Patent Publication Number: US-2003231339-A1

Title: Remote printing system and remote printing service method

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] 1. Field of the Invention  
       [0002] The present invention relates to a remote printing system and remote printing service method, which are suitably used in the case of for example executing printing output by an MMK (multimedia kiosk) terminals, or the like distributed and installed in a wide area via Internet, or the like.  
       [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art  
       [0004] Conventionally, in the case printing output is desired outside the office or the house, the desired printing output can be obtained at a place where a printer unit is installed (business convenience store, or the like).  
       [0005] However, since the density of the business convenience stores or the like is not always high, the printing output cannot be executed immediately in the case when the printing output is needed, and furthermore, search of a shop is troublesome as well.  
       [0006] Moreover, since the data format to be processed differs depending on the kind of the printer units, a driver corresponding to the data format of the printer unit should be installed in a laptop personal computer having stored therein the electronic data to be printed, or the like. Such installation itself is time taking and labor taking so as to pose the burden on the user. Furthermore, repetition of installation of drivers different for each kind consumes the memory capacity of the hard disc of the laptop personal computer, or the like, and thus it is disadvantageous.  
       [0007] Moreover, even in the case a user finds a page to be printed while viewing a Web page, since a business convenience store may not be found or installation of a driver is required, the actual execution of the printing output can be much later than the time of finding the Web page to be printed in many cases so that the URL of the Web page needs to be memorized in a laptop personal computer or memorized in his/her own memory, and thus it is not usable and not convenient.  
       [0008] Although an example of the outside is presented here, the same problem can arise even when it is not the outside such as when there is not a printer unit in the house, or the like.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009] In order to solve the problems, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a remote printing system comprising a remote printing server (such as a virtual printing server) for accepting registration of printing subject data to be printed from a communication terminal (such as a laptop personal computer) operated by a user for printing the printing subject data from a predetermined printing terminal (such as an MMK terminal) distributed and installed in a wide area, wherein the communication terminal comprises: a data format converting section for converting the data format of the printing subject data to the data format (such as a DM 1 ) handled by the remote printing server; and a communication section for transmitting the printing subject data after the conversion and requiring the registration (such as a wireless LAN adopter and a file registering module  34 ), and the printing terminal comprises a printing output section for executing the printing output according to the data format handled by the remote printing server.  
       [0010] Moreover, according to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a remote printing service method using a remote printing server for receiving registration of printing subject data to be printed from a communication terminal operated by a user for printing the printing subject data from a predetermined printing terminal distributed and installed in a wide area, wherein a data format converting section converts the data format of the printing subject data to the data format handled by the remote printing server, and a communication section transmits the printing subject data after the conversion and requires the registration in the communication terminal, and a printing output section executes the printing output according to the data format handled by the remote printing server in the printing terminal.  
       [0011] Therefore, according to the first and second aspects of the present invention, since a user using the communication terminal with respect to the remote printing server functioning in a wide area distributed environment, can basically always register the printing subject data of the data format handled by the remote printing server, for example even in the case the printing subject data is a Web page during viewing, the URL thereof needs not be memorized in the communication terminal or memorized in his/her own memory. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0012]FIG. 1 is a schematic chart showing a configuration example of the principal part of a laptop personal computer to be used in first and second embodiments;  
     [0013]FIG. 2 is a schematic chart showing an entire configuration example of a mobile printing system of the first and second embodiments;  
     [0014]FIG. 3 shows an example of the display screen in the first and second embodiments;  
     [0015]FIG. 4 is an operation explanatory chart of the first and second embodiments;  
     [0016]FIG. 5 is an operation explanatory chart of the first and second embodiments;  
     [0017]FIG. 6 is an operation explanatory chart of the first and second embodiments;  
     [0018]FIG. 7 shows an example of the display screen in the first and second embodiments;  
     [0019]FIG. 8 is a schematic chart showing a configuration example of the principal part of an administration module used in a laptop personal computer of the first and second embodiments;  
     [0020]FIG. 9 is a schematic chart showing a configuration example of the principal part of a mobile printing system of the second embodiment;  
     [0021]FIG. 10 is an operation explanatory chart of the second embodiment; and  
     [0022]FIG. 11 shows an example of the display screen in the second embodiment. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
     [0023] (A) Embodiments  
     [0024] Hereinafter, embodiments of a remote printing system and a remote printing service method of the present invention will be explained in an example of the case used in a mobile environment.  
