Abstract:
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium stores computer-executable instructions. When the instructions are executed by a processor, the instructions cause an information processing apparatus including a communication section configured to communicate with external devices including a server machine on a network, to perform: a process of acquiring hyperlink information corresponding to a hyperlink from document data; a process of acquiring contents specified by the hyperlink information; a process of transmitting the contents to the server machine via the communication section; a process of acquiring, from the server machine, one of URL for acquiring the contents transmitted and URL-related information related to the URL, via the communication section; and a process of generating combined document data in which the URL is combined with the document data.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    The present application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2013-247480 filed on Nov. 29, 2013 the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus which is communicable with external devices on a network, a storage medium storing instructions for the information processing apparatus, and a communication system which includes the information processing apparatus and a server machine. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    By displaying an image based on document data in which a hyperlink has been embedded on a panel of a PC (personal computer) etc. and by clicking a location at which the hyperlink has been embedded with a mouse etc., it is possible to make an access to a linked device, and to acquire data from that linked device. However, in a case that a document based on the document data in which the hyperlink has been embedded is printed and the document is distributed, there is a possibility that a person to whom the document has been distributed is not capable of acquiring data from the linked device. 
         [0006]    For instance, in a case that the hyperlink has been set in a URL (abbreviation for Uniform Resource Locator), the URL is printed on the document. Therefore, the person to whom the document has been distributed is able to make an access to the linked device by using the URL that has been printed, and to acquire data from the linked device. Whereas, in a case that the hyperlink has been set in a symbol or an icon other than the URL, the URL is not printed on the document, and the symbol or the icon other than the URL is printed on the document. Therefore, the person to whom the document has been distributed is not able to make an access to the linked device, and cannot acquire data from the linked device. 
         [0007]    In view of such circumstances, in information processing apparatuses described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Nos. 2000-148340 and H10-171727, hyperlink information that has been set in a hyperlink is converted to a two-dimensional code such as a QR (quick response) code® (registered trademark of DENSO WAVE), and the two-dimensional code is printed on a document. Accordingly, a person to whom the document has been distributed can acquire the hyperlink information by picking up an image of the two-dimensional code by a camera of a mobile telephone etc., and can acquire data from a linked device by making an access to the linked device. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    However, in a technology described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Nos. 2000-148340 and H10-171727, there have been the following issues. For instance, in a case that a linked device has not been made open to the public on a public network, there is a possibility that data cannot be acquired from that linked device. For instance, in a case that the linked device is a device which provides data stored in the linked device only to a client device which exists in the same LAN (abbreviation for Local Area Network), since devices other than a device in the LAN cannot make an access to the linked device, those devices are not possible to acquire data from the linked device. Moreover, in a case that an access to the linked device is restricted to a specific device by setting a password etc., since devices other than that specific device cannot make an access to the linked device, those devices are not possible to acquire data from the linked device. The present teaching has been made in view of such circumstances. 
         [0009]    According to a first aspect of the present teaching, there is provided a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause an information processing apparatus including a communication section which is configured to communicate with external devices including a server machine on a network, to perform: a hyperlink-information acquiring process of acquiring hyperlink information corresponding to a hyperlink from document data; a contents acquiring process of acquiring contents specified by the hyperlink information; a contents transmission process of transmitting the contents to the server machine by communicating with the server machine via the communication section, in a case that the contents are acquired in the contents acquiring process; a URL-information acquiring process of acquiring, from the server machine, one of URL for acquiring the contents, transmitted by the contents transmission process, from the server machine and URL-related information related to the URL, via the communication section; and a document-data generating process of generating combined document data in which the URL are combined with the document data, in a case that one of the URL and the URL-related information is acquired in the URL-information acquiring process. 
         [0010]    According to a second aspect of the present teaching, there is provided an information processing apparatus including: a communication section configured to communicate with external devices including a server machine on a network; and a control section, wherein the control section includes: a hyperlink-information acquiring section configured to acquire hyperlink information corresponding to a hyperlink from document data; a contents acquiring section configured to acquire contents specified by the hyperlink information; a contents transmitting section configured to transmit the contents to the server machine by communicating with the server machine via the communication section, in a case that the contents acquiring section acquires the contents; a URL-information acquiring section configured to acquire, from the server machine, one of URL for acquiring the contents, transmitted by the contents transmitting section, from the server machine and URL-related information related to the URL, via the communication section; and a document-data generating section configured to generate combined document data in which the URL is combined with the document data, in a case that the URL-information acquiring section acquires one of the URL and the URL-related information. 
