DESCRIPTION
Title of Invention
NETWORK SYSTEM, INTERFACE BOARD, METHOD OF CONTROLLING
PRINTING ON AN NETWORK SYSTEM, AND PROGRAM
Technical Field
[0001]
The present invention relates to a network system that
controls a printer over a network, to an interface board, to a
method of controlling printing on a network system, and to a program.
Background Art
[0002]
Printers and other devices are commonly used connected to
a computer over a network. In order to use these devices, device
drivers to control them are required. These device drivers are
usually installed to the computer connected to the devices. (See,
for example, patent document 1.)
Citation List
Patent Literature
[0003]
[PTL 1 ] Japanese Unexamined Patent Appl . Pub.
JP-A-2002-251347
Summary of Invention
Technical Problem
[0004]
However, because device driver operation depends upon the
operating system (OS) of the computer on which the device driver
is installed, the user must instal the device driver appropriate
to the OS of the user's computer. This is difficult for users
that are unfamiliar with computers, however, because of the
difficulty of determining the version of the installed OS and
installing software (device drivers) . When the computer is
replaced, the device driver must also be installed again. Device
manufacturers must also develop device drivers that are compatiblewith different computer operating systems, thus increasing the
cost of development.
[0005]
With consideration for the foregoing problem, an object of
the present invention is to provide a network system, an interface
board, a method of controlling printing on a network system, and
a program that are capable of controlling a printer without
requiring a printer driver that is dependent upon the computer
environment .
Solution to Problem
[0006]
A network system according to the invention includes a web
application server on which a web application operates, one or
more client terminals that access the web application server using
a web browser, and one or more printers that operate in conjunction
with operation of the client terminal, is configured so that at
least the web application server and the client terminal, and
the client terminal and the one or more printers, can respectively
communicate over a network, and is characterized by the client
terminal having: a web page acquisition unit that gets from the
web application server a web page with an embedded print control
script that operates on the web browser and controls printing
related to a web page; a display unit that displays the acquired
web page; a drawing process unit that accepts an input operation
on the displayed web page and draws a result of the input operation
in a specific drawing area; a print data generation unit that
generates print data converting image data written in the drawing
area to a form enabling processing by the printer according to
the print control script as a result of a print operation performed
on the displayed web page; and a print command unit that commands
the printer to print the print data according to the print control
script.
[0007]
A method of controlling printing on a network system that
includes a web application server on which a web applicationoperates, one or more client terminals that access the web
application server using a web browser, and one or more printers
that operate in conjunction with operation of the client terminal,
and is configured so that at least the web application server
and the client terminal, and the client terminal and the one or
more printers, can respectively communicate over a network, the
method of controlling printing on the network system characterized
by the client terminal executing: a web page acquisition step
that gets from the web application server a web page with an embedded
print control script that operates on the web browser and controls
printing related to a web page; a display step that displays the
acquired web page; a drawing process step that accepts an input
operation on the displayed web page and draws a result of the
input operation in a specific drawing area; a print data generation
step that generates print data converting image data written in
the drawing area to a form enabling processing by the printer
according to the print control script as a result of a print
operation performed on the displayed web page; and a print command
step that commands the printer to print the print data according
to the print control script.
[0008]
These aspects of the invention enable printing a desired
image (controlling printing by the printer) from a printer by
means of a print control script embedded on a web page. More
specifically, because printing by the printer is controlled by
a script that runs on a web browser (operates inside the web page) ,
installing a web browser on the client terminal is sufficient,
and there is no need to install a printer driver on each client
terminal as in the related art. In addition, there is also no
need for the printer manufacturer to develop plural different
printer drivers for different operating systems, and the related
development cost can be reduced. Yet further, because there is
no need to provide a special application execution environment
on the printer side, device development and manufacturing costs
can be reduced.Furthermore, because a web browser is normally installed
onmodern client terminals (computers including personal computers
and smartphones) , even users that are unfamiliar with computers
can easily use a printer without being concerned about the operating
environment (such as the operating system) of the terminal being
used.
[0009]
In a network system according to another aspect of the
invention, the printer used as the output printer is specified
in the print control script; and the print command unit issues
a print command to the printer specified by the print control
script .
[0010]
This configuration enables presetting the output printer.
As a result, even users that are unfamiliar with computers can
easily use a printer without being concerned about specifying
the output printer if, for example, the system provider presets
the output printer in the print control script.
[0011]
A network system according to another aspect of the invention
preferably also has a device server that can communicate with
the client terminal and one or more printers, and manages the
one or more printers, the device server having a device information
acquisition unit that finds a usable printer, and acquires device
information including at least a printer ID for identifying the
printer and connected communication port information from the
found printer, a device list generation unit that generates a
device list based on the acquired device information, and a device
list transmission unit that sends the generated device list to
the client terminal; the client terminal also having a device
list acquisition unit that acquires the device list from the device
server according to the print control script, and a device selection
unit that selects one printer from the device list according to
the print control script; wherein the print command unit issues
a print command to the printer selected by the device selectionunit according to the print control script.
[0012]
Amethod of controllingprinting on a network system according
to another aspect of the invention preferably also has a device
server that can communicate with the client terminal and one or
more printers, and manages the one or more printers, the device
server executing a device information acquisition step that finds
a usable printer, and acquires device information including at
least a printer ID for identifying the printer and connected
communication port information from the found printer, a device
list generation step that generates a device list based on the
acquired device information, and a device list transmission step
that sends the generated device list to the client terminal; the
client terminal also executing a device list acquisition step
that acquires the device list from the device server according
to the print control script, and a device selection step that
selects one printer from the device list according to the print
control script; and the print command step issuing a print command
to the printer selected in the device selection step according
to the print control script.
[0013]
With these aspects of the invention, when one or more printers
are connected, a list of usable printers (device list) is acquired
by the print control script embedded in the web page, and the
printer to be used for output can be selected (specified) from
the device list and the desired images can be printed. More
specifically, selecting a printer and running a printing process
are enabledby simply installingawebbrowser on the client terminal
without installing a printer driver on each client terminal as
in the related art. Installing printer-specific functions on the
client terminal side (web browser side) is also not necessary.
[0014]
Further preferably in a network system according to another
aspect of the invention, the web application server has a device
list storage unit that stores a device list showing a list ofusable printers, a user information storage unit that stores user
information, which is information about a user that can use the
web application, an identification information reception unit
that receives identification information identifying a user of
the client terminal from the client terminal, and a user
authentication unit that authenticates the user by comparing the
identification information received by the identification
information reception unit and the user information stored in
the user information storage unit; the client terminal also has
an identification information input window display unit that
displays an identification information input window for inputting
the identification information, an identification information
transmission unit that sends the identification information input
by an input operation to the identification information input
window to the web application server, a device list acquisition
unit that gets the web page by the web page acquisition unit when
user authentication by the user authentication unit succeeds,
and gets the device list from the web application server according
to the print control script embedded in the acquired web page,
and a device selection unit that selects one printer from the
acquired device list according to the print control script; and
the print command unit issues aprint command to the printer selected
by the device selection unit according to the print control script .
[0015]
Amethod of controlling printing on a network system according
to the invention is further preferably characterized by: the web
application server storing a device list showing a list of usable
printers and user information, which is information about a user
that can use the web application, and executing an identification
information reception step that receives identification
information identifying a user of the client terminal from the
client terminal, and a user authentication step that authenticates
the user by comparing the identification information received
by the identification information reception step and the stored
user information; the client terminal also executing anidentification information input window display step that displays
an identification information input window for inputting the
identification information, an identification information
transmission step that sends the identification information input
by an input operation to the identification information input
window to the web application server, a device list acquisition
step that gets the web page by the web page acquisition step when
user authentication by the user authentication step succeeds,
and gets the device list from the web application server according
to the print control script embedded in the acquired web page,
and a device selection step that selects one printer from the
acquired device list according to the print control script; and
the print command step issuing a print command to the printer
selectedby the device selection step according to the print control
script .
[0016]
When one or more printers is connected, the web application
server in these configurations performs user authentication, and
only users allowed by authentication (for which authentication
was successful) can select a printer from a printer list (device
list) acquired by the print control script embedded in the web
page and print desired images. More specifically, printer users
can be authenticated and only permitted users enabled to select
a usable printer and print if a web browser that acquires (displays)
a web page is installed on the client terminal, and there is no
need to install a printer driver on each individual client terminal
as in the related art.
[0017]
A network system according to the invention preferably also
has a device server that can communicate with the client terminal
and one or more printers, and manages the one or more printers,
wherein: the client terminal also has an identification
information input window display unit that displays an
identification information input window for inputting
identification information identifying a user of the clientterminal; the print command unit executes a process that sends
print data to be printed linked to the identification information
input by an input operation to the identification information
input window to the device server according to the print control
script as a print command for the printer; and the device server
has a user information storage unit that stores printer
identification information identifying each printer related to
user information indicating which user can use which printer,
a data reception unit that gets the identification information
and the print data from the client terminal, a user authentication
unit that authenticates the user by comparing the identification
information received by the data reception unit with the user
information stored in the user information storage unit, an output
printer setting unit that, when authentication by the user
authentication unit succeeds, sets the printer linked to the user
information that matched the identification information as the
output printer, and a print data relay unit that sends the print
data to the printer set by the output printer setting unit.
[0018]
Amethod of controlling printing on a network system according
to the invention preferably also has a device server that can
communicate with the client terminal and one or more printers,
and manages the one or more printers, wherein: the client terminal
also executes an identification information input window display
step that displays an identification information input window
for inputting identification information identifying a user of
the client terminal; the print command step executes a process
that sends print data to be printed linked to the identification
information input by an input operation to the identification
information input window to the device server according to the
print control script as a print command for the printer; and the
device server stores printer identification information
identifying each printer related to user information indicating
which user can use which printer, and executes a data reception
step that gets the identification information and the print datafrom the client terminal, a user authentication step that
authenticates the user by comparing the identification information
receivedby the data reception step with the storeduser information,
an output printer setting step that, when authentication by the
user authentication step succeeds, sets the printer linked to
the user information that matched the identification information
as the output printer, and a print data relay step that sends
the print data to the printer set by the output printer setting
step.
[0019]
When more than one printer is connected, these configurations
enable inputting identification information for identifying a
user using the print control script embedded in the web page,
and enable printing from a printer linked to the user if
authentication based on the input identification information is
successful. More specifically, printing can be enabled while
limiting the users that can use a printer if a web browser that
acquires (displays) a web page is installed on the client terminal,
and there is no need to install a printer driver on each individual
client terminal as in the related art.
[0020]
The network system according to the invention preferably
also has a device server that can communicate with the client
terminal and one or more printers, and manages the one or more
printers; the device server has a printer management information
storage unit that stores printer identification information for
identifying each printer and a related encryption key that is
different for each printer, an authentication request information
reception unit that receives authentication request information
for the printer from the web application server through the print
control script, and an authentication response information
transmission unit that sends authentication response information,
which is encrypted authentication information obtained by
encrypting the received authentication request information with
the encryption key, andprinter identification information relatedto the encryption key used to create the encrypted authentication
information, through the print control script to the web
application server; the web application server has a printer
authentication unit that authenticates the printer by comparing
encrypted authentication information contained in the received
authentication response information with the result of encrypting
the authentication request information with a specific encryption
key, and an authentication result transmission unit that sends
the printer identification information related to the encrypted
authentication information to the client terminal when
authentication by the printer authentication unit succeeds; and
the print command unit of the client terminal issues a print command
to the printer specif ied by the printer identification information
sent by the authentication result transmission unit according
to the print control script.