     [0025] (A-1) Configuration of a First Embodiment  
     [0026] The entire configuration example of a mobile printing system  10  of this embodiment is shown in FIG. 2.  
     [0027] In FIG. 2, the mobile printing system  10  comprises an internet  11 , an intranet  12 , a provided wireless LAN  13 , an additional function section  14 , a virtual printing server  15 , and a printing terminal  16 .  
     [0028] Among them, in the intranet (in-house LAN (local area network))  12 , a mail server  20 , an in-house printing spooler  21 , a VPN (Virtual Private Network) section  22 , or the like are provided. A user U 1  having a laptop PC (laptop personal computer)  25 , a worker of a company establishing and utilizing the intranet  12 , has his own mail box in the mail server  20 .  
     [0029] The in-house printing spooler  21  has a function of temporarily accumulating a printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) requested by the user U 1  for registration in the virtual printing server  15 , using the laptop personal computer  25  from inside or outside the intranet  12 , and transmitting the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) after the accumulation to the virtual printing server  15  for requesting the registration thereof.  
     [0030] In the case the user U 1  requests printing from inside the intranet  12 , the user U 1  returned from the outside to the company connects the laptop personal computer  25  with the intranet  12  by wire or wireless so as to transmit the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) to the in-house printing spooler  21 . Here, F 1  (DM 1 ) represents the file obtained by receiving the registration of a printing subject file F 1  of an optional data format by the virtual printing server  15 , and converting the same into a processable data format DM 1 .  
     [0031] As specific examples of the data format DM 1 , for example, PDF, SVG, PS, TIFF, JPEG, GIF, PCL, a predetermined vector description language, or the like can be used.  
     [0032] In contrast, in the case the user U 1  requests printing from outside the intranet  12 , the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) is conveyed to the in-house printing spooler  21  byan electronic mail or an XML file, utilizing the access resource providing service to be described later from the outside. The printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) is conveyed as the XML file in the case a SOAP protocol is utilized. The SOAP protocol enables a remote procedure call (RPC) beyond the fire wall, utilizing the HTTP protocol.  
     [0033] For conveying the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) from the outside of the intranet  12  to the in-house printing spooler  21 , utilizing the electronic mail, a mechanism for linking the mail server  20  and the in-house printing spooler  21  is needed.  
     [0034] The linkage mechanism may be for example, one recognizing an electronic mail requiring accumulation of the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) in the in-house printing spooler  21 , using a specific mail box of the mail server  20 , or using information of each field of the mail headers of the electronic mail, or the like.  
     [0035] The specific mail box can be regarded as a mail box provided for the linkage for requesting accumulation in the in-house printing spooler  21  at the time of receiving an incoming message to the mail box (that is, requesting registration of the printing subject file to the virtual printing server  15 ). Moreover, in the case information of each field of the mail header of the electronic mail is used, in order to judge whether or not it is for requesting accumulation to the in-house printing spooler  21  from the information content of each field, the mail box for receiving the electronic mails can be anyone. For example, it may be the own mail box of the user U 1 .  
     [0036] In the case the linkage mechanism recognizes an electronic mail for requesting accumulation to the in-house printing spooler  21 , the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) of the electronic mail is automatically accumulated in the in-house printing spooler  21 .  
     [0037] In general, at the time of utilizing an electronic mail, the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) is added to the electronic mail in the form of an affixed file.  
     [0038] The in-house printing spooler  21  may be provided with a function of storing an access log concerning a worker using itself (for example, U 1 ).  
     [0039] Although it is not shown in FIG. 2, in the case an RAS (Remote Access Server) is provided in the intranet  12 , the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) may be provided from the laptop personal computer  25  outside the intranet  12  to the in-house printing spooler  21  according to the remote access via a PHS network, or the like.  
     [0040] Naturally, as needed, the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) may be registered directly in the virtual printing server  15  from the laptop personal computer  25  via the provided wireless LAN  13  and the internet  15  without passing through the in-house printing spooler  21 .  