         [0011]    According to a third aspect of the present teaching, there is provided a communication system including: an information processing apparatus; and a server machine, wherein the information processing apparatus includes: an information processing apparatus communication section configured to communicate with external devices on a network; and an information processing apparatus control section, wherein the information processing apparatus control section includes: a hyperlink-information acquiring section configured to acquire hyperlink information corresponding to a hyperlink from document data; a contents acquiring section configured to acquire contents specified by the hyperlink information; a contents transmitting section configured to transmit the contents to the server machine by communicating with the server machine via the information processing apparatus communication section, in a case that the contents acquiring section acquires the contents; a URL-information acquiring section configured to acquire, from the server machine, one of URL for acquiring the contents, transmitted by the contents transmitting section, from the server machine and URL-related information related to the URL, via the information processing apparatus communication section; and a document-data generating section configured to generate combined document data in which the URL is combined with the document data, in a case that the URL-information acquiring section acquires one of the URL or the URL-related information, and wherein the server machine includes: a first device which includes a first device control section and a first device communication section configure to communicate with the external devices on the network and which is open to a public network; and a second device which includes a storage section and a second device control section, which is configured to communicate with the first device, and which is closed with respect to the public network, wherein the first device control section includes a first transmitting section configured to transmit the contents to the second device and then to delete the contents, in a case that the contents are acquired from the information processing apparatus via the first device communication section, wherein the second device control section includes: a storage control section configured to store the contents that are transmitted by the first transmitting section in the storage section, in a state that identification information for identifying the contents is associated with the contents; and a second transmitting section configured to transmit the identification information to the first device, and wherein the first device control section includes a third transmitting section configured to transmit, to the information processing apparatus via the first device communication section, one of the URL and the URL-related information including at least the identification information that is transmitted by the second transmitting section. 
         [0012]    In the storage medium, the information processing apparatus, and the communication system according to the present teaching, in a case that the hyperlink information is acquired in the information processing apparatus, the contents specified by the hyperlink information are acquired. The acquired contents are transmitted to the server machine. As the server machine receives the contents, the URL for acquiring the contents from the server machine or the URL-related information related to that URL is transmitted. As the information processing apparatus receives the URL or the URL-related information, the information processing apparatus generates the combined document data by combining the URL with the document data. Accordingly, even in a case that the linked device has not been made open to the public on the public network, the contents of the linked device are stored in the server machine. Therefore, it is possible to acquire the contents from the server machine by using the URL in the combined document data. 
         [0013]    Moreover, in the communication system according to the present teaching, the server machine consists of a first device that is open to the public on the public network, and the second device, which is capable of communicating with the first device and which is not open to the public on the public network. As the contents are transmitted to the server machine from the information processing apparatus, the first device receives the contents. Thereafter, the first device transmits the contents to the second device, and deletes the contents after the contents have been transmitted. The second device which has received the contents stores the contents received upon associating with the identification information, and transmits the identification information to the first device. The first device which has received the identification information transmits the URL or the URL-related information which includes at least the identification information, to the information processing apparatus. In such manner, in the server machine, the contents are stored in the second device which is closed to the public network, and the contents acquired are deleted in the first device which is open to the public network. Accordingly, it is possible to secure appropriately the confidentiality of the contents. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]      FIGS. 1A and 1B  show a block diagram of a communication system. 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is a diagram showing a document on which a text based on a document data, in which a hyperlink has been embedded, is printed. 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a diagram showing a document on which a text based on a document data, with which two-dimensional encoded URL has been combined, is printed. 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a diagram showing a document on which a text based on a document data, in which a hyperlink has been embedded, is printed. 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is a diagram showing a document on which a text based on a document data, with which two-dimensional encoded URL has been combined, is printed. 
           [0019]      FIGS. 6A and 6B  show a flowchart showing an operation of a PC. 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  is a flowchart showing an operation of a first device. 
           [0021]      FIG. 8  is a flowchart showing an operation of a second device. 
           [0022]      FIGS. 9A and 9B  show a flowchart showing an operation of a PC according to a second example. 
           [0023]      FIG. 10  is a flowchart showing an operation of a first device according to the second example. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     &lt;Configuration of Communication System&gt; 
       [0024]    A block diagram of a communication system  1  exemplified as a first embodiment of the present teaching is shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B . The communication system  1  includes a PC (an abbreviation for personal computer) (an example of an information processing apparatus of the present teaching)  10 , an access point  40 , a storage server  46 , a printer  48 , the Internet  50 , a web server  52 , a base station  54 , a mobile telephone  55 , and a storage server (an example of a server machine of the present teaching)  60 . 
         [0025]    The PC  10 , the storage server  46 , and the printer  48  have a function as a known wireless LAN terminal equipment, and are capable of transmitting and receiving data mutually via the access point  40 . Devices which transmit and receive data via the access point  40 , in other words, the PC  10 , the storage server  46 , and the printer  48  exist in a same LAN (abbreviation for Local Area Network)  56 . 
         [0026]    The printer  48  is a device which executes printing based on data transmitted from the PC  10 . The storage server  46  is a device which provides data etc. stored therein to a client device existing in the LAN  56 . Whereas, the web server  52  is a device which provides data etc. stored therein to a client device in a public network. 
         [0027]    A mobile telephone  55  carries out a wireless communication  57  with the base station  54  in accordance with a communication method of mobile-telephone. In other words, as the mobile telephone  55  makes an access to the base station  54 , and is in a state of being able to carry out the wireless communication  57  in accordance with the communication method of mobile-telephone, it is possible to carry out data communication with the web server  52  or the storage server  60  via the Internet  50 . 
