt 250 that transports the paper S is stretched flat in the paper transport direction (from the bottom to the top in the figure) by a plurality of rotating rollers 251 to 254. At the most upstream portion, the sheet is electrostatically attracted to the sheet conveying belt 250 by the attracting roller 225 to which a bias is applied. Further, four photosensitive drums 205a, 205b, 205c, and 205d are arranged in a straight line so as to face the belt conveyance surface, and constitute an image forming unit. In each of the image recording units 204a, 204b, 204c, and 204d, a charger and a developing device are disposed so as to sequentially surround the vicinity of the periphery of the photosensitive drum.

  In the laser scanner units 206a, 206b, 206c, and 206d, 207a, 207b, 207c, and 207d are laser units. These drive a built-in semiconductor laser and emit a laser beam in accordance with an image signal (/ VIDEO signal) sent from the printer controller 105. Laser beams emitted from the laser units 207a, 207b, 207c, and 207d are scanned by polygon mirrors (rotating polygon mirrors) 208a, 208b, 208c, and 208d to form latent images on the photosensitive drums 205a, 205b, 205c, and 205d. To do.

  A fixing unit 260 heat-fixes the toner image formed on the sheet S by the image recording units 204a, 204b, 204c, and 204d on the recording sheet S. Reference numeral 261 denotes a conveyance roller that discharges and conveys the paper S. A paper discharge sensor 262 detects a paper discharge state of the paper S. Reference numeral 263 denotes a paper discharge roller serving as a double-sided printing conveyance path switching roller, which conveys the paper S in the paper ejection direction, and directly ejects the paper S to the paper ejection tray 264 if the paper S conveyance instruction is paper ejection. When the conveyance instruction is double-sided conveyance, the roller 263 changes the rotation direction to the reverse direction immediately after the trailing edge of the paper S passes the paper discharge sensor 262 and switches back, thereby conveying the paper S to the double-sided printing conveyance path. Transport to 270. Reference numeral 265 denotes a discharge stack amount detection sensor that detects the stack amount of the sheets S stacked on the discharge tray 264.

  Reference numeral 270 denotes a duplex printing conveyance path. The sheet S conveyed for duplex printing by the roller 263 is conveyed again to the registration shutter 224 by the duplex conveyance rollers 271 to 274 to be image recording units 204a, 204b, 204c, Wait for a transport instruction to 204d.

  The printing apparatus 102 can be further equipped with an optional unit such as an optional cassette or an envelope feeder.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of the printer controller 105.

  In the figure, reference numeral 301 denotes a panel interface unit that performs data communication with the panel unit 104. The CPU 311 can confirm the contents set / instructed by the user on the panel unit 104 via the panel interface unit 301, and can display on the panel unit 104. Reference numeral 302 denotes a network interface unit for two-way communication connection with a data processing apparatus such as the host 101 via a network. Reference numeral 303 denotes an infrared interface unit that performs infrared data communication with an external device via the infrared transmission / reception unit 103. An image processing unit 304 generates (rasterizes) raster data to be supplied to the printer engine 106 based on the printing apparatus control language supplied from the network interface unit 302, the infrared interface unit 303, and the mail processing unit 306. Reference numeral 305 denotes an image memory for temporarily storing the generated raster data. Reference numeral 306 denotes a mail processing unit that transmits and receives e-mails via the network interface 302, extracts information from the received e-mails, and converts information in the printing apparatus into e-mails and performs transmission processing. An engine interface unit 307 is used for communication connection with the printer engine 106. Reference numeral 308 denotes a RAM as a temporary storage memory used by the CPU 311. The RAM 308 can be expanded by an optional RAM connected to an expansion port (not shown). Reference numeral 309 denotes a ROM composed of a nonvolatile memory for holding a program for driving the printing apparatus and control information such as a density correction table. A DMA control unit 310 transfers raster data in the image memory 308 to the engine interface unit 307 according to an instruction from the CPU 311. Reference numeral 311 denotes a CPU that controls a device connected to the CPU bus 320 based on the control program code held in 309.

