# US 7,411,690 B2 · Information processing apparatus, print system, information processing method, and print method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,411,690 B2 - Document ID: US7411690B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 09/994,872 - Filed: 2001-11-28 - Published: 2002-05-30 - Granted: 2008-08-12 - Earliest claimed: 2000-11-29 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Tsunehiro Tsukada - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7411690B2 ## CPC - G06F 3/122: {with regard to computing resources, e.g. memory, CPU} - G06F 3/1243: {Variable data printing, e.g. document forms, templates, labels, coupons, advertisements, logos, watermarks, transactional printing, fixed content versioning} - G06F 3/1247: {by conversion to printer ready format} - G06F 3/1289: {in server-client-printer device configuration, e.g. the server does not see the printer} - G06F 3/1203: {Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. print management} - G06F 3/1208: {resulting in improved quality of the output result, e.g. print layout, colours, workflows, print preview} - G06F 3/1272: {Digital storefront, e.g. e-ordering, web2print, submitting a job from a remote submission screen} - G06F 3/1288: {in client-server-printer device configuration} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A print system can be employed by a client without setting up, for each client, a print function for converting distributed data into a print format and without providing a server with individual printers. Print data generated by the server is directly transmitted from the server to a print server. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An information processing apparatus comprising: a receiving unit adapted to receive a request and template data including a reusable object, an index of a variable object and position data of the variable object from an external apparatus; a generation unit adapted to generate, in response to a received request from the external apparatus, print data corresponding to a preview displayed on a display screen on the external apparatus, wherein the generation unit generates print data by merging the reusable object in the template data and the variable object by using the reusable object, the index of the variable object and the position data of the variable object in the template data, and wherein the index of the variable object is extracted from the template data and the index of the variable object from the template data is used during the merging process; a selecting unit adapted to select a print server to transmit the generated print data from plural print servers, wherein the print server is selected in accordance with the external apparatus; an obtaining unit adapted to obtain instructions for printing via the display screen on the external apparatus; and a transmission control unit adapted to control transmission so that the print data generated by said generation unit is transmitted to a print server selected by the selecting unit in response to the obtaining unit for obtaining instructions for printing. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a specification unit adapted to specify a template for generating the print data and data to be inserted into the template, wherein said generation unit generates the print data based on the template and the data specified by said specification unit. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display screen comprises a display screen displayed on a Web browser, and the request from the external apparatus is communicated between the Web browser on the external apparatus and a Web server on the information processing apparatus. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a determination unit adapted to determine, when the print server can transmit data to a plurality of printers, which printer is to be used to perform printing by analyzing the request from the external apparatus, wherein said transmission control unit controls transmission so that the print data and information designating the printer determined by said determination unit is transmitted. ### Claim 5 A print system which includes an information processing apparatus and a print server for causing a printer to perform printing, comprising: a receiving unit adapted to receive a request and template data including a reusable object, an index of a variable object and position data of the variable object from an external apparatus; a generation unit adapted to generate, in response to a received request from the external apparatus, print data corresponding to a preview displayed on a display screen on the external apparatus, wherein the generation unit generates print data by merging the reusable object in the template data and the variable object by using the reusable object, the index of the variable object and the position data of the variable object in the template data, and wherein the index of the variable object is extracted from the template data and the index of the variable object from the template data is used during the merging process; a selecting unit adapted to select a print server to transmit the generated print data from plural print servers, wherein the print server is selected in accordance with the external apparatus; an obtaining unit adapted to obtain instructions for printing via the display screen on the external apparatus; and a transmission control unit adapted to control transmission so that the print data generated by said generation unit is transmitted from the information processing apparatus to a print server selected by the selecting unit in response to the obtaining unit for obtaining instructions for printing. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A print system according to claim 5, further comprising: a specification unit adapted to specify, in response to the request from the external apparatus, a template for generating the print data corresponding to the display screen displayed on the external apparatus and data to be inserted into the template, wherein said generation unit generates the print data based on the template and the data specified by said specification unit. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) A print system according to claim 5, wherein the display screen comprises a display screen displayed on a Web browser, and the request from the external apparatus is communicated between the Web browser on the external apparatus and a Web server on the information processing apparatus. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) A print system according to claim 5, further comprising: a determination unit adapted to determine, when the print server can transmit data to a plurality of printers, which printer is to be used to perform printing by analyzing the request from the external apparatus, wherein said transmission control unit controls transmission so that the print data and information designating the printer determined by said determination unit is transmitted. ### Claim 9 An information processing method comprising: a receiving step of receiving a request and template data including a reusable object, an index of a variable object and position data of the variable object from an external apparatus; a generating step of generating, in response to a received request from the external apparatus, print data corresponding to a preview displayed on a display screen on the external apparatus, wherein the generating step generates print data by merging the reusable object in the template data and the variable object by using the reusable object, the index of the variable object and the position data of the variable object in the template data, and wherein the index of the variable object is extracted from the template data and the index of the variable object from the template data is used during the merging process; a selecting step of selecting a print server to transmit the generated print data from plural print servers, wherein the print server is selected in accordance with the external apparatus; an obtaining step of obtaining instructions for printing via the display screen on the external apparatus; and a transmission step of controlling transmission so that the print data generated in said generating step is transmitted to a print server selected in the selecting step in response to the obtaining step for obtaining instructions for printing. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) An information processing method according to claim 9, further comprising: a specifying step of specifying a template for generating the print data and data to be inserted into the template, wherein, in said generating step, the print data is generated based on the template and the data specified in said specifying step. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) An information processing method according to claim 9, wherein the display screen comprises a display screen displayed on a Web browser, and the request from the external apparatus is communicated between the Web browser on the external apparatus and a Web server on the information processing apparatus. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) An information processing method according to claim 9, further comprising: a determining step of determining, when the print server can transmit data to a plurality of printers, which printer is to be used to perform printing by analyzing the request from the external apparatus, wherein, in said transmission control step, transmission is controlled so that the print data and information designating the printer determined in said determining step is transmitted. ### Claim 13 A computer-readable recording medium having stored therein a program for causing a computer to perform processing, the program comprising: code for a receiving step of receiving a request and template data including a reusable object, an index of a variable object and position data of the variable object from an external apparatus; code for a generating step of generating, in response to a received request from the external apparatus, print data which corresponds to a preview displayed on a display screen on the external apparatus, wherein the generating step generates print data by merging the reusable object in the template data and the variable object by using the reusable object, the index of the variable object and the position data of the variable object in the template data, and wherein the index of the variable object is extracted from the template data and the index of the variable object from the template data is used during the merging process; code for a selecting step of selecting a print server to transmit the generated print data from plural print servers, wherein the print server is selected in accordance with the external apparatus; code for an obtaining step of obtaining instructions for printing via the display screen on the external apparatus; and code for a transmission control step of controlling transmission so that the print data generated in the generating step is transmitted to a print server selected in the selecting step in response to the obtaining step for obtaining instructions for printing. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A recording medium according to claim 13, wherein the program further comprises: code for a specifying step of specifying a template for generating the print data and data to be inserted into the template, wherein, in the generating step, the print data is generated based on the template and the data specified in the specifying step. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) A recording medium according to claim 13, wherein the display screen comprises a display screen displayed on a Web browser, and the request from the external apparatus is communicated between the Web browser on the external apparatus and a Web server on the information processing apparatus. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) A recording medium according to claim 13, wherein the program further comprises: code for a determining step of determining, when the print server can transmit data to a plurality of printers, which printer is to be used to perform printing by analyzing the request from the external apparatus, wherein, in the transmission control step, transmission is controlled so that the print data and information designating the printer determined in the determining step is transmitted.