Multifunction printer, multifunction printer control system, and recording medium

A multifunction printer, which communicates via a communications network with an information processing apparatus including a first web server section which operates in accordance with software for a web server, the multifunction printer comprising:

• a web browser section for operating in accordance with software for a web browser;
• a second web server section for operating in accordance with software for a web server,
• the web browser section sending a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) request to the first web server section and receiving, from the first web server section, as a response to the HTTP request, an HTTP response including control information for notifying the second web server section of a control instruction to control the multifunction printer, and upon reception of the HTTP response from the first web server section, the web browser section carrying out a notification process of notifying the second web server section of a control instruction corresponding to the control information included in the HTTP response,
• the multifunction printer further comprising a control section for controlling the multifunction printer in accordance with the control instruction received by the second web server section,
• wherein the multifunction printer is located on an opposite side of a firewall from the information processing apparatus and the control information is exchanged between the multifunction printer and the information processing apparatus without having to change firewall settings;
• a display section, the web browser section carrying out the notification process in such a manner that the web browser section causes the display section to display an operation window indicated by window data retrieved from the first web server section and when the control instruction is entered into the operation window, the web browser section notifies the second web server section of the control instruction;
• and
• an image forming section for printing on a recording sheet an image indicated by input image data,
• the web browser section causing the display section to display the operation window, the operation window being an image data selection window for specifying image data to be printed,
• furthermore, upon entry of specifying information for specifying image data into the image data selection window, the web browser section (a) considering that an instruction to print an image indicated by specified image data indicated by the specifying information is entered as the control instruction, (b) sending, to the first web server section, an HTTP request including a request for the image data indicated by the specifying information, (c) receiving, from the first web server section, a response to the HTTP request which response is an HTTP response including (i) an instruction to change an address to be accessed to that of the second web server section with use of HTTP redirect, (ii) the specified image data indicated by the specifying information, and (iii) a print instruction to print the image indicated by the specified image data, and (d) accessing the second web server section in accordance with the received HTTP response so as to notify the second web server section of the specified image data and the print instruction, and
• the control section controlling the image forming section so that the image forming section prints the image indicated by the specified image data on a recording sheet in accordance with the specified image data and the print instruction of which the web browser section notifies the second web server section.

A multifunction printer control system, comprising:

• an information processing apparatus including a first web server section which operates in accordance with software for a web server;
• and
• a multifunction printer connected via a communications network with the information processing apparatus, the multifunction printer comprising:
• a web browser section for operating in accordance with software for a web browser;
• a second web server section for operating in accordance with software for a web server, the web browser section sending a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) request to the first web server section and receiving, from the first web server section, as a response to the HTTP request, an HTTP response including control information for notifying the second web server section of a control instruction to control the multifunction printer, and upon reception of the HTTP response from the first web server section, the web browser section carrying out a notification process of notifying the second web server section of a control instruction corresponding to the control information included in the HTTP response,
• the multifunction printer further comprising a control section for controlling the multifunction printer in accordance with the control instruction received by the second web server section,
• wherein the multifunction printer is located on an opposite side of a firewall from the information processing apparatus and the control information is exchanged between the multifunction printer and the information processing apparatus without having to change firewall settings;
• a display section, the web browser section carrying out the notification process in such a manner that the web browser section causes the display section to display an operation window indicated by window data retrieved from the first web server section and when the control instruction is entered into the operation window, the web browser section notifies the second web server section of the control instruction;
• an image reading section for reading an image from a document;
• and
• an image forming section for printing on a sheet of paper an image indicated by input image data:
• the web browser section causing the display section to display the operation window, the operation window being an authentication information entry window that prompts a user to enter authentication information for user authentication,
• furthermore, upon entry of authentication information into the authentication information entry window, the web browser section (a) considering that a restriction instruction to restrict a function of at least one of the image reading section and the image forming section, which function corresponds to a user indicated by the authentication information, is entered as the control instruction, (b) sending an HTTP request including the authentication information and the restriction instruction to the first web server section, (c) receiving, from the first web server section, a response to the HTTP request which response is an HTTP response including (i) an instruction to change an address to be accessed to that of the second web server section with use of HTTP redirect and (ii) the restriction instruction, and (d) accessing the second web server section in accordance with the received HTTP response so as to notify the second web server section of the restriction instruction, and
• the control section restricting the function of at least one of the image reading section and the image forming section in accordance with the restriction instruction of which the web browser section notifies the second web server section.