<Overview of mobile devices>
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an outline of the system configuration of the mobile terminal according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  The mobile terminal 400 may be a mobile phone, for example, and includes a panel unit 401 that enables information input / output with a user and a wireless unit 402 including a wireless antenna. Further, the portable terminal 400 includes an infrared transmission / reception unit 403 including an infrared transmission / reception port and a digital camera unit 404 that enables digital image shooting using a simple lens.

  FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of the mobile terminal 400.

  In the figure, reference numeral 501 denotes a panel interface unit that performs data communication with the panel unit 401. The CPU 508 can confirm the contents set and instructed by the user on the panel unit 401 via the panel interface unit 501, and can display on the panel unit 401. Reference numeral 502 denotes a wireless interface unit for two-way communication connection with an external device via the wireless unit 402. Reference numeral 503 denotes an infrared interface unit that performs infrared data communication with an external device via the infrared transmission / reception unit 403. Reference numeral 504 denotes a camera interface unit that performs shooting through the camera unit 404. The CPU 508 can handle an image captured by the camera unit 404 via the camera interface unit 504 as digital image data, and can extract information from the barcode when the captured image is a barcode. Reference numeral 505 denotes a RAM as a temporary storage memory used by the CPU 508. Reference numeral 506 denotes a ROM composed of a nonvolatile memory in which a program for driving the mobile terminal is stored. Reference numeral 507 denotes a mail processing unit that transmits / receives an e-mail via the wireless interface 502, extracts information from the received e-mail, and converts the information in the mobile terminal into an e-mail and performs a transmission process.

  FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an example of a file management method for print setting information and print content information stored in a storage device in a portable terminal. Print setting information and print content are managed in separate directories. Each print setting is stored in the print setting folder in association with printing apparatus specific information (printing apparatus A, printing apparatus B, etc.). In FIG. 15, the printing apparatus A is associated with 2up designation for two-sided layout on paper, double-sided printing designation, and input designation to a BOX that is a document management system of the printing apparatus. The printing apparatus B is associated with bookbinding printing designation, copy-forgery-inhibited pattern addition designation for preventing copy, monochrome printing designation, and toner saving designation for suppressing the amount of toner used during printing. Each print content is stored under the print content folder. FIG. 15 shows that, for example, image data such as a PDF document, jpeg, and tiff is stored as print contents.

  Using FIGS. 6 to 9, a specific example in which a printing apparatus captures print settings of a printing apparatus using a barcode, and a print job including the print settings captured by the mobile terminal is transmitted to the printing apparatus to perform printing. Examples will be described. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an outline of an operation for loading the print settings of the printing apparatus according to the present embodiment into the portable terminal using a barcode. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an outline of an operation of transmitting a print job from the portable terminal according to the present embodiment to the printing apparatus and performing a printing process. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a processing flow for loading the print settings of the printing apparatus according to the present embodiment into the mobile terminal using a barcode, and 8-a to 8-g in the figure indicate each step. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a processing flow in which a print job is transmitted from the portable terminal according to the present embodiment to the printing apparatus and print processing is performed, and 9-a to 9-p in the drawing indicate steps.

  An outline of an operation for loading the print setting of the printing apparatus into the mobile terminal using a barcode will be described with reference to FIG. (A) in the figure is an example of a screen displayed on the operation panel of the printing apparatus A for which no print setting has been made. Information unique to the printing apparatus (for example, the manufacturer and product name) is displayed on the operation panel. The print setting information set in the printing apparatus A at that time is displayed as a barcode. (B) in the figure is an example of a screen displayed on the operation panel of the printing apparatus A when the user changes some print settings on the printing apparatus A, and the setting change is displayed on the operation panel. It is also reflected in the barcode that is being used. Therefore, when the user captures the barcode displayed on the operation panel of the printing apparatus A with the portable terminal, the unique information of the printing apparatus A and the print settings reflected in the printing apparatus A at that time are taken into the portable terminal. It is.

