Printing system, information processing apparatus, control method therefor, and storage medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11079977-B2
Application number	US-201916572321-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 16, 2019
Priority date	Sep 21, 2018
Publication date	Aug 3, 2021
Grant date	Aug 3, 2021

Abstract

A printing system includes an image formation apparatus, an information processing apparatus, and a terminal apparatus. The terminal apparatus includes a reception unit configured to receive conditions of capabilities required for an image formation apparatus to be registered on a virtual printer, and a first transmission unit configured to transmit the conditions received by the reception unit to the information processing apparatus. The image formation apparatus includes a second transmission unit configured to transmit, to the information processing apparatus, capability information indicating a capability of the image formation apparatus. The information processing apparatus includes a registration unit configured to register the image formation apparatus on the virtual printer in a case where the capability indicated in the capability information transmitted by the second transmission unit satisfies the conditions transmitted by the first transmission unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A server system comprising:
a setting unit configured to set, based on a user instruction, one or more conditions of capability of an image formation apparatus, wherein information about the image formation apparatus is able to be registered in association with an identifier;
a first reception unit configured to receive a first request for registering the information about the image formation apparatus in association with the identifier, and a capability of the image formation apparatus, from the image formation apparatus;
a registration unit configured to register, in association with the identifier specified based on the first request, the information about the image formation apparatus, the capability of the image formation apparatus satisfying the set one or more conditions;
a second reception unit configured to receive print data specifying the identifier as a destination from a terminal apparatus;
a third reception unit configured to receive a second request for transmitting the print data from the image formation apparatus, the information about the image formation apparatus having been registered in association with the identifier; and
a transmission unit configured to transmit the print data received from the terminal apparatus to the image formation apparatus having transmitted the second request.

2. The server system according to claim 1 , wherein the registration unit registers the information about the image formation apparatus in association with the identifier in a case where the received capability of the image formation apparatus satisfies the set one or more conditions, in response to the received first request.

3. The server system according to claim 1 , further comprising a notification unit configured to notify the image formation apparatus of information indicating whether registration of the information about the image formation apparatus in association with the identifier by the registration unit is successful.

4. The server system according to claim 1 , wherein the image formation apparatus is an image formation apparatus compatible with a predetermined printing protocol.

5. The server system according to claim 4 , wherein the predetermined printing protocol is the Internet Printing Protocol (IPP).

6. The server system according to claim 1 , wherein the identifier is an identifier of a virtual printer communicable with a plurality of image formation apparatuses.

7. The server system according to claim 1 , wherein the registration unit does not register the information about the image formation apparatus, the capability of the image formation apparatus not satisfying the set one or more conditions.

8. The server system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a determination unit configured to determine whether the received capability of the image formation apparatus satisfies the set one or more conditions,
wherein the registration unit registers the information about the image formation apparatus in association with the identifier based on determination, by the determination unit, that the capability of the image formation information satisfies the set one or more conditions.

9. The server system according to claim 8 , wherein in a case where the determination unit determines that the capability received from the image formation apparatus does not satisfy the set one or more conditions, the registration unit does not register the information about the image formation apparatus in association with the identifier.

10. A method for controlling a server system, the method comprising:
setting, based on a user instruction, one or more conditions of capability of an image formation apparatus in association with an identifier, wherein information about the image formation apparatus is able to be registered;
performing first reception of receiving a first request for registering the information about the image formation apparatus in association with the identifier, and a capability of the image formation apparatus, from the image formation apparatus;
registering, in association with the identifier specified based on the first request, the information about the image formation apparatus, the capability of the image formation apparatus satisfying the set one or more conditions;
performing second reception of receiving print data specifying the identifier as a destination from a terminal apparatus;
performing third reception of receiving a second request for transmitting the print data from the image formation apparatus, the information about the image formation apparatus having been registered in association with the identifier; and
transmitting the print data received from the terminal apparatus to the image formation apparatus having transmitted the second request.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program that, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform the method according to claim 10 .

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Miyajima Jun
• Takeo Akinori
• Imai Seijiro
• Kashiwagi Masaki
• Kaneda Takeshi

Classifications

• G06F3/1226

  Discovery of devices having required properties · CPC title

• G06F3/1204

  resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data · CPC title

• G06F3/1232

  Transmitting printer device capabilities, e.g. upon request or periodically · CPC title

• G06F3/1205 Primary

  resulting in increased flexibility in print job configuration, e.g. job settings, print requirements, job tickets · CPC title

• G06F3/126

  Job scheduling, e.g. queuing, determine appropriate device · CPC title