         [0028]    A configuration of the PC  10  will be described below. The PC  10  includes mainly, a CPU (an abbreviation for central processing unit) (an example of an information processing apparatus control section, a control section, and a computer of the present teaching)  12 , a storage section  14 , a wireless LAN I/F (an example of an information processing apparatus communication section and a communication section of the present teaching)  20 , a panel  22 , a button input section  24 . These components are mutually communicable via an input-output port  30 . 
         [0029]    The wireless LAN I/F  20  is capable of carrying out a wireless communication (data communication using radio waves)  58  in accordance with an infrastructure mode (a mode in which a plurality of wireless LAN terminal equipment perform data communication via an access point) of a wireless LAN method. The wireless communication  58  is a wireless communication of a Wi-Fi® (registered trademark of Wi-Fi Alliance) mode in accordance with IEEE (Institute of Electrical &amp; Electronic Engineers) 802.11 standard, and standards based thereon. Moreover, the storage server  46  and the printer  48  are also capable of carrying out the wireless communication  58 . Therefore, as the PC  10  makes an access to the access point  40 , and is in a state of being able to carry out the wireless communication  58  of wireless LAN method, it is possible to perform data communication with other device connected to the access point  40 , in other words, with the storage server  46  and the printer  48 . Furthermore, by the access point  40  being connected to the Internet  50 , it is also possible to carry out data communication with devices outside the LAN  58  such as the web server  52  and the storage server  60 , via the access point  40 . 
         [0030]    The CPU  12  executes processing according to a control program (an example of instructions of the present teaching)  32  in the storage section  14 . The control program  32  is a computer program for generating print data. The storage section  14  is formed by combining a RAM (an abbreviation for Random Access Memory), a ROM (an abbreviation for Read Only Memory), a flash memory, a HDD (an abbreviation for hard disc drive), a buffer included in the CPU  12 , and the like. Moreover, the storage section  14  includes a data storage area  34 . The data storage area  34  is an area for storing data such as document data for generating the print data, and data necessary for executing the control program  32 . 
         [0031]    The button input section  24  includes a keyboard, and receives a button operation by a user. The panel  22  displays characters etc. inputted by the button input section  24 . 
         [0032]    A configuration of the storage server  60  will be described below. The storage server  60  includes a first device (an example of a first device of the present teaching)  62  and a second device (an example of a second device of the present teaching)  66 . The first device  62  mainly includes a CPU (an example of a first device control section of the present teaching)  70 , a storage section  72 , a communication I/F (an example of a first device communication section of the present teaching)  76 . These components are communicable mutually via an input-output port  78 . 
         [0033]    The CPU  70  executes processing according to a control program  80  in the storage section  72 . The control program  80  is a computer program for transmitting and receiving data to and from the second device  66 , or for transmitting and receiving data to and from external devices. The storage section  72  includes a RAM, a ROM, a flash memory, a HDD, and a buffer in the CPU  70  etc. being combined. Moreover, the storage section  72  includes a data storage area  82 . The data storage area  82  is an area storing data to be transmitted to and received from the second device  66  or the external devices, and data necessary for executing the control program  80 . 
         [0034]    The communication I/F  76  is connected to the Internet  50 . Accordingly, the first device  62  is capable of providing data stored in the data storage area  82  to client devices in the public network. 
         [0035]    The second device  66  mainly includes a CPU (an example of a second device control section of the present teaching)  84  and a storage section  86 . These components are mutually communicable via an input-output port  88 . 
         [0036]    The CPU  84  executes processing according to a control program  90  in the storage section  86 . The control program  90  is a computer program for transmitting and receiving data to and from the first device  62 . The storage section  86  is formed by a RAM, a ROM, a flash memory, a HDD, and a buffer in the CPU  84  etc. being combined. Moreover, the storage section  86  includes a data storage area  92 . The data storage area  92  is an area for storing data to be transmitted to and received from the first device  62 , and data necessary for executing the control program  90 . 
         [0037]    The input-output port  88  is connected to the input-output port  78  of the first device  62 . Accordingly, the second device  66  is capable of providing data stored in the data storage area  92  only to the first device  62 . 
       &lt;Two-Dimensional Encoding of Hyperlink&gt; 
       [0038]    There are cases that a text based on document data in which a hyperlink is embedded is printed on a document, and the document is distributed. In a case that the hyperlink is set in a URL (an abbreviation for Uniform Resource Locator), the URL is printed on such document. Therefore, a person, to whom the document has been distributed, can make an access to a linked device using the URL that has been printed, and it is possible to acquire data from the linked device. However, in a case that the hyperlink has been set in a symbol, an icon, or characters etc. other than the URL, the URL is not printed on the document, and the symbol, the icon, or the characters other than the URL is printed on the document. Therefore, the person to whom the document has been distributed cannot make an access to the linked device, and the person cannot acquire data from the linked device. 
         [0039]    For example, in the PC  10 , when document data in which the hyperlink has been embedded is converted to data for print and the data for print is transmitted to the printer  48  via the wireless LAN I/F  20 , the printer  48  prints a document  100  shown in  FIG. 2 . The hyperlink that has been embedded in the document data is set in predetermined characters other than the URL, and the predetermined characters  102  are printed on the document  100 . Since a person to whom such a document has been distributed cannot identify the URL by the characters other than the URL, the person cannot make an access to the linked device. 