     [0041] The above-mentioned access resource providing service is a service for enabling the access to the internet  11  by providing the wireless LAN (or wired LAN, however, it is a wireless LAN in this embodiment) to a large number of specific (or unspecific) users. For the access of the user to the internet  11 , the access line band for connecting the provided wireless LAN  13  and the internet  11  is consumed physically by the communication of the communication terminal (here, the laptop personal computer  25 ) operated by the user, and therefor, the configuration information such as the private IP address should be allocated to the communication terminal by the DHCP server (the DHCP server function can be provided in a router (in the case of a wireless LAN, it is a wireless router)) on the provided wireless LAN  13  side as the premise.  
     [0042] Therefore, the access resource provided from the access resource providing service to the user includes not only the physical access line band, but also various kinds of physical and logical resources such as the wireless propagation path in the LAN, and the above-mentioned logical configuration information.  
     [0043] Details of the access resource providing service are varied both from the business model viewpoint and from the realization technique viewpoint. Since it is a service of a new type, the content thereof may change in the future with high possibility. In the case of the wireless LAN, it is substantially common to the service providing agents that the electric waves in a 2.4 GHz band is utilized, that the size of the area covered by a service providing agent (one access point (AP)) is limited at most in a circle of about a 50 m radius (however, it is in the case of inside a room, and in the case of an open space without an obstacle blocking the electric wave, the radius can be at most about 200 m), that a plurality of service providing agents can hardly set those cover areas at the same time practically, that the access line to be used is a broad band, that the DHCP is utilized, that a mechanism linking the service providing agents does not exist, or the like.  
     [0044] Depending on the service providing agents, the service is chargeable or free. In the case it is chargeable, since a user needs to be registered preliminarily as a member so that the user authentication is executed each time the user utilizes the access resource providing service, the service is provided for a specific large number of people. In the case it is free, since anyone can utilize the service as long as one has a communication terminal comprising a DHCP client function or a network function (for example, an ordinary laptop personal computer comprising a wireless LAN adopter (LAN card for a wireless LAN) has all the functions), the service is provided for an unspecific large number of people.  
     [0045] A wired LAN propagation medium, that is, a wired propagation path can be used for the propagation path for connecting the laptop personal computer and the router can be used. However, at a highly public space such as a station, a park, a hotel lobby, town corners, or the like, a wireless propagation path is used frequently as the LAN propagation medium as in this embodiment.  
     [0046] As to the access line with respect to the internet  11 , a wired line such as the ADSL can often be utilized, but in the case of the FWA, the access line is wireless as well.  
     [0047] In the example of FIG. 2, the ADSL is used as the access line  13 A (,  14 A), and the LAN propagation medium for connecting the access point (AP)  24  and the laptop personal computer  25  is a wireless propagation path.  
     [0048] A wireless router, or one or a plurality of wireless access point devices to be disposed under the wireless router can correspond to the access point. In this case, the cover area of the service providing agent should be one corresponding to the cover areas of all the access points (wireless routers and wireless access point devices (however, in the case a wireless access point device is used, the router needs not always be wireless)). However, partially due to the need of coping with the problems of hand over, or the like, it may be a complicated system configuration so that most service providing agents execute the access resource providing service using only one access point in the present situation.  
     [0049] The additional function section  14  operated by the service providing agent ES 1  shown in FIG. 2 is a section having the function of the above-mentioned user authentication, or the like. Therefore, in the case of providing the service for free, the additional function section  14  can be omitted.  
     [0050] As shown in FIG. 2, the additional function section  14  can be disposed to the user U 1  side with respect to the access line, but it can also be provided on the internet  11  (for example, in the ISP Internet Service Provider) network).  
     [0051] The virtual printing server  15  temporarily stores the content of the printing subject file at the time of receiving a request for registration of a printing subject file (for example, F 1  (DM 1 )) via the internet  11 , and it transmits the printing subject file via the internet  11  when it receives a request (printing output request) from a user via the internet  11  to the corresponding printing terminal  16  so as to print and output the printing subject file from the printing terminal  16 . The printing subject file data format to have registration by the virtual printing server  15  and processed thereby is limited to the specific data format DM 1 .  
     [0052] The printing terminal  16  may be an MMK terminal, or the like installed with a high density at a place to have a large number of people gathered, such as a convenience store and a station. The MMK terminal can provide the printer function by storing a printer function in itself or by being connected with an external printer unit. The geographical area to have the printing terminal  16  installed is distributed in a wide area such as the entire area of an urban part, or the entire area of a plurality of urban areas in the country, or the like.  