[0021]
The method of controlling printing on a network system
according to the invention preferably also has a device server
that can communicate with the client terminal and one or more
printers, and manages the one or more printers; the device server
stores printer identification information for identifying each
printer and a related encryption key that is different for each
printer, and executes an authentication request information
reception step that receives authentication request information
for the printer from the web application server through the print
control script, and an authentication response information
transmission step that sends authentication response information,
which is encrypted authentication information obtained by
encrypting the received authentication request information with
the encryption key, andprinter identification information related
to the encryption key used to create the encrypted authentication
information, through the print control script to the web
application server; the web application server executes a printer
authentication step that authenticates the printer by comparing
encrypted authentication information contained in the receivedauthentication response information with the result of encrypting
the authentication request information with a specific encryption
key, and an authentication result transmission step that sends
the printer identification information related to the encrypted
authentication information to the client terminal when
authentication by the printer authentication step succeeds; and
the print command step of the client terminal issues a print command
to the printer specif iedby the printer identification information
sent by the authentication result transmission step according
to the print control script.
[0022]
When one or more printers are connected and printing is
executed according to a print control script embedded in a web
page, these configurations enable authenticating the connected
printers and printing only from printers for which authentication
succeeded (authentication was allowed) . More specifically,
printing is possible while limiting the printers used for output
if a web browser that acquires (displays) a web page is installed
on the client terminal, and there is no need to install a printer
driver on each individual client terminal as in the related art.
This can be used, for example, when restricting the printers that
can be used for printing is desirable (when prohibiting printing
on any printer is desirable) , such as when printing confidential
information or printing tickets.
[0023]
Further preferably in a network system according to the
invention, the print data generation unit temporarily stores the
generated print data in a specific storage area; and the print
command unit commands the printer to print the print data in the
storage area after all print data is stored in the specific storage
area.
[0024]
This configuration enables high speed printing by performing
the print data (such as raster image commands) generation process
and the print data transmission process separately (not inparallel) . Blemishes in the printed image can also be suppressed
better in a low performance client terminal than when the print
data generation process and print data transmission process are
executed as parallel processes.
[0025]
Further preferably in the network system according to the
invention, the display unit displays a change-page confirmation
window for selecting whether or not to change the web page according
to the print control script if a change-page event that changes
the web page occurs during transmission of the print data in
conjunction with the print command from the print command unit.
[0026]
This configuration displays a confirmation window for
confirming (selecting) whether or not to actually change the page
when the web page changes. Because the invention achieves the
function of a printer driver with a script (print control script)
the print control script will disappear and printing be interrupted
if the web page changes during the printing process. A s a result,
by displaying a confirmation screen when an event that changes
the web page occurs, the operator (user) can be prevented from
unintentionally changing the web page.
[0027]
Further preferably in the network system according to the
invention, the print command unit interrupts print data
transmission when changing the web page is executed during
transmission of the print data according to the print command;
and the display unit displays a message indicating that print
data transmission was interrupted.
[0028]
This configuration can inform the user that the printing
process was interrupted. For example, the user may not be aware
that the web page changed due to an unintentional operation by
the user, the print control script disappeared, and the printing
process was interrupted, but this aspect of the invention prevents
this by reporting interruption of the printing process.[0029]
Further preferably in the network system according to the
invention, the print command unit executes the print data
transmission process accompanying the print command parallel to
the change-page confirmation window display process.
[0030]
By transmitting the print data and displaying the change-page
confirmation window in parallel (in multiple threads), this
configuration can continue the printing process while the
change-page confirmation window is displayed to select whether
or not to change the web page.
[0031]
Further preferably in the network system according to the
invention, the printer has a print data reception unit that receives
the print data to be printed, and a print control unit that controls
a printing process based on the received print data; and the print
control unit executes a printing process based on the print data
after all print data to be printed is received by the print data
reception unit.
[0032]
The printer in this configuration starts printing after all
print data has been received. When a large amount of print data
is received for printing, for example, this prevents the print
control script from disappearing and the printing process stopping
in the middle as a result of the web page changing while the print
data is being received.
[0033]
Further preferably in the network system according to the
invention, the print data generation unit segments the image data
into blocks of a data size that can be transmitted in a single
data communication, and generates segmented print data that
converts each segmented image data block to a form enabling printing
by the printer; and the print command unit transmits the print
data according to the print command in segmented print data units .
[0034]This configuration segments and sends the print data in data
blocks sized to enable transmission in a single data communication .
A s a result, when a large amount of print data is sent for printing,
for example, this prevents the print control script from
disappearing and print data transmission from being interrupted
midway as a result of the web page changing during print data
transmission.
[0035]
Further preferably in the network system according to the
invention, the client terminal also has a print settings unit
that configures the print settings of the printer according to
the print control script.
[0036]
This configuration can configure the print settings of the
printer according to the print control script. More specifically,
printer settings can be checked or the user can desirably change
the printer settings without installing a printer driver on each
client terminal as in the related art.
Note that the printer settings include, for example, the
paper size, number of copies, print quality, color/BW printing,
and image processing method.
The print settings made (changed) by the user may also be
stored in a specific storage area. In this case the stored print
settings can be read the next time something is printed, eliminating
the need for the user to change the print settings every time.
[0037]
A network system according to the invention preferably also
has a a device management server that can communicate with the
client terminal over a network and centrally manages printer
status; the client terminal also has a device state transmission
unit that gets device state information indicating at least the
printer status and sends the acquired device state information
to the device management server according to the print control
script; and the device management server has a device state
reception unit that receives device state information from theclient terminal, and a device state reporting unit that reports
the status of each printer based on the received device state
information.
[0038]
With this configuration the device management server can
centrally manage the status of all usable printers. A s a result,
the system administrator or device manufacturer, for example,
can quickly take action. hen a problem occurs with a printer.
Metered billing according to actual printer use, for example,
is also possible.
[0039]
An interface board according to the invention includes the
parts of the device server described above, and is used installed
in any one of the one or more printers.
[0040]
This aspect of the invention enables providing an interface
board with the functions of a device server. A s a result, by simply
connecting the interface board to the printer, the user can easily
achieve the functions of the device server. Compared with
configuring a device server using a personal computer (PC) , for
example, this aspect of the invention eliminates the trouble (such
as the trouble of procuring a personal computer and constructing
the device server) .
In addition, because there is no need to incorporate special
function into the printer, the network system of the invention
can even be introduced using a general purpose printer.
[0041]
Another aspect of the invention is a program that causes
a computer to execute the steps of theme thodof controllingprinting
on a network system described above.
This configuration enables providing a program that can print
desired images from a printer (control printing by the printer)
by means of a print control script embedded in a web page.
Advantageous Effects of Invention
[0042]The invention thus enables controlling a printer without
requiring a printer driver that depends on the computer
environment .
Brief Description of Drawings
[0043]
FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of a network system
according to a first embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration
of a network system according to the first embodiment of the
invention.
FIG. 3 is a flow chart describing the printing process of
a network system according to the first embodiment of the invention .
FIG. 4 is a flow chart describing the process of the network
system according to the first embodiment of the invention when
an event changing the web page occurs during print data
transmission.
FIG. 5 is a system configuration diagram showing a variation
of the network system according to the first embodiment of the
invention.
FIG. 6 is a system configuration diagram of a network system
according to a second embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration
of the network system according to the second embodiment of the
invention.
FIG. 8 is a flow chart describing the printing process of
a network system according to the second embodiment of the
invention.
FIG. 9 is a system configuration diagram of a network system
according to a third embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 10 is a function block diagram of the network system
according to the third embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 11 is a flow chart describing the user authentication
process and printing process of a network system according to
the third embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 12 is a system configuration diagram of a network systemaccording to a fourth embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 13 is a function block diagram of the network system
according to the fourth embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 14 is a flow chart describing the user authentication
process and printing process of a network system according to
the fourth embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 15 is a system configuration diagram of a network system
according to a fifth embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 16 is a function block diagram of the network system
according to the fifth embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 17 is a flow chart describing the printer authentication
process and printing process of a network system according to
the fifth embodiment of the invention.
Description of Embodiments
[0044]
A network system, an interface board, a method of controlling
printing on a network system, and a program according to preferred
embodiments of the invention are described below with reference
to the accompanying figures. A network system according to the
invention is a system that executes a printing process using a
web browser without installing a dedicated printer driver on the
client terminal.
Example 1
[0045]
FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of a network system
SY1 according to the first embodiment of the invention. A s shown
in FIG. 1 , the network system SY1 includes a web application server
1 , a client terminal 2 connected over the Internet to the web
application server 1 , and a printer 3 connected to the client
terminal 2 over a LAN. Note that only one client terminal 2 and
one printer 3 are shown in the example in FIG. 1 , but the invention
is not so limited and a configuration having a plurality of client
terminals 2 and a plurality of printers 3 is also possible. Either
a wired or a wireless connection could also be used to connect
to the network (Internet or LAN) .[0046]
The web application server 1 has the hardware configuration
of a general computer in addition to a control unit 11, storage
unit 12, and communication unit 13. The main parts of the control
unit 11 include a CPU (central processing unit) , ROM (read-only
memory) , and RAM (random access memory) . The CPU runs a program
stored in ROM, and controls operation of the web application server
1 . ROM stores control data and a control program enabling the
CPU to execute various processes. RAM is used as working memory
when the CPU executes different processes. An HTTP server 14 and
web application 15 are also stored in the storage unit 12.
[0047]
The communication unit 13 is an interface for communicating
with the client terminal 2 (web browser 56) . Communication between
the web application server 1 and client terminal 2 is controlled
by the HTTP server 14 using Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) .
More specifically, the web application server 1 receives an HTTP
request from the client terminal 2 (web browser 56) , and based
on the URL (UniformResource Locator) contained in the HTTP request,
returns a web page 21 provided by the web application 15 to the
client terminal 2 .
[0048]
A s described in detail below, in addition to a page control
script 22 (JavaScript (R) ) for controlling the web page 21, the
web page 21 includes a print control script 23 (JavaScript (R) )
for controlling printing related to the web page 21, and the client
terminal 2 executes a printing process by running the print control
script 23 on the web browser 56 (on the web page 21) .
[0049]
The printer 3 has a control unit 41, storage unit 42, print
mechanism 43, and communication unit 44 as main parts. The control
unit 41 has a CPU and RAM as main parts. The CPU runs programs
stored in the storage unit 42, and controls printer 3 operation.
RAM is used as working memory for the CPU to execute processes.
The storage unit 42 is, for example, nonvolatile memory (suchas flash ROM) , and stores control data and control programs enabling
the CPU to run the processes. The storage unit 42 also stores
an HTTP server 46.
[0050]
The print mechanism 43 includes a paper feed mechanism
printhead, and paper cutting mechanism, and performs a printing
operation as controlled by the CPU. The printing method is not
limited, and could be an inkjet or laser printing method, for
example .
[0051]
The communication unit 44 is an interface for communicating
with the client terminal 2 . Communication between the printer
3 and client terminal 2 (web browser 56) is controlled by the
HTTP server 46 using HTTP. More specifically, when print data
is sent from the client terminal 2 to the service endpoint address
(a URI (Uniform Resource Identifier) such as http: //x.x.x.x/)
assigned to the printer 3 , the printer 3 (control unit 41) receives
the print data and controls the print mechanism 43 to print based
on the received print data.