         [0040]    Therefore, hyperlink information in which the hyperlink has been set, is converted to a two-dimensional code such as a QR code® (registered trademark of DENSO WAVE), and the two-dimensional code is printed on the document. The hyperlink information is subjected to two-dimensional encoding, and the two-dimensional encoded information is combined with the document data. Therefore, if the document data in which the two-dimensional encoded information has been combined is printed, a two-dimensional code  104  is printed on the document  100  as shown in  FIG. 3 . The person to whom such a document has been distributed is able to acquire the hyperlink information by picking up an image of the two-dimensional code  104  by a camera of the mobile telephone  55  etc. Moreover, by making an access to the linked device based on the acquired hyperlink information, the person is possible to acquire data from the linked device. 
         [0041]    A specific symbol  106  has been recorded next to the predetermined characters  102 , and a symbol  108  same as the symbol  106  has been recorded next to the two-dimensional code  104 . Accordingly, even in a case that a plurality of two-dimensional codes is printed on the document  100  with respect to a plurality of hyperlinks for instance, a person to whom the document has been distributed is able to use the two-dimensional code  104  corresponding to the predetermined characters  102 . 
       &lt;Change of Hyperlink Information&gt; 
       [0042]    However, in a case that the linked device is not open to the public network, there is a possibility that data cannot be acquired from the linked device. Let us assume a case in which the linked device is the storage server  46  for example. The storage server  46  is a device that provides data etc. stored therein to client devices that exist in the same LAN  56 . Therefore, in a case that the PC  10  has made an access to the storage server  46 , it is possible to acquire data from the storage server  46 . However, since the mobile telephone  55  is not capable of making an access to the storage server  46 , it is not possible to acquire data from the storage server  46 . 
         [0043]    Moreover, there are cases in which the access to the linked device is restricted by setting a password etc. In such cases, since it is not possible to make an access to the linked device unless a correct password is transmitted, it is not possible to acquire data from the linked device. In view of such circumstances, in the PC  10 , in the case that the linked device is not open to the public network, data stored in the linked device is to be shifted to a device that is open to the public network, and hyperlink information that has been embedded in document data is to be changed to hyperlink information of the shifted device to which the data stored in the linked device has been shifted. 
         [0044]    More elaborately, first of all, the PC  10  acquires the hyperlink information from the document data in which the hyperlink has been embedded. Moreover, based on the hyperlink information acquired, the PC  10  makes a judgment of whether or not the linked device is a device that is open to the public network. Concretely, the PC  10  extracts a URL of the linked device from the hyperlink information, and makes a judgment of whether a scheme of the extracted URL is a predetermined scheme (“http” and “ftp” in the present embodiment). In a case that the scheme of the extracted URL is the predetermined scheme, the PC  10  makes a judgment that the linked device is a device that is open to the public network, and in a case that the scheme of the extracted URL is not the predetermined scheme, the PC  10  makes a judgment that the linked device is not a device that is open to the public network. 
         [0045]    In a case that the PC  10  has made a judgment that the linked device is not a device that is open to the public network, the PC  10  makes an access to the linked device by using the extracted URL and downloads predetermined contents from that linked device. In a case that the linked device is the storage server  46  for example, the PC  10  makes an access to the storage server  46  via the wireless LAN I/F  20 , and downloads contents from the storage server  46 . Next, the PC  10  makes an access to a device such as the storage server  60  that is open to the public network, and transmits the contents to the storage server  60 . Information for specifying the storage server  60 , in other words, a URL for making an access to the storage server  60  is stored in the data storage area  34  of the PC  10 . 
         [0046]    Since the storage server  60 , as aforementioned, includes the first device  62  that is open to the public network and the second device  66  that is not open to the public network, the contents transmitted to the storage server  60  are transmitted to the first device  62 , and are temporarily stored in the data storage area  82  of the first device  62 . Moreover, the contents stored in the data storage area  82  are transmitted to the second device  66  via the input-output port  78 . As the contents are transmitted to the second device  66 , the contents stored in the data storage area  82  of the first device  62  are deleted. 
         [0047]    Next, as the second device  66  acquires the contents, the second device  66  generates an identification code (an example of identification information of the present teaching) for identifying the contents acquired, and upon associating the identification code with the contents, stores the identification code and the contents in the data storage area  92  of the second device  66 . Thereafter, the second device  66  transmits data for specifying the identification code (hereinafter, also referred to as identification-code specifying data) (an example of URL-related information) to the first device  62  via the input-output port  88 . The second device  66  stores a time at which the identification code and the contents were stored as an uploading time. 
         [0048]    As the first device  62  receives the identification-code specifying data, the first device  62  transmits the identification-code specifying data to the PC  10  via the communication I/F  76 . As the PC  10  receives the identification-code specifying data, the PC  10  generates a URL for acquiring contents (hereinafter, also referred to as data acquiring URL) from the storage server  60  based on the identification-code specifying data. Concretely, the data acquiring URL is generated by combining the identification-code specifying information with the URL for making an access to the storage server  60 . For instance, in a case that the URL for making an access to the storage server  60  is “http://service.bro.com/”, “http://service.bro.com/copyfile?id=fileA” is created as the data acquiring URL. “id=fileA” in the URL is data for specifying the identification code. Moreover, “copyfile?” is a command for acquiring data from a server. 