     [0053] Since a registration request and a printing output request of the printing subject file (such as F 1  (DM 1 )) can be executed via the internet  11 , extremely high convenience can be obtained as if the printing terminal (high performance printer terminal)  16  is mounted in the laptop personal computer  25  itself.  
     [0054] In this embodiment, the virtual printing server  15  receives a file registration request for print and output from the printing terminal  16  only for the preliminarily registered members.  
     [0055] The VPN section  22  has a point function for realizing the VPN. Such a point function can be provided in a form of a VPN device as a dedicated device, or in a form of an additional function of a fire wall. In this embodiment, the VPN section  22  is mounted in the fire wall as an additional function.  
     [0056] The fire wall controls the access between the intranet  12  and the internet  11  for preventing an unauthorized access from the internet  11  to the intranet  12 , and for allowing access from the intranet  12  to the internet  11 . The fire wall has also a proxy server function. The proxy server relays communication inside and outside the intranet  12  by interpreting the protocols of the upper hierarchy with respect to the transport layer of the OSI reference model.  
     [0057] The VPN section  22  forms a virtual closed area network on the internet  11  using an IP sec protocol. In the case the laptop personal computer  25  transmits the above-mentioned electronic mail to the intranet  12  via the internet  11 , or transmits the above-mentioned XML file, a virtual closed area network is formed by the end-end according to the VPN function (not shown) on the laptop personal computer  25  side and the VPN function of the VPN section  22 . In the case the virtual closed area network is formed by the end-end, not only tapping of the information, or the like on the internet  11  can be prevented but also tapping, altering and guising of the information from the wireless propagation path as the propagation medium in the LAN executed in the provided wireless LAN  13  can be prevented as well.  
     [0058] The example of the principal part configuration of the laptop personal computer  25  to be carried and operated by the user U 1  is as shown in FIG. 1.  
     [0059] (A-1-1) Internal Configuration Example of the Laptop Personal Computer  
     [0060] In FIG. 1, the laptop personal computer  25  comprises a user interface (UI)  30 , a printing driver  31 , a storage folder  32 , a data obtaining module  33 , a file registering module  34 , a wireless LAN connecting module  35 , a wireless LAN setting module  36 , and an administering module  37 .  
     [0061] Among these elements, the user interface  30  includes not only a display unit (such as a liquid crystal display unit, or the like) for display screens such as the windows WD 1 , WD 2  as shown in FIGS. 3A, 3B, but also key boards, a pointing device, or the like for transmitting the command of the user U 1  to the laptop personal computer. The setting information (user setting information) input by the user U 1  via the windows WD 1 , WD 2 , or the like is stored in an unshown hard disc, or the like in the laptop personal computer  25  as the user setting file by the file system.  
     [0062] The data obtaining module  33  is a section for obtaining the corresponding user setting information from the user setting file as needed so as to hand down the same to the file registering module  34 .  
     [0063] The printing driver  31  has a function for converting a supplied printing subject file F 1  of an optional data format to a file F 1  (DM 1 ) of the data format DM 1  to have registration by the virtual printing server  15  and processed thereby. The printing driver  31  needs to be installed preliminarily, but in this embodiment, as in the case of utilizing printer units of various types, installed at the business convenience stores, there is no need of installing a new driver each time a printing operation is executed by a different printer unit so that a printing output can be executed using a large number of the printing terminals  16  distributed and installed in a wide area as long as the printing driver  31  corresponding to the data format DM 1  is installed.  
     [0064] The types of the large number of the printing terminals  16  are not single, but if only the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) of the dataformat DM 1  is registered, the virtual printing server  15  can convert the data format DM 1  of the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) to the data format compatible to the printing terminal  16  to execute the printing output.  
     [0065] The supply source of the printing subject file F 1  to be the origin of the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) can vary. For example, in the case the printing subject file F 1  is a file stored in a recording medium such as a CD-ROM, the recording medium is the supply source, and in the case it is an HTML file or an image file comprising a Web page viewed by the user U 1 , the cache area provided on the hard disc of the laptop personal computer  25  is the supply source.  
     [0066] In general, since a communication terminal mounting a Web browser such as a laptop personal computer has a cache area for storing a file as a constituent element of a Web page viewed so far, a file in the cache area can be designated so as to be a printing subject file F 1 . A Web page often includes one or a plurality of image files in addition to a basic HTML file. It is better to use these files as the printing subject file F 1  per a file unit.  
