Data processing apparatus, data processing method, and storage medium storing computer-readable program

A data processing apparatus which can perform data communication with various devices which include a device comprising a print unit for allowing a printing process of data to a sheet, comprising:

• indication means for allowing an indication of one or more devices from the various devices;
• combination order display means for causing a display unit to display a combination order of a plurality of data, which can be printed by said print unit, respectively generated by the one or more devices indicated by said indication means, by means of an arrangement of icons;
• and
• control means for controlling so as to combine, as the data included in one group, the plurality of data, which can be printed by said print unit, respectively generated by the one or more devices indicated by said indication means, in an order according to the arrangement order of the icons on said display unit, when the plurality of mutually independent data generated by said one or more devices are combined into one group as the data printable by said print unit included in one group.

A data processing method which can perform data communication with various devices, which include a device comprising a print unit for printing data on a sheet, connected on a predetermined communication medium, comprising:

• an acquirement step of acquiring function information of each device, connection information and status by communicating with the various devices;
• a management step of storing and managing the finction information of each device, the connection information and the status acquired in said acquirement step;
• a system display step of causing a display unit to display a system structure by icons, on the basis of the connection information and the status stored and managed in said management step;
• a first indication step of indicating a combination of the arbitrary icons displayed on the display unit;
• a function setting screen display step of causing the display unit to display a combination function setting screen based on the combination indicated in said first indication step;
• a second indication step of indicating one or more generation sources of printable data other than printable first data to be combined with printable first data generated by any device indicated in said first indication step when said printable first data and said printable other data independent of said first data are combined with each other as the printable data included in one group;
• a combination order display step of causing the display unit to display an order of the combination of the first data generated by the device indicated in said first indication step and the other data from the one or more generation sources indicated in said second indication step, by means of an arrangement of second icons representing the data which includes the first data and the other data, when said printable first data and said printable other data independent of said first data are combined with each other as the printable data included in one group;
• and
• a control step of controlling so as to combine, as the printable data included in one group, the printable first data from the device indicated in said first indication step and the other data from the one or more generation sources indicated in said second indication step in an order according to the order of the second icons arranged and displayed in said combination order display step, on the basis of an execution instruction input via the combination function setting screen displayed in said function setting screen display step, when said printable first data and said printable other data independent of said first data are combined with each other as the printable data included in one group.

A data processing method which can perform data communication with various devices which include a device comprising a print unit for allowing a printing process of data to a sheet, comprising:

• an indication step of allowing an indication of one or more devices from the various devices;
• a combination order display step of causing a display unit to display a combination order of a plurality of data, which can be printed by the print unit, respectively generated by the one or more devices indicated in said indication step, by means of an arrangement of icons concerning the plurality of data, when the plurality of mutually independent data generated by the one or more devices are combined into one group as the data printable by the print unit included in one group;
• and
• a control step of controlling so as to combine, as the data included in one group, the plurality of data, which can be printed by the print unit, respectively generated by the one or more devices indicated by said indication step, in an order according to the arrangement order of the icons on the display unit, when the plurality of mutually independent data generated by the one or more devices are combined into one group as the data printable by the print unit included in one group.

A storage medium which stores a computer readable program to control a data processing apparatus capable of performing data communication with various devices, which include a device comprising a print unit for printing data on a sheet, connected on a predetermined communication medium, said program comprising:

• an acquirement step of acquiring function information of each device, connection information and status by communicating with the various devices;
• a management step of storing and managing the function information of each device, the connection information and the status acquired in said acquirement step;
• a system display step of causing a display unit to display a system structure by first icons, on the basis of the connection information and the status stored and managed in said management step;
• a first indication step of indicating a combination of the arbitrary first icons displayed on the display unit;
• a function setting screen display step of causing the display unit to display a combination function setting screen based on the combination indicated in said first indication step;
• a second indication step of indicating one or more generation sources of printable data other than printable first data to be combined with printable first data generated by any device indicated in said first indication step when said printable first data and said printable other data independent of said first data are combined with each other as the printable data included in one group;
• a combination order display step of causing the display unit to display an order of the combination of the first data generated by the device indicated in said first indication step and the other data from the one or more generation sources indicated in said second indication step, by means of an arrangement of second icons representing the data which includes the first data and the other data, when said printable first data and said printable other data independent of said first data are combined with each other as the printable data included in one group;
• and
• a control step of controlling so as to combine, as the printable data included in one group, the printable first data from the device indicated in said first indication step and the other data from the one or more generation sources indicated in said second indication step in an order according to the order of the second icons arranged and displayed in said combination order display step, on the basis of an execution instruction input via the combination function setting screen displayed in said function setting screen display step, when said printable first data and said printable other data independent of said first data are combined with each other as the printable data included in one group.