         [0049]    In such manner, as the data acquiring URL is generated, the generated URL is subjected to two-dimensional encoding. Moreover, the two-dimensional encoded URL is combined with the document data. As the document data is converted to data for print and transmitted to the printer  48 , the printer  48  prints the two-dimensional code  104  on the document  100  as shown in  FIG. 3 . The two-dimensional code  104  printed on the document  100  is the data acquiring URL subjected to two-dimensional encoding. Therefore, as a person to whom the document  100  is distributed picks up an image of the two-dimensional code  104  by the camera of the mobile telephone  55 , the mobile telephone  55  acquires the data acquiring URL. Accordingly, the mobile telephone  55  is capable of making an access to the storage server  60  by using the data acquiring URL that has been acquired. 
         [0050]    Moreover, in a case that a hyperlink has been set in the URL, after document data in which the hyperlink is embedded has been converted to data for print and transmitted to the printer  48 , a document  110  shown in  FIG. 4  is printed in the printer  48 . That URL  112  is printed on the document  110 , but in a case that the linked device is not open to the public network, a scheme of the URL  112  printed on the document  110  is “https”. For this reason, it is not possible to make an access to the linked device even by using that URL  112 . 
         [0051]    Therefore, even in a case that the hyperlink has been set in the URL and the linked device has not been made open to the public on the public network, as aforementioned, a transmission of the contents to a device that is open to the public network, generation of the data acquiring URL, two-dimensional encoding of the data acquiring URL, and combining of the data acquiring URL that has been two-dimensional encoded with the document data are carried out. Moreover, as the document data that has been combined is printed, the two-dimensional code  114  is printed on the document  110  as shown in  FIG. 5 . The two-dimensional code  114  printed on the document  110  is a code obtained by two-dimensional encoding of the data acquiring URL. Therefore, as a person to whom the document  110  is distributed picks up an image of the two-dimensional code  114  by the camera of the mobile telephone  55  for example, the data acquiring URL is acquired by the mobile telephone  55 . Accordingly, the mobile telephone  55  is capable of making an access to the storage server  60  by using the data acquiring URL that has been acquired. 
         [0052]    Furthermore, a data acquiring URL  116  is printed instead of the URL  112  on the document  110 . In other words, when the data acquiring URL that has been two-dimensional encoded is combined with the document data, data of a portion in which the hyperlink has been set is rewritten to data of the data acquiring URL. Therefore, a person to whom the document  110  is distributed is able to make an access to a device in which the contents have been stored, by inputting the URL printed on the document  110  to the mobile telephone  55 . Even in this document  110 , a specific symbol  118  is recorded next to the data acquiring URL  116 , and a symbol  120  same as the symbol  118  is recorded next to the two-dimensional code  114 . 
       &lt;Acquiring Contents by Using Changed Hyperlink&gt; 
       [0053]    When an access source device makes an access to a device in which the contents have been stored by using the data acquiring URL, a processing for transmitting the contents to the access source device is carried out in the device in which the contents have been stored. For example, when the access source device makes an access to the storage server  60  by using the data acquiring URL, the first device  62  of the storage server  60  extracts an identification-code specifying data from the data acquiring URL that has been used for the access. Moreover, the first device  62  transmits, to the second device  66 , a transmission request for transmitting the contents corresponding to the identification code that has been specified by that identification-code specifying data to the first device  62 . 
         [0054]    As the second device  66  receives the transmission request, the second device  66  makes a judgment of whether contents associated with the identification code that has been specified have been stored in the data storage area  92 . This is because the contents are deleted in a case that a predetermined time has elapsed after the contents have been stored in the second device  66 . More elaborately, as aforementioned, the uploading time which is a time at which the contents have been stored in the data storage area  92  of the second device  66  is stored in the second device  66 , and when a predetermined time has elapsed after the uploading time, the contents stored in the data storage area  92  are deleted. Therefore, sometimes there are cases in which the contents associated with the specified identification code have not been stored in the data storage area  92 . 
         [0055]    In a case that the second device  66  has made a judgment that the contents associated with the specified identification code have been stored in the data storage area  92 , the second device  66  transmits those contents to the first device  62 . Whereas, in a case that the second device  66  has made a judgment that the contents associated with the specified identification code have not been stored in the data storage area  92 , the second device  66  transmits error information to the first device  62 . 
         [0056]    As the first device  62  receives the contents, the first device  62  transmits the received contents to the access source device, in other words, to the mobile telephone  55  via the communication I/F  76 . Accordingly, the mobile telephone  55  is capable of acquiring the contents associated with the specified identification code, in other words, the data that has been stored in the linked device. As the first device  62  receives the error information, the first device  62  transmits message indicating that the contents associated with the specified identification code do not exist, to the mobile telephone  55 . In such manner, in the communication system  1 , even if the linked device is a device that is not open to the public network, it is possible to acquire appropriately the contents stored in that linked device. 
