COMMUNICATION APPARATUS, PRINTING APPARATUS, PRINTING SYSTEM INCLUDING SAID COMMUNICATION APPARATUS AND PRINTING APPARATUS, AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING SAME

Abstract

In response to a search command issued from a communication terminal, a printing apparatus declares to the communication terminal that the printing apparatus possesses an analyzing function for analyzing information described in a structured language. The printing apparatus analyzes description data, which relates to a communication method described in a structured language transmitted from the communication terminal, and communicates with the communication terminal in accordance with the communication method.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram useful in describing the configuration of a printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart useful in describing processing in a printer according to this embodiment;

FIG. 3 depicts a view illustrating an example of a 1284 ID that includes key information sent back as a response by a printer according to this embodiment;

FIG. 4 depicts a view illustrating an example of a declaration of a Description header and an ACK response that complies with use of Description header described in the XML format according to this embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart useful in describing connection processing for BPP communication in the communication apparatus of a printing system according to this embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a diagram useful in describing an example of operation when an originally defined status is sent back as a response while a printer and a communication apparatus are performing BPP communication;

FIG. 7 depicts a view illustrating an example of an originally defined status sent back as a response by a printer according to this embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a diagram useful in describing another example of operation when an originally defined status is sent back as a response while a printer and a communication apparatus are performing BPP communication;

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a description in which an originally defined status has been added onto a SOAP response using XML data in this embodiment;

FIG. 10 depicts a view useful in describing a further example of operation when an originally defined status is sent back as a response while a printer and a communication apparatus are performing BPP communication; and

FIG. 11 is a flowchart useful in describing processing relating to a wait operation when a printer sends back a continue or success response in this embodiment.

Claims

1. A printing system comprising a communication terminal for supplying print data to a printing apparatus, and a printing apparatus for receiving and printing the print data, wherein said communication terminal includes: a declaration unit, in a case where the communication terminal has an analyzing unit for analyzing information described in a structured language, configured to declare to the printing apparatus that the information is capable of being analyzed;a transmission unit, in a case where the printing apparatus is capable of analyzing the information described in the structured language, configured to transmit description data, which relates to a communication method described in the structured language, to the printing apparatus; anda communication control unit configured to communicate with the printing apparatus in accordance with the communication method described by the description data; andthe printing apparatus includes:a unit, in a case where the printing apparatus has an analyzing unit for analyzing information described in structured language, configured to declare to the communication terminal that the information is capable of being analyzed;an interpretation unit configured to interpret description data relating to a communication method described in the structured language transmitted from the communication terminal; anda print communication control unit configured to communicate with the communication terminal in accordance with the communication method described by the description data.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the structured language is XML.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the communication terminal and the printing apparatus communicate by Bluetooth.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the declaration is executed by communication of a service search defined by Bluetooth communication specifications.

5. The system according to claim 3, wherein the description data is transmitted by a Description header of OBEX.

6. A communication apparatus comprising: an analyzing unit configured to analyze information described in a structured language;a unit configured to declare to another party's device the fact that the communication apparatus has said analyzing unit;a transmission unit, in a case where the other party's device is capable of analyzing the information described in the structured language, configured to transmit description data, which relates to a communication method described in the structured language, to the other party's device; anda communication control unit configured to communicate with the other party's device in accordance with the communication method described by the description data.

7. A printing apparatus comprising: an analyzing unit configured to analyze information described in a structured language;a unit configured to declare to a communication terminal the fact that the printing apparatus has said analyzing unit;an interpretation unit configured to interpret description data relating to a communication method described in the structured language transmitted from the communication terminal;a print communication control unit configured to communicate with the communication terminal in accordance with the communication method described by the description data; anda print control unit configured to print based upon print data communicated by said print communication control unit.

8. A method of controlling a communication apparatus for transmitting information, which is described in a structured language, to a printing apparatus and causing the printing apparatus to print, comprising: a determination step of acquiring identification information that identifies a printing apparatus and determining whether the printing apparatus is capable of analyzing information described in a structured language;a step of declaring to the printing apparatus the fact that the information described in a structured language is capable of being analyzed;a transmission step of, in a case where it has been determined in said determination step that the printing apparatus is capable of analyzing information described in a structured language, transmitting description data, which relates to a communication method described in the structured language, to the printing apparatus; anda communication control step of communicating with the printing apparatus in accordance with the communication method described by the description data.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the communication terminal and the printing apparatus communicate by Bluetooth.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the declaration is executed by communication of a service search defined by Bluetooth communication specifications.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the description data is transmitted by a Description header of OBEX.

12. A method of controlling a printing apparatus for receiving and printing information, which is described in a structured language, from a communication terminal, comprising: a communication step of notifying, in response to a search command issued from the communication terminal, whether the printing apparatus is capable of analyzing information described in a structured language;a step of declaring to the communication terminal that the printing apparatus has an analyzing function for analyzing information described in a structured language;an interpretation step of interpreting description data relating to a communication method described by the structured data transmitted from the communication terminal;a print communication control step of communicating with the communication terminal in accordance with the communication method described by the description data; anda print control step of printing based upon the print data communicated in said print communication control step.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the communication terminal and the printing apparatus communicate by Bluetooth.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the declaration is executed by communication of a service search defined by Bluetooth communication specifications.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein the description data is transmitted by a Description header of OBEX.

16. A program for executing the method of control set forth in claim 8.