  An outline of an operation of transmitting a print job from the portable terminal to the printing apparatus and performing a printing process will be described with reference to FIG. (A) in the figure is an example of a screen displayed on the operation panel of the printing apparatus A. When the user captures the barcode displayed on this screen with the camera built in the mobile terminal, the current print settings of the printing apparatus A are taken into the mobile terminal, and the print settings made to the printing apparatus A in the past are stored. Displayed on the panel of the mobile device. As an operation that can be performed by the user, there is a method of displaying a print setting on a portable terminal by photographing a barcode displayed on the printing apparatus with the portable terminal. Alternatively, there is a method of displaying on the mobile terminal panel print settings previously made to the printing apparatus A by the user operating the mobile terminal. (B) in the figure selects the print setting displayed on the mobile terminal when the user performs printing, selects some print content, and executes the print. When the print setting and the print content are executed as a print job, the printing apparatus A For example, it is input by infrared rays or mail transmission. As a result, the user can print the print content with the layout set on the mobile terminal.

  With reference to FIG. 8, a processing flow for loading the print setting of the printing apparatus into the portable terminal using a barcode will be described. In step 8-a, the printing apparatus accepts a print setting change from the user and proceeds to step 8-b. In step 8-b, the printing apparatus converts the information unique to the printing apparatus and the print setting information set in the printing apparatus into a barcode, and proceeds to step 8-c. In step 8-c, the printing apparatus displays a barcode on the operation panel. In step 8-d, the user activates the camera built into the portable terminal and proceeds to step 8-e. In step 8-e, the user captures the barcode displayed on the printing apparatus with the camera built into the portable terminal, and proceeds to step 8-f. The barcode taken by the portable terminal in step 8-f is analyzed, information unique to the printing apparatus and print setting information are extracted, and the process proceeds to step 8-g. In step 8-g, the portable terminal records the print setting information in the storage device in association with the information unique to the printing apparatus, and ends this process.

  A processing flow in which the mobile terminal transmits a print job to the printing apparatus and performs a printing process will be described with reference to FIG. Steps 9-a to 9-g of this process are the same as steps 8-a to 8-g in FIG. In step 9-a, the printing apparatus accepts a print setting change from the user and proceeds to step 9-b. In step 9-b, the printing apparatus converts the information unique to the printing apparatus and the print setting information set in the printing apparatus into a barcode, and proceeds to step 9-c. In step 9-c, the printing apparatus displays a barcode on the operation panel. In step 9-d, the user activates the camera built into the portable terminal and proceeds to step 9-e. In step 9-e, the user captures the barcode displayed on the printing apparatus with the camera built into the portable terminal, and proceeds to step 9-f. The barcode taken by the portable terminal in step 9-f is analyzed, information unique to the printing apparatus and print setting information are extracted, and the process proceeds to step 9-g. In step 9-g, the portable terminal records the print setting information in the storage device in association with the information unique to the printing apparatus, and proceeds to step 9-h. In step 9-h, the portable terminal reads out the print setting information associated with the target printing apparatus from the storage device and proceeds to step 9-i. In step 9-i, the mobile terminal displays a list of print settings on the mobile terminal operation panel, and the mobile terminal proceeds to step 9-j. In step 9-j, the user selects print settings on the portable terminal operation panel, and the process advances to step 9-k. In step 9-k, the user selects a print content on the portable terminal operation panel and proceeds to step 9-l. In step 9-1, the portable terminal transmits a print job including print settings and print content to the printing apparatus by infrared. The user needs to set the printing apparatus to the infrared reception mode before the print job is transmitted to the printing apparatus in infrared in step 9-1. In step 9-m, the user sets the printing apparatus to the infrared reception mode, and proceeds to step 9-n. In step 9-n, the printing apparatus receives an infrared print job and proceeds to step 9-o. The print setting and print content are read from the print job received by the printing apparatus in step 9-o, and the process proceeds to step 9-p. In step 9-p, the printing apparatus prints the print content in accordance with the print settings, and ends this processing.

