# US 10,503,446 B2 · Image forming apparatus having a folder accessible from an external apparatus, control method of image forming apparatus, and storage medium > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,503,446 B2 - Document ID: US10503446B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/955,978 - Filed: 2018-04-18 - Published: 2018-08-23 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2015-03-09 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Yoshiji Kanamoto - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10503446B2 ## CPC - G06F 3/1206: {resulting in increased flexibility in input data format or job format or job type} - G06F 3/122: {with regard to computing resources, e.g. memory, CPU} - G06F 3/127: {by using hot folders, e.g. folder for which print settings or print data management rules are set in advance} - G06F 3/1227: {Printer definition files} - G06F 3/1228: {Printing driverless or using generic drivers} - G06F 3/1292: {Mobile client, e.g. wireless printing} - H04N 1/00233: {details of image data reproduction, e.g. network printing or remote image display (using an image reproducing device as a local output from a computer H04N1/00238; digital output from computer to printer unit G06F3/12)} - H04N 1/00944: {using hot folders, i.e. folders or directories which trigger an action when written to or accessed} - H04N 2201/0012: Use of shared folders, i.e. folders or directories accessible by all connected apparatus - H04N 2201/0094: Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract An image forming apparatus capable of communicating with an external apparatus includes a storage unit having a folder, a setting unit configured to set a printing condition corresponding to the folder, and a printing unit configured to print a printing target file transmitted from the external apparatus and stored in the folder based on the printing condition set by the setting unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet; a display unit configured to display information; a storage unit configured to store data, the storage unit being configured to provide a plurality of folders being accessible from an external apparatus; and at least one controller configured to function as: a unit configured to cause the display unit to display a print setting screen on which a print setting to be associated with a folder specified from among the plurality of folders is able to be specified; a unit configured to associate a print setting file with the specified folder on a basis of a result of the specification performed on the print setting screen; and a unit configured to obtain a file requested to be stored into the specified folder from the external apparatus, and cause the image forming unit to perform print processing based on the file by using the print setting file. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one controller is further configured to function as a unit configured to accept change of a print setting of the print setting file. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the specified folder is a shared folder. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the shared folder is accessed from a plurality of external apparatuses by using a file-sharing protocol. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the file-sharing protocol is a Server Message Block (SMB) protocol or a Web-based Distributed Authoring and Versioning (WebDAV) protocol. ### Claim 6 The image forming apparatus according to 1, wherein the print setting file is stored in the specified folder. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a format of the print setting file is a job definition format (JDF). ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one controller is further configured to function as a unit configured to accept cancellation of the association of the print setting file with the specified folder. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one controller is further configured to function as a unit configured to cause the display unit to display a folder selection screen on which a folder is able to be selected from among the plurality of folders; wherein the specified folder is the folder selected on the folder selection screen. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one controller is further configured to function as a unit configured to cause the display unit to display a folder selection screen on which a folder is able to be selected from among the plurality of folders; wherein the specified folder is a folder newly created in the folder selected on the folder selection screen. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least a print setting related to staple processing is able to be specified on the print setting screen. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least a print setting related to a double-sided printing is able to be specified on the print setting screen. ### Claim 13 An image forming method using an image forming apparatus having an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet, a display unit configured to display information, and a storage unit configured to store data, the storage unit being configured to provide a plurality of folders being accessible from an external apparatus, comprising: causing the display unit to display a print setting screen on which a print setting to be associated with a folder specified from among the plurality of folders is able to be specified; associating a print setting file with the specified folder on a basis of a result of the specification performed on the print setting screen; and obtaining a file requested to be stored into the specified folder from the external apparatus, and causing the image forming unit to perform print processing based on the file by using the print setting file. ### Claim 14 An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet; a display unit configured to display information; a storage unit configured to store data, the storage unit being configured to provide a plurality of folders being accessible from an external apparatus; and at least one controller configured to function as: a unit configured to cause the display unit to display a print setting screen on which a print setting to be associated with a folder specified from among the plurality of folders is able to be specified; a unit configured to associate a print setting file with the specified folder on a basis of a result of the specification performed on the print setting screen; and a unit configured to obtain a file requested to be stored into the specified folder from the external folder, register a print job based on the file by using the print setting file, and cause the image forming unit to perform print processing based on the print job in accordance with a print instruction given by a user. ### Claim 15 An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet; a display unit configured to display information; a storage unit configured to store data, the storage unit being configured to provide at least one folder being accessible from an external apparatus; and at least one controller configured to function as: a unit configured to cause the display unit to display a print setting screen on which a print setting to be associated with the folder; a unit configured to associate a print setting file with the folder on a basis of a result of the specification performed on the print setting screen; and a unit configured to obtain a file stored into the folder from the external apparatus, and cause the image forming unit to perform unit processing based on the file by using the print setting file. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the at least one controller is further configured to function as a unit configured to accept change of a print setting of the print setting file. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the folder is a shared folder. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The image forming apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the shared folder is accessed from a plurality of external apparatuses by using a file-sharing protocol. ### Claim 19 The image forming apparatus according to 15, wherein the print setting file is stored in the folder. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein a format of the print setting file is a job definition format (JDF).