     [0067] The storage folder  32  is a logical constituent element for storing the printing subject file with the data format converted to DM 1  by the printing driver  31 . The physical substance for supporting the storage may be the same hard disc as that ensuring the above-mentioned cache area. In the storage folder  32 , a plurality of printing subject files can be stored at the same time, however, for simplifying the explanation, the number of the printing subject files to be stored at the same time is set as one here.  
     [0068] The file registering module  34  is a section for transmitting the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) read out from the storage folder  32  according to the user setting information handed down from the data obtaining module  33  to the virtual printing server  15  or the in-house printing spooler  21 . In the case of using an electronic mail therefor, a process corresponding to the SMTP protocol is executed, and in the case the XML file is used, a process corresponding to the SOAP (HTTP) protocol is executed as the function of the file registering module  34 . Therefore, the function of the file registering module  34  corresponds to the hierarchy of the transport layer of the OSI reference model or higher.  
     [0069] After completing the transmission, the printing subject file may remain in the storage folder  32 , however, in this embodiment, from the viewpoint of saving the memory capacity of the hard disc, or the like, the printing subject file after completing the registration request is deleted automatically by the file registering module  34  unless otherwise commanded by the user U 1 .  
     [0070] At the time of requesting registration of a file, the wireless LAN connecting module  35  and the wireless LAN setting module  36  execute the process of the hierarchy of the network layer of the OSI reference model or lower.  
     [0071] Among them, the wireless LAN connecting module  35  executes the process corresponding to the network layer of the OSI reference model, and the wireless LAN setting module  36  executes a process corresponding to the hierarchy of the data link layer or lower.  
     [0072] Therefore, the function of the above-mentioned DHCP client, or the like for receiving allocation of the private IP addresser the like can correspond to the wireless LAN connecting module  35 .  
     [0073] Moreover, the wireless LAN setting module  36  is a section corresponding to the above-mentioned wireless LAN adopter in terms of the hardware (corresponding to the driver thereof in terms of the software), for a process concerning the MAC address corresponding to the data link layer, or transmitting or receiving the electric wave in the 2.4 GHz band corresponding to the physical layer. Since all the wireless LAN adopters are allocated with a unique MAC address in the production step, when a wireless LAN adopter transmits a MAC frame by wireless, its own MAC address is described in the frame header as the addresser MAC address. On the communication device (such as the access point  24 ) side which receives the MAC frame, the addresser wireless LAN adopter can be specified uniquely by confirming the addresser MAC address. Therefore, also in the case of executing the above-mentioned user authentication, the addresser MAC address can be utilized.  
     [0074] Furthermore, since information such as the ESS-ID corresponds to a hierarchy of the data link layer or lower, it can be set in the wireless LAN setting module  36 . The ESS-ID forms a group of the access points (such as  24 ) and the communication terminals (here, the laptop personal computer  25 ), and prevents interference with the access resource providing services provided by the other service providing agents by allowing communication only in the groups (that is, between the communication devices with the same ESS-ID set). The interference prevention measure can be regarded also as a kind of the security measure.  
     [0075] In order to certainly execute the interference prevention, the set ESS-ID needs to be unique. Also in order to ensure the uniqueness of the ESS-ID, the above-mentioned MAC address (such as the MAC address of the access point  24 ) can be utilized because the uniqueness of the MAC address is ensured strictly under the detailed standards.  
     [0076] Next, an internal configuration example of the administering module  37  will be explained with reference to FIG. 8. Although many functions are provided in the administering module  37  in FIG. 8, as needed, obviously the functions can be divided into other modules.  
     [0077] (A-1-2) Internal Configuration Example of the Administering Module  37   
     [0078] In FIG. 8, the administering module  37  comprises a connection property judging section  40 , a registration request schedule section  41 , a clock function section  42 , and an area position storage section  43 .  
     [0079] Among these elements, the connection property judging section  40  is a section for judging whether or not it is connected with the above-mentioned access point. The judgment result is supplied to the user interface  30  or the registration request schedule section  41 . Since the physical level connection property (whether or not an electric wave can be reached normally, or the like) corresponds to the physical layer of the OSI reference model, it can be judged based on the information supplied from the wireless LAN setting module  36 . However, since the logical level, in particular the IP level connection property (whether or not the private IP address allocation can be received normally from the above-mentioned DHCP server, or the like) corresponds to the network layer of the OSI reference model, it is judged based on the information supplied from the wireless LAN connecting module  35 .  
