Information processing apparatus, communication method, and system

Apparatus information of a printing apparatus is obtained from a printing apparatus, and a user interface screen of the printing apparatus is displayed. In accordance with receiving an instruction to register to a Web service from the user interface screen, obtained apparatus information of the printing apparatus is transmitted to a server, and an instruction for execution of a predetermined setting related to the Web service is made to the printing apparatus. Both the transmission and the instruction are executed in accordance with the instruction to register.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention is related to an information processing apparatus that can execute registration to a Web service, a communication method, and a system.

Description of the Related Art

As a method for using, on an information device such as a printer, a Web service provided over the Internet, there is a method in which device identification information by which the information device can be identified is inputted into a Web service provision apparatus, and an initial setting for starting to use the Web service are performed on the information device side. Thereby, the service becomes usable.

In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2010-160579, a print system in which a printing apparatus used in a print service provided by a print server is registered to the print server is described. Also, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2010-160579, it is described that the client terminal transmits to the print server configuration information of the printing apparatus obtained from the printing apparatus.

However, hypothetically, even if a setting for using a service in a printing apparatus is necessary, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2010-160579, there is the need to perform those settings separately to registration of the printing apparatus to the server.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An aspect of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned problems with the conventional technology. The present invention provides an information processing apparatus, a communication method, and a system for improving convenience in a case where a Web service is used.

The present invention in one aspect provides a communication method executed by a printing apparatus and an information processing apparatus operable to communicate with the printing apparatus and a server for providing a Web service, the method comprising: obtaining, by the information processing apparatus from the printing apparatus, apparatus information of the printing apparatus; displaying, by the information processing apparatus, a user interface screen of the printing apparatus; in accordance with receiving an instruction to register to the Web service from the user interface screen, transmitting, by the information processing apparatus, to the server the apparatus information of the obtained printing apparatus; and making an instruction, by the information processing apparatus to the printing apparatus, for execution of a predetermined setting related to the Web service, wherein, both the transmission and the instruction are executed in accordance with the instruction to register.

By virtue of the present invention, it is possible to improve convenience in a case where a Web service is used.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The configuration of a print system100in the present embodiment will be described with reference toFIG. 1. The user, in the print system100, by registering to a service provision apparatus (server)107, and executing predetermined processing, for example an initial setting, on the printing apparatus, can receive flat-rate printing services or the like. A flat-rate printing service is, for example, a service where a flat-rate fee is charged irrespective of amount of ink that is used, and MFPs102,103, and104are printing apparatuses that a user can use by rental from a service vendor, for example. Also, various settings are included in the initial setting. For example, assume that in the flat-rate printing service, a service of automatically performing delivery in a case of a shortage of ink or paper is provided. In the case of a configuration in which the ink and paper usage amounts are notified to a server from the MFP102in order to perform such an automatic delivery service or the like, the foregoing initial setting performs a setting for such a notification. For example, processing for initializing a counter that indicates the ink and paper usage amount is performed. The counter may be a number of pages that have been printed, for example, and the ink and paper usage amounts may be predicted by the number of pages.

As illustrated inFIG. 1, a client terminal101and the MFPs (MultiFunction Peripheral)102,103, and104are connected to a network106via a router105. The network106is, for example, the Internet. A service provision apparatus107is connected to the network106. The client terminal101and the MFPs102,103, and104are respectively capable of communicating with each other via the router105, and are furthermore configured to be able to communicate with the service provision apparatus107over the network106.

In the present embodiment, processing for registering to the service provision apparatus107is described as something that is performed for a flat-rate printing service. However, registration processing is not limited to being for a flat-rate printing service, and may be for other Web service such as, for example, an online print service, a print points service, an automatic consumables ordering service, or the like. Also, in the present embodiment, the service provision apparatus107is described as a single device, but a plurality of service provision apparatuses107may be configured, and processing for registration to a plurality of types of services corresponding to the respective servers and processing for registering to a server that corresponds to a service that the user selected may be performed.

Next, description of a configuration of the client terminal101is given with reference toFIG. 2. The client terminal101has functional blocks of a typical information processing apparatus, and for example, a CPU202, in accordance with a program stored in a RAM203, a ROM204, or a hard disk205, performs calculations, determinations, and control in relation to data and commands. The RAM203is used as a temporary storage region when the CPU202performs various processes, for example. The hard disk205stores an operating system (OS), application software, a later-described registration program, or the like. Operations of the client terminal101in the present embodiment are realized by, for example, the CPU202loading a program that is stored in the ROM204into the RAM203and executing the program.

