# US 2017/0286035 A1 · Printer multifunction system, scanner, and storage medium

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- Number: US 2017/0286035 A1
- Document ID: US20170286035A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/468,709
- Filed: 2017-03-24
- Published: 2017-10-05
- Earliest claimed: 2016-03-31
- Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Katsutoshi Miyahara
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170286035A1

## CPC

- G06F 3/1286: {via local network}
- G06F 3/121: {Facilitating exception or error detection and recovery, e.g. fault, media or consumables depleted}
- G06F 3/1236: {Connection management}
- G06F 3/1284: {Local printer device}
- H04N 1/00209: {Transmitting or receiving image data, e.g. facsimile data, via a computer, e.g. using e-mail, a computer network, the internet, I-fax}
- H04N 1/00411: {the display also being used for user input, e.g. touch screen}
- H04N 1/2108: {for one picture only}
- H04N 1/32411: {Handling instructions for routing or relaying}
- H04N 1/32448: {Controlling data flow to or from the memory in relation to the available memory capacity}
- G06F 3/1203: {Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. print management}
- G06F 3/1267: {Job repository, e.g. non-scheduled jobs, delay printing}
- H04N 2201/0094: Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception
- Y02D 10/00: Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- Y02D: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE

## Abstract

A printer multifunction system including a printer, a scanner, and a computer connected to a network, includes: a determination unit configured to determine whether to transmit data obtained by the reading of the scanner to any one of the printer and the computer on the basis of at least one of a state of the printer, a reading setting of the scanner, and a state of a memory storing the data; a control unit configured to read an original by the scanner and transmit data obtained by reading the original to a destination determined by the determination unit; and a printing execution unit configured to execute a printing operation by the printer on the basis of the data which is transmitted from the scanner by the control unit or the data which is transmitted to the computer, is temporarily stored in the computer, and is transmitted from the computer by the control unit.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A printer multifunction system configured to include a printer, a scanner, and a computer connected to a network, the system comprising:
a determination unit configured to determine whether to transmit data read by the scanner to the printer or the computer, based on at least one of a state of the printer, a reading setting of the scanner, and a state of a memory for storing the data;
a control unit configured to cause the scanner to read a print original and transmit data obtained by reading the print original to a destination that is determined by the determination unit; and
a printing execution unit configured to cause the printer to execute a printing operation, based on the data which the scanner is caused to transmit by the control unit or the data which is caused to transmit to the computer by the control unit to be temporarily stored in the computer and is transmitted from the computer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The printer multifunction system according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines whether to transmit the data to the printer or the computer based on a size of the print original read by the scanner as the reading setting of the scanner.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The printer multifunction system according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit further determines whether to transmit the data to the printer or the computer based on a response which is transmitted from the computer to indicate whether the data is able to be transmitted to the printer.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The printer multifunction system according to claim 1, wherein in a case where the data is transmitted to the computer, the control unit transmits the data to which information on the printer executing the printing operation is added and the computer specifies the printer to which the data is transmitted based on the information on the printer.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The printer multifunction system according to claim 1, wherein the computer notifies information on own data processing capability to the determination unit and the determination unit determines a computer to which the data is to be transmitted based on the information on the processing capability in a case where a plurality of computers is connected to the network.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The printer multifunction system according to claim 1, wherein in a case where the data is transmitted to the computer, the control unit makes a reservation to transmit the data to the printer and the printer determines whether the data is able to be transmitted from the computer based on the transmission reservation.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The printer multifunction system according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit compares a free space of the memory as the state of the memory with a maximum size predicted as data of a next reading print original and determines whether to transmit the data to the printer or the computer based on the comparison.

### Claim 8

A scanner connected to a network to which a printer and a computer are connected, the scanner comprising:
a determination unit configured to determine whether to transmit read data to the printer or the computer, based on at least one of a state of the printer, a reading setting of the scanner, and a state of a memory for storing the data;
a control unit configured to read a print original and transmit data obtained by reading the print original to a destination that is determined by the determination unit;
wherein the printer executes a printing operation, based on the data which the scanner is caused to transmit by the control unit or the data which is caused to transmit to the computer by the control unit to be temporarily stored in the computer and is transmitted from the computer.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The scanner according to claim 8, wherein the determination unit determines whether to transmit the data to the printer or the computer based on a size of the print original read by the scanner as the reading setting of the scanner.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The scanner according to claim 8, wherein the determination unit further determines whether to transmit the data to the printer or the computer based on a response which is transmitted from the computer to indicate whether the data is able to be transmitted to the printer.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The scanner according to claim 8, wherein in a case where the data is transmitted to the computer, the control unit transmits the data to which information on the printer executing the printing operation is added and the computer specifies the printer to which the data is transmitted based on the information on the printer.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The scanner according to claim 8, wherein the computer notifies information on own data processing capability to the determination unit and the determination unit determines a computer to which the data is to be transmitted based on the information on the processing capability in a case where a plurality of computers is connected to the network.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The scanner according to claim 8, wherein in a case where the data is transmitted to the computer, the control unit makes a reservation to transmit the data to the printer and the printer determines whether the data is able to be transmitted from the computer based on the transmission reservation.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The scanner according to claim 8, wherein the determination unit compares a free space of the memory as the state of the memory with a maximum size predicted as data of a next reading print original and determines whether to transmit the data to the printer or the computer based on the comparison.

### Claim 15

A non-transitory storage medium storing a program executed by an information processing apparatus connected to a network to which a printer and a scanner are connected, the program causing the information processing apparatus to perform processing comprising the steps of:
receiving a response request signal from the scanner;
determining whether the printer capable of executing a printing operation exists by analyzing the received response request signal; and
returning a response signal which permits the transmission of the data to the scanner when the determining step determines that the printer capable of executing the printing operation exists.