[0052]
The client terminal 2 includes a control unit 51, storage
unit 52, display unit 53, operating unit 54, and communication
unit 55 as main parts. The control unit 51 has a CPU and RAM as
main parts. The CPU runs a program stored in storage unit 52 and
controls client terminal 2 operation. RAM is used as working memory
for the CPU to run processes. The storage unit 52 is, for example,
a HDD (hard disk drive) or nonvolatile memory (such as flash ROM) ,
and stores control data and control programs used by the CPU to
execute different processes. The storage unit 52 also stores a
web browser 56.
[0053]
The display unit 53 displays a web page 21 acquired
(downloaded) by the web browser 56 in a web browser 56 window,
and displays configuration windows and windows for reporting
different events accompanying operations performed in the webbrowser 56. These windows could be displayed in the web page 21
displayed by the web browser 56, or displayed in a new web page
21. The operating unit 54 is an operating means for performing
input operations (such as inputting text and drawing figures) ,
andmaking selection/decision operations and printing operations,
in a web page 21 displayed by the web browser 56. Note that the
display unit 53 and operating unit 54 may be rendered separately
or rendered in unison by, for example, using a touch screen panel
as the display unit 53.
[0054]
The communication unit 55 is an interface for communication
with the web application server 1 and printer 3 , and the client
terminal 2 (control unit 51) uses the web browser 56 to communicate
with the web application server 1 and printer 3 .
[0055]
The web browser 56 is a simple browser (standard browser)
with no plugin modules, and the client terminal 2 (control unit
51) uses this web browser 56 to access the web application server
1 and receive web pages 21 provided by the web application 15.
[0056]
The web page 21 includes a page control script 22 and print
control script 23 as described above, and when user input is received
by the web browser 56, the page control script 22 draws the result
of the input operation (text or image input result) in a specific
screen area. This drawing area is a drawing canvas (HTML5 canvas
element) defined (set) by the page control script 22, and the
input content is drawn in this canvas area and stored as image
data.
[0057]
When the user issues a print command (such as by pressing
a print button) on the web page 21, the web browser 56 runs the
print control script 23 embedded in the web page 21, converts
the image data written in the drawing area to create print data,
and sends the print data to the printer 3 (the service endpoint
at the printer 3 ) . The service endpoint address of the printer3 to which the print data is sent is specified in the print control
script 23.
[0058]
Note that when a plurality of printers 3 are connected, a
printer 3 service endpoint address that differs according to the
print control script 23 contained in the web page 21 could be
specified according to the type of the web page 21 (such as the
content provided by the web page 21) .More specifically, different
output printers 3 could be specified according to the type of
web page 21. The client terminal 2 may be any computer on which
the web browser 56 operates, and may be a mobile terminal (such
as a cellular telephone or smartphone) , personal computer (PC) ,
or other type of device.
[0059]
The functional configuration of the network system SY1 is
described next with reference to FIG. 2 . The client terminal 2
has a web page acquisition unit 71, drawing process unit 72, print
data generation unit 73, print command unit 74, display control
unit 75, and print settings unit 76.
[0060]
The web page acquisition unit 71 has the control unit 51
and web browser 56 as main parts, and uses the web browser 56
to access the web application server 1 (web application 15) and
get the desired web page 21 (the web page 21 containing the page
control script 22 and print control script 23) .
[0061]
The drawing process unit 72 has the control unit 51 and page
control script 22 as main parts, and when the user performs an
input operation on the acquired web page 21 (the web page 21
displayed by the web browser 56) , writes the result of the input
operation in the drawing area.
[0062]
The print data generation unit 73 has the control unit 51
and print control script 23 as main parts, and when the user performs
a print operation on the acquired web page 21 (the web page 21displayed by the web browser 56) , runs the print control script
23 to generate print data by converting the data written in the
drawing area to a form enabling processing by the printer 3 (such
as raster image commands / bitmap files, or XML print data) . More
specifically, the print control script 23 checks the pixel values
of the image data written in the drawing area, applies an image
process such as digitizing or dithering, and generates print data
that can be processed by the printer 3 . The print data generation
unit 73 also temporarily stores the generated print data in a
specific storage area (storage unit 52) . Temporarily storing the
print data can be done using a web storage device, for example.
The page control script 22 detects print operations, and when
triggered by detecting a print operation the page control script
22 calls the print control script 23 to run the process for
generating and temporarily storing the print data.
[0063]
The print command unit 74 has the control unit 51,
communication unit 55 and print control script 23 as main parts,
and sends the print data stored by the print data generation unit
73 to the printer 3 . More specifically, the print data generating
process (a process of the print data generation unit 73) and the
print data transmission process (a process of the print command
unit 74) are not executed as parallel processes, and transmission
of the print data starts after all print data has been generated.
Note that when the web page 21 changes (a page unload event occurs)
while print data is being sent, the print command unit 74 interrupts
transmission. This is because the print control script 23, which
is an element of the print command unit 74, is embedded in the
web page 21, and when the web page 21 changes, the print control
script 23 disappears.
[0064]
The display control unit 75 has the control unit 51, display
unit 53 and print control script 23 as main parts, and reports
events that occur during the printing process controlled by the
print control script 23 to the user. More specifically, when theuser performs an action (invokes a beforeunload event) to change
the currently displayed web page 21 while the print data is being
transmitted, the display control unit 75 displays a confirmation
window on the display unit 53 enabling the user to confirm whether
or not to change the web page 21. If changing the web page 21
is confirmed in this confirmation window (an unload event occurs) ,
the display control unit 75 displays a warning that print data
transmission was interrupted.
[0065]
Note that the print command unit 74 continues sending the
print data while the confirmation window is displayedby the display
control unit 75. More specifically, the print control script 23
displays the confirmation window and continues sending the print
data at the same time. Parallel processes can be achieved by,
for example, using a web worker to run both processes in separate
threads .
[0066]
The print settings unit 76 has the control unit 51 and print
control script 23 as main parts. When a printing process executes
(when the user performs a printing operation on the web page 21) ,
the print settings unit 7 prompts the user to input print settings
(such as the paper size and number of copies as described below)
using the print settings service provided by the printer 3 (the
print settings service provider 83 described below) . The user
settings information is stored in a web browser 56 cookie or the
web storage device, andwhen the next printingprocess is performed,
the stored print settings are read and the print settings are
restored.
[0067]
The printer 3 has a print data receiving unit 81, print control
unit 82, and print settings service provider 83. The print data
receiving unit 81 has the control unit 41, communication unit
44 and HTTP server 46 as main parts, and receives the print data
sent from the client terminal 2 .
[0068]The print control unit 82 has the control unit 41 and print
mechanism 43 as main parts, and controls printing an image based
on the received print data received by the print data receiving
unit 81. The print control unit 82 prints in this printing process
after all print data sent from the client terminal 2 has been
received. More specifically, the print data sent from the client
terminal 2 is temporarily stored in a specific area in the storage
unit 42, and after all print data has been received, the stored
print data is read to execute the printing process.
[0069]
The print settings service provider 83 includes the control
unit 41 and HTTP server 46 as main parts, and provides a print
settings service (printing configuration function) for
configuring printing by the printer 3 to the client terminal 2 .
This print settings service is provided as a user interface (UI)
on the web page or as a web service API (Application Programming
Interface) , and enables setting the paper size, number of copies,
print quality, color/BW printing, and the image processing method,
for example.
[0070]
The printing process of the network system SY1 is described
next with reference to the flow chart in FIG. 3 . First, the client
terminal 2 (control unit 51) accesses the web application server
1 (web application 15) based on user operation of the web browser
56, gets the desired web page 21 (a web page 21 containing the
page control script 22 and print control script 23) , and displays
the web page 21 on the web browser 56 (S01, web page acquisition
step, display step) .
[0071]
When the user then performs an input operation on the web
page 21, the client terminal 2 receives the user input according
to the page control script 22 embedded on the web page 21, and
writes the received result of the input operation in the drawing
area (S02, drawing process step) . After the content is drawn on
screen and the user performs a print operation on the web page21, the client terminal 2 receives a start printing command in
conjunction with the print operation from the page control script
22 (S03) . Triggered by receiving the start printing command, the
print control script 23 is called from the page control script
22, and the printing process starts.
[0072]
More specifically, the client terminal 2 applies an image
process such as digitizing or dithering to the image data written
in the drawing area (S04), generates print data converted to a
format that can be processed by the printer 3 (S05, print data
generation step) , and saves the generated print data in the storage
unit 52 (S06) , according to the print control script 23. Note
that steps S05 and S06 repeat until print data generation is
completed, that is, until all image data written in the drawing
area is converted to print data (S07 returns No) .
[0073]
When generating the print data is completed (S07 returns
Yes) , the client terminal 2 sends the print data saved in the
storage unit 52 to the printer 3 (service endpoint address of
the printer 3 ) according to the print control script 23 (S08,
printing instruction step) . Note that the control process called
when an event that changes the web page 21 occurs as a result
of the user operating the browser while the print data is being
sent is described below with reference to FIG. 4 .
[0074]
When print data is received from the client terminal 2 (S09) ,
the printer 3 saves the print data in the storage unit 42 (S10) .
Steps S09 and S10 repeat until all print data is received (Sll
returns No) . When all print data has been received and stored
(Sll returns Yes) , the printer 3 reads the stored print data and
prints based thereon (prints an image) (S12) .
[0075]
The process that is run when an event that changes the web
page 21 occurs while print data is being sent by the client terminal
2 is described next with reference to the flow chart in FIG. 4 .Note that the print data to be sent in this process was already
generated by steps SOI to S07 in FIG. 3 . In addition, because
a special process is not performed when an event changing the
web page 21 does not occur, further description thereof is omitted
in the description of the flow chart in FIG. 4 .
[0076]
After generating and storing the print data by means of the
print control script 23, the client terminal 2 (control unit 51)
starts sending the print data to the printer 3 (S21) . If an event
that changes the displayed web page 21 (that is, the web page
21 in which the currently executing print control script 23 is
embedded) to a different page occurs (S22 returns Yes) as a result
of the user operating the web browser 56 while print data is being
transmitted, the client terminal 2 displays a confirmation window
for selecting whether or not to change the web page 21 on the
display unit 53 while continuing sending the print data by means
of the print control script 23 (S23) .
[0077]
If the user chooses to cancel changing the web page 21 in
this confirmation window (S24 returns No) , the client terminal
2 continues the transmission process until print data transmission
is completed by means of the print control script 23 (S25 returns
No) , and when all print data has been transmitted (S25 returns
Yes) , ends the transmission process (S26) .
[0078]
However, if the user confirms changing the web page 21 in
the confirmation window (S24 returns Yes) , the client terminal
2 stops sending the print data in conjunction with the print control
script 23 being cleared (S27) , and presents a warning that print
data transmission was interrupted on the display unit 53 (S28) .
[0079]
A s described above, this first embodiment of the invention
enables using a print control script 23 embedded in a web page
21 to print a specific image from a printer 3 . More specifically,
because a script that operates in a web browser 56 (operates inawebpage21) controls printing by the printer 3 , simply installing
a web browser 56 on the client terminal 2 is sufficient, and
installing a printer driver on each client terminal 2 as required
by the related art is not necessary. The cost of development can
also be reduced for the printer 3 manufacturer because the need
to develop different printer drivers for each operating system
is eliminated. In addition, because there is also no need to install
a special application execution environment on the printer 3 ,
the cost of printer development and manufacturing can also be
suppressed.
[0080]
Furthermore, because a web browser 56 is typically installed
as standard on most modern client terminals 2 (including personal
computers and smartphones) , users that are unfamiliar with
computers can easily use a printer 3 without being aware of the
operating environment (such as the type of OS) that is being used.
