INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD, AND INFORMATION PROCESSING PROGRAM

Abstract

In a wizard process used by a printer driver, a screen to be displayed is dynamically produced in accordance with device function information provided by the printer driver and a setting value input by a user. In this technique, it is not necessary to separately prepare wizard programs for respective printer drivers, which makes it possible to develop the wizard program in a highly efficient and easy manner.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a memory map of a RAM of a host computer in a state in which a particular application program and print-related programs are activated and programs and data are loaded in the RAM.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a wizard module and a printer driver according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a scenario module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a scenario module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a resource priority table module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of an operation of a wizard according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of an operation of a wizard according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing an operation of a wizard according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing an operation of a printer driver according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the relationship between a wizard module and a set of printer drivers having different functions.

FIG. 12 conceptually shows extension of a wizard module.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a setting UI of a printer driver.

FIG. 14 shows an example in which a resource and a resource priority table are updated.

FIG. 15 is a functional block diagram of an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a functional block diagram of an information processing apparatus according to a further embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing an example of an operation of a wizard according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus having a printer driver for producing print data interpretable by an image forming apparatus and sequential display screens for setting print properties, comprising: acquisition means for acquiring, from the printer driver, device function information indicating one or more functions executable by the image forming apparatus;first determination means for determining first screen information on the basis of the device function information acquired by the acquisition means;second determination means for determining second screen information on the basis of the device function information and a setting value input via the first screen based on the first screen information determined by the first determination means; andsetting means for setting a print property on the basis of the setting value input via the first screen based on the first screen information determined by the first determination means and a setting value input via the second screen with the second screen information determined by the second determination means.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising storage means for storing priority information indicating display priority assigned to each screen information for each device function information, wherein the first determination means determines the first screen information of the first screen to be displayed, on the basis of the device function information acquired by the acquisition means and on the basis of the information indicating display priority assigned to each screen information, andthe second determination means determines the second screen information of the second screen to be displayed, on the basis of the setting value input via the first screen based on the first screen information determined by the first determination means, the device function information, and the information indicating display priority assigned to each screen information.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second determination means includes tentatively determining means for tentatively determining the second screen information on the basis of the setting value input via the first screen based on the first screen information determined by the first determination means, the device function information, and the information indicating display priority assigned to each screen information;transmission means for transmitting, to the printer driver, the setting value input via the first screen based on the first screen information determined by the first determination means and information for setting one or more print properties included in the screen information determined by the tentative determining means; andreceiving means for receiving, from the printer driver, response information indicating whether to display the screen information tentatively determined by the tentatively determining means, andif the response information received by the receiving means indicates that the screen based on the screen information tentatively determined by the tentatively determining means should not be displayed, the tentatively determining means tentatively determines screen information different from the screen information of the screen determined not to be displayed by making a selection from a second screen information group.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the first determination means determines the first screen information as to include information for setting one or more executable print properties associated with one or more functions indicated by the device function information, on the basis of the device function information acquired by the acquisition means, andthe second determination means determines the second screen information so as to include information for setting one or more executable print properties associated with one or more functions indicated by the device function information, on the basis of the response information received by the receiving means from the printer driver.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising: addition means for adding new screen information; andupdating means for updating the information indicating display priority assigned to each screen information, on the basis of the new screen information added by the addition means.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: determination means for determining whether setting is completed for all print properties by inputting setting values via the screen based on the first screen information determined by the first determination means and via the screen based on the second screen information determined by the second determination means; andthird determination means for, when the determination made by the determination means is that the setting of print properties is not completed, determining additional screen information of a screen to be displayed on the basis of one or more setting values input by the present time and the device function information,wherein the third determination means performs the determination repeatedly until the determination means determines that setting of print properties is completed.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising display control means for sequentially displaying screens based on screen properties determined by the first determination means, the second determination means, and the third determination means.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wizard is allowed to be used in common by a plurality of printer drivers.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the storage means stores scenario information defining one or more print properties to be set in output modes selectable in the printer driver and also defining the order of setting the print properties, andin response to a notification of an output mode selected by the printer driver, the storage means reads out scenario information associated with the selected output mode.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the acquisition means acquires device function information corresponding to one or more print properties described in the scenario information read out.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the printer driver manages device function information,the printer driver includes determination means for determining which one or more functions indicated by the device function information are executable for an input setting value, andthe second determination means determines the second screen information in accordance with a result of the determination made by the determination means.

12. An information processing method, in an information processing apparatus having a printer driver for producing print data interpretable by an image forming apparatus and sequential display screens for setting print properties, comprising the steps of: acquiring, from the printer driver, device function information indicating one or more functions executable by the image forming apparatus;determining first screen information on the basis of the device function information acquired in the acquisition step;determining second screen information on the basis of the device function information and a setting value input via the first screen base on the first screen information; andsetting a print property on the basis of the setting value input via the first screen based on the first screen information determined in the first screen information determination step and a setting value input via the second screen based on the second screen information determined in the second screen information determination step.

13. The information processing method according to claim 12, further comprising the steps of: storing information indicating display priority assigned to each screen information for each device function information, whereinin the step of determining the first screen information, the first screen information of the first screen to be displayed is determined on the basis of the device function information acquired in the acquisition step and on the basis of the information indicating display priority assigned to each screen information, andin the step of determining the second screen information, the second screen information of the second screen to be displayed is determined on the basis of the setting value input via the first screen based on the first screen information determined in the first screen information determination step, the device function information, and the information indicating display priority assigned to each screen information.

