Printing system, printing method and printing program

Abstract

A printing system comprising:

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a print ordering system;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a flow of a print conditions registering operation;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a flow of a printing operation according to a first embodiment; and

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a flow of a printing operation according to a second embodiment.

Claims

1. A printing system comprising: a server which receives an image and order information for identifying, a print size, the number of sheets to print the image, a destination for sending the printed image and a payment method for a print price for the printed image independently one after another from a terminal of an orderer of printing over a network;a database for storing the image and the order information which is received by the server independently one after another in association with each other; anda printer for printing the image according to an instruction from the server, whereinthe server stores print conditions for the printer to start printing the image, which are designated via the terminal in association with all the order information, andthe server instructs the printer to print the image based on all the order information corresponding to the print conditions, when the print conditions stored in the database are fulfilled.

2. The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the server inquires the terminal about whether or not to change the print conditions when the print conditions are fulfilled, and stores print conditions after change in the database as new print conditions if the terminal informs that the print conditions are to be changed, and the print conditions after the change as a result of the inquiry.

3. The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the print conditions include whether the total number of sheets to print which is identified by all the order information reaches a predetermined threshold designated via the terminal or not.

4. The printing system according to claim 2, wherein the print conditions include whether the total number of sheets to print which is identified by all the order information reaches a predetermined threshold designated via the terminal or not.

5. The printing system according to claim 3, wherein the server inquires the terminal about whether or not to start the printing if the total number of sheets to print, which is identified by all the order information, falls short of the predetermined threshold and the terminal has not accessed for a predetermined period of time, and instructs the printer to print the image based on all the order information corresponding to the print conditions, if the terminal informs the server to start the printing in response to the inquiry.

6. The printing system according to claim 4, wherein the server inquires the terminal about whether or not to start the printing if the total number of sheets to print, which is identified by all the order information, falls short of the predetermined threshold and the terminal has not accessed for a predetermined period of time, and instructs the printer to print the image based on all the order information corresponding to the print conditions, if the terminal informs the server to start the printing in response to the inquiry.

7. The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the print conditions include whether the current date and time reaches a designated date and time inputted from the terminal or not.

8. The printing system according to claim 2, wherein the print conditions include whether the current date and time reaches a designated date and time inputted from the terminal or not.

9. The printing system according to claim 7, wherein the server inquires the terminal about whether or not to change the designated date and time to a date and time after the current date and time, if the current date and time reaches the designated date and time inputted from the terminal, and stores a designated date and time after change in the database as a new designated date and time, if the terminal informs that the designated time and date is to be changed, and the designated time and date after the change in response to the inquiry.

10. The printing system according to claim 8, wherein the server inquires the terminal about whether or not to change the designated date and time to a date and time after the current date and time, if the current date and time reaches the designated date and time inputted from the terminal, and stores a designated date and time after change in the database as a new designated date and time, if the terminal informs that the designated time and date is to be changed, and the designated time and date after the change in response to the inquiry.

11. The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the server stores defined order information including at least a predetermined print size or a predetermined number of sheets to print in the database, if the server does not receive the order information.

12. The printing system according to claim 2, wherein the server stores defined order information including at least a predetermined print size or a predetermined number of sheets to print in the database, if the server does not receive the order information.

13. The printing system according to claim 3, wherein the server stores defined order information including at least a predetermined print size or a predetermined number of sheets to print in the database, if the server does not receive the order information.

14. The printing system according to claim 4, wherein the server stores defined order information including at least a predetermined print size or a predetermined number of sheets to print in the database, if the server does not receive the order information.

15. The printing system according to claim 5, wherein the server stores defined order information including at least a predetermined print size or a predetermined number of sheets to print in the database, if the server does not receive the order information.

16. The printing system according to claim 6, wherein the server stores defined order information including at least a predetermined print size or a predetermined number of sheets to print in the database, if the server does not receive the order information.

17. The printing system according to claim 7, wherein the server stores defined order information including at least a predetermined print size or a predetermined number of sheets to print in the database, if the server does not receive the order information.

18. The printing system according to claim 8, wherein the server stores defined order information including at least a predetermined print size or a predetermined number of sheets to print in the database, if the server does not receive the order information.

19. The printing system according to claim 9, wherein the server stores defined order information including at least a predetermined print size or a predetermined number of sheets to print in the database, if the server does not receive the order information.

20. The printing system according to claim 10, wherein the server stores defined order information including at least a predetermined print size or a predetermined number of sheets to print in the database, if the server does not receive the order information.

21. A printing method used in a printing system comprising: a server which receives an image and order information for identifying a print size, the number of sheets to print the image, a destination for sending the printed image and a payment method for a print price for the printed image independently one after another from a terminal of an orderer of printing over a network;a database for storing the image and the order information which is received by the server independently one after another in association with each other; anda printer for printing the image according to an instruction from the server, comprising the steps of:storing in the database print conditions for the printer to start printing the image, which are designated via the terminal in association with all the order information; andinstructing the printer to print the image based on all the order information corresponding to the print conditions when the print conditions stored in the database are fulfilled.

22. A printing program used in a printing system comprising: a server which receives an image and order information for identifying a print size, the number of sheets to print the image, a destination for sending the printed image and a payment method for a print price for the printed image independently one after another from a terminal of an orderer of printing over a network;a database for storing the image and the order information which is received by the server independently one after another in association with each other; anda printer for printing the image according to an instruction from the server, wherein the printing program causes the printing system to execute the steps of:storing in the database print conditions for the printer to start printing the image, which are designated via the terminal in association with all the order information; andinstructing the printer to print the image based on all the order information corresponding to the print conditions when the print conditions stored in the database are fulfilled.