[0081]
The foregoing first embodiment describes a configuration
in which the printer 3 directly receives the print data sent from
the client terminal 2 and runs the printing process, but the
invention is not so limited. For example, as shown in FIG. 5 ,
a configuration in which an interf aceboard 100 (installable board)
that is removably installed to the print unit 90 receives the
print data sent from the client terminal 2 and runs the printing
process is also conceivable. In this case, the printer 110 is
rendered by the interface board 100 and print unit 90, and the
interface board 100 is connected to the print unit 90 through
the board interface 105 and printer interface 92. The print unit
90 gets the print data from the interface board 100 through the
printer interface 92, and controls the print mechanism 93 by the
control unit 91. Note that reference numerals 101, 102, 104, 106
in the interface board 100 in FIG. 5 function as reference numerals
41, 42, 44, 46 of the printer 3 in FIG. 1 .The invention can therefore
be introduced with general-use printers because no special
function needs to be incorporated into the print unit 90.Example 2
[0082]
A network system SY2 according to a second embodiment of
the invention is described next with reference to FIG. 6 to FIG.
8 . The network system SY2 according to the second embodiment of
the invention differs from the network system SY1 according to
the first embodiment of the invention in that aplurality ofprinters
3 (3A to 3C) are connected through the interface board 4 (device
server) ; a list of usable printers 3 is generated by a function
provided by the interface board 4 , and the desired printer 3 (the
printer 3 selected for output) is specified from the list using
a web browser 56 on the client terminal 2 and prints; and the
printer 3 status is managed by a device management server 5 . Other
aspects of this embodiment are the same as the network system
SY1 according to the first embodiment of the invention.
[0083]
Note that parts that are the same as in the first embodiment
are identif iedby like reference numerals in this second embodiment
of the invention, and further detailed description thereof is
omitted. In addition, variations that are applicable to like parts
of the first embodiment can be similarly applied in the second
embodiment. The differences in particular are described below.
[0084]
FIG. 6 shows the configuration of the network system SY2.
A s shown in FIG. 6 , the network system SY2 includes a web application
server 1 , client terminal 2 (one shown in FIG. 6), a printer 3
(three printers 3A, 3B, 3C shown in FIG. 6 ) , a (removable) interface
board 4 connected to the printers 3 , and a device management server
5 that manages the status of all printers 3 .
[0085]
The web application server 1 and the client terminal 2 , and
the client terminal 2 and the device management server 5 , are
communicatively connected over the Internet. The client terminal
2 and interface board 4 are communicatively connected over a LAN.
An interface board 4 is installed to one printer 3 (printer 3Ain the second embodiment) , and the other two printers 3 (printers
3B and 3C) are connected through a communication unit 33 on the
interface board 4 . Note that FIG. 6 shows an example having one
client terminal 2 and three printers 3 , but the invention is not
so limited and the number of each can be determined as desired.
[0086]
The interface board 4 has a control unit 31, storage unit
32, communication unit 33 and board interface 34. The control
unit 31 primarily includes a CPU and RAM. The CPU runs a program
stored in the storage unit 32 and controls interface board 4
operation. RAM is used as working memory for the CPU to execute
processes. The storage unit 32 is nonvolatile memory (such as
flash ROM) , and stores control data and control programs for the
CPU to execute the processes. The storage unit 32 also stores
a list ofHTTP servers 35 andusable (connected) printers 3 (referred
to below as the device list 36) .
[0087]
Information contained in the device list 36 ("device
information" below) includes as basic device information for each
printer 3 the printer ID and printer name assigned to the printer
3 , and the communication port to which the printer 3 is connected.
Detailed device information includes the printer 3 status
(normal/error) ; the print settings (paper size, number of copies,
print quality, color/BW printing, image processing method) ;
optional device information about any optional devices (such as
a paper feed cassette or duplex printing unit) connected to the
printer 3 ; and consumables information (such as how much paper
is left and the remaining ink level) . Note that this device
information is described for example only, and the invention is
not limited thereto.
[0088]
The board interface 34 is a port for installation to the
printer 3 (printer 3A) , and communication with the printer 3A
passes through this board interface 34. The communication unit
33 is an interface for communicating with the client terminal2 and another printer 3 (printers 3B and 3C in the second embodiment ),
and is a group of interfaces compatible with different kinds of
connections / such as a LAN interface and a USB interface.
[0089]
The HTTP server 35 handles communication between the
interface board 4 and the client terminal 2 (web browser 56) using
HTTP. More specifically, when device information (printer ID and
communication port) for the output printer 3 and the print data
are sent from the client terminal 2 to the service endpoint address
(URI) assigned to the interface board 4 , the interface board 4
sends the received print data to the printer 3 identified as the
output address (as further described below) .
[0090]
The printer 3 is primarily composed of the control unit 41,
storage unit 42, print mechanism 43, communication unit 44, and
printer interface 45. Note that because printers 3A, 3B, and 3C
are identical, only the configuration of printer 3A is shown in
FIG. 6 .
[0091]
The printer interface 45 connects to the interface board
4 (board interface 34) and handles communications (is a port for
installing the interface board 4 ) . The communication unit 44 is
an interface for communicating with the interface board 4 , and
is a group of interfaces compatible with different kinds of
connections, such as a LAN interface and a USB interface. The
printer 3 receives and prints print data sent from the client
terminal 2 (through the interface board 4 ) through the printer
interface 45 or the communication unit 44. The printer 3 also
sends the result of the printing process (the status of the printer
3 (device information) , such as printing completed or error
occurred) to the client terminal 2 (through the interface board
4 ) .
[0092]
Note that, as described above, because the interface board
4 is installed to printer 3A in the second embodiment, printer3A communicates through the printer interface 45 with the interface
board 4 , and printers 3B and 3C communicate through the
communication unit 44 with the interface board 4 .More specifically,
the communication unit 44 of printer 3A is unused (not connected) ,
and the printer interfaces 45 of printers 3B and 3C are unused
(not connected), in this second embodiment.
[0093]
The client terminal 2 includes as main parts a control unit
51, storage unit 52, display unit 53, operating unit 54, and
communication unit 55. The communication unit 55 is an interface
for communicating with the web application server 1 , interface
board 4 and device management server 5 , and the client terminal
2 (control unit 51) communicates with other devices through the
web browser 56.
[0094]
More specifically, the client terminal 2 uses the web browser
56 to access a web application server 1 connected to the network,
and get a web page 21 (containing page control script 22 and print
control script 23) provided by the web application 15.
[0095]
When the user performs a print operation on the web page
21, the web browser 56 runs the print control script 23 embedded
on the web page 21, gets the device list 36 from the interface
board 4 , and based thereon displays a printer selection window
for selecting the output printer 3 (in this second embodiment,
a window for selecting one of printers 3A to 3C) . When the desired
printer 3 is selected from the list in the printer selection window
and a print command is issued by the user, the image data written
in the drawing area is converted to produce print data, and the
print data is sent with the device information (printer ID, port
information) for the specified printer 3 to the interface board
4 (the service endpoint of the interface board 4 ) .
[0096]
The client terminal 2 also sends the device information for
the printer 3 to the device management server 5 . This deviceinformation includes at least the basic device information
(printer ID, printer name, communication port) and the printer
3 status. Information that is updated based on the result of each
printing process (printing completed or error occurred) received
from the printer 3 is sent as the printer 3 status. Note that
the device information sent to the device management server 5
is not limited to the above, and sending other device information
is also possible.
[0097]
In addition to a control unit 61, storage unit 62,
communication unit 63, and display unit 64, the device management
server 5 also has the hardware components of a typical computer.
The control unit 61 includes primarily a CPU, ROM, and RAM. The
CPU runs a program stored in ROM, and controls device management
server 5 operation. ROM stores control data and a control program
enabling the CPU to run different processes .RAM is used as working
memory for the CPU to execute processes . The storage unit 62 stores
a device management application 66 for centrally managing the
HTTP server 65 and printer 3 status.
[0098]
The communication unit 63 is an interface for communicating
with the client terminal 2 (web browser 56) . Communication between
the device management server 5 and client terminal 2 is managed
by the HTTP server 65 using HTTP, and device information (basic
device information and printer status) is acquired (received)
from the client terminal 2 . The display unit 64 is an LCD panel,
for example, and displays the status of each printer 3 based on
the device information acquired from the client terminal 2 in
an application window of the device management application 66.
[0099]
The functional configuration of the network system SY2 is
described next with reference to FIG. 7 . The interface board 4
has a device information acquisition unit 201, device list
generation unit 202, device list transmission unit 203, and print
data relay unit 204. The device information acquisition unit 201primarily includes the control unit 31, searches for connected
usable printers 3 , and acquires device information from each of
the found (detected) printers 3 . The device information
acquisition unit 201 looks for network-connected printers 3 using
SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) , for example, and
acquires the device information from the Management Information
Base (MIB) of the connected printer 3 .
[0100]
The device list generation unit 202 has the control unit
31 as a main part, and generates and stores a device list 36 (list
of usable printers 3 ) in the storage unit 32 based on the device
information acquired by the device information acquisition unit
201. The device list transmission unit 203 primarily includes
the control unit 31, communication unit 33, and HTTP server 35,
and when a request for the device list 36 is received from the
client terminal 2 , responds by sending the device list 36 stored
in the storage unit 32. The print data transmission unit 204
primarily includes the control unit 31, communication unit 33,
board interface 34 and HTTP server 35, receives the output printer
information and print data described below from the client terminal
2 , and sends the print data to the printer 3 specified by the
output printer information. The print data transmission unit 204
also receives and sends the printing process result from the printer
3 to the client terminal 2 .
[0101]
The client terminal 2 includes a web page acquisition unit
71, drawing process unit 72, device list acquisition unit 211,
printer selection unit 212 (device selection unit) , print settings
unit 213, print data generation unit 73, print command unit 214,
and device state transmission unit 215.
[0102]
The device list acquisition unit 211 primarily includes the
control unit 51 and print control script 23, sends a device list
36 request to the interface board 4 according to the print control
script 23, and in response receives the device list 36 from theinterface board 4 .
[0103]
The printer selection unit 212 primarily includes the control
unit 51 and print control script 23, displays a printer selection
window for selecting one printer 3 from the acquired device list
36, and sets the printer 3 selected by the user as the print data
destination. Note that the acquired device list 36 and the
information for the printer 3 set as the destination maybe stored
in a cookie by the web browser 56 or in a web storage device so
that the stored data can be read and reset the next time.
[0104]
The print settings unit 213 primarily includes the control
unit 51 and print control script 23, and displays a device
information configuration window for displaying and setting the
device information (basic device information and detailed device
information) of the printer 3 selected with the printer selection
unit 212. This device information configuration window is
displayed when, for example, a certain button (such as a properties
button) in the printer selection window is operated, and displays
the optional device information and consumables information of
the printer 3 , and enables configuring printer settings such as
the paper size, number of copies, print quality, color/BW printing,
and the image processing method. The print settings unit 213 also
stores the settings changed by the user in a cookie of the web
browser 56 or on a web storage device so that the stored print
settings can be read and the print settings can be reset the next
time printing is done.
[0105]
The print command unit 214 primarily includes the the control
unit 51, communication unit 55, and print control script 23, and
sends the device information (information for the destination
printer (printer ID and communication port) ) for the output printer
3 selected by the printer selection unit 212, and the print data
temporarily stored by the print data generation unit 73, to the
interface board 4 . Note that the print command unit 214 stopstransmission if the web page 21 changes while the print data is
being sent .
[0106]
The device state transmission unit 215 primarily includes
the control unit 51 and print control script 23, receives the
results of printing processes from the printer 3 through the
interface board 4 , and sends device information (printer ID,
printer name, communication port and printer 3 status) updated
according to the printing process results to the device management
server 5 .