14. The information processing method according to claim 13, wherein the second screen information determination step includes tentatively determining the second screen information on the basis of the setting value input via the first screen based on the first screen information determined in the first screen information determination step, the device function information, and the information indicating display priority assigned to each screen information;transmitting, to the printer driver, the setting value input via the first screen based on the first screen information determined in the first screen information determination step and information for setting one or more print properties included in the screen information determined in the tentative determining step; andreceiving, from the printer driver, response information indicating whether to display the screen information tentatively determined in the tentatively determining step,in the tentatively determining step, if the response information received by the receiving means indicates that the screen based on the screen information tentatively determined in the tentatively determining step should not be displayed, a screen information different from the screen information of the screen determined not to be displayed is tentatively determined by making a selection from a second screen information group.

15. The information processing method according to claim 14, wherein in the first screen information determination step, the first screen information is determined so as to include information for setting one or more executable print properties associated with one or more functions indicated by the device function information, on the basis of the device function information acquired in the acquisition step, andin the second screen information determination step, the second screen information is determined so as to include information for setting one or more executable print properties associated with one or more functions indicated by the device function information, on the basis of the response information received from the printer driver in the receiving step.

16. The information processing method according to claim 13, further comprising the steps of: adding new screen information; andupdating the information indicating display priority assigned to each screen information, on the basis of the new screen information added by the addition step.

17. The information processing method according to claim 12, further comprising the steps of: determining whether setting is completed for all print properties by inputting setting values via the screen based on the first screen information determined by the first determination means and via the screen based on the second screen information determined by the second determination means; andwhen the determination made in the determination step is that the setting of print properties is not completed, determining additional screen information of a screen to be displayed on the basis of one or more setting values input by the present time and the device function information,wherein the screen information determination step is executed repeatedly until it is determined in the determination step that setting of print properties is completed.

18. The information processing method according to claim 17, further comprising the steps of sequentially displaying screens based on screen properties determined in the first screen information determination step, the second screen information determination step, and the additional screen information determination step.

19. The information processing method according to claim 12, wherein the information processing apparatus includes a wizard module adapted to sequentially display a plurality of setting screens for setting print properties,the wizard module being capable of being used in common by a plurality of printer drivers.

20. The information processing method according to claim 13, wherein the storage step includes storing scenario information defining one or more print properties to be set in output modes selectable in the printer driver and also defining the order of setting the print properties, andin response to a notification of an output mode selected by the printer driver, reading out scenario information associated with the selected output mode.

21. The information processing method according to claim 20, wherein the acquisition step includes acquiring device function information corresponding to one or more print properties described in the scenario information read out.

22. The information processing method according to claim 12, wherein the printer driver manages device function information,the method further comprises the step of determining which one or more functions indicated by the device function information are executable for an input setting value, andin the second screen information determination step, the second screen information is determined in accordance with a result of the determination made in the executable function determination step.

23. An information processing program executable in an information processing apparatus having a printer driver for producing print data interpretable by an image forming apparatus and sequential display screens for setting print properties, comprising the steps of: acquiring, from the printer driver, device function information indicating one or more functions executable by the image forming apparatus;determining first screen information on the basis of the device function information acquired in the acquisition step;determining a second screen information on the basis of the device function information and a setting value input via the first screen based on the first screen information determined in the first screen information determination step; andsetting a print property on the basis of the setting value input via the first screen based on the first screen information determined in the first screen information determination step and a setting value input via the second screen based on the second screen information determined in the second screen information determination step.

24. An information processing apparatus comprising wizard means capable of being called by a plurality of printer drivers to produce a plurality of setting screens, the wizard means including acquisition means for acquiring device function information from a printer driver that called the wizard means,display control means for sequentially displaying a plurality of setting screens in a wizard form on the basis of the device function information acquired by the acquisition means; andsetting means for setting a print property according to values input via the plurality of setting screens sequentially displayed by the display control means.

25. The information processing apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the wizard means further includes producing means for producing a first setting screen on the basis of the device function information acquired by the acquisition means, and producing a second setting screen on the basis of the device function information and a setting value input via the first setting screen.

26. The information processing apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the printer driver manages device function information,the printer driver includes determination means for determining which one or more functions indicated by the device function information are executable for an input setting value, andthe producing means produces the second setting screen in accordance with a result of the determination made by the determination means.

27. An information processing method including a wizard process capable of being called in common by a plurality of printer drivers adapted to produce a plurality of setting screens, the wizard process including the steps of: acquiring device function information from a printer driver that called the wizard process;sequentially displaying the plurality of setting screens in a wizard form on the basis of the device function information acquired in the acquisition step; andsetting a print property according to values input via the plurality of setting screens sequentially displayed in the displaying step.

28. The information processing method according to claim 27, wherein the wizard process further includes a producing step including: producing a first setting screen on the basis of the device function information acquired in the acquisition step; andproducing a second setting screen on the basis of the device function information and a setting value input via the first setting screen.

29. The information processing method according to claim 28, wherein the printer driver manages device function information,the method further comprises the step of determining which one or more functions indicated by the device function information are executable for an input setting value, andin the producing step, the second setting screen is produced in accordance with a result of the determination made in the determination step.

30. An information processing program executable in an information processing apparatus, the program including a wizard process capable of being called in common by a plurality of printer drivers adapted to produce a plurality of setting screens, the wizard process including the steps of: acquiring device function information from a printer driver that called the wizard process;sequentially displaying a plurality of setting screens in a wizard form on the basis of the device function information acquired in the acquisition step; andsetting a print property according to values input via the plurality of setting screens sequentially displayed in the displaying step.