A display206includes a liquid crystal display and a graphic controller. The CPU202, based on display data that is obtained from an external unit or held internally, displays an object in which a plurality of objects such as images or icons are collected as typified by a shortcut menu or a launcher, or displays various user interface screens such as GUIs on the display206.

An input unit207can receive various operations in relation to the client terminal101by the user, and for example, is a pointing device or a keyboard. Via a system bus208, data transmission/reception is performed between each of the CPU202, the RAM203, the ROM204, the hard disk205. Also, in an interface (I/F) unit209, a wireless LAN or a wired LAN that supports a standard such as IEEE 802.11a is used, and data transmission/reception with devices on the same network or on the Internet is possible by using a protocol such as TCP/IP.

Note that inFIG. 2, a case in which in the client terminal101is a so-called notebook PC where the display206and the input unit207are integrated with a control unit including the CPU202, the RAM203, and the like is illustrated. However, limitation is not made to the configuration ofFIG. 2, and the client terminal101may be of a so-called desktop type in which the display206and the input unit207are separate bodies, and may be of a so-called tablet terminal in which a touch sensor is used as a pointing device.

Next, description will be given with reference toFIG. 3for the MFPs102,103, and104. Since the MFPs102,103, and104have the same configuration, hereinafter, unless otherwise noted, the MFP102will be described as a representative example of the MFPs102,103, and104. The MFP102includes a control panel303, a ROM304, a RAM305, a scanning unit306, a printing unit307, an image processing unit308, an interface (I/F) unit309, and a system bus310.

A CPU302, in accordance with user operations in relation to the control panel303, for example, executes, in the RAM305, a program that is stored in the ROM304, and thereby comprehensively controls the MFP102. The ROM304stores control command programs of the MFP102. The RAM305operates as a working memory for the CPU302and is used as a spooler storage region for print jobs. The ROM304is a non-volatile memory in which, for example, information that the MFP102obtained is stored. For example, a printer ID issued from the service provision apparatus107is stored in the ROM304, and can be stored even in a case where the electric power source of the MFP102is cut off. Operations of the MFP102in the present embodiment are realized by, for example, the CPU302loading a program that is stored in the ROM304into the RAM305and executing the program.

The control panel303is configured to include keys and a touch pad for user operations, and a display for displaying screens for presenting images and various information to a user. The scanning unit306is provided with a scanner for optically reading an original placed on an original platen (not shown), and stores image data read by the scanner in the RAM305.

The printing unit307is provided with an ink tank for storing ink as a printing material, a printhead on which nozzles for discharging the ink are provided, and a conveyance unit for conveying a printing medium such as a print sheet. The printing unit307forms an image on a printing medium by an inkjet printing method. Note that the printing unit307is not limited to an inkjet printing method, and image formation may be performed by another printing method such as an electrophotographic method.

The image processing unit308, in relation to image data generated by being scanned by the scanning unit306or image data that is the target of printing by the printing unit307, performs various image processing such as image editing, color space conversion and correction, and conversion to a data format that can be processed by the printing unit307. A copy function is realized by the image processing unit308performing image processing for printing by the printing unit307image data scanned by the scanning unit306, for example. In the I/F unit309, wireless LAN which corresponds to an IEEE 802.11a standard or the like and wired LAN are used, and data transmission/reception with a device on the same network or on the Internet is possible by a protocol such as TCP/IP.

Next, with reference toFIG. 4, description is given of a configuration of the service provision apparatus107which is for providing a flat-rate printing service. A CPU402, in accordance with a program stored in a RAM403, a ROM404, or a hard disk405, performs calculations, determinations, and control in relation to data and commands. The RAM403is used as a temporary storage region when the CPU402performs various processes, for example. The hard disk405stores an operating system (OS), application software, a later-described registration program, or the like. Operations of the service provision apparatus107in the present embodiment are realized by, for example, the CPU402loading a program that is stored in the ROM404into the RAM403and executing the program.

