IMAGE SUPPLY DEVICE, PRINTING APPARATUS, AND PRINTING SYSTEM

Abstract

A printing apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of this invention receives, from an image supply device, a first script “DDISCVRY.DPS” that describes the print function of the image supply device. If the first script describes support for printing by XHTML, the printing apparatus determines whether printing corresponding to the description is possible. The printing apparatus transmits a second script “HDISCVRY.DPS” that describes a print function executable by the printer to the image supply device in accordance with the determination result.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a photo-direct printer according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view for explaining the schematic arrangement of the operation panel of the printer according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram for explaining the arrangement of the main part related to control of the printer according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of a mobile terminal according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a view for explaining connection between the printer and the mobile terminal according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 6A and 6B are flowcharts for explaining a procedure of causing the mobile terminal and printer to confirm each other's function in the direct printing system according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 7A and 7B are views for explaining a detailed example of a method of causing the mobile terminal according to the embodiment of the present invention to acquire the Capability of the printer;

FIGS. 8A and 8B are flowcharts for explaining a procedure of causing the mobile terminal and printer to recognize each other's direct print function and XHTML print function in the direct printing system according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a view showing a description example of supported XHTML functions which are described in a file “DDISCVRY.DPS” by the mobile terminal according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 10A and 10B are views showing data examples of a file “HDISCVRY.DPS” returned from the printer to the mobile terminal; and

FIG. 11 is a view showing the summary of characteristic features according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. A printing apparatus which receives image data from an image supply device and prints, comprising: a reception unit configured to receive, from the image supply device, a first script that describes a print function supported by the image supply device;a determination unit configured to determine, when the first script received by said reception unit describes support for printing by XHTML, whether printing corresponding to the description is possible;a transmission unit configured to transmit, to the image supply device, a second script that describes a print function executable by the printing apparatus upon reception of the fist script by said reception unit; anda control unit configured to control to shift to a mode for receiving image data from the image supply device and printing if said determination unit determines that printing corresponding to the description is possible.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first script includes link information between storage location information of image data to be printed and identification information of the image data by a communication protocol used between the image supply device and the printing apparatus, andthe printing apparatus further comprises a unit configured to acquire the storage location information of the image data to be printed based on the identification information of the image data and the link information and load the image data to be printed from the storage location.

3. An image supply device which supplies image data to a printing apparatus and causes the printing apparatus to print, comprising: a transmission unit configured to transmit, to the printing apparatus, a first script that describes a print function by XHTML supported by the image supply device;a reception unit configured to receive a second script that describes a print function of the printing apparatus and is transmitted from the printing apparatus in response to the first script transmitted by said transmission unit;a determination unit configured to determine, based on a description of the second script received by said reception unit, whether the printing apparatus can execute printing by XHTML from the image supply device; anda control unit configured to control to shift to a mode for transmitting print data by XHTML to the printing apparatus and causing the printing apparatus to print if said determination unit determines that printing by XHTML is possible.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the first script includes link information between storage location information of image data to be printed and identification information of the image data by a communication protocol used between the image supply device and the printing apparatus.

5. The device according to claim 3, wherein the first script includes at least one of information describing presence/absence of a print function using a font of the printing apparatus, information describing an image data encoding method, and information describing a printing method.

6. A printing system including an image supply device and a printing apparatus, which supplies image data from the image supply device to the printing apparatus and prints, comprising: a first transmission unit configured to transmit, to the printing apparatus, a first script that describes a print function by XHTML supported by the image supply device;a determination unit configured to determine, when the first script received by printing apparatus describes support for printing by XHTML, whether printing corresponding to the description is possible;a second transmission unit configured to transmit, to the image supply device, a second script that describes a print function executable by the printing apparatus upon reception of the fist script by said reception unit;a decision unit configured to decide, based on a description of the second script, whether the printing apparatus can execute printing by XHTML from the image supply device; anda control unit configured to control to shift to a mode for transmitting print data by XHTML from the image supply device to the printing apparatus and printing if said decision unit decides that printing by XHTML is possible.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the first script includes link information between storage location information of image data to be printed and identification information of the image data by a communication protocol used between the image supply device and the printing apparatus.