  10 to 12, a specific example in which the printing apparatus captures the print settings of the printing apparatus using e-mail, and transmits the print job including the print settings captured by the portable terminal to the printing apparatus to perform printing. Examples will be described. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an outline of an operation for importing the print processing and the print setting of the printing apparatus according to the present embodiment into the portable terminal using e-mail. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a processing flow for loading the printing process and the printing setting of the printing apparatus according to the present embodiment into the mobile terminal using e-mail, and 11-a to 11-l in the figure indicate each step. . FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a processing flow in which a print job including print settings is transmitted from the portable terminal according to the present embodiment to the printing apparatus, and the printing process is performed. In FIG. 12, 12-a to 12-f indicate steps. .

  An outline of an operation for importing the print processing and the print setting of the printing apparatus to the portable terminal using e-mail will be described with reference to FIG. (A) in the drawing shows a state in which the user has made some print setting change to the printing apparatus A from the operation panel. (B) in the figure, when the user submits a print job as an email from the mobile terminal to the printing apparatus A whose print settings have been changed, printing is executed with a layout based on the print settings in which the printing apparatus A is set. It shows that (C) in the figure, when the printing apparatus A finishes the printing process, the printing apparatus A sends the print settings currently set as an e-mail to the e-mail address of the mobile terminal that is the print job transmission source. It is shown that. The mobile terminal receives the e-mail, and takes the print setting into the mobile terminal when the print setting is included in the e-mail.

  With reference to FIG. 11, a processing flow for importing the print processing and the print setting of the printing apparatus into the portable terminal using e-mail will be described. In step 11-a, the printing apparatus accepts a print setting change from the user and proceeds to step 11-b. In step 11-h, the user selects print content on the portable terminal operation panel, and the process proceeds to step 11-i. In step 11-i, the mobile terminal transmits an e-mail including the print content to the printing apparatus. In step 11-b, the printing apparatus receives an email containing print content, and proceeds to step 11-c. In step 11-c, the printing apparatus extracts the mail address X of the transmission source from the e-mail, holds it in the storage device in the printing apparatus, and proceeds to step 11-d. In step 11-d, the printing apparatus extracts the print content from the e-mail, and proceeds to step 11-e. In step 11-e, the printing apparatus prints the print content in accordance with the print settings, and proceeds to step 11-f. In step 11-f, the printing apparatus generates an e-mail including public information of the printing apparatus and print setting information, and the process advances to step 11-g. In step 11-g, an e-mail including information unique to the printing device and print setting information is transmitted to the mail address X held in the storage device by the printing device. In step 11-j, the portable terminal receives a mail including information specific to the printing apparatus and print setting information, and the process proceeds to step 11-k. In step 11-k, the portable terminal extracts information specific to the printing apparatus and print setting information from the mail, and proceeds to step 11-l. In step 11-l, the portable terminal records the print setting information in the storage device in the portable terminal in association with the information unique to the printing apparatus, and ends this processing.

  A processing flow in which a print job including print settings is transmitted from the portable terminal to the printing apparatus and print processing is performed will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 11 illustrates an example in which a print job that does not include print settings is transmitted from the mobile terminal to the printing apparatus. Here, however, a print job that includes print settings that have already been imported to the mobile terminal is transmitted to the printing apparatus to perform print processing. An example of performing this will be described. In step 12-d, the user selects print settings on the portable terminal operation panel, and the process proceeds to step 12-e. In step 12-e, the user selects print content on the portable terminal operation panel, and the process proceeds to step 12-f. In step 12-f, the portable terminal transmits an email including print settings and print content to the printing apparatus. In step 12-a, the printing apparatus receives an email containing print settings and print content, and proceeds to step 12-b. In step 12-b, the printing apparatus extracts print settings and print contents from the e-mail, and proceeds to step 12-c. In step 12-c, the printing apparatus executes printing of the print content in accordance with the print setting, and the process is terminated.

  A specific example in which the mobile terminal presents difference information between a plurality of print settings to the user will be described with reference to FIGS. 13 and 14. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an outline of an operation in which the mobile terminal according to the present embodiment presents difference information between a plurality of print settings to the user. FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating a processing flow of an operation in which the mobile terminal according to the present embodiment presents difference information between a plurality of print settings to the user, and 14-a to 14-d in the diagram indicate each step.

