Image data processing device, program, and management device that are able to manage various types of information in a centralized manner

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8947712-B2
Application number	US-201313833384-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2013
Priority date	Mar 30, 2012
Publication date	Feb 3, 2015
Grant date	Feb 3, 2015

Abstract

An image data processing device may be configured to be used in a system. The system may comprise the image data processing device, a management device and a plurality of electronic devices. The image data processing device may comprise a communication unit configured to communicate with the electronic device by using the first communication scheme. The image data processing device may cause, in a case where the communication unit receives the judgment information from the electronic device, a storing unit to store the received judgment information. The image data processing device may execute the image data processing in a case where it is determined that the processor is able to execute the image data processing based on the judgment information stored by the storing unit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An image data processing device configured to be used in a system,
the system comprising the image data processing device, a management device and a plurality of electronic devices,
the management device being configured to store judgment information corresponding to each of the plurality of electronic devices, respectively,
the judgment information being for causing a processor to judge restrictions imposed on printing to be performed by the processor for each of the plurality of electronic devices,
each of the plurality of electronic devices being configured to execute a communication by using a first communication scheme with the image data processing device, each of the plurality of electronic devices being configured to execute a communication by using a second communication scheme with the management device, the first communication scheme differing from the second communication scheme, and
each of the plurality of electronic devices being configured to receive the judgment information corresponding to the electronic device thereof from the management device,
the image data processing device comprising:
a communication unit configured to communicate with each of the plurality of electronic devices by using the first communication scheme; and
the processor configured to perform:
(A) causing, in a case where the communication unit receives the judgment information from one electronic device among the plurality of electronic devices, a storing unit to store the received judgment information; and,
(B) printing the image data,
wherein the above (B) includes executing the printing in a case where it is determined that the processor is able to execute the printing based on the judgment information stored by the storing unit.

2. The image data processing device as in claim 1 , wherein
the processor is further configured to perform:
(C) causing the storing unit to store update information or updated judgment information, in a case where the above (B) includes executing the printing,
the update information being information for updating the judgment information,
the updated judgment information being information updated based on a result of the data processing, and

(D) controlling the communication unit so that the communication unit sends the update information or the updated judgment information to the one electronic device, in a case where the update information or the updated judgment information is stored in the storing unit.

3. The image data processing device as in claim 2 , wherein
the communication unit communicates with each of the plurality of electronic devices by using the first communication scheme, and
the first communication scheme has a smaller effective communication range than the second communication scheme.

4. The image data processing device as in claim 3 , wherein
the communication unit communicates with each of the plurality of electronic devices by using the first communication scheme, and
the first communication scheme has an effective communication range that is within one meter.

5. The image data processing device as in claim 4 , wherein
the communication unit communicates with each of the plurality of electronic devices by using a communication scheme of an NFC interface protocol.

6. The image data processing device as in claim 4 , wherein
the above (D) includes controlling the communication unit so that the communication unit sends the update information to the one electronic device, in a case where the communication unit comes to be in a state capable of communicating with the one electronic device from a state of not being able to communicate with the one electronic device, and in a case where the storing unit stores the update information.

7. The image data processing device as in claim 6 , wherein
the processor is further configured to perform:
(F) performing a control for notifying that the communication unit needs to be in the state capable of communicating with the one electronic device, when the above (A) includes causing the storing unit to store the judgment information.

8. The image data processing device as in claim 6 , wherein
the above (C) includes causing the storing unit to store the update information corresponding to first identification information,
the first identification information is information that causes the processor to identify an electronic device that is a source of the judgment information,

the above (D) includes controlling the communication unit so that the communication unit sends the update information stored by the storing unit to a particular electronic device, in a case where the communication unit communicates with the particular electronic device that is different from the source of the judgment information, and
the above (C) includes causing the storing unit to store the judgment information, in a case where the communication unit receives the judgment information from the particular electronic device.

9. The image data processing device as in claim 8 , wherein
the storing unit stores second identification information, the second identification information is information that causes the processor to identify a proxy electronic device that is predetermined for sending the update information as a proxy, and
the above (D) includes controlling the communication unit so that the communication unit sends the update information stored by the storing unit to the proxy electronic device, when a communication is executed with the proxy electronic device.

10. The image data processing device as in claim 2 , wherein
the above (C) includes causing the storing unit to store a plurality of the update information or a plurality of the updated judgment information for each of first identification information,
the first identification information is information that causes the processor to identify an electronic device that is a source of the judgment information,

the above (C) includes causing the storing unit to store the judgment information, in a case where the communication unit receives the judgment information from a particular electronic device that is different from the source of the judgment information,
the above (D) includes controlling the communication unit so that the communication unit sends the update information or the updated judgment information to the electronic device that is source of the judgment information, in a case where the communication unit comes to be in a state capable of communicating with the electronic device that is the source of the judgment information from a state of not being able to communicate with the electronic device that is the source of the judgment information, and in a case where the storing unit stores the update information or the updated judgment information corresponding to the electronic device that is the source of the judgment information, and
the above (D) includes controlling the communication unit so that the communication unit sends the update information or the updated judgment information to the particular electronic device, in a case where the communication unit comes to be in a state capable of communicating with the particular electronic device from a state of not being able to communicate with the particular electronic device, and in a case where the storing unit stores the update information or the updated judgment information corresponding to the particular electronic device.

11. The image data processing device as in claim 2 , wherein
each judgment information is information for indicating a printable volume that is predeterminedly assigned to the corresponding electronic device,
the update informat

Assignees

• Arai Tomomi
• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Arai Tomomi

Classifications

• G06K15/40 Primary

  Details not directly involved in printing, e.g. machine management, management of the arrangement as a whole or of its constitutive parts (computer driven print job management G06F3/1237) · CPC title

• H04N1/00344 Primary

  with a management, maintenance, service or repair apparatus (monitoring H04N1/00002) · CPC title