         [0057]    Moreover, in a case that the linked device is closed to the public network, highly confidential data has been stored in the linked device in many cases. Therefore, in the storage server  60  which stores contents considered to be highly confidential instead of the linked device, the contents are stored in the second device  66  which is not open to the public network. Accordingly, it becomes possible to secure appropriately the confidentiality of the contents. Particularly, in the storage server  60 , in a case that the first device  62  has received the contents from the PC  10 , the received contents are stored in the first device  62 , and the contents are deleted from the first device  62  after the contents have been transmitted to the second device  66 . Accordingly, the confidentiality of the contents is secured more appropriately. Furthermore, in the storage server  60 , the contents are deleted after a predetermined time has elapsed since the contents were stored in the second device  66 . Accordingly, the contents are prevented from being stored for a long time in a device in which the contents should not be stored, and the confidentiality of the contents is secured more appropriately. 
       &lt;Control Program&gt; 
       [0058]    A change and a two-dimensional encoding of the abovementioned hyperlink information are carried out by the CPU  12  of the PC  10  executing the control program  32 . A flowchart when the CPU  12  executes the control program  32  will be described below by using  FIGS. 6A and 6B . 
         [0059]    As the control program  32  is executed, first of all, a hyperlink in document data is retrieved by the CPU  12  (step (hereinafter, abbreviated as “S”)  100 ). Next, a judgment of whether a hyperlink has been embedded in the document data is made by the CPU  12  (step S 102 ) based on a result of retrieving. In a case that a hyperlink has been embedded in the document data (YES at step S 102 ), a judgment of whether a URL in which that hyperlink has been set is a public URL, namely, a scheme of the URL in which that hyperlink has been set is either “http” or “ftp”, is made by the CPU  12  (step S 104 ). 
         [0060]    In a case that the URL in which the hyperlink has been set was not a public URL (NO at step S 104 ), the CPU  12  makes an access to a linked device by using the URL in which the hyperlink has been set (step S 106 ). Moreover, the CPU  12  acquires contents from the linked device (step S 108 ). Next, the CPU  12  transmits the acquired contents to the storage server  60  (step S 110 ), and acquires identification-code specifying data from the storage server  60  as a response thereof (step S 112 ). 
         [0061]    As the CPU  12  acquires the identification-code specifying data, the CPU  12  combines the identification-code specifying data and the URL of the storage server  60 , and generates a data acquiring URL (step S 114 ). Moreover, the CPU  12  changes the URL in which the hyperlink has been set to the data acquiring URL (step S 116 ). Next, the CPU  12  carries out two-dimensional encoding of the data acquiring URL (step S 118 ), and combines the two-dimensional encoded data acquiring URL with the document data (step S 119 ). As the CPU  12  combines the two-dimensional encoded data acquiring URL with the document data, the CPU  12  converts the combined document data to data for print (step S 120 ). Thereafter, the CPU  12  transmits the data for print to the printer  48  (step S 122 ). With this, the control program  32  is terminated. 
         [0062]    In a case that the URL in which the hyperlink has been set is a public URL at step S 104  (YES at step S 104 ), processing at steps from step S 118  onward is carried out. Moreover, in a case in which no hyperlink has been embedded in the document data at step S 102  (NO at step S 102 ), the CPU  12  carries out processing at steps from step S 120  onward. 
         [0063]    Moreover, the contents stored in the storage server  60  are acquired by executing the control program  80  by the CPU  70  of the first device  62  of the storage server  60  and executing the control program  90  by the CPU  84  of the second device  66 . A flow when the CPU  70  executes the control program  80  and a flow when the CPU  84  executes the control program  90  will be described below by using  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8 . 
         [0064]    As the control program  80  is executed, first of all, a judgment of whether contents have been uploaded from the PC  10  is made by the CPU  70  (step S 200 ). In a case that the contents have been uploaded (YES at step S 200 ), the CPU  70  transmits the uploaded contents to the second device  66  (step S 202 ). As the CPU  70  transmits the contents to the second device  66 , the CPU  70  deletes the contents (step S 203 ). Next, the CPU  70  acquires identification-code specifying data from the second device  66  as a response to the transmission of the contents (step S 204 ). Thereafter, the CPU  70  transmits the acquired identification-code specifying data to a device which is a source of uploading, in other words, to the PC  10  (step S 206 ), and the process returns to step S 200 . 
         [0065]    Moreover, in a case that the contents have not been uploaded at step S 200  (NO at step S 200 ), a judgment of whether a request for transmission of the contents has been received is made by the CPU  70  (step S 208 ). In other words, a judgment of whether an access has been made to the first device  62  by using the data acquiring URL from an external device such as the mobile telephone  55  is made by the CPU  70 . In a case that the request for transmission of the contents has been received (YES at step S 208 ), the CPU  70  extracts an identification code from the data acquiring URL that was used for the access, and transmits a request for transmission of contents specified by that identification code, to the second device  66  (step S 210 ). 
