JP2002268853A - Network printing system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To provide a system that can obtain a desired printed matter from registered print data anytime and anywhere even when going out. SOLUTION: An ASP which can register desired print data from a user personal computer on the Internet and can retrieve the print data from the Internet is installed, and from the ASP, a user can set a desired time and a print output device via the Internet. This is a network print system that acquires a printed matter created by the print data from a place.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a network for obtaining printed paper on the road or the like via a network.
The present invention relates to print system technology.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, with the spread of the Internet, the spread rate of the Internet is increasing not only within companies but also at home. In addition, the development of mobile environments has progressed, and lightweight notebook computers (NOTEPCs) and PDAs have come to be used as usual.

[0003]

However, mail and Web access can be easily performed in a mobile environment.
At present, a simple means for extracting data as printed matter in a mobile environment is not provided. For example, when bringing materials to a destination, a document is created and printed in-house, and a necessary number of copies are taken, packed in a bag, and carried around. Further, it is difficult to easily realize the case where the user wants to print the data in his / her notebook personal computer or the data in an in-house PC when going out. There is also a means of printing using a mobile office or the like, but the number of stores is limited, and in practice it takes a lot of time and effort. SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is to provide a system that can obtain a desired printed matter from registered print data anytime and anywhere, even when the user is away from home.

[0004]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, an ASP (Active Server Pages) which can register desired print data from a user personal computer on the Internet and can retrieve the print data from the Internet is installed. The network print system is characterized in that a user obtains a printed matter created by the print data at a desired time and a desired place where a print output device is installed via the Internet.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the network print system according to the first aspect, if there is no print driver for creating the print data at a place where the print output device is installed, the application data is directly transmitted. A network print system wherein print data is created and registered in the ASP by transmitting the print data to the ASP.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the network print system according to the first or second aspect, an ASP address is previously set in the print output device, and the output device receives print data from the Internet. And a transmission means for automatically sending supply information / maintenance information of the output device to the ASP together with a device unique ID.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the network print system according to any one of the second to third aspects, purchaser information, an installation location, and the like associated with a unique ID of the print output device are displayed on a map. The network print system is characterized in that a publication means for plotting the data on a web site and publishing it on a homepage is provided.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A network according to an embodiment of the present invention
The system environment of the print system will be described with reference to FIG. 1. First, an ASP (Active.Se) having the following functions is provided to a Web server on the Internet as a network.
rver.Pages) 1 is installed. (1) Print data can be registered. (2) An ID (identification number) can be issued simultaneously with registration. (3) The print data can be extracted from the Internet using the ID. Further, a printer driver having the following functions is installed on the user personal computer (PC) 2 on the user side. (1) Print data can be registered in the ASP. (2) The issued ID can be obtained. Further, an output device (printer, copy, FAX, etc.) 3 having the following functions is installed in a supermarket, a convenience store, or the like. (1) Print data can be collected and printed via the Internet

An operation example of the system according to the embodiment of the present invention in the system environment as described above will be described. The procedure is as follows: (1) First, a user who uses the printing service is required to use a server on which the system is installed. A typical example is a homepage serviced by an Internet provider (ISP) somewhere on the Internet.
(ASP) and perform user registration using a Web browser. Therefore, information for charging (for example, credit card information) or the like is input at the time of user registration.
Acquire the user ID and password at the end of registration. (2) When registering print data, a user ID and a password are set in advance in a dedicated printer driver. (3) Later, by performing printing from the application, the print data is automatically registered in the print data reception service in the printing service, and the print data reception service issues a registration ID at the end of the registration. (4) Display the ID on the printer driver screen of the client. The ID can also be confirmed by accessing the print service of the Web browser.
When printing the registered data, a user ID, a password, and a registration ID are output from an output device compatible with the service.
By inputting D, a print result can be obtained. (5) If you do not use a dedicated printer driver,
By connecting to the data conversion service of this service by the web browser and directly registering the application data, the data conversion service converts the data into print data and registers the print data. Thereafter, similarly to (4), a print result can be obtained.

