Print relay system, image forming apparatus, system control method, and program
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorAtsushi Kashioka
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A print relay system determines whether a printing function (capability) of an image forming apparatus corresponding to user authority setting has been registered in a printing service. Having determined that the printing function has been registered, the print relay system enables other users having the same authority to share the printing function (capability) of the image forming apparatus registered in the printing service.
Claims10
A print relay system capable of communicating with a printing service system managed by a vendor that releases specifications for data communication with an image forming apparatus, the print relay system comprising:
- a determination unit configured to determine, when a request for registration of the image forming apparatus used by a user is acquired in a registered state of a first account that is an account of the user using the image forming apparatus and a second account that is an account of the print relay system in the printing service system, whether the second account and information regarding a printing function of the image forming apparatus have been registered in association with each other in the printing service system;
- an instruction unit configured to instruct, when the determination unit determines that the second account and the information have not been registered in association with each other, registration of the second account and the information regarding the printing function in association with each other;
- and
- a requesting unit configured to request, after the instruction of the instruction unit or when the determination unit determines that the second account and the information have been registered in association with each other, sharing to the printing service system to enable even the user of the first account to use the information regarding the printing function registered in association with the second account.
An image forming apparatus for transmitting data to a print relay system capable of communicating with a printing service system managed by a vendor that releases specifications for data communication with the image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus comprising:
- a determination unit configured to determine, when registration of the image forming apparatus used by a user is instructed in a registered state of a first account that is an account of the user using the image forming apparatus and a second account that is an account of the print relay system in the printing service system, whether the second account and information regarding a printing function of the image forming apparatus have been registered in association with each other in the printing service system;
- an instruction unit configured to instruct, when the determination unit determines that the second account and the information have not been registered in association with each other, the print relay system to register the second account and the information regarding the printing function in association with each other;
- and
- a requesting unit configured to request, when the determination unit determines that the second account and the information have been registered in association with each other, sharing to the printing service system to enable even the user of the first account to use the information regarding the printing function registered in association with the second account.
A method for controlling a system including an image forming apparatus and a print relay system capable of communicating with a printing service system managed by a vendor that releases specifications for data communication with the image forming apparatus, the method comprising:
- determining, when a request for registration of the image forming apparatus used by a user is acquired in a registered state of a first account that is an account of the user using the image forming apparatus and a second account that is an account of the print relay system in the printing service system, whether the second account and information regarding a printing function of the image forming apparatus have been registered in association with each other in the printing service system;
- instructing, when it is determined that the second account and the information have not been registered in association with each other, the print relay system to register the second account and the information regarding the printing function in association with each other;
- and
- requesting, when it is determined that the second account and the information have been registered in association with each other, sharing to the printing service system to enable even the user of the first account to use the information regarding the printing function registered in association with the second account.
A program for controlling an image forming apparatus for transmitting data to a print relay system capable of communicating with a printing service system managed by a vendor that releases specifications for data communication with the image forming apparatus, the program comprising:
- determining, when registration of the image forming apparatus used by a user is instructed in a registered state of a first account that is an account of the user using the image forming apparatus and a second account that is an account of the print relay system in the printing service system, whether the second account and information regarding a printing function of the image forming apparatus have been registered in association with each other in the printing service system;
- instructing, when it is determined that the second account and the information have not been registered in association with each other, the print relay system to register the second account and the information regarding the printing function in association with each other;
- and
- requesting, when it is determined that the second account and the information have been registered in association with each other, sharing to the printing service system to enable even the user of the first account to use the information regarding the printing function registered in association with the second account.
An apparatus capable of communicating with a printing service system for providing a print setting screen generated based on registered registration information to a user corresponding to an account associated with the registration information, generating a print job based on information input by the user via the print setting screen, and transmitting the generated print job to a designated destination, the apparatus comprising:
- a determination unit configured to determine, when a request for registration of printer information of a printer that outputs the print job is received, whether the printer information has been registered in the printing service system;
- and
- a registration unit configured to register, when the determination unit determines that the printer information has not been registered, a second account corresponding to the apparatus and the printer information in association with each other, request sharing to the printing service system to enable a first account corresponding to the user who has requested the registration to share the printer information, and when the determination unit determines that the printer information has been registered, without registering the first account and the printer information in association with each other, request sharing to the printing service system to enable the first account to share the printer information registered in association with the second account.
A printing service system managed by a vendor that releases specifications for transmitting print data to an image forming apparatus, the printing service system comprising:
- a storage unit configured to store, when a request for registration of the image forming apparatus is received, registration information regarding a printing function of the image forming apparatus and a first user account in the printing service system in association with each other;
- a reception unit configured to receive a sharing instruction to share and use the registration information with a second user account in the printing service system from a terminal that has logged into the printing service system based on the first user account;
- and
- a transmission unit configured to transmit, when the sharing is instructed at the time of reception of a printing instruction from a terminal that has logged into the printing service system based on the second user account, a print setting screen generated based on the registration information stored in association with the first user account to the terminal that has logged into the printing service system based on the second user account.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.