[0107]
The printer 3 has a print data receiving unit 221, print
control unit 82 and print result transmission unit 222. The print
data receiving unit 221 primarily includes the the control unit
41, communication unit 44, and printer interface 45, and receives
print data sent from the client terminal 2 through the interface
board 4 . The print result transmission unit 222 sends the printer
3 status, such as whether the printing process ended normally
(printing completed) or whether the printing process failed (error
occurred) , through the interface board 4 to the client terminal
2 .
[0108]
The device management server 5 has a device state reception
unit 231 and device state reporting unit 232. The device state
reception unit 231 primarily includes the control unit 61,
communication unit 63, and HTTP server 65, and receives device
information (printer ID, printer name, communication port and
printer 3 status) for each printer 3 from the client terminal
2 . The device state reporting unit 232 primarily includes the
the control unit 61, display unit 64, and device management
application 66, and displays the status of each printer 3 in a
window of the device management application 66based on the received
device information.
[0109]
The printing process in this network system SY2 is describednext with reference to the flow chart in FIG. 8 . Note that the
device list 36 is generated and stored by a process of the device
information acquisition unit 201 (device information acquisition
step) and a process of the device list generation unit 202 (device
list generation step) . In addition, because S31 to S33 and S39
to S42 in FIG. 8 are identical to SOI to S03 and S04 to S07 in
FIG. 3 of the first embodiment, detailed description thereof is
omitted below.
[0110]
When the client terminal 2 receives the start printing command
in S33, this triggers the print control script 23 being called
from the page control script 22, and the printing process starts.
More specifically, the client terminal 2 requests the device list
36 from the interface board 4 according to the print control script
23 (S34) . When this request is received, the interface board 4
returns the device list 36 stored in the storage unit 32 to the
client terminal 2 in response (S35, device list transmission step) .
[0111]
When the client terminal 2 then acquires the device list
36 from the interface board 4 (S36, device list acquisition step) ,
the client terminal 2 displays the printer selection window for
selecting the output printer 3 based thereon (S37) . When the user
then selects and verifies one printer 3 from the printer selection
window, the client terminal 2 sets the selected printer 3 as the
output destination of the print data (S38, device list selection
step) .
[0112]
The client terminal 2 then generates and stores the print
data by means of the print control script 23 (S39 - S42, drawing
process step, print data generation step) , and after generating
the print data is completed (S42; Yes), sends the information
about the printer 3 set as the destination and the print data
stored in the storage unit 52 to the interface board 4 (service
endpoint address of the interface board 4 ) according to the print
control script 23 (S43, printing instruction step) .[0113]
When the output printer information and print data is received
from the client terminal 2 (S44), the interface board 4 sends
the print data to the printer 3 specified by the output printer
information (S45) .
[0114]
The printer 3 stores the print data received from the interface
board 4 (S46) in the storage unit 42 (S47) . These steps S46 and
S47 repeat until all print data has been received (S48 returns
No) . When receiving all print data is completed (S48 returns Yes) ,
the printer 3 reads the stored print data and prints (prints an
image) based thereon (S49) .
[0115]
When the printing process ends , the printer 3 sends the result
(printing process result: printing completed/error occurred)
through the interface board 4 to the client terminal 2 (S50, S51) .
Next, when the printing process result is received from the printer
3 (interface board 4 ) , (S52) , the client terminal 2 sends device
information reflecting the result to the device management server
5 (S53) .The client terminal 2 may also display the printing process
result on its own display unit 53 (or in the web browser 56) .
When device information is then received from the client terminal
2 (S54), the device management server 5 displays (updates) the
printer 3 status in a window of the device management application
66 based on the received device information (S55) .
[0116]
When a plurality of printers 3 are connected as described
in the second embodiment above, the device list 36 (a list of
usable printers 3 ) is acquired according to the print control
script 23 embedded in the web page 21, the output printer 3 is
selected (specified) from the device list 36, and the desired
image can be printed. More specifically, the printer 3 can be
selected and a printing process can be executed by simply installing
a web browser 56 on the client terminal 2 , without installing
a printer driver on each client terminal 2 as in the related art.[0117]
Note that the interface board 4 finds the usable printers
3 and generates the device list 36 in the second embodiment, but
the invention is not so limited. For example, the interface board
4 could provide a printer registration function for manually
registering printers 3 , and the user could use this printer
registration function from the web browser 56 (client terminal
2 ) to generate the device list 36 by inputting, for example, the
printer ID, printer name, and board information for the target
printer 3 .
Example 3
[0118]
A network system SY3 according to a .third embodiment of the
invention is described next with reference to FIG. 9 to FIG. 11.
The network system SY3 according to the third embodiment of the
invention differs from the network system SY2 according to the
second embodiment of the invention in that authentication of users
that use the printer 3 , and managing a list of usable printers
3 (device list 36) , are managed by the web application server
1 ; and only users that are allowed by authentication by the web
application server 1 can select a printer 3 based on the device
list 36 and print. Other aspects of this embodiment are the same
as in the network system SY2 according to the second embodiment
of the invention. Note that like parts in the first and second
embodiments are identified by the same reference numerals in the
third embodiment, and further detailed description thereof is
omitted. In addition, variations of like parts that are applicable
to the first and second embodiments are similarly applicable to
this embodiment. The differences in particular are described
below.
[0119]
FIG. 9 shows the configuration of the network system SY3.
The web application server 1 includes, in addition to a control
unit 11, storage unit 12 (device list storage unit, user information
storage unit) , and communication unit 13, other hardwarecomponents of a typical computer. The storage unit 12 stores,
in addition to a HTTP server 14 and web application 15, a device
list 36 and user database 17. The device list 36 is a list of
usable printers 3 , and includes at least the printer ID, printer
name, and communication port to which the printer 3 is connected
as device information. Note that this device information is simply
an example, and the invention is not limited thereto. The user
database 17 is a database for administering information ("user
information" below) about a user that is permitted to use the
web application 15, and contains a user ID for identifying the
user and a related password.
[0120]
The communication unit 13 is an interface for communicating
(HTTP communication) with the client terminal 2 (web browser 56) .
When the client terminal 2 accesses (HTTP request) the web
application 15, the web application server 1 authenticates the
login based on information input from the client terminal 2
(referred to below as the user identification information
(identification information) ), and permits access to the web
application 15 and sends the desired web page 21 (including page
control script 22 and print control script 23) only when
authentication is successful. The web application server 1 sends
the device list 36 of usable printers 3 to the permitted client
terminal 2 (user) .
[0121]
The client terminal 2 primarily includes the control unit
51, storage unit 52, display unit 53, operating unit 54, and
communication unit 55 . The operating unit 54 is an operating means
for inputting user identification information (user ID and
password) in addition to performing input operations (such as
inputting text and drawing figures) , andmakingselection/decision
operations and printing operations, in a web page 21 displayed
by the web browser 56.
[0122]
The communication unit 55 is an interface for communicatingwith the web application server 1 and interface board 4 , and the
client terminal 2 communicates with other devices using the web
browser 56. The client terminal 2 (control unit 51) uses the web
browser 56 to access the web application server 1 and get the
web page 21 provided by the web application 15. To get the web
page 21, the client terminal 2 first sends the user identification
information input by the user to the web application 15 (web
application server 1 ) in order to login to the web application
15. After the login is authenticated based on the user
identification information by the web application 15, that is,
after access to the web application 15 is permitted, the desired
web page 21 is received.
[0123]
When the user performs a print operation on the web page
21, the client terminal 2 runs the print control script 23 embedded
in the web page 21, gets the device list 36 from the web application
server 1 , and displays a printer selection window (in this third
embodiment, a window for selecting one of printers 3A to 3C) for
selecting the output printer 3 based thereon. When the user then
selects the desired printer 3 from the list in the printer selection
window and issues a print command, the client terminal 2 converts
the image data written in the drawing area and generates print
data, and sends the print data and the device information (printer
ID and communication port) for the selected printer 3 to the
interface board 4 (the service endpoint) .
[0124]
The functional configuration of the network system SY3 is
described next with reference to FIG. 10. The web application
server 1 includes a user identification information reception
unit 301, user authentication unit 302, and device list
transmission unit 303. The user identification information
reception unit 301 mainly includes the control unit 11, HTTP server
14 and web application 15, and receives user identification
information (user ID and password) sent from the client terminal
2 .[0125]
The user authentication unit 302 mainly includes the control
unit 11, web application 15 and user database 17, and authenticates
the user (authenticates login) when the user accesses the web
application 15 using the client terminal 2 (web browser 56) . More
specifically, the user authentication unit 302 determines if the
user identification information received by the user
identification information reception unit 301 is registered in
the user database 17. If the received user identification
information is registered in the user database 17 (authentication
succeeds) , use of the web application 15 by the user (login to
the web application 15) is permitted; if not registered in the
user database 17 (authentication fails) , use of the web application
15 by the user (login to the web application 15) is rejected,
and the client terminal 2 is prompted for re-input of the user
identification information.
[0126]
The device list transmission unit 303 includes as main parts
the control unit 11 and HTTP server 14, and when a device list
36 request is received from the client terminal 2 , sends the device
list 36 stored in the storage unit 12 in response.
[0127]
The client terminal 2 includes a log-in window display unit
311 (identification information input window display unit) , user
identification information input unit 312, user identification
information transmission unit 313 (identification information
transmission unit) , web page acquisition unit 314, drawing process
unit 72, device list acquisition unit 315, printer selection unit
212 (device selection unit) , print data generation unit 73, and
print command unit 214.
[0128]
The log-in window display unit 311 includes as main parts
the control unit 51, displayunit 53 and web browser 56, and displays
a login window (identification information input window) for
inputting user identification information to login to the webapplication 15 on the web browser 56. The user identification
information input unit 312 includes as main parts the control
unit 51, operating unit 54 and web browser 56, and inputs the
user identification information based on user operations in the
login window. The user identification information transmission
unit 313 includes as main parts the control unit 51 and web browser
56, and sends the user identification information input by the
user identification information input unit 312 to the web
application server 1 (web application 15) .
[0129]
The web page acquisition unit 314 includes as main parts
the control unit 51 and web browser 56, when when login is
authenticated by the web application server 1, acquires the desired
web page 21 (including page control script 22 and print control
script 23) from the web application server 1 (web application
15) by the web browser 56.
[0130]
The device list acquisition unit 315 includes as main parts
the control unit 51 and print control script 23, sends a request
for the device list 36 to the web application server 1 by means
of the web application server 1 , and gets the device list 36 from
the web application server 1 in response.
[0131]
The interface board 4 has a print data relay unit 321. The
print data relay unit 321 includes as main units the control unit
31 and HTTP server 35, receives the output printer information
and print data from the client terminal 2 , and sends print data
to the printer 3 specified by the output printer information.
[0132]
The user authentication process and printing process of the
network system SY3 are described next with reference to the flow
chart in FIG. 11. Note that steps S75 to S85 in FIG. 11 are the
same as steps S39 to S49 in FIG. 8 according to the second embodiment
of the invention, and further description thereof is therefore
omitted below.[0133]
First, the client terminal 2 (control unit 51) accesses the
web application server 1 (web application 15) based on user
operations in the web browser 56, and displays a login window
for logging into the web application 15 on the web browser 56
(S61, identification information input window display step) .User
identification information (user ID and password) is then input
(S62) by the user inputting data to the login window, and the
client terminal 2 sends the input user identification information
to the web application server 1 (S63, identification information
transmission step) .