  The outline | summary of the operation | movement in which a portable terminal presents the difference information between several print settings to a user using FIG. 13 is demonstrated. (A) in the figure shows a state in which a plurality of print settings are displayed in a list on the mobile terminal operation panel. Since the display area of the portable terminal operation panel is narrow, depending on the contents of the list display, characters may not be displayed on the screen and the character string may be cut off. For example, in this example, settings 3 and 4 are displayed up to “single side + 2-up”, but the setting contents thereafter cannot be read out of the screen, and the user does not know what kind of difference exists between settings 3 and 4. . In such a case, when the user selects a print setting that the user wants to know the difference as shown in (b) in the figure, the difference information and the common information regarding the selected print setting as shown in (c) in the figure are displayed on the operation panel. Is displayed. As a result, the user can easily grasp the difference between the print settings.

  A processing flow of an operation in which the portable terminal presents difference information between a plurality of print settings to the user will be described with reference to FIG. In step 14-a, the mobile terminal causes the user to select a plurality of print settings, receives a print setting designation for comparison, and proceeds to step 14-b. A common setting portion is extracted from the plurality of print settings for which the portable terminal is selected in step 14-b, and the process proceeds to step 14-c. Different setting portions are extracted from the plurality of print settings for which the portable terminal is selected in step 14-c, and the process proceeds to step 14-d. The difference contents and common contents of the print settings in which the portable terminal is selected in step 14-d are displayed on the operation panel, and this process is terminated.

The figure which shows the outline of a printing system structure in embodiment of this invention. Sectional drawing which shows the example of 1 structure of the printing apparatus in embodiment of this invention. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a printer controller in an embodiment of the present invention. The figure which shows the outline of the system configuration | structure of a portable terminal in embodiment of this invention. The block diagram which shows the structural example of the portable terminal in embodiment of this invention FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an outline of an operation for loading print settings of the printing apparatus according to the first embodiment into a mobile terminal using a barcode. 1 is a diagram illustrating an outline of an operation for transmitting a print job from a mobile terminal according to the first embodiment to a printing apparatus and performing a printing process. The figure which shows the processing flow which takes in the printing setting of the printing apparatus in connection with Example 1 to a portable terminal using a barcode. The figure which shows the processing flow which transmits a print job to the printing apparatus from the portable terminal concerning Example 1, and performs a printing process. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an outline of an operation for importing print processing and print settings of a printing apparatus according to the second embodiment to a mobile terminal using e-mail. The figure which shows the processing flow which takes in to the portable terminal using E-mail the printing processing concerning Example 2, and the printing setting of a printing apparatus. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a processing flow in which a print job including print settings is transmitted from a mobile terminal according to the second embodiment to a printing apparatus and print processing is performed. The figure which shows the outline | summary of the operation | movement in which the portable terminal concerning Example 3 presents the difference information between several print settings to a user. The figure which shows the processing flow of the operation | movement in which the portable terminal concerning Example 3 presents the difference information between several printing settings to a user. The figure which shows an example of the file management method of the print setting information and print content information which are stored in the memory | storage device in a portable terminal

Explanation of symbols

101 Host (information processing device)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 102 Printing apparatus 103 Infrared transmission / reception part 104 Panel part 105 Printer controller 106 Printer engine 201 Printer housing 202 Operation panel 203 Board storage part 204a, 204b, 204c, 204d Image recording part 205a, 205b, 205c, 205d Photosensitive drum 206a, 206b, 206c, 206d Laser scanner unit 207a, 207b, 207c, 207d Laser unit 208a, 208b, 208c, 208d Polygon mirror (rotating polygon mirror)
220 Paper cassette 221 Cassette clutch 222 Paper feed roller 223 Paper detection sensor 224 Registration shutter 225 Adsorption roller 230 Manual feed tray 231 Manual paper feed clutch 232 Manual paper feed roller 250 Paper transport belt 251 to 254 Rotating roller 260 Fixing device 261 Transport roller 262 Ejection Paper sensor 263 Paper discharge roller / double-sided printing conveyance path switching roller 264 Paper discharge tray 265 Paper discharge stack amount detection sensor 270 Double-sided printing conveyance path 271 to 274 Double-sided conveyance roller 301 Panel I / F unit 302 Network I / F unit 303 Infrared I / F unit 304 Image processing unit 305 Image memory 306 Mail processing unit 307 Engine I / F unit 308 RAM
309 ROM
310 DMA controller 311 CPU
400 Mobile terminal 401 Operation panel unit 402 Wireless unit (wireless antenna)
403 Infrared transceiver unit 404 Camera unit 501 Panel I / F unit 502 Wireless I / F unit 503 Infrared I / F unit 504 Camera I / F unit 505 RAM
506 ROM
507 Mail processing unit 508 CPU