     [0080] Moreover, since the establishment of the TCP connection to be described later corresponds to the transport layer, it is judged based on the information supplied from the file registering module  34 .  
     [0081] By utilizing the above-mentioned ESS-ID, whether or not it is connected with the access resource providing service of a specific service providing agent (such as the ESI) can be judged by the connection property judging section  40 .  
     [0082] The registration request schedule section  41  administers the schedule (a part of the above-mentioned user setting information) concerning transmission (the transmission is substantially equal to the registration request to the virtual printing server  15 ) of the printing subject file (here, F 1  (DM 1 )) preliminarily set by the user U 1  via the user interface  30  for supporting realization of the schedule as needed. For the administration or support, the registration request schedule section  41  interchanges the information with the storage folder  32 , the file registering module  34 , the connection property judging section  40 , and the clock function section  42 .  
     [0083] That is, the registration request schedule section  41  receives the time information T 1  showing the present time from the clock function section  42  for recognizing the present time. The registration request schedule section  41  can always refer to the content of the storage folder  32  for confirming whether or not the printing subject file remains in the storage folder  32 , and can receive the judgment result of the connection property judging section  40  for confirming the connection property. In the case the connection property is ensured, the registration request schedule section  41  can provide the file transmission command for executing automatic transmission of the printing subject file (registration request) to the file registering module  34  according to the above-mentioned registration request schedule.  
     [0084] In the case the registration request schedule set by the user U 1  has the content of for example “completing the registration request of the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) utilizing the access resource providing service of the service providing agent ES 1  by 6:15PM of May 25, 2002” (SC 1 ), if an untransmitted printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) remains in the storage folder  32  and the connection property with respect to the access resource providing service of the service providing agent ES 1  is not ensured even though the registration request schedule time (for example, at 6:00PM of May 25, 2002) is close, the registration request schedule section  41  displays a message from the user interface  31  of for example “in order to execute the file registration request according to the schedule, it is necessary to move to the cover area of the access resource providing service of the service providing agent ES 1  by 6:15PM of May 25”, or the like for promoting the cooperation of the user U 1 .  
     [0085] The area position storage section  43  is a section for receiving and storing the area position information for specifying the access resource providing service of the service providing agent (here, ES 1 ) from the user interface  30 . The area position information is supplied as needed to the connection property judging section  40  or the wireless LAN setting module  36 . The area position information may be information corresponding to the above-mentioned ESS-ID.  
     [0086] Moreover, as mentioned above, in consideration of the difficulty of setting the cover areas of a plurality of service providing agents at the same point in reality, information of specifying the geographical position of the cover area (for example, the “lobby of the OO hotel” or in front of the “xx ticket gate of Shinjuku station”, or the like) can be used as the area position information. By utilizing the function of the connection property judging section  40 , or the like by the user ul manually at the time of moving to the position, the printing subject file can be transmitted wirelessly so as to execute the registration request.  
     [0087] Need of designation of the service providing agent of the access resource providing service utilized for the printing subject file registration request rises because the widths of the access line band differ depending on the service providing agents, and direct contract of the user U 1  with the ISP is in some cases needed and in the other cases not needed.  
     [0088] In the case the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) for the registration request execution is a large capacity image file, or the like, it is advantageous in terms of the mobility to select a service providing agent with a wide access line so as to save the communication time (during the communication time, obviously it is necessary to stay in the cover area). In the case the user U 1  does not have a contract with any of the ISP, it is necessary to select a service providing agent usable without the contract with the ISP. Moreover, in the case of a chargeable access resource providing service, only the service providing agent with the preliminary member registration of the user U 1  can be used.  
     [0089] Of course, designation of the service providing agent in the above-mentioned registration request schedule can be omitted in many cases such as the case not corresponding to these cases, or the like.  
     [0090] The service providing agent ES 1  of the access resource providing service can obviously be identical to the agent PS 1  running the virtual printing server PS 1 .  
     [0091] Hereinafter, the operation of this embodiment having the above-mentioned configuration will be explained with reference to the flow charts shown in FIGS.  4  to  6 .  