A storage medium which stores a computer readable program to control a data processing apparatus capable of performing data communication with various devices which include a device compromising a print unit for allowing a printing process of data to a sheet, said program comprising:

• an indication step of allowing an indication of one or more devices from the various devices;
• a combination order display step of causing a display unit to display a combination order of a plurality of data, which can be printed by the print unit, respectively generated by the one or more devices indicated in said indication step, by means of an arrangement of icons concerning the plurality of data, when the plurality of mutually independent data generated by the one or more devices are combined into one group s the data printable by the print unit included in one group;
• and
• a control step of controlling so as to combine, as the data included in one group, the plurality of data, which can be printed by the print unit, respectively generated by the one or more devices indicated by said indication step, in an order according to the arrangement order of the icons on the display unit, when the plurality of mutually independent data generated by the one or more devices are combined into one group as the data printable by the print unit included in one group.

A data processing apparatus which can control an image formation apparatus, comprising:

• selection means for allowing a selection of one or more series of data on which an image can be formed by said image formation apparatus;
• display control means for causing a display apparatus to display an icon concerning a series of data, on which the image can be formed by said image formation apparatus, selected by said selection means;
• and
• control means for causing said image formation apparatus to perform an image formation of the series of data corresponding to the icon on said display apparatus,
• wherein said selection means can select plural series of different data mutually independent,
• said control means can control so as to cause said image formation apparatus to consecutively perform the image formation of the series of data mutually independent as a series of data included in one group, when the plural series of data mutually independent are selected by said selection means,
• said display control means causes said display apparatus to arrange and display plural icons respectively corresponding to the plural series of data mutually independent when the plural series of data mutually independent are selected by said selection means, and
• said control means causes said image formation apparatus to perform image formation of the plural series of data mutually independent as a series of data included in one group in the order according to the arrangement order of the plural icons, corresponding to the plural series of data mutually independent, displayed on said display apparatus when it causes to perform the image formation of the plural series of data mutually independent as the series of data included in one group.

A data processing method for a data processing apparatus which can control an image formation apparatus, said method comprising:

• a selection step of allowing a selection of one or more series of data on which an image can be formed by the image formation apparatus;
• a display control step of causing a display apparatus to display an icon concerning a series of data, on which the image can be formed by the image formation apparatus selected in said selection step;
• and
• a control step of causing the image formation apparatus to perform an image formation of the series of data corresponding to the icon on the display apparatus,
• wherein said selection step can select plural series of different data mutually independent,
• said control step can control so as to cause the image formation apparatus to consecutively perform the image formation of the series of data mutually independent as a series of data included in one group, when the plural series of data mutually independent are selected in said selection step,
• said display control step causes the display apparatus to arrange and display plural icons respectively corresponding to the plural series of data mutually independent when the plural series of data mutually independent are selected in said selection step, and
• said control step causes the image formation apparatus to perform image formation of the plural series of data mutually independent as a series of data included in one group in the order according to the arrangement order of the plural icons, corresponding to the plural series of data mutually independent, displayed on the display apparatus when it causes to perform the image formation of the plural series of data mutually independent as the series of data included in one group.

A computer-readable storage medium which stores a program to cause a data processing apparatus capable of controlling an image formation apparatus to execute following steps:

• a selection step of allowing a selection of one or more series of data on which an image can be formed by the image formation apparatus;
• a display control step of causing a display apparatus to display an icon concerning series of data, on which the image can be formed by the image formation apparatus selected in said selection step;
• and
• a control step of causing the image formation apparatus to perform an image formation of the series of data corresponding to the icon on the display apparatus,
• wherein said selection step can select plural series of different data mutually independent,
• said control step can control so as to cause the image formation apparatus to consecutively perform the image formation of the series of data mutually independent as a series of data included in one group, when the plural series of data mutually independent are selected in said selection step,
• said display control step causes the display apparatus to arrange and display plural icons respectively corresponding to the plural series of data mutually independent when the plural series of data mutually independent are selected in said selection step, and
• said control step causes the image formation apparatus to perform image formation of the plural series of data mutually independent as a series of data included in one group in the order according to the arrangement order of the plural icons, corresponding to the plural series of data mutually independent, displayed on the display apparatus when it causes to perform the image formation of the plural series of data mutually independent as the series of data included in one group.

A control method of a system which at least includes a device capable of processing printable data, comprising:

• a display control step of causing a display unit to execute a first display concerning first data of a plurality of mutually independent printable data including the first data and second data, and causing the display unit to execute a second display concerning the second data of the plurality of data, when it causes the device of the system to generate combination data in which the plurality of mutually independent printable data including the first data and the second data are combined as printable data included in one group;
• a combination control step of causing the device of the system to generate combination data in which the first data and the second data are combined as the printable data included in one group in the order according to a displaying manner of the first display and the second display on the display unit, when it causes the device to generate the combination data in which the mutually independent first data and second data are combined as the printable data included in one group;
• a combination data processing mode setting step of allowing to set a processing mode for the combination data in which the plurality of data are combined as the data included in one group, without setting a processing mode for each of the plurality of mutually independent printable data;
• and
• a combination data processing mode control step of controlling so as to perform a process according to the processing mode set in said combination data processing mode setting step, to the combination data in which the first data and the second data are combined as the printable data included in one group in the order according to the displaying manner of the first display and the second display on the display unit.