A display406includes a liquid crystal display and a graphic controller. The CPU402, based on display data, performs display, on the display406, of an object in which a plurality of objects such as images and icons are collected, as typified by a shortcut menu or a launcher, for example, or display of various user interface screens such as a GUI. An input unit407can receive various operations in relation to the service provision apparatus107by the user, and for example, is a pointing device or a keyboard. Via a system bus408, data transmission/reception is performed between each of the CPU402, the RAM403, the ROM404, and the hard disk405. Also, in an interface (I/F) unit409, a wireless LAN or a wired LAN that supports a standard such as IEEE 802.11a is used, and data transmission/reception with devices on the same network or on the Internet is possible by using a protocol such as TCP/IP.

Software that is saved on the hard disk405of the service provision apparatus107differs from software saved on the hard disk205of the client terminal101. The software saved on the hard disk405is a flat-rate service registration page creation program for generating a flat-rate service registration page when a flat-rate service registration page access is received from a browser of the client terminal101, for example. Also, for example, the software is a flat-rate service registration program for performing registration processing based on information inputted on the flat-rate service registration page. Also, in the hard disk405, for example, a registration information management database for managing flat-rate service registration information is saved. Note that, while described later, the aforementioned flat-rate service registration page creation program receives device identification information of the MFP102and an initial process execution URL by a browser of the client terminal101, and generates a flat-rate service registration page.

FIG. 5is a view illustrating a functional block configuration of the service provision apparatus107, the client terminal101, and the MFP102in the flat-rate printing service system of the present embodiment. The service provision apparatus107includes a Web page generation unit503for generating a Web page for responding to a request from a Web browser504of the client terminal101. Here, the Web page generation unit503generates data for various operation screens in order to provide a flat-rate printing service to the client terminal101, for example. In the operation screen, for example, there is a registration information input screen for registering to a flat-rate printing service and a usage status display screen for confirming a usage status of the flat-rate printing service. In this way, the Web page generation unit503has a Web service registration management function and a Web service usage status screen generation function. Also, the service provision apparatus107includes a user information management unit501for managing information of users who use the flat-rate printing service and an MFP information management unit502for managing information of the MFPs102that the users use.

The client terminal101includes the Web browser504. The Web browser504of the client terminal101, via the communication interface209, transmits a request to the service provision apparatus107the MFP102, and displays a Web page that is returned as a response. In this way, the client terminal101has a request transmission function and a Web page browsing function that use the Web browser504.

The MFP102includes a Web page generation unit505for generating Web pages for responding to requests from the client terminal101and an apparatus information collection unit506for collecting apparatus information507of the MFP102. The apparatus information507is apparatus identification information such as a serial number or address of the MFP102, for example, and the apparatus information collection unit506collects and holds the apparatus information507when the MFP102is activated, for example. Also, the MFP102, via the I/F unit309, includes an initial setting execution instruction reception unit508for receiving an instruction to execute an initial setting for starting the flat-rate printing service from the client terminal101and an initial setting execution unit509for executing an initial setting of the MFP102upon receipt of the instruction for executing the initial setting.

FIG. 6is a view illustrating processing for registration to the service provision apparatus107in the present embodiment. In the present embodiment, the processing for registration to the service provision apparatus107includes registration of printing apparatus information and execution of the printing apparatus initial setting. First, in step S601, the CPU202of the client terminal101receives an instruction from a user for activating Remote UI of the MFP102. “Remote UI” is software used, by an access from a Web browser via a network, for status confirmation, job operation, and various settings, for example. For example, the user logs in as a printer administrator to the client terminal101, and inputs a URL in the Web browser. The CPU202of the client terminal101, having received the user instruction, transmits by the Web browser504a request for a TOP page of Remote UI in relation to the MFP102. As a method for the user to access the TOP page701of Remote UI, configuration may also be taken such that, as a method other than that described above, for example, a local area printer administrator notifies the URL of the TOP page of Remote UI to a user by an email. Alternatively, configuration may also be taken such that the user uses a URL of the MFP posted on a homepage that can be accessed within a company.

