# US 11,029,894 B2 · Image forming system capable of reducing processing load of print server, server system, method of controlling image forming system, and storage medium

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- Number: US 11,029,894 B2
- Document ID: US11029894B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/657,072
- Filed: 2019-10-18
- Published: 2020-04-30
- Granted: 2021-06-08
- Earliest claimed: 2018-10-25
- Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Takeshi Kaneda; Masaki Kashiwagi; Akinori Takeo; Jun Miyajima; Seijiro Imai
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11029894B2

## CPC

- G06F 3/1204: {resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data}
- G06F 3/122: {with regard to computing resources, e.g. memory, CPU}
- G06F 3/1232: {Transmitting printer device capabilities, e.g. upon request or periodically}
- G06F 3/1257: {by using pre-stored settings, e.g. job templates, presets, print styles}
- G06F 3/1273: {Print job history, e.g. logging, accounting, tracking}
- G06F 3/1288: {in client-server-printer device configuration}
- G06F 3/1292: {Mobile client, e.g. wireless printing}
- H04L 67/02: based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)

## Abstract

An image forming system capable of reducing the processing load of a print server. An information processing apparatus generates execution data for causing an image forming process to be executed. The print server holds the execution data acquired from the apparatus. A plurality of printers execute the image forming process based on the execution data. Print settings are set based on capability information of the printers and are transmitted to the apparatus. The information processing apparatus generates the execution data based on the received print settings. History information indicating one of the plurality of printers, which is used for printing, is managed, and the print settings are set based on capability information of one of the printers, which is selected based on the history information.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A server system that is capable of receiving print data from an information processing apparatus and transmitting the print data to one of a plurality of printing apparatuses, the server system comprising:
an acquisition unit configured to acquire print capabilities from the plurality of printing apparatuses;
a storing unit configured to store information regarding the one of the plurality of printing apparatuses to which the print data was transmitted;
a determination unit configured to determine a print capability from among the acquired print capabilities based on the stored information; and
a transmission unit configured to transmit the determined print capability to the information processing apparatus.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The server system according to claim 1, wherein the print capability includes information indicating whether a sheet is conveyed with a short side of the sheet at a leading end thereof or with a long side of the sheet at the leading end thereof.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The server system according to claim 1, wherein the print capability transmitted to the information processing apparatus is to be used by the information processing apparatus to generate another print data.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The server system according to claim 1, further comprising a receiving unit configured to receive a request for a print capability from the information processing apparatus,
wherein the transmitting unit transmits the determined print capability in response to the received request.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The server system according to claim 4, wherein the received request is a request necessary to generate another print data which is different from the print data.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The server system according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines the print capability to be transmitted to the information processing apparatus, wherein the print capability is a print capability at the one of the plurality of printing apparatuses to which the print data was transmitted.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The server system according to claim 6, wherein the one of the plurality of printing apparatuses is a printing apparatus to which the server system transmitted the print data list.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The server system according to claim 1, wherein
the storing unit stores a print setting regarding the print data which was transmitted to the one of the plurality of printing apparatuses, and
the determination unit determines, based on the stored print setting, the print capability to be transmitted to the information printing apparatus.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The server system according to claim 8, wherein
the storing unit stores the print setting and the number of times of the transmission of the print data which is set the print setting, and
the determination unit determines the print capability based on the stored number of times.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The server system according to claim 1, wherein the storing unit stores the information while associating the information with a user name of the information processing apparatus.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The server system according to claim 10, wherein the determination unit determines the information, based on a user name of a user who instructed printing of the print data.

### Claim 12

A method of controlling a server system that is capable of receiving print data from an information processing apparatus and transmitting the print data to one of a plurality of printing apparatuses, comprising:
acquiring print capabilities from the plurality of printing apparatuses;
storing information regarding the one of the plurality of printing apparatuses to which the print data was transmitted;
determining a print capability from among the acquired print capabilities based on the stored information; and
transmitting the determined print capability to the information processing apparatus.

### Claim 13

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer-executable program for executing a method of controlling a server system that is capable of receiving print data from an information processing apparatus and transmitting the print data to one of a plurality of printing apparatuses, the method comprising:
acquiring print capabilities from the plurality of printing apparatuses;
storing information regarding the one of the plurality of printing apparatuses to which the print data was transmitted;
determining a print capability from among the acquired print capabilities based on the stored information; and
transmitting the determined print capability to the information processing apparatus.