Claims (5)

In a printing system including an information terminal (101) that transmits a print job and a printing apparatus (102) that performs print processing according to the received print job,
Means for causing the printing apparatus (102) to perform print settings by a user through a user interface (104) provided by the printing apparatus (102);
The printing apparatus (102) analyzes the received print job, and if the print job does not include print settings, means for performing print processing using the print settings already set in the printing apparatus (102) Means for performing print processing using the print settings in the print job if the print job includes print settings;
A means for the printing apparatus (102) to bar code and display information unique to the printing apparatus and print setting information set in the printing apparatus on the user interface (104) provided by the printing apparatus (102);
Means for the mobile terminal (400) to analyze the barcode information photographed by the built-in camera or the external camera (404) and to extract information specific to the printing device and print setting information recorded in the barcode;
A means for the portable terminal (400) to hold the information unique to the printing device extracted from the barcode and the print setting information in the portable terminal storage device in association with each other;
A printing system comprising: The printing system according to claim 1,
When the mobile terminal (400) analyzes the barcode information photographed by the built-in camera or the external camera (404) and extracts the information unique to the printing apparatus and the print setting information recorded in the barcode,
Means for the portable terminal (400) to read out the print setting information associated with the information unique to the printing apparatus extracted from the barcode from the storage device in the portable terminal and display the print settings that can be set on the portable terminal panel (401) When,
The portable terminal (400) allows the user to select print settings and print content on the portable terminal panel (401), means for receiving a transmission instruction from the user, and print setting when there is a transmission instruction from the user. Generating a print job including the print content and transferring the print job to the printing apparatus (102);
A printing system comprising: In a printing system including an information terminal that transmits a print job and a printing apparatus (102) that performs print processing according to the received print job,
Means for causing the printing apparatus (102) to make print settings to the user via the user interface (104) provided by the printing apparatus (102), and print settings in which the printing apparatus (102) is set in the printing apparatus (102) Means for performing a printing process using
The printing apparatus (102), when the received print job is submitted via email, means for extracting the print job transmission source information from the email and holding it in the storage device in the printing apparatus, and the printing end Means for transmitting information unique to the printing apparatus and print setting information set in the printing apparatus to the print job transmission source e-mail address as e-mail later;
When the mobile terminal (400) receives the e-mail and includes the printing apparatus-specific information and the print setting information in the e-mail, the printing apparatus-specific information and the print setting information recorded in the e-mail Means for extracting,
Means for allowing the portable terminal (400) to store the printing apparatus specific information extracted from the e-mail in association with the print setting information in the portable terminal storage device;
A printing system comprising:   The print job according to any one of claims 1 to 3 includes a print setting that defines a print processing operation of the printing apparatus (102) and print content that is document information interpretable by the printing apparatus (102). A printing system having a data structure. In a printing system including an information terminal that transmits a print job and a printing apparatus (102) that performs print processing according to the received print job,
Means for the portable terminal (400) to read out the print setting information from the storage device in the portable terminal and display a plurality of settable print settings on the portable terminal panel (401), and means for allowing the user to select a plurality of print settings When,
Means for the portable terminal (400) to display difference information of the selected plurality of print settings on the portable terminal panel (401);
A printing system comprising:

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