A control method of a system which at least includes a plurality of devices capable of processing printable data, comprising:

• a display control step of causing a display unit to execute a first display concerning first data of a plurality of mutually independent printable data including the first data and second data, and causing the display unit to execute a second display concerning the second data of the plurality of data, when it causes the device of the system to generate combination data in which the plurality of mutually independent printable data including the first data and the second data are combined as printable data included in one group;
• a data selection step of selecting the data to be combined as the combination data from among the data generated by at least one or more devices in the system;
• and
• a control step of causing the device of the system to generate combination data in which the first data and the second data individually generated by the mutually different devices are combined as the printable data included in one group in the order according to a displaying manner of the first display and the second display on the display unit, when the mutually independent first and second data each individually generated by each of the plurality of devices included in the system are selected in said data selection step.

A controller of a system which at least includes a device capable of processing printable data, comprising:

• display controller for causing a display unit to execute a first display concerning first data of a plurality of mutually independent printable data including the first data and second data, and causing said display unit to execute a second display concerning the second data of the plurality of data, when it causes said device of said system to generate combination data in which the plurality of mutually independent printable data including the first data and the second data are combined as printable data included in one group;
• controller for causing said device of said system to generate combination data in which the first data and the second data are combined as the printable data included in one group in the order according to a displaying manner of the first display and the second display on the display unit, when it causes said device to generate the combination data in which the mutually independent first data and second data are combined as the printable data included in one group;
• and
• combination data processing mode setting unit for allowing to set a processing mode for the combination data in which the plurality of data are combined as the data included in one group, without setting a processing mode for each of the plurality of mutually independent printable data,
• said controller controls so as to perform a process according to the processing mode set by said combination data processing mode setting unit, to the combination data in which the first data and the second data are combined as the printable data included in one group in the order according to the displaying manner of the first display and the second display on said display unit.

A controller of a system which at least includes a plurality of devices capable of processing printable data, comprising:

• display controller for causing a display unit to execute a first display concerning first data of a plurality of mutually independent printable data including the first data and second data, and causing said display unit to execute a second display concerning the second data of the plurality of data, when it causes said device of said system to generate combination data in which the plurality of mutually independent printable data including the first data and the second data are combined as printable data included in one group;
• data selector for selecting the data to be combined as the combination data from among the data generated by at least one or more devices in said system;
• and
• controller for causing said device of said system to generate combination data in which the first data and the second data individually generated by the mutually different devices are combined as the printable data included in one group in the order according to a displaying manner of the first display and the second display on the display unit, when the mutually independent first and second data each individually generated by each of the plurality of devices included in said system are selected by said data selector.

A storage medium which stores a program to execute a control method of a system at least including a device capable of processing printable data, said method comprising:

• a display control step of causing a display unit to execute a first display concerning first data of a plurality of mutually independent printable data including the first data and second data, and causing the display unit to execute a second display concerning the second data of the plurality of data, when it causes the device of the system to generate combination data in which the plurality of mutually independent printable data including the first data and the second data are combined as printable data included in one group;
• a combination control step of causing the device of the system to generate combination data in which the first data and the second data are combined as the printable data included in one group in the order according to a displaying manner of the first display and the second display on the display unit, when it causes the device to generate the combination data in which the mutually independent first data and second data are combined as the printable data included in one group;
• a combination data processing mode setting step of allowing to set a processing mode for the combination data in which the plurality of data are combined as the data included in one group, without setting a processing mode for each of the plurality of mutually independent printable data;
• and
• a combination data processing mode control step of controlling so as to perform a process according to the processing mode set in said combination data processing mode setting step, to the combination data in which the first data and the second data are combined as the printable data included in one group in the order according to the displaying manner of the first display and the second display on the display unit.

A storage medium which stores a program to execute a control method of a system at least including a plurality of devices capable of processing printable data, said method comprising:

• a display control step of causing a display unit to execute a first display concerning first data of a plurality of mutually independent printable data including the first data and second data, and causing the display unit to execute a second display concerning the second data of the plurality of data, when it causes the device of the system to generate combination data in which the plurality of mutually independent printable data including the first data and the second data are combined as printable data included in one group;
• a data selection step of selecting the data to be combined as the combination data from among the data generated by at least one or more devices in the system;
• and
• a control step of causing the device of the system to generate combination data in which the first data and the second data individually generated by the mutually different devices are combined as the printable data included in one group in the order according to a displaying manner of the first display and the second display on the display unit, when the mutually independent first and second data each individually generated by each of the plurality of devices included in the system are selected in said data selection step.