US 6,351,317 B1Granted

Printing system using communication network

AssigneeBrother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha

InventorsHiroyuki Sasaki, Masashi Kuno

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A printing system has at least one data processing apparatus for generating data to form an image and a printing apparatus for printing the image. The data processing apparatus and the printing apparatus are connected with each other via a network. The data processing apparatus has: a generating device for generating print command data, which includes a plurality of commands to form the image; a print command data sending device for sending the generated print command data to the printing apparatus; a dot data receiving device for receiving dot data from the printing apparatus; a preview image forming device for forming a preview image by using the received dot data; and a displaying device for displaying the preview image. The printing apparatus has: a print command data receiving device for receiving the print command data from the data processing apparatus; a converting device for converting the received print command data into print data, which includes a plurality of the dot data each of which corresponds to a different dot of the image; a first extracting device for extracting a first part of the dot data from the print data; and a dot data sending device for sending the extracted dot data to the data processing apparatus via the network.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A printing system comprising at least one data processing apparatus for generating data to form an image and a printing apparatus for printing the image, the data processing apparatus and the printing apparatus being connected with each other via a network,

(a) the data processing apparatus comprising:
a generating device for generating print command data, the print command data including a plurality of commands to form the image to be printed;
a print command data sending device for sending the generated print command data to the printing apparatus;
a dot data receiving device for receiving dot data from the printing apparatus;
a preview image forming device for forming a preview image by using the received dot data;
a displaying device for displaying the preview image;
and
a request command sending device for sending a request command to the printing apparatus;
(b) the printing apparatus comprising:
a print command data receiving device for receiving the print command data from the data processing apparatus;
a converting device for converting the received print command data into print data, the print data including a plurality of the dot data each of which corresponds to a different dot of the image to be printed;
a first extracting device for extracting a first part of the dot data included in the print data;
a dot data sending device for sending the extracted dot data to the data processing apparatus via the network;
a request command receiving device for receiving the request command from the data processing apparatus;
and
a second extracting device for extracting a second part of the dot data included in the print data in response to the received request command, wherein the data processing apparatus reforms the preview image by using the first part of the dot data and the second part of the dot data.

13 more elements

A preview image displaying method for a printing system comprising at least one data processing apparatus for generating data to form an image and a printing apparatus for printing the image, the data processing apparatus and the printing apparatus being connected with each other via a network, the preview image displaying method comprising the processes of:

sending the print command data generated by the data processing apparatus from the data processing apparatus to the printing apparatus, the print command data including a plurality of commands to form the image to be printed;
converting the print command data into print data in the printing apparatus, the print data including a plurality of the dot data each of which corresponds to a different dot of the image to be printed;
extracting a first part of the dot data included in the print data in the printing apparatus;
sending the extracted first part of the dot data from the printing apparatus to the data processing apparatus via the network;
receiving the first part of the dot data from the printing apparatus in the data processing apparatus;
forming a preview image by using the received first part of the dot data in the data processing apparatus;
displaying the preview image on a display device of the data processing apparatus;
sending a request command from the data processing apparatus to the printing apparatus, after the preview image is displayed;
extracting a second part of the dot data included in the print data in the printing apparatus, in response to the received request command;
sending the extracted second part of the dot data from the printing apparatus to the data processing apparatus via the network;
reforming the preview image by using the first part of the dot data and the second part of the dot data in the data processing apparatus;
and
displaying the reformed preview image on the display device of the data processing apparatus.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/161,288Filed 28 Sep 1998
Priority: JP 9-28470630 Sep 1997
Granted: 26 Feb 2002
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

G06F 3/1256
Configuration of print job parameters, e.g. using UI at the client: user feedback, e.g. print preview, test print, proofing, pre-flight checks
G06F 3/1208
Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. print management: resulting in improved quality of the output result, e.g. print layout, colours,…
G06F 3/1212
Improving printing performance: achieving reduced delay between job submission and print start
G06F 3/1288
Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server: in client-server-printer device configuration