[0134]
When the web application server 1 (control unit 11) receives
user identification information from the client terminal 2 (S64,
identification information reception step) , the web application
server 1 applies an authentication process to the received user
identification information (S65, user authentication step) .More
specifically, the web application server 1 determines if the
received user identification information is registered in the
user database 17. If the user identification information is not
registered in the user database 17 (authentication fails; S66
returns No) , the web application server 1 prompts the client
terminal 2 for the user identification information to be input
again, and the client terminal 2 repeats the process from S61.
However, if the user identification information is registered
in the user database 17 (authentication succeeds; S66 returns
Yes), the web application server 1 allows the client terminal
2 to log into the web application 15.
[0135]
The client terminal 2 that was permitted to log in then gets
the desired web page 21 from the web application server 1 (web
application 15) according to user operation of the web browser
56, and displays the web page 21 on the web browser 56 (S67, web
page acquisition step, display step) .
[0136]When the user then performs an input operation on the web
page 21, the client terminal 2 receives the input operation
according to the page control script 22 embedded on the web page
21 and writes the result of the received input operation in the
drawing area (S68) . If the user then performs a print operation
on the web page 21 from this state (after writing) , the client
terminal 2 gets a start printing command in conjunction with the
printing operation from the page control script 22 (S69) .Triggered
by receiving this start printing command, the print control script
23 is called from the page control script 22, and the printing
process is started.
[0137]
More specifically, the client terminal 2 requests the device
list 36 from the web application server 1 by means of the print
control script 23 (S70) . When this request is received, the web
application server 1 sends the device list 36 stored in the storage
unit 12 to the client terminal 2 in response (S71) . When the device
list 36 is acquired from the web application server 1 (S72, device
list acquisition step) , the client terminal 2 (print control script
23) displays the printer selection window for selecting the output
printer 3 (S73) .When the user then selects and confirms one printer
3 in the printer selection window, the client terminal 2 sets
the selected printer 3 as the output destination for the print
data (S74, device selection step) .
[0138]
Next, the client terminal 2 generates and saves the print
data according to the print control script 23 (S75 - S78, drawing
process step, print data generation step) , and after generating
the print data is completed (S78;Yes) , sends the information for
the printer 3 set as the output printer (output printer information)
and the saved print data to the interface board 4 (S79, printing
instruction step) . The interface board 4 (control unit 31) then
sends the print data to the printer 3 identified by the output
printer information received from the client terminal 2 (S80,
S81) . The printer 3 (control unit 41) then prints based on theprint data after all print data is received from the interface
board 4 (S82 - S85) .
[0139]
When plural printers are connected as described in this third
embodiment above, user authentication is performed by the web
application server 1 , and only users for which authentication
was allowed (authentication succeeded) can select a printer 3
from the device list 36 (printer list) acquired by the print control
script 23 embedded in the web page 21 and print the desired image.
More specif ically, having a web browser 56 that displays (acquires)
a web page 21 installed on the client terminal 2 is sufficient
to authenticate the user of the printer 3 and enable only permitted
users to select a usable printer 3 and print, and installing a
printer driver on each client terminal 2 as in the related art
is not necessary.
Example 4
[0140]
A network system SY4 according to a fourth embodiment of
the invention is described next with reference to FIG. 12 to FIG.
14. The network system SY4 according to the fourth embodiment
of the invention differs from the network system SY3 according
to the third embodiment of the invention in that authentication
of users of the printer 3 is handled on the interface board 4
side. More specifically, this embodiment differs in that the
interface board 4 has a authentication processor 401 and user
database 402, and the authentication processor 401 authenticates
the user identification information (information that identifies
the user: user ID and password , identification information)
received from the client terminal 2, and permits use of the printer
3 (print images from the printer 3 ) when authentication is
successful. Other aspects of this embodiment are the same as in
the network system SY3 according to the third embodiment of the
invention. Note that like parts in the first to third embodiments
are identified by the same reference numerals in the fourth
embodiment, and further detailed description thereof is omitted.In addition, variations of like parts that are applicable to the
first to third embodiments are similarly applicable to this
embodiment. The differences in particular are described below.
[0141]
As shown in FIG. 12, the interface board 4 of the network
system SY4 according to the fourth embodiment of the invention
also has an authentication processor 401 and user database 402
(user information storage unit) .The user database 402 is a database
for managing users that are permitted to use the printer 3 , and
stores a user ID and password (user information) for identifying
a user linked to the printer ID of the printer 3 the user can
use and the communication port to which the printer 3 is connected
(the ID and communication port of the printer 3 allowed to be
used by the user identified by the user ID, collectively referred
to below as the printer information (printer identification
information) ). The authentication processor 401 authenticates
printer 3 users based on the user identification information
received from the client terminal 2 and the user database 402.
[0142]
The functional configuration of the network system SY4 is
described next with reference to the function block diagram in
FIG. 13. The client terminal 2 has a web page acquisition unit
71, drawing process unit 72, user identification information input
window display unit 411 (identification information input window
display unit) , user identification information input unit 412,
print data generation unit 73, and print command unit 413.
[0143]
The user identification information input window display
unit 411 includes as main parts a control unit 51, display unit
53, print control script 23 and web browser 56, and by means of
the print control script 23 displays on the web browser 56 a user
identification information input window (identification
information input window) for inputting user identification
information (user ID and password) used for authentication when
a user uses the printer 3 . The user identification informationinput unit 12 includes as main parts a control unit 51, operating
unit 54 and web browser 56, and inputs user identification
information based on input operations by the user in the user
identification information input window. The print command unit
413 includes as main parts the control unit 51 and print control
script 23, and outputs the user identification information input
by the user identification information input unit 412 related
to the print data generated by the print data generation unit
73 to the interface board 4 .
[0144]
The interface board 4 has a data reception unit 421, user
authentication unit 422, output printer setting unit 423, and
print data relay unit 424. The data reception unit 421 includes
the control unit 31 and HTTP server 35 as main parts, and receives
user identification information and print data from the client
terminal 2 (print command unit 413) .
[0145]
The user authentication unit 422 includes as main parts the
control unit 31, authentication processor 401 and user database
402, and performs authentication of users using the printer 3 .
More specifically, the user authentication unit 422 compares the
received user identification information and the user information
registered in the user database 402, determines that
authentication succeeded if the user identification information
matches user information registered in the user database 402,
and determines that authentication of the user identification
information (user) failed if there is no matching user information.
[0146]
The output printer setting unit 423 includes as main parts
the control unit 31 and authentication processor 401, and sets
the printer 3 used for print ingbased on the result of authentication
by the user authentication unit 422. More specifically, when
authentication by the user authentication unit 422 is successful,
the printer 3 identified by the printer information (printer ID
and communication port) linked to the user information matchingthe user identification information is set as the output printer.
If authentication failed, a message indicating that printer 3
access is not allowed is sent to the client terminal 2 (user) .
The print data transmission unit 424 includes mainly the control
unit 31, and sends print data to the printer 3 set as the output
printer by the output printer setting unit 423.
[0147]
The user authentication process and printing process of the
network system SY4 according to the fourth embodiment of the
invention is described next with reference to the flow chart in
FIG. 14. Note that steps S91 - S93, S96 - S99 and S107 - S110
in FIG. 14 are identical to steps S31 - S33, S39 - S42 and S46
- S49 in FIG. 8 according to the second embodiment of the invention,
and detailed description thereof is therefore omitted.
[0148]
When the client terminal 2 receives a start printing command
in S93, the print control script 23 of the client terminal 2 displays
a user identification information input window (S94,
identification information input window display step) , and the
user identification information (user ID and password) is input
(S95) as a result of user input to the input window. The input
user identification information is then stored in a web browser
56 cookie or web storage device (stored in storage unit 52) , for
example .
[0149]
The client terminal 2 then generates and saves print data
by means of the print control script 23 (S96 - S99, drawing process
step, print data generation step) , and after generating the print
data is completed (S99 returns Yes) , the input user identification
information and print data are sent together to the interface
board 4 (S100, printing instruction step) .
[0150]
When the user identification information and print data are
received from the client terminal 2 (S101, data reception step) ,
the interface board 4 (control unit 31) applies the authenticationprocess to the received user identification information (S102,
user authentication step) .More specif ically, whether the received
user identification information is registered in the user database
402 is determined. If the user identification information is not
in the user database 402 (authentication fails; S103 returns No) ,
the interface board 4 sends a warning message to the client terminal
2 indicating that the printer 3 cannot be used because user
authentication failed (that is, that the user cannot print from
the printer 3 ) (S104) .
[0151]
If the user identification information is registered in the
user database 402 (authentication succeeds; S103 returns Yes),
the interface board 4 extracts printer information (printer ID
and communication port) linked to the user information matching
the user identification information, and sets the printer 3
specified by the printer information as the output printer 3 (S105,
output printer setting step) . The interface board 4 then sends
the print data to the printer 3 set as the output printer (S106,
print data relay step) . The printer 3 (control unit 41) then prints
based on the print data after all print data is received from
the interface board 4 (S107 - S110) .
[0152]
When plural printers 3 are connected as described in this
fourth embodiment above, user identification information (user
information) for identifying the user is input using the print
control script 23 embedded on a web page 21, and authentication
based on the input user identification information is successful,
the user can print from a printer 3 linked to the user. More
specifically, having a web browser 56 that displays (acquires)
a web page 21 installed on the client terminal 2 is sufficient
to enable printing and limit what users can use the printer 3
without installing a printer driver on each client terminal 2
as in the related art.
Example 5
[0153]A network system SY5 according to a fifth embodiment of the
invention is described next with reference to FIG. 15 to FIG.
17. In the network system SY5 according to the fifth embodiment
of the invention, the web application server 1 authenticates the
printer 3 by an authentication process that uses an encryption
key (secret key) , and enables image printing from a permitted
printer 3 . More specifically, the printer 3 that can be used for
printing is limited by printer 3 authentication. A s shown in the
system diagram in FIG. 15, the network system SY5 according to
the fifth embodiment of the invention differs from the network
system SY3 according to the third embodiment of the invention
in that the web application server 1has an authentication processor
501, and the interface board 4 has an encryption processor 502
and printer management database 503. Other aspects of this
embodiment are the same as in the third embodiment of the invention.
Note that like parts in the first to fourth embodiments are
identified by the same reference numerals in the fifth embodiment,
and further detailed description thereof is omitted. In addition,
variations of like parts that are applicable to the first to fourth
embodiments are similarly applicable to this embodiment. The
differences in particular are described below.
[0154]
As shown in FIG. 15, the web application server 1 of the
network system SY5 according to the fifth embodiment of the
invention has an authentication processor 501 .The authentication
processor 501 authenticates the printer 3 with the interface board
4 using a challenge and response authentication method. More
specifically, the authentication processor 501 authenticates the
printer 3 by sending authentication request information (a random
numeric string that differs with each authentication) used for
printer 3 authentication to the interface board 4 through the
client terminal 2 (print control script 23) , and comparing the
authentication response information received from the interface
board 4 as a response to the authentication request information
with the result of encrypting the authentication requestinformation (the authentication request information that was sent)
using a previously stored encryption key (server encryption key,
not shown) .
[0155]
The interface board 4 has an encryption processor 502 and
printer management database 503 (printer management information
storage unit) . The printer management database 503 is a database
for managing printers 3 connected to the interface board 4 , and
stores the printer ID and communication port (printer
identification information) for each printer 3 (for each of
printers 3Ato 3C in this fifth embodiment) with a related encryption
key (printer encryption key) that is different for each printer
3 . The encryption processor 502 encrypts the authentication
request information received from the web application server 1
using the printer encryption key of each printer 3 registered
in the printer management database 503, and sends the encrypted
information (encrypted authentication information) and the
printer ID and communication port linked to the printer encryption
key used for encryption (together referred to as the
"authentication response information" below) through the client
terminal 2 (print control script 23) to the web application server
1 .