         [0066]    Next, the CPU  70  makes a judgment of whether contents have been received from the second device  66  as a response to the request for transmission of contents (step S 212 ). In a case that the contents have been received from the second device  66  (YES at step S 212 ), the CPU  70  transmits the received contents to a device from which the request was made, such as the mobile telephone  55  (step S 214 ). Thereafter, the process returns to step S 200 . On the other hand, in a case that the contents have not been received from the second device  66  (NO at step S 212 ), the CPU  70  transmits a message indicating that the contents do not exist to the device from which the request was made (step S 216 ). Thereafter, the process returns to step S 200 . Even in a case that the request for transmission of contents has not been received at step S 208  (NO at step S 208 ), the process returns to step S 200 . 
         [0067]    Moreover, as the control program  90  is executed, first of all, a judgment of whether contents have been received from the first device  62  is made (step S 300 ). In a case that the contents have been received from the first device  62  (YES at step S 300 ), the CPU  84  generates an identification code, and stores upon associating the identification code with the contents (step S 302 ). Next, the CPU  84  transmits identification-code specifying data for specifying that identification code to the first device  62  (step S 303 ). Thereafter, the CPU  84  stores a time and date at which the identification code and the contents were stored, as a time and date of uploading (step S 304 ), and the process returns to step S 300 . 
         [0068]    Moreover, in a case that the contents have not been received from the first device  62  at step S 300  (NO at step S 300 ), a judgment of whether a request for transmission of contents for which the identification code was specified has been received from the first device  62  is made by the CPU  84  (step S 306 ). In a case that the request for transmission of contents for which the identification code was specified has been received (YES at step S 306 ), a judgment of whether the contents specified by the identification code have been stored in the data storage area  92  is made by the CPU  84  (step S 308 ). 
         [0069]    In a case that the contents specified by the identification code have been stored (YES at step S 308 ), the CPU  84  transmits the contents to the first device  62  (step S 310 ), and the process returns to step S 300 . Whereas, in a case that the contents specified by the identification code have not been stored (NO at step S 308 ), the CPU  84  transmits error information to the first device  62  (step S 312 ), and the process returns to step S 300 . 
         [0070]    Moreover, in a case that the request for transmission of contents for which the identification code is specified has not been received at step S 306  (NO at step S 306 ), a judgment of whether the contents, for which a predetermined time has elapsed since the time and date of uploading, have been stored is made by the CPU  84  (step S 314 ), after referring to the stored time and date of uploading. In a case that the contents for which the predetermined time has elapsed since the time and date of uploading have been stored (YES at step S 314 ), the contents are deleted (step S 316 ), and the process returns to step S 300 . Whereas, in a case that the contents for which the predetermined time has elapsed since the time and date of uploading have not been stored (NO at step S 314 ), processing at step S 316  is skipped, and the process returns to step S 300 . 
       &lt;Functional Configuration of CPU&gt; 
       [0071]    The CPU  12  which executes the control program  32  of the abovementioned PC  10 , in view of executing processing, can be considered as having a functional configuration as shown in  FIG. 1A . More specifically, the CPU  12  includes a hyperlink-information acquiring section  130 , a contents acquiring section  132 , a contents transmitting section  134 , a URL-information acquiring section  136 , a document-data generating section  138 , and a judging section  140 . 
         [0072]    The hyperlink-information acquiring section  130  is a functional section which executes the processing at steps S 100  and S 102  of the control program  32 . The contents acquiring section  132  is a functional section which executes the processing at step S 108  of the control program  32 . The contents transmitting section  134  is a functional section which executes the processing at step S 110  of the control program  32 . The URL-information acquiring section  136  is a functional section which executes the processing at step S 112  of the control program  32 . The document-data generating section  138  is a functional section which executes the processing at step S 119  of the control program  32 . The judging section  140  is a functional section which executes the processing at step S 104  of the control program  32 . 
         [0073]    The CPU  70  which executes the control program  80  of the abovementioned first device  62 , in view of executing processing, can be considered as having a functional configuration as shown in  FIG. 1B . More specifically, the CPU  70  includes a first transmitting section  150 , a third transmitting section  152 , a fourth transmitting section  154 , and a sixth transmitting section  156 . 
         [0074]    The first transmitting section  150  is a functional section which executes the processing at steps S 202  and S 203  of the control program  80 . The third transmitting section  152  is a functional section which executes the processing at step S 206  of the computer program  80 . The fourth transmitting section  154  is a functional section which executes the processing at step S 210  of the control program  80 . The sixth transmitting section  156  is a functional section which executes the processing at step S 214  of the control program  80 . 
         [0075]    Moreover, the CPU  84  which executes the control program  90  of the abovementioned second device  66 , in view of executing processing, can be considered as having a functional configuration as shown in  FIG. 1B . More specifically, the CPU  84  includes a storage control section  160 , a second transmitting section  162 , and a fifth transmitting section  164 . 
         [0076]    The storage control section  160  is a functional section which executes the processing at step S 302  of the control program  90 . The second transmitting section  162  is a functional section which executes the processing at step S 303  of the control program  90 . The fifth transmitting section  164  is a functional section which executes processing at step S 310  of the control program  90 . 
