Abstract:
A printer system includes a server capable of communicating with a printer and a client. The server stores a plurality of theme templates for making three-dimensional paper crafts. Each theme template has a plurality of marks to provide indication to make the paper craft. The marks comprise a series of sequence numbers to fold the theme templates according to the sequence numbers, and an angle number to indicate a folding angle. The server accepts edited templates from the client and sends an instruction to the printer to print the edited templates.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present disclosure relates to printer systems and printing methods, and particularly, to a printer system and a printing method for making paper crafts. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    In computing, a printer is a peripheral device which produces a hard copy (permanent human-readable text and/or graphics) of documents stored in electronic form. Typically, the hard copy is a physical print media such as paper or transparencies which can be useful for the design of paper crafts. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with references to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  is an overview of a printer system. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a block view of a printer system. 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a schematic view of three-dimensional printing templates. 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a two-dimensional folding view of a box template in  FIG. 3 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a three-dimensional view of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is a flow chart of a printing method. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0012]    The disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one. 
         [0013]    In general, the word “module,” as used herein, refers to logic embodied in hardware or firmware, or to a collection of software instructions, written in a programming language, such as, for example, Java, C, or assembly. One or more software instructions in the modules may be embedded in firmware, such as an EPROM. It will be appreciated that modules may comprise connected logic units, such as gates and flip-flops, and may comprise programmable units, such as programmable gate arrays or processors. The modules described herein may be implemented as either software and/or hardware modules and may be stored in any type of computer-readable medium or other computer storage device. 
         [0014]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a printer system is capable of printing paper with markings for making paper crafts, such as greeting cards, boxes, animals, flowers, and so on. The printer system includes a printer  10 , a server  30  connected to the printer  10 , a client  50  connected to the server  30 . The client  50  may be, for example, a handset terminal, a computer, a digital photo frame and so on. The client  50  may connect with the server  30  through a wireless transfer protocol, for example, WiFi (Wireless Fidelity). 
         [0015]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , the printer  10  includes an information receiving module  11  for receiving pre-print files and a printing module  13  for printing the pre-print files. The server  30  includes a printing control module  31 , a template database  33 , an information process module  35  for processing the pre-print files, and an information sending module  37  connecting with the information receiving module  11 . The client  50  includes a connection module  51  connecting with the server  30 , a controlling module  53  connecting with the connection module  51 , an information database  55 , and an editing module  52  capable of accessing the information database  55 . 
         [0016]    Referring to  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 , the template database  33  of the server  30  stores a plurality of theme templates of paper crafts. The paper crafts may be, for example, box template  100 , cylinder template  200 , cone template  300 , and airplane template  400 . In  FIG. 4 , the three-dimensional effect view of the box template  100  is selected. The server  30  computes a two-dimensional folding view of the paper craft according to the three-dimensional effect view of the paper craft. The client  50  displays a two-dimensional folding view  70  of the box template  100 . The two-dimensional folding view  70  of the paper craft has a plurality of dotted lines along which a user should cut the paper and a plurality of solid lines indicating where the user should fold the paper. The shape and style of the lines can be set as desired. The solid lines are marked with sequence numbers to show folding sequence and an arrow  78  to indicate a folding direction. A folding angle is shown adjacent to the arrow  78 . The folding angle may range from negative 180 degrees to positive 180 degrees. A plurality of editing areas  80  is set on the box template  100  to allow addition of pictures and/or words to decorate the box template  100  through the editing module  52 . The two-dimensional folding view  70  is viewed as a pre-print two-dimensional folding view after the two-dimensional folding view  70  is edited. 
         [0017]    The client  50  displays the pre-print two-dimensional folding view and the corresponding three-dimensional effect view (how the selected template will look after it is printed out and cut and folded). The information database  55  of the server  30  stores suitable paper configurations according to the pre-print two-dimensional folding view. The paper configurations may be, for example, a horizontal, a vertical, or a tilted paper configuration. The printer  10  is capable of printing the preprint two-dimensional folding view on a paper. Users can fold the paper according to the two-dimensional folding view. 
         [0018]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , a printing method includes the following steps: 
         [0019]    S 1 : the connection module  51  of the client  50  communicates with the server  30 , and the printing control module  31  of the server  30  is started. 
         [0020]    S 2 : the client  50  selects a theme module. The controlling module  53  of the client  50  selects the theme module from the template database  33  of the server  30 . 
         [0021]    S 3 : the client  50  adds pictures or words to the theme template through the editing module  57 , and chooses the paper configuration. 
         [0022]    S 4 : users determine whether the theme template is printed. If printing, skip to S 5 ; If not printing, return S 2 . 
         [0023]    S 5 : the information process module  35  of the server  30  processes the preprint theme template to a data file to printer  10  for printing. The information sending module  37  sends the data file to the printer  10 . 
         [0024]    S 6 : the information receiving module  11  of the printer  10  receives the data file. The printing module  13  prints the data file to make the paper craft. 
         [0025]    It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the disclosure have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. 
         [0026]    It is also to be understood that the above description and the claims drawn to a method may include some indication in reference to certain steps. However, the indication used is only to be viewed for identification purposes and not as a suggestion as to an order for the steps.