[0156]
The functional configuration of the network system SY5 is
described next with reference to the function block diagram in
FIG . 16. The web application server 1 has an authentication request
information transmission unit 511, authentication response
information reception unit 512, printer authentication unit 513
and authentication result transmission unit 514. The
authentication request information transmission unit 511 has a
main parts the control unit 11, authentication processor 501 and
HTTP server 14, and sends authentication request information to
the interface board 4 (through the client terminal 2 (print control
script 23) ). Note that this transmission process starts when a
request to execute the authentication process is received fromthe client terminal 2 (the authentication process request unit
521 described below) .
[0157]
The authentication response information reception unit 512
includes as main parts the control unit 11, authentication
processor 501 and HTTP server 14, and receives authentication
response information (encrypted authentication information /
printer ID and communication port) from the interface board 4
(through the client terminal 2 (print control script 23) ) as a
response to the authentication request information sent from the
authentication request information transmission unit 511. The
printer authentication unit 513 has as main parts the control
unit 11 and authentication processor 501, and authenticates the
printer 3 by comparing the encrypted authentication information
contained in the authentication response information received
by the authentication response information reception unit 512
with the result of encrypting the authentication request
information sent by the authentication request information
transmission unit 511 using the server encryption key. If the
encrypted authentication information and the result of the
encryption operation match, authentication is determined to have
succeeded, and authentication is determined to have failed if
there is no match.
[0158]
The authentication result transmission unit 514 includes
as main parts the control unit 11, authentication processor 501
and HTTP server 14, and sends the authentication result from the
printer authentication unit 513 to the client terminal 2 . If the
authentication result is that authentication succeeded, the
printer ID and communication port information that was received
with the encrypted authentication information for which
authentication succeeded is sent to the client terminal 2 . If
authentication failed, a warning message to that effect is sent
to the client terminal 2 . Note that this fifth embodiment also
sends a warning message when authentication fails for all printers3 (printers 3A to 3C) .
[0159]
The client terminal 2 includes a web page acquisition unit
71, drawing process unit 72, authentication process request unit
521, authentication request information relay unit 522,
authentication request information relay unit 522, authentication
response information relay unit 523, authentication result
reception unit 524, print data generation unit 73, andprint command
unit 525.
[0160]
The authentication process request unit 521 includes as main
parts the control unit 51 and print control script 23, and by
means of the print control script 23 requests the web application
server 1 to run the printer 3 authentication process. The
authentication request information relay unit 522 includes as
main parts the control unit 51 and print control script 23, and
receives and relays authentication request information from the
web application server 1 to the interface board 4 according to
the print control script 23. The authentication response
information relay unit 523 includes as main parts the control
unit 51 and print control script 23, and receives and relays
authentication response information from the interface board 4
to the web application server 1 by means of the print control
script 23.
[0161]
The authentication result reception unit 524 includes as
main parts the control unit 51 and print control script 23, and
receives the authentication result from the web application server
1 by means of the print control script 23. If the received
authentication result indicates an authentication success, the
printer ID and communication port received with the authentication
result are set as the information for the output printer 3 (output
printer information) . If the received authentication result was
that authentication failed, the warning message received with
the authentication result is displayed on the web browser 56.The print command unit 525 includes as main parts the control
unit 51 and print control script 23, and sends the output printer
information (information for the successfully authenticated
printer 3 ) set by the authentication result reception unit 524
linked to the print data generated by the print data generation
unit 73 to the interface board 4 .
[0162]
The interface board 4 includes an authentication request
information reception unit 531, encryption processor 532,
authentication response information transmission unit 533 and
print data relay unit 534 . The authentication request information
reception unit 531 includes as main parts the control unit 31,
encryption processor 502 and HTTP server 35, and receives
authentication request information from the web application server
1 (through the (client terminal 2 (print control script 23) ).
The encryption processor 532 includes as main parts the control
unit 31 and encryption processor 502, encrypts the received
authentication request information using the printer encryption
key related to each printer 3 registered in the printer management
database 503, and generates encrypted authentication information
for each printer 3 .
[0163]
The authentication response information transmission unit
533 includes asmainparts the controlunit 31, encryption processor
502 and HTTP server 35, and sends the encrypted authentication
information produced by the encryption processor 532, and
information about the printer ID and communication port linked
to the printer encryption key used to produce the encrypted
authentication information, as the authentication response
information to the web application server 1 (through the (client
terminal 2 (print control script 23) ). The print data relay unit
534 includes as main parts the control unit 31, receives the output
printer information and print data from the client terminal 2
(print command unit 525) , and sends the print data to the printer
3 specified by the received output printer information.[0164]
The printer authentication process and printing process of
the network system SY5 according to the fifth embodiment of the
invention are described next with reference to FIG. 17. Note that
steps S121 - S123, S138 - S148 in FIG. 17 are the same as steps
S31 - S33, S39 - S49 in FIG. 8 according to the third embodiment
of the invention, and detailed description thereof is therefore
omitted.
[0165]
When the client terminal 2 receives a start printing command
in S123, the client terminal 2 sends an authentication process
request for the printer 3 to the web application server 1 by means
of the print control script 23 (S124) . When the authentication
process request is received, the web application server 1 (control
unit 11) generates authentication request information (a random
numeric string) and sends the resulting authentication request
information to the client terminal 2 (S125) , and the print control
script 23 of the client terminal 2 then relays (sends) the received
authentication request information to the interface board 4
(S126) .
[0166]
When the interface board 4 (control unit 31) receives the
authentication request information from the client terminal 2
(S127, authentication request information reception step) , the
interface board 4 applies the encryption process to the
authentication request information (S128) . This encryption
process encrypts the authentication request information using
the printer encryption key for each printer 3 registered in the
printer management database 503, and generates encrypted
authentication information. This fifth embodiment encrypts the
authentication request information using the printer encryption
keys respectively related to the three printers 3A to 3C. More
specifically, three sets of encrypted authentication information
are created using the three different printer encryption keys.
[0167]Next, the interface board 4 sends the resulting encrypted
authentication information and the printer ID and communication
port information (authentication response information) related
to the printer encryption keys used to encrypt the encrypted
authentication information to the client terminal 2 (S129,
authentication response information transmission step) , and the
client terminal 2 sends (relays) the received authentication
response information to the web application server 1 according
to the print control script 23 (S130) . More specifically, this
fifth embodiment of the invention sends authentication response
information for printer 3A, authentication response information
for printer 3B, and authentication response information for
printer 3C from the interface board 4 to the web application server
1 .
[0168]
When the authentication response information is received
(S131), the web application server 1 applies the authentication
process to the authentication response information received for
each printer (S132, printer authentication step) . This
authentication process first encrypts the authentication request
information sent to the interface board 4 using the locally stored
server encryption key. Next, the result of encryption using the
server encryption key is compared with the encrypted
authentication information contained in the received
authentication response information, authentication succeeds if
they match, and authentication fails if they do not match. After
the authentication process ends, the web application server 1
sends the authentication result (result of comparison) to the
client terminal 2 (S133, authentication result transmission step) .
The printer ID and communication port information linked to the
encrypted authentication information for which authentication
succeeded is also sent at this time if authentication succeeded.
If authentication fails in all authentication processes
(authentication of printers 3A, 3B and 3C) , a warning message
indicating there is not a printer 3 for which use is allowed issent .
[0169]
The client terminal 2 then receives the authentication result
from the web application server 1 by means of the print control
script 23 (S134) . If the received authentication result is that
authentication failed (S135 returns No) , the client terminal 2
displays the received warning message on the web browser 56 (S136) .
If the received authentication result is information that
authentication was successful (S135 returns Yes) , the client
terminal 2 sets the received printer ID and communication port
as the information for the output printer 3 (output printer
information) (S137) .
[0170]
Next, the client terminal 2 generates and saves the print
data by means of the print control script 23 (S138 - S141, drawing
process step, print data generation step) , and after print data
generation is completed (S141 returns Yes), sends the output
printer information set in S137 and the print data saved in the
storage unit 52 to the interface board 4 according to the print
control script 23 (S142, printing instruction step) .
[0171]
The interface board 4 sends the print data to the printer
3 specified by the output printer information received from the
client terminal 2 (S143, S144) . The printer 3 (control unit 41)
then prints based on the print data after all print data is received
from the interface board 4 (S145 - S148) .
[0172]
A s described above, when plural printers 3 are connected
and printing is performed according to a print control script
23 embedded in a web page 21, this fifth embodiment of the invention
authenticates the connected printers 3 , and enables printing only
from a printer 3 for which authentication is successful
(authentication is allowed) . More specifically, having a web
browser 56 that displays (acquires) a web page 21 installed on
the client terminal 2 is sufficient to restrict the printer 3that can be used for output, and installing a printer driver on
each client terminal 2 as in the related art is not necessary.
[0173]
Note that the units (functions) of the interface board 4
in the second to fifth embodiments described above couldbe rendered
by a common personal computer (device server) . Alternatively,
these functions could be incorporated in one (such as printer
3A) of the plural printers 3 described above. These units could
also be built into each of the printers 3 .
[0174]
In the first to fifth embodiments described above, the client
terminal 2 generates print data from the image data in a drawing
area, and sends this print data to the printer 3 , but the image
data could be segmented into data blocks of a size that can be
sent in a single transmission, and the print data (segmented print
data) couldbe generated and transmitted separately for each image
data block. More specifically, the print data can be segmented
and transmitted in data blocks of a size that can be transmitted
in a single data transmission. A s a result, deletion of the print
control script 23 and interruption of print data transmission
at some indeterminate point when sending a large amount of print
data as a result of the web page 21 changing during print data
transmission can be prevented.
[0175]
Note, further, that elements of the network systems SY1 to
SY5 above can be provided as a program. The program can also be
provided stored on a storage medium (not shown) . Examples of such
recording media include CD-ROM, flash ROM, memory cards (including
CompactFlash (R) , smart media, and memory sticks) , Compact Discs,
magneto-optical discs, digital versatile discs, and floppy disks .
The invention is also not limited to the foregoing embodiments,
and the components and processes of the network systems SY1 to
SY5 described above can be desirably varied without departing
from the scope of the invention.
Industrial Applicability[0176]
As described above, the invention is useful as a network
system, interface board, printing control method for a network
system, and a program, and is particularly suited to controlling
a printer without requiring a printer driver that depends on the
computer environment.
Reference Signs List
[0177]
1 web application server
2 client terminal
3 printer
3A printer
3B printer
3C printer
4 interface board
5 device management server
15 web application
17 user database
402 user database
21 web page
22 page control script
23 print control script
36 device list
53 display unit
56 web browser
71 web page acquisition unit
314 web page acquisition unit
72 drawing process unit
73 print data generation unit
74 print command unit
214 print command unit
413 print command unit
525 print command unit
76 print settings unit
213 print settings unit81 print data reception unit
221 print data reception unit
82 print control unit
201 device information acquisition unit
202 device list generation unit
203 device list transmssion unit
211 device list acquisition unit
315 device list acquisition unit
212 printer selection unit
215 device state transmission unit
231 device state reception unit
232 device state reporting unit
301 user identification information reception unit
302 user authentication unit
311 log-in screen display unit
313 user identification information transmission unit
411 user identification information input screen display unit
422 user authentication unit
423 output printer setting unit
424 print data relay unit
503 printer management database
513 printer authentication unit
514 authentication result transmission unit
531 authentication request reception unit
533 vertical response transmission unit
SY1 network system
SY2 network system
SY3 network system
SY4 network system
SY5 network systemCLAIMS
[Claim 1 ]
A network system that includes a web application server on
which a web application operates, one or more client terminals
that access the web application server using a web browser, and
one or more printers that operate in conjunction with operation
of the client terminal, and is configured so that at least the
web application server and the client terminal, and the client
terminal and the one or more printers ,can respectively communicate
over a network, the network system characterized by
the client terminal comprising:
a web page acquisition unit that gets from the web application
server aweb page with an embeddedprint control script that operates
on the web browser and controls printing related to a web page;
a display unit that displays the acquired web page;
a drawing process unit that accepts an input operation on
the displayed web page and draws a result of the input operation
in a specific drawing area;
a print data generation unit that generates print data
converting image data written in the drawing area to a form enabling
processing by the printer according to the print control script
as a result of a print operation performed on the displayed web
page; and
a print command unit that commands the printer to print the
print data according to the print control script.