Therefore, an ASP is installed on the Internet.
Send the desired print data from the user's personal computer and print data from the general-purpose application in the same manner as for normal printing, and send the desired ASP
Since the print result can be obtained from a print output device such as a compatible printer, the same print result can be obtained anytime and anywhere. If there is no print driver, the application data such as the driver is sent directly to the ASP, and the application data received in the ASP is converted into printable data by appropriate processing. computer
Even if it is not installed in the (PC), printing can be performed from the installed print output device via the ASP.

Next, management of output devices of the print service will be described. As an example, a case where output devices corresponding to the service are installed in a convenience store will be described.
In the present embodiment, when the print output device is installed in an unspecified number of places such as a supermarket or a convenience store, management of the installed device and A
Since the settings and procedures for the SP are complicated and the usability is deteriorated, the operation is performed only by installing a print output device. For this purpose, AS
The print output device is provided with a connection means for setting the address of P and automatically connecting to the ASP for taking in print data to the Internet, and operates only by installing the output device.

That is, an output device capable of taking print data via the Internet and performing printing can be provided with a service that is set in advance to the service and that can also support supply and billing. AS automatically supplies and maintains information on output devices
The P is provided with a transmission unit that sends the device ID together with the device unique ID, and device information such as a device unique ID is registered in the device management service simply by connecting to the Internet. The purchaser information corresponding to the ID can be set in advance or later at the time of purchase. As a service that can also support supply and billing, specifically, the output device periodically sends other supply information, such as the number of output sheets and the number of remaining sheets, to the device management service, and the device management service uses the information based on that information. Supply maintenance, billing, etc., and installed output devices can be automatically managed.
This can be performed without any burden on the user for supply and equipment support, and without requiring a service person to go to the user.

Further, in this embodiment, a position information service for displaying the location of an output device corresponding to a print service can be provided. This involves registering the location of the store when installing the output device by providing a publishing unit that plots the purchaser information and the installation location associated with the unique ID of the output device on a map and publishes it on a homepage. And automatically announce the store without burdening the equipment purchaser. Therefore, it is inconvenient for the user of the print output service to use the output device if he does not know where the corresponding output device is located. However, based on the installation location information of the device management service, it is possible to automatically display, on a map, the location of a store where the printing service can be used from a Web browser, so that a user using the print service can also use the homepage. By accessing, the location of the nearest compatible output device can be easily found, thereby facilitating the use of the print service.

[0014]

According to the first aspect of the invention, even when the user is away from home, print data is sent to the ASP on the Internet in the same manner as when performing normal printing, and the nearest A to the outside destination is sent.
Since the print result can be obtained from the SP-compatible print output device, the same print result can be obtained anytime and anywhere. Effect corresponding to claim 2: a personal computer (PC) on hand
Even if the application to be printed is not installed, printing can be performed via the ASP on the Internet. Advantageous effect corresponding to claim 3: It is possible to provide a service that can operate simply by installing a print output device, automatically manage the installed print output device, and also support supply and billing, In addition, supply and equipment support can reduce the burden on users,
A service person can perform these services without going to the user. Advantageous Effects According to Claim 4: Since the purchaser information, installation location, and the like associated with the unique ID of the printout device can be plotted on a map and made public on a homepage, there is no load on the user who purchases the device. In addition, the user of the print service can find the nearest compatible output device by accessing the homepage, so that the use of the print service is simplified.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of a network printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1. User PC, 2. AS on the Internet
P, 3 ... ASP compatible print output device

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An ASP which can register desired print data from a user's personal computer on the Internet and can retrieve the print data from the Internet is installed. From the ASP, a user can set a desired time and a print output device via the Internet. A print product created based on the print data at a location. 2. The network printing system according to claim 1, wherein if there is no print driver for creating the print data at the place where the print output device is installed, the ASP directly sends the application data of the print driver to the ASP. Network, characterized in that print data is created and registered in the ASP by transmitting the
Printing system. 3. The network printing system according to claim 1, wherein an ASP address is set in advance to said print output device, and said output device is automatically sent to an ASP for receiving print data to the Internet. A network print system comprising a connecting means for connecting, and a transmitting means for automatically sending supply information and maintenance information of the output device to an ASP together with a device unique ID. 4. The network print system according to claim 2, wherein the purchaser information and the installation location associated with the unique ID of the print output device are plotted on a map and displayed on a homepage. A network print system comprising a publishing means for publishing.