In step S602, when the CPU302of the MFP102receives the request for the TOP page, the CPU302obtains the apparatus information507of the MFP102by the apparatus information collection unit506. Below, the apparatus information507will be described as a serial number. Then, the CPU302, by the Web page generation unit505, generates data (Web page data) of TOP page of Remote UI including a link to the URL of a page for registering to the flat-rate printing service in which the serial number of the MFP102and the URL of an initial setting execution API are set as parameters. Then, the CPU302of the MFP102replies to the client terminal101with Web page data for displaying a screen701ofFIG. 7. The CPU202of the client terminal101, by the Web browser504, remotely displays the TOP page of Remote UI ofFIG. 7based on the Web page data of the response from the MFP102.

FIG. 7is a view that illustrates an example of a screen of the TOP page of Remote UI of the MFP102in the present embodiment. The screen illustrated inFIG. 7is displayed on the client terminal101. As illustrated inFIG. 7, a plurality of menus that can be selected by a user are displayed on the TOP page701, and “Web service registration” is displayed as a selected item702. In a selection item702of the TOP page701of Remote UI, as a parameter, a hyperlink to a URL of a page for registering to a flat-rate printing service that includes the serial number of the MFP102and the URL for the initial setting execution API is set. Also, a destination address that is the same as the hyperlink set in the selection item702is displayed as a link703, and the user can access the service provision apparatus107by clicking the selection item702or the link703, as an instruction to register to the Web service on the TOP page701.

Next, in step S603, the CPU202of the client terminal101receives a user registration instruction via the Web page. Then, in step S604, the CPU202, by the Web browser504, transmits a request for a Web page that the URL of the flat-rate printing service registration page set to the hyperlink indicates to the service provision apparatus107. Here, the user registration instruction is a click operation on the selection item702for which the hyperlink is set, for example. As described above, the URL for the page for registering to the flat-rate printing service includes a serial number and a URL for the initial setting execution API. Accordingly, together with a request for a Web page that the URL of the flat-rate printing service registration page indicates, the above-described serial number and the URL of the initial setting execution API are transmitted to the service provision apparatus107.

When the CPU402of the service provision apparatus107receives a request for the Web page from the client terminal101, the CPU402, by the Web page generation unit503, generates Web page data for the flat-rate printing service registration page in which the serial number received as a parameter is embedded. Then, in step S605, the CPU402of the service provision apparatus107responds with Web page data for the flat-rate printing service registration page to the client terminal101. The CPU202of the client terminal101, by the Web browser504, displays the flat-rate printing service registration page illustrated inFIG. 8based on the Web page data of the response from the service provision apparatus107.

FIG. 8is a view illustrating an example of a screen of the flat-rate printing service registration page in the present embodiment. In a service registration page801, the serial number of the printer set as the parameter of the link703is reflected in a display field802. In a selection field803, a menu of plans for the flat-rate printing service that a user can use is displayed selectably. By the user selecting a desired flat-rate printing service plan in the selection field803and clicking a register button804, a flat-rate printing service registration request is transmitted to the service provision apparatus107.

In step S606, when the CPU202of the client terminal101receives a user registration instruction via the flat-rate printing service registration page ofFIG. 8, the CPU202transmits a request for a flat-rate printing service registration to the service provision apparatus107by the Web browser504. The user registration instruction here is a flat-rate printing service plan selection in the selection field803and a click operation on the register button804. Also, though not shown graphically inFIG. 8, a field for inputting a user name and a password may be provided on the screen801, and authentication may be performed by the service provision apparatus107based on such information. Also, regarding authentication, after step S606, a phase in which transmission/reception of a user authentication page is performed may be executed. For example, the CPU202of the client terminal101transmits a request for a user authentication page to the service provision apparatus107. When the CPU402of the service provision apparatus107receives the request, the CPU402responds with a user authentication page that can receive a user name and a password by the Web page generation unit503. Then, the CPU202of the client terminal101, by the Web browser504, displays the user authentication page. When, via the user authentication page, a user name and a password and the pressing of a login button or the like are received, a request for user authentication is transmitted to the service provision apparatus107. The CPU402of the service provision apparatus107performs authentication processing based on the received user name and password, and responds with the authentication result to the client terminal101as a response.

In step S607, when the CPU402of the service provision apparatus107receives a flat-rate printing service registration request, the CPU402performs user registration processing by the user information management unit501and performs MFP registration processing by the MFP information management unit502. For example, the serial number of the MFP102is stored together with user information in the registration information management database of the hard disk405. In step S608, the CPU402of the service provision apparatus107responds with Web page data in which the initial setting execution API which is set as a parameter when the request for the flat-rate printing service registration page was received in step S604by the Web page generation unit503is embedded executably. The CPU202of the client terminal101, by the Web browser504, displays a screen illustrated inFIG. 9based on the Web page data of the response from the service provision apparatus107.