[Claim 2 ]
The network system described in claim 1 , wherein:
the printer used as the output printer is specified in the
print control script; and
the print command unit issues a print command to the printer
specified by the print control script.
[Claim 3 ]
The network system described in claim 1 , characterized byfurther comprising:
a device server that can communicate with the client terminal
and one or more printers, and manages the one or more printers,
the device server having a device information acquisition
unit that finds a usable printer, and acquires device information
including at least a printer ID for identifying the printer and
connected communication port information from the found printer,
a device list generation unit that generates a device
list based on the acquired device information, and
a device list transmission unit that sends the generated
device list to the client terminal;
the client terminal also having a device list acquisition
unit that acquires the device list from the device server according
to the print control script, and
a device selection unit that selects one printer from
the device list according to the print control script;
wherein the print command unit issues a print command to
the printer selected by the device selection unit according to
the print control script.
[Claim 4 ]
The network system described in claim 1 , characterized by:
the web application server having
a device list storage unit that stores a device list
showing a list of usable printers,
a user information storage unit that stores user
information, which is information about a user that can use the
web application,
an identification information reception unit that
receives identification information identifying a user of the
client terminal from the client terminal, and
a user authentication unit that authenticates the user
by comparing the identification information received by the
identification information reception unit and the user information
stored in the user information storage unit;the client terminal also having
an identification information input window display unit
that displays an identification information input window for
inputting the identification information,
an identification information transmission unit that
sends the identification information input by an input operation
to the identification information input window to the web
application server,
a device list acquisition unit that gets the web page
by the web page acquisition unit when user authentication by the
user authentication unit succeeds, and gets the device list from
the web application server according to the print control script
embedded in the acquired web page, and
a device selection unit that selects one printer from
the acquired device list according to the print control script;
and
the print command unit issuing a print command to the printer
selectedby the device selection unit according to the print control
script .
[Claim 5 ]
The network system described in claim 1 , characterized by
further comprising a device server that can communicate with the
client terminal and one or more printers, and manages the one
or more printers, wherein:
the client terminal also has an identification information
input window display unit that displays an identification
information input window for inputting identification information
identifying a user of the client terminal;
the print command unit executes a process that sends print
data to be printed linked to the identification information input
by an input operation to the identification information input
window to the device server according to the print control script
as a print command for the printer; and
the device server hasa user information storage unit that stores printer
identification information identifying each printer related to
user information indicating which user can use which printer,
a data reception unit that gets the identification
information and the print data from the client terminal,
a user authentication unit that authenticates the user
by comparing the identification information received by the data
reception unit with the user information stored in the user
information storage unit,
an output printer setting unit that, when authentication
by the user authentication unit succeeds, sets the printer linked
to the user information that matched the identification
information as the output printer, and
a print data relay unit that sends the print data to
the printer set by the output printer setting unit.
[Claim 6 ]
The network system described in claim 1 , characterized by
further comprising a device server that can communicate with the
client terminal and one or more printers, and manages the one
or more printers, wherein:
the device server has a printer management information
storage unit that stores printer identification information for
identifying each printer and a related encryption key that is
different for each printer,
an authentication request information reception unit
that receives authentication request information for the printer
from the web application server through the print control script,
and
an authentication response information transmission
unit that sends authentication response information, which is
encrypted authentication information obtained by encrypting the
received authentication request information with the encryption
key, and printer identification information related to the
encryption key used to create the encrypted authenticationinformation, through the print control script to the web
application server;
the web application server has
a printer authentication unit that authenticates the
printer by comparing encrypted authentication information
contained in the received authentication response information
with the result of encrypting the authentication request
information with a specific encryption key, and
an authentication result transmission unit that sends
the printer identification information related to the encrypted
authentication information to the client terminal when
authentication by the printer authentication unit succeeds; and
the print command unit of the client terminal issues a print
command to the printer specified by the printer identification
information sent by the authentication result transmission unit
according to the print control script.
[Claim 7 ]
The network system described in claim 1 , characterized by:
the print data generation unit temporarily storing the
generated print data in a specific storage area; and
the print command unit commanding the printer to print the
print data in the storage area after all print data is stored
in the specific storage area.
[Claim 8 ]
The network system described in claim 1 , characterized by:
the display unit displaying a change-page confirmation window
for selecting whether or not to change the web page according
to the print control script if a change-page event that changes
the web page occurs during transmission of the print data in
conjunction with the print command from the print command unit.
[Claim 9 ]
The network system described in claim 1 , characterized by:the print command unit interrupting print data transmission
when changing the web page is executed during transmission of
the print data according to the print command; and
the display unit displaying a message indicating that print
data transmission was interrupted.
[Claim 10]
The network system described in claim 8 , characterized by:
the print command unit executing the print data transmission
process accompanying the print command parallel to the change-page
confirmation window display process.
[Claim 11]
The network system described in claim 1 , characterized by:
the printer having a print data reception unit that receives
the print data to be printed, and
a print control unit that controls a printing process
based on the received print data; and
the print control unit executing a printing process based
on the print data after all print data to be printed is received
by the print data reception unit.
[Claim 12]
The network system described in claim 1 , characterized by:
the print data generation unit segmenting the image data
into blocks of a data size that can be transmitted in a single
data communication, and generating segmented print data that
converts each segmented image data block to a form enablingprinting
by the printer; and
the print command unit transmitting the print data according
to the print command in segmented print data units.
[Claim 13]
The network system described in claim 1 , characterized by:
the client terminal also having a print settings unit thatconfigures the print settings of the printer according to the
print control script.
[Claim 14]
The network system described in claim 1 , characterized by
further comprising:
a device management server that can communicate with the
client terminal over a network and centrally manages printer
status;
wherein the client terminal also has a device state
transmission unit that gets device state information indicating
at least the printer status and sends the acquired device state
information to the device management server according to the print
control script; and
the device management server has
a device state reception unit that receives device state
information from the client terminal, and
a device state reporting unit that reports the status
of each printer based on the received device state information.
[Claim 15]
An interface board that comprises the parts of the device
server described in any one of claims 3 , 5 , and 6 , and is used
installed in any one of the one or more printers.
[Claim 16]
A method of controlling printing on a network system that
includes a web application server on which a web application
operates, one or more client terminals that access the web
application server using a web browser, and one or more printers
that operate in conjunction with operation of the client terminal,
and is configured so that at least the web application server
and the client terminal, and the client terminal and the one or
more printers, can respectively communicate over a network, the
method of controlling printing on the network system characterizedby
the client terminal executing:
a web page acquisition step that gets from the web application
server aweb page with an embedded print control script that operates
on the web browser and controls printing related to a web page;
a display step that displays the acquired web page;
a drawing process step that accepts an input operation on
the displayed web page and draws a result of the input operation
in a specific drawing area;
a print data generation step that generates print data
converting image data written in the drawing area to a form enabling
processing by the printer according to the print control script
as a result of a print operation performed on the displayed web
page; and
a print command step that commands the printer to print the
print data according to the print control script.
[Claim 17]
The method of controlling printing on a network system
described in claim 16, characterized by further comprising:
a device server that can communicate with the client terminal
and one or more printers, and manages the one or more printers,
the device server executing a device information acquisition
step that finds a usable printer, and acquires device information
including at least a printer ID for identifying the printer and
connected communication port information from the found printer,
a device list generation step that generates a device
list based on the acquired device information, and
a device list transmission step that sends the generated
device list to the client terminal;
the client terminal also executing a device list acquisition
step that acquires the device list from the device server according
to the print control script, and
a device selection step that selects one printer from
the device list according to the print control script;wherein the print command step issues a print command to
the printer selected in the device selection step according to
the print control script.
[Claim 18]
The method of controlling printing on a network system
described in claim 16, characterized by:
the web application server storing a device list showing
a list ofusable printers anduser information, which is information
about a user that can use the web application, and executing
an identification information reception step that
receives identification information identifying a user of the
client terminal from the client terminal, and
a user authentication step that authenticates the user
by comparing the identification information received by the
identification information reception step and the stored user
information;
the client terminal also executing
an identification information input window display step
that displays an identification information input window for
inputting the identification information,
an identification information transmission step that
sends the identification information input by an input operation
to the identification information input window to the web
application server,
a device list acquisition step that gets the web page
by the web page acquisition step when user authentication by the
user authentication step succeeds, and gets the device list from
the web application server according to the print control script
embedded in the acquired web page, and
a device selection step that selects one printer from
the acquired device list according to the print control script;
and
the print command step issuing a print command to the printer
selected by the device selection step according to the print controlscript .
[Claim 19]
The method of controlling printing on a network system
described in claim 16, characterizedby further comprising a device
server that can communicate with the client terminal and one or
more printers, and manages the one or more printers, wherein:
the client terminal also executes an identification
information input window display step that displays an
identification information input window for inputting
identification information identifying a user of the client
terminal;
the print command step executes a process that sends print
data to be printed linked to the identification information input
by an input operation to the identification information input
window to the device server according to the print control script
as a print command for the printer; and
the device server stores printer identification information
identifying each printer related to user information indicating
which user can use which printer, and executes
a data reception step that gets the identification
information and the print data from the client terminal,
a user authentication step that authenticates the user
by comparing the identification information received by the data
reception step with the stored user information,
an output printer setting step that, when authentication
by the user authentication step succeeds, sets the printer linked
to the user information that matched the identification
information as the output printer, and
a print data relay step that sends the print data to
the printer set by the output printer setting step.
[Claim 20]
The method of controlling printing on a network system
described in claim 16, characterizedby further comprising a deviceserver that can communicate with the client terminal and one or
more printers, and manages the one or more printers, wherein:
the device server stores printer identification information
for identifying each printer and a related encryption key that
is different for each printer, and executes
an authentication request information reception step
that receives authentication request information for the printer
from the web application server through the print control script,
and
an authentication response information transmission
step that sends authentication response information, which is
encrypted authentication information obtained by encrypting the
received authentication request information with the encryption
key, and printer identification information related to the
encryption key used to create the encrypted authentication
information, through the print control script to the web
application server;
the web application server executes
a printer authentication step that authenticates the
printer by comparing encrypted authentication information
contained in the received authentication response information
with the result of encrypting the authentication request
information with a specific encryption key, and
an authentication result transmission step that sends
the printer identification information related to the encrypted
authentication information to the client terminal when
authentication by the printer authentication step succeeds; and
the print command step of the client terminal issues a print
command to the printer specified by the printer identification
information sent by the authentication result transmission step
according to the print control script.
[Claim 21]
A program that causes a computer to execute the steps of
the method of controlling printing on a network system describedin any one of claim 16 to claim 20.