       Second Embodiment  
       [0077]    In a communication system  1  according to a second embodiment of the present teaching, by the data acquiring URL generated in the first device  62  being transmitted to the PC  10 , change of the hyperlink information is carried out in the PC  10 . Generating the data acquiring URL in the first device  62  and changing the hyperlink information in the PC  10  will be described below in detail. Since a method of data processing except for generating the data acquiring URL in the first device  62  and changing the hyperlink information in the PC  10  is the same as the method in the first embodiment, description thereof is omitted. Moreover, since a configuration of the communication system  1  in the second embodiment is the same as the configuration of the communication system  1  in the first embodiment, description thereof is omitted here. 
         [0078]    As the first device  62  of the second embodiment receives the identification code from the second device  66 , the first device  62  generates the data acquiring URL by combining data for specifying that identification code and data which indicates URL of the storage server  60 . Moreover, the first device  62  transmits that data acquiring URL to the PC  10  via the communication I/F  76 . On the other hand, as the PC  10  receives the data acquiring URL, the PC  10  carries out two-dimensional encoding of the data acquiring URL, and combines the two-dimensional encoded data acquiring URL and the document data. By the document data being printed, the two-dimensional code which enables to acquire contents is printed on a document. Accordingly, even in the communication system  1  of the second embodiment, it is possible to achieve an effect similar to the effect achieved by the communication system  1  of the first embodiment. 
         [0079]    Generating the data acquiring URL in the first device  62 , and changing the hyperlink information in the PC  10  mentioned above are carried out by executing the control program  32  by the CPU  12  of the PC  10  and executing the control program  80  by the CPU  70  of the first device  62  of the storage server  60 . A flow when the CPU  12  executes the control program  32  and a flow when the CPU  70  executes the control program  80  will be described below by using diagrams from  FIG. 9A  to  FIG. 10 . Since the flow at the time of executing the control program  32  and the control program  80  of the second embodiment includes processing same as the processing included in the flow at the time of executing the control program  32  and the control program  80  of the first embodiment, description of the same processing is omitted. 
         [0080]    When CPU  12  of the PC  10  executes the control program  32 , at steps from S 400  to S 410 , the CPU  12  carries out processing same as the processing at steps from S 100  to S 110  shown in  FIG. 6A . Moreover, the CPU  12  receives the data acquiring URL from the first device  62  via the wireless LAN I/F  20  (step S 412 ). Next, the CPU  12  changes the URL in which the hyperlink has been set to the data acquiring URL (step S 414 ). Thereafter, the CPU  12 , at steps from S 416  to S 420 , carries out processing same as the processing at steps from S 118  to S 122  shown in  FIG. 6B . With this, the control program  32  is terminated. 
         [0081]    Moreover, when the CPU  70  of the first device  62  executes the control program  80 , at steps from S 500  to S 504 , the CPU  70  carries out processing same as the processing at steps from S 200  to S 204  shown in  FIG. 7 . Moreover, the CPU  70  generates the data acquiring URL by combining the data for specifying the identification code and the data indicating the URL of the storage server  60  (step S 506 ). Next, the CPU  70  transmits the generated data acquiring URL to a device which is a source of uploading, in other words, to the PC  10  (step S 508 ). Thereafter, the process returns to step S 500 . Moreover, at steps from S 510  to S 518 , processing same as the processing at steps from S 208  to S 216  shown in  FIG. 7  is carried out. 
         [0082]    The present teaching is not restricted to the embodiments described heretofore, and it is possible to have various aspects in which various changes and modifications have been made based on a knowledge of a person skilled in the art. For instance, in the embodiments described heretofore, data such as the data acquiring URL has been converted to a two-dimensional code. However, the data may be converted to one-dimensional code such as a bar-code. In other words, the data such as the data acquiring URL is to be converted to a code symbol such as a one-dimensional code or a two-dimensional code. 
         [0083]    Moreover, in the embodiments described heretofore, a hyperlinked device is different from the PC  10 . However, a hyperlinked device may be a data storage area  34  in the PC  10 . In such a case, a URL of a link destination is a URL which specifies the data storage area  34  in the PC  10 , in other words, a local memory in the PC  10 . 
         [0084]    Moreover, in the embodiments described heretofore, the contents are to be stored in the storage server  60  which includes the second device  66  that is not open to the public network. However, the contents may be stored in a storage server which does not include an area that is not open to the public network. 
         [0085]    Moreover, in the embodiments described heretofore, the document data with which the two-dimensional encoded data acquiring URL has been combined is converted to the data for print, and then printing on a document is performed based on the data for print. However, it is also possible to use document data that has been combined. Concretely, in a case that an image based on the combined document data is displayed on a panel of a PC other than the PC  10 , it is possible to acquire contents from the storage server  60  by clicking by a mouse etc., a location at which the hyperlink has been set. 
         [0086]    Moreover, in the embodiments described heretofore, examples, in which processing shown in diagrams from  FIGS. 6A to 10  is executed by the CPU  12  etc., are described. However, without restricting to the CPU  12  etc., these processing may be executed by an ASIC (application specific integrated circuit) or other logic integrated circuit. Moreover, these processing may be executed by a combined operation of the CPU  12  etc., an ASIC, and other logic integrated circuit.