# US 12,761,844 B2 · Printing apparatus capable of displaying icon indicating connection state, method of controlling printing 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 12,761,844 B2 - Document ID: US12761844B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/746,166 - Filed: 2024-06-18 - Published: 2025-01-09 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2023-07-04 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Kazushige Shimada - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12761844B2 ## CPC - G06F 3/1236: {Connection management} - G06F 3/1203: {Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. print management} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A printing apparatus is capable of being in a first connection state in which the printing apparatus is communicably connected to an information processing apparatus via a server and a second connection state in which the printing apparatus is communicably connected to the information processing apparatus without using the server. A printer information storage section stores a cloud icon indicating a printer in the first connection state and a local icon which is an icon indicating the printer in the second connection state and is different in visual recognition from the cloud icon. A network communication section transmits first information including the cloud icon to a cloud print service in a case where the printer is in the first connection state and transmits second information including the local icon to a client computer in a case where the printer is in the second connection state. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A printing apparatus that is capable of being in a first connection state in which the printing apparatus is communicably connected to an information processing apparatus via a server and a second connection state in which the printing apparatus is communicably connected to the information processing apparatus without using the server, comprising: a storage unit configured to store a first icon indicating the printing apparatus in the first connection state and a second icon which is an icon indicating the printing apparatus in the second connection state and is different in visual recognition from the first icon; and a transmission unit configured to be capable of transmitting first information including the first icon to the server in a case where the printing apparatus is in the first connection state and transmitting second information including the second icon to the information processing apparatus in a case where the printing apparatus is in the second connection state. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transmission unit is inhibited from transmitting the second information in a case where the printing apparatus is in the first connection state, and inhibited from transmitting the first information in a case where the printing apparatus is in the second connection state. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an operation unit configured to perform a registration operation for registering the printing apparatus in the server, and an operation determination unit configured to determine whether or not the registration operation has been performed. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The printing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the transmission unit can transmit the first information in a case where it is determined as a result of the determination performed by the operation determination unit that the registration operation has been performed, and transmit the second information in a case where it is determined as a result of the determination performed by the operation determination unit that the registration operation has not been performed. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The printing apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a request determination unit configured to determine whether or not a request for output information has been received from the information processing apparatus in a case where it is determined as a result of the determination performed by the operation determination unit that the registration operation has not been performed, and wherein in a case where it is determined as a result of the determination performed by the request determination unit that the request for the output information has been received, the transmission unit transmits the second information, whereas in a case where it is determined as a result of the determination performed by the request determination unit that the request for the output information has not been received, the transmission unit does not transmit the second information. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first information includes output information associated with output conditions used in the printing apparatus, and wherein the transmission unit transmits the first icon and the output information at different times. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second information includes output information associated with output conditions used in the printing apparatus, and wherein the transmission unit collectively transmits the second icon and the output information. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first icon and the second icon are different in shape from each other. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first icon includes an appearance image formed to schematically resemble the appearance of the printing apparatus and a connection state image expressing that the printing apparatus is in the first connection state, and wherein the second icon includes the appearance image. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The printing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the connection state image is a view formed to schematically resemble the appearance of a cloud. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a printing unit configured to perform printing on a recording medium using one of ink and toner as a printing material, and a remaining amount detection unit configured to detect a remaining amount of the printing material, and wherein the first information includes a remaining amount of the printing material at the time of transmission of the first information, and wherein the second information includes a remaining amount of the printing material at the time of transmission of the second information. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a status detection unit configured to detect a status of the printing apparatus, and wherein the first information includes status information of the printing apparatus at the time of transmission of the first information, and wherein the second information status includes information of the printing apparatus at the time of transmission of the second information. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a state determination unit configured to determine whether the printing apparatus is in the first connection state or in the second connection state. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The printing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the printing apparatus is capable of acquiring the first information from the server and selecting the first icon included in the first information, as the information processing apparatus, and is communicably connected to an information processing apparatus that is capable of acquiring the second information from the information processing apparatus and selecting the second icon included in the second information. ### Claim 15 A method of controlling a printing apparatus that is capable of being in a first connection state in which the printing apparatus is communicably connected to an information processing apparatus via a server and a second connection state in which the printing apparatus is communicably connected to the information processing apparatus without using the server, wherein the printing apparatus stores a first icon indicating the printing apparatus in the first connection state and a second icon which is an icon indicating the printing apparatus in the second connection state and is different in visual recognition from the first icon, the method comprising: transmitting first information including the first icon to the server in a case where the printing apparatus is in the first connection state and transmitting second information including the second icon to the information processing apparatus in a case where the printing apparatus is in the second connection state. ### Claim 16 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute a method of controlling a printing apparatus that is capable of being in a first connection state in which the printing apparatus is communicably connected to an information processing apparatus via a server and a second connection state in which the printing apparatus is communicably connected to the information processing apparatus without using the server, wherein the printing apparatus stores a first icon indicating the printing apparatus in the first connection state and a second icon which is an icon indicating the printing apparatus in the second connection state and is different in visual recognition from the first icon, wherein the method comprises: transmitting first information including the first icon to the server in a case where the printing apparatus is in the first connection state and transmitting second information including the second icon to the information processing apparatus in a case where the printing apparatus is in the second connection state.