Electronic device, image reading method, and print processing method

An electronic device comprising:

• a communication unit;
• a processing unit that controls the communication unit;
• and
• a printing unit, wherein
• the electronic device provides a third web application programming interface (web API),
• the communication unit receives a print request from a browser, the print request comprising a predetermined URL associated with a print process of the third web API and a parameter that designates a print setting in an Extensible Markup Language (XML) format, and the browser being configured to communicate with a server system that accumulates print data,
• the URL includes an IP address of the electronic device,
• the print setting is associated with a print item,
• the browser is configured to receive a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) file from the server system,
• the HTML file includes the predetermined URL and the parameter that designates the print setting,
• the HTML file also causes the browser to display a page having a print button,
• when a user presses the print button, the browser is caused to send a print start request to the communication unit,
• in response to receiving the print request, the processing unit
• causes the printing unit to perform the print process of printing the print data, and
• causes the communication unit to transmit a current status of the print process to the browser, which in turn transmits the current status of the print process to the server system.

An image reading method comprising:

• providing a first web application programming interface (web API) or a third web API by an electronic device,
• receiving a scan start request or a print request from a browser, the scan start request comprising a first predetermined URL associated with a scan process of the first web API and a first parameter that designates a scan setting in an Extensible Markup Language (XML) format, or the print request comprising a second predetermined URL associated with a print process of the third web API and a second parameter that designates a print setting in an XML format, and the browser being configured to communicate with a server system;
• wherein:
• the first URL includes an IP address of a scanning device,
• the scan setting is associated with a scan item,
• the second URL includes an IP address of a printing device,
• the print setting is associated with a print item,
• the browser is configured to receive a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) file from the server system,
• the HTML file includes (1) the first URL and the first parameter or (2) the second URL and the second parameter,
• the HTML causes the browser to display a page having a scan button or a print button;
• and
• when a user presses the scan button or the print button, the browser is caused to send the scan start request or the print start request to a communication unit, and
• in response to receiving the scan start request or the print request,
• performing the scan process or the print process at the electronic device, and
• transmitting a current status of the print process or the scan process to the web browser, which in turn transmits the current status of the print process or the scan process to the server system wherein
• the scan process is a process for transmitting scan data acquired by an image reading unit of the electronic device to the server system, and
• the print process is a process for acquiring print data to perform printing by performing either one of a process for transmitting print data from the web browser to the electronic device in an invocation of the third web API for print request or a process for requesting print data from the electronic device to the server system in accordance with an invocation of the third web API for print request.