FIG. 9is a view that illustrates an example of a screen for indicating “registration processing is in-progress” in which is embedded for execution the initial setting execution API of the MFP102. In the screen901, since an initial setting of the MFP102has yet to be executed at the current time even though registration processing on the service provision apparatus107has ended, a message of “registration processing in-progress” that indicates to the user that registration processing is ongoing is displayed. Also, in the screen901, a URL902of the initial setting execution API is embedded, so as to be hidden, as an instruction for executing the initialization processing of the MFP102. By making the URL902hidden, the user is not unnecessarily made to be aware of the initial setting of the MFP102.

In step S609, the CPU202of the client terminal101transmits, to the MFP102, the MFP102initial setting execution request in order to execute the initial setting execution API embedded in the Web page of the screen901. In step S610, when the CPU302of the MFP102receives the initial setting execution request, the CPU302executes the initial setting. Then, in step S611, the MFP102, by the Web page generation unit505, generates Web page data in which a message that the flat-rate printing service registration succeeded is embedded, and replies to the client terminal101with it as a response. In step S612, the CPU202of the client terminal101, based on Web page data returned as the response, displays the screen ofFIG. 10.

FIG. 10is a view illustrating an example of a screen of the flat-rate printing service registration completion page that notifies that the MFP102flat-rate printing service registration is complete. A Web service registration completion page1001, after the MFP102initial setting is complete, is transmitted from the MFP102to the client terminal101. Accordingly, after the Web service registration completion page1001is displayed, the user can use the flat-rate printing service that the service provision apparatus107provided.

As described above, by virtue of the present embodiment, upon instruction of registration processing on a user interface screen, both registration of the printing apparatus for a Web service and initial setting of the printing apparatus related to the Web service are executed. Since it is not necessary to make an instruction for initial setting separately to the registering of the printing apparatus, it is possible to improve convenience in a case where the user uses a Web service. The user performs all Web service registration processing by operations on a Web page. In other words, if the Web browser504is implemented on the client terminal101, it is possible to perform processing for Web service registration to the service provision apparatus107, and it is possible to perform a simple configuration without the need to use an independent communication protocol.

Also, in the processing for registering a Web service, the operations that the user performs on the Web page is the menu selection (“Web service registration”) on the menu screen ofFIG. 7and the plan selection on the screen ofFIG. 8. In other words, it is not necessary to input the serial number of the MFP102and perform execution of the MFP102initial setting and so it is possible to improve user convenience.

Also, as illustrated inFIG. 9, at the point in time of step S607where the MFP102registration has ended, execution of the MFP102initial setting has not been performed yet, and therefore “registration processing is in-progress” is displayed to the user. Then, as illustrated inFIG. 10, when the initial setting of the MFP102ends, “registration complete” is displayed. By such a configuration, it is clearly shown to the user that registration is in-progress, and the user is not unnecessarily made to be aware of the initial setting of the MFP102.

InFIG. 6, in step S608, the service provision apparatus107is described as responding to the client terminal101with embedded Web page data so as to execute the initial setting execution API. However, the service provision apparatus107may directly transmit to the MFP102a command for requesting execution of the initial setting execution API. In such a case, the processing of step S609is not performed, and when the MFP102receives a request command, the MFP102transmits the Web page data for causing the screen ofFIG. 9to be displayed on the client terminal101. Note that the timing at which the initial setting instruction to the MFP102is executed by the client apparatus101in step S609is not limited to the response from the service provision apparatus107in step S606. For example, in accordance with the link click in step S603, the initial setting instruction may be executed together with the transmission in step S604. However, as illustrated inFIG. 6, by the initial setting instruction being executed in accordance with the response from the service provision apparatus107in step S606, the initial setting is performed after having confirmed that the MFP102is registered on the service provision apparatus107. For this reason, it is possible to prevent the initial setting from being performed unnecessarily irrespective of the MFP102not being registered to the service provision apparatus107.

OTHER EMBODIMENTS

This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2018-125279, filed Jun. 29, 2018, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.