Computer-readable storage medium to store instructions for controlling user interfaces in an information processing apparatus having multiple processing channels

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11188281-B2
Application number	US-202016933110-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 20, 2020
Priority date	Sep 29, 2017
Publication date	Nov 30, 2021
Grant date	Nov 30, 2021

Abstract

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing computer readable instructions that are executable by a computer in an information processing apparatus is provided. The information processing apparatus has a display interface, an operation interface, and a communication interface, and is connected with a printer through the communication interface. The computer readable instructions, when executed by the computer, causing the computer to control the display interface to display a setting screen to accept entry of print settings applicable to the printer, including a first special setting which is feasible to a first channel but infeasible to a second channel, and in response to a specific operation related to the first special setting to the setting screen through the operation interface, determine the first channel to be a processing channel to be used to cause the printer to print the image.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing computer readable instructions that are executable by a computer in an information processing apparatus, the information processing apparatus comprising a display interface, an operation interface, and a communication interface through which the information processing apparatus is communicable with a printer, the information processing apparatus comprising a first channel and a second channel each configured to cause the printer to print an image through the communication interface based on image data, the computer readable instructions, when executed by the computer, causing the information processing apparatus to:
control the display interface to display a setting screen, the setting screen being configured to accept entry of print settings applicable to the printer, the print settings including a first setting and a second setting, the first setting being feasible to the first channel but infeasible to the second channel, the second setting being feasible to the first channel and the second channel; and
accept an operation to the setting screen to enter at least the first setting between the first setting and the second setting through the operation interface.

2. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 1 ,
wherein the computer readable instructions further cause the information processing apparatus to control the display interface to display the setting screen such that the setting screen displays the first setting and the second setting in different forms.

3. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 1 ,
wherein, in response to an operation to the setting screen to enter the first setting through the operation interface, the computer readable instructions cause the information processing apparatus to process the image data through the first channel.

4. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 1 ,
wherein the setting screen includes a first screen and a second screen, the second screen being configured to be displayed in response to an operation to the first screen,
wherein the first screen contains a print setting feasible to both the first channel and the second channel but does not contain the first setting among the print settings applicable to the printer, and
wherein the second screen contains the first setting among the print settings applicable to the printer.

5. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 1 ,
wherein, based on a print commanding operation through the operation interface, the computer readable instructions cause the information processing apparatus to control the display interface to display the setting screen.

6. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 1 ,
wherein the second channel is a channel to process the image data for the image to be printed by the printer through a rasterization process, the rasterization process being executed only by an operating system.

7. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first channel is a channel, through which the computer readable instructions cause the printer to rasterize the image data.

8. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 1 ,
wherein an operating system in the information processing apparatus includes a print controlling function.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 1 ,
wherein, based on an absence of an operation to the setting screen to enter the first setting through the operation interface, the computer readable instructions cause the information processing apparatus to determine the second channel to be a processing channel prior to commanding the printer to print the image.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 1 ,
wherein the printer includes:
a first-type printer being feasible to print the image based on first data for commanding the printer to print the image, the first data being configured to be processed through the first channel, the first-type printer being infeasible to print the image based on second data for commanding the printer to print the image, the second data being configured to be processed through the second channel;
a second-type printer being infeasible to print the image based on the first data, the second-type printer being feasible to print the image based on the second data; and
a third-type printer being feasible to print the image based on the first data and based on the second data, and

wherein the computer readable instructions, when executed, cause the information processing apparatus to display the same setting screen to accept entry of the print settings applicable to the printer regardless of a type of the printer connected with the information processing apparatus among the first-type printer, the second-type printer, and the third-type printer.

11. An information processing apparatus, comprising:
a display interface;
an operation interface;
a communication interface, through which the information processing apparatus is communicable with a printer;
a plurality of processing channels including a first channel and a second channel, each of which is configured to cause the printer to print an image through the communication interface based on image data; and
a controller configured to:
control the display interface to display a setting screen, the setting screen being configured to accept entry of print settings applicable to the printer, the print settings including a first setting and a second setting, the first setting being feasible to the first channel but infeasible to the second channel, the second setting being feasible to the first channel and the second channel; and
accept an operation to the setting screen to enter at least the first setting between the first setting and the second setting through the operation interface.

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Mizutani Aiko
• Kusumoto Naoki

Classifications

• H04N1/00352 Primary

  Input means (H04N1/00411 takes precedence; input arrangements for computers G06F3/00) · CPC title

• G06F3/1204

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

• G06F3/1205

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

• G06F3/1275

  Print workflow management, e.g. defining or changing a workflow, cross publishing · CPC title

• H04N1/00278

  with a printing apparatus, e.g. a laser beam printer · CPC title