8. A control method of a printing apparatus which receives image data from an image supply device and prints, the method comprising the steps of: receiving, from the image supply device, a first script that describes a print function supported by the image supply device;determining, when the first script received in the receiving step describes support for printing by XHTML, whether printing corresponding to the description is possible;transmitting, to the image supply device, a second script that describes a print function executable by the printing apparatus upon reception of the fist script in the receiving step; andcontrolling to shift to a mode for receiving image data from the image supply device and printing if it is determined in the determining step that printing corresponding to the description is possible.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the first script includes link information between storage location information of image data to be printed and identification information of the image data by a communication protocol used between the image supply device and the printing apparatus, andthe method further comprises a step of acquiring the storage location information of the image data to be printed based on the identification information of the image data and the link information and load the image data to be printed from the storage location.

10. A control method of an image supply device which supplies image data to a printing apparatus and causes the printing apparatus to print, the method comprising the steps of: transmitting, to the printing apparatus, a first script that describes a print function by XHTML supported by the image supply device;receiving a second script that describes a print function of the printing apparatus and is transmitted from the printing apparatus in response to the first script transmitted in the transmitting step;determining, based on a description of the second script received in the receiving step, whether the printing apparatus can execute printing by XHTML from the image supply device; andcontrolling to shift to a mode for transmitting print data by XHTML to the printing apparatus and causing the printing apparatus to print if it is determined in the determining step that printing by XHTML is possible.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the first script includes link information between storage location information of image data to be printed and identification information of the image data by a communication protocol used between the image supply device and the printing apparatus.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the first script includes at least one of information describing presence/absence of a print function using a font of the printing apparatus, information describing an image data encoding method, and information describing a printing method.

13. A control method of a printing system including an image supply device and a printing apparatus, which supplies image data from the image supply device to the printing apparatus and prints, the method comprising the steps of: transmitting, to the printing apparatus, a first script that describes a print function by XHTML supported by the image supply device;determining, when the first script received by printing apparatus describes support for printing by XHTML, whether printing corresponding to the description is possible;transmitting, to the image supply device, a second script that describes a print function executable by the printing apparatus upon reception of the fist script by the printing apparatus.;deciding, based on a description of the second script, whether the printing apparatus can execute printing by XHTML from the image supply device; andcontrolling to shift to a mode for transmitting print data by XHTML from the image supply device to the printing apparatus and printing if it is decided in the deciding step that printing by XHTML is possible.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the first script includes link information between storage location information of image data to be printed and identification information of the image data by a communication protocol used between the image supply device and the printing apparatus.

15. A printing apparatus which receives image data from an image supply device and prints, comprising: a reception unit configured to receive, from the image supply device, a first script that describes presence/absence of a predetermined print function of the image supply device;a transmission unit configured to transmit a second script that describes a print function executable by the printing apparatus upon changing depending on whether the first script received by said reception unit includes a description about printing by a function that is not specified by the predetermined print function; anda control unit configured to control to shift to a mode for receiving image data from the image supply device and printing upon determining that printing corresponding to the description by a function that is not specified by the predetermined print function is possible.

16. An image supply device which supplies image data to a printing apparatus and causes the printing apparatus to print, comprising: a transmission unit configured to transmit, to the printing apparatus, a first script that describes information about a predetermined print function of the image supply device;a reception unit configured to receive a second script that describes information about a print function of the printing apparatus and is transmitted from the printing apparatus in response to the first script transmitted by said transmission unit;a determination unit configured to determine, based on a description of the second script received by said reception unit, whether the printing apparatus can execute printing by a function that is not specified by the predetermined print function from the image supply device; anda control unit configured to control to shift to a mode for transmitting print data by a function that is not specified by the predetermined print function to the printing apparatus and causing the printing apparatus to print if said determination unit determines that printing by a function that is not specified by the predetermined print function is possible.

17. The device according to claim 16, wherein said transmission unit transmits the first script upon changing description contents depending on whether to execute printing based on a function that is not specified by the predetermined print function.