     [0092] The flow chart shown in FIG. 4 includes the steps from S 10  to S 19 , S 60  and S 61 . The flow chart shown in FIG. 5 includes the steps from S 20  to S 26 . The flow chart shown in FIG. 6 includes the steps from S 30  to S 44 .  
     [0093]FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the entire schematic process flow in the laptop personal computer  25 , and FIG. 5 is a flow chart of the case of setting the user setting information using the user interface  30 . In relation to FIG. 4, FIG. 5 shows the details of the step S 14  of FIG. 4.  
     [0094] Moreover, FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the process flow at the time of wireless transmission of the printing subject file from the laptop personal computer  25 . In relation to FIG. 4, FIG. 6 shows the details of the step S 17  of FIG. 4.  
     [0095] (A-2) Operation of the First Embodiment  
     [0096] In the case the user U 1  carrying the laptop personal computer  25  designates a file comprising a Web page viewed by him/her or a file stored in a recording medium as a printing subject file F 1  and transmits the same to the printing driver  31  using the user interface  30  at the outside (S 10 , S 11 ), the printing driver  31  immediately converts the data format of the printing subject file F 1  to DM 1  (S 12 ) and stores the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) in the storage folder  32  (S 13 ).  
     [0097] Thereafter, according to the registration request of the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) to the virtual printing server  15 , the user U 1  sets the above-mentioned user setting information, using the user interface  30  (S 14 ).  
     [0098] According to this setting, in the steps S 20  and S 21  of FIG. 5, first, for expel the window WD 1  shown in FIG. 3A is displayed on the screen. In the case the user U 1  operates the “setting” button BT 1  on the window WD 1 , the step S 22  is stemmed to the setting side so that the window WD 2  shown in FIG. 3B is displayed on the screen. Thereafter, specific setting is carried out by utilizing the text boxes TX 1  to TX 4  and the radio buttons RT 1  and RT 2  on the window WD 2 .  
     [0099] The text boxes TX 1  to TX 4  (and the radio buttons RT 1  and RT 2 ) may be blank in the initial state at the time of the screen display in the step S 21 . However, by describing the content of the time of the use (or the preliminarily designated content) in the initial state so that only the content of a text box (or a radio button) to be changed is changed by the user, the operation load of the user U 1  can be made smaller, and thus it can be convenient. In general, editing functions necessary for edition of a document are effective on the text box.  
     [0100] Among the text boxes TX 1  to TX 4 , TX 1  is the area for describing the electronic mail address. The electronic mail address is the information used as the member ID at the time of the member registration of the user U 1  to the virtual printing server  15 . Therefore, the electronic mail address of the user U 1  himself is described on the text box TX 1 .  
     [0101] The text box T 2  is the area for describing the file name of the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ). The file name of the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) may be automatically generated based on the file name of the original file F 1 . Moreover, as needed, a name of the display as the substitute of the file name can be described by the user U 1 .  
     [0102] The text box TX 3  is the area for describing the URL of the virtual printing server  15 . The text box TX 4  is the area for describing the information such as the IP address, the port number, or the like of the proxy server on the firewall wherein the VPN section  22  exists. The information on the text boxes TX 3  and TX 4  is utilized for executing the above-mentioned SOAP protocol. The information on TX 3  is necessary at the time of requesting registration by transmitting the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) to the virtual printing server  15 . The information on TX 4  is necessary at the time of transmitting the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) to the in-house printing spooler  21 .  
     [0103] The radio buttons RT 1  and RT 2  are buttons for setting the information necessary for the process to be executed in the laptop personal computer  25  after transmitting the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ).  
     [0104] That is, as shown in the drawing, in the case RT 1  is filled, the printing subject file (for example, F 1  (DM 1 )) in the storage folder  32  is automatically deleted after the transmission, but in the case RT 2  is filled, it is continued to be stored without deletion.  
     [0105] In the case the description content of the text boxes TX 1  to TX 4  on the window WD 2  is established, the user U 1  operates the “setting” button BT 4  so that the description content on TX 1  to TX 4  is stored in the above-mentioned user setting file (S 23 ).  
     [0106] The “transmission” button BT 2  on the window WD 1  shown in FIG. 3A is a button to be operated at the time of commanding the transmission of the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) by the user U 1  manually. With the premise that the user setting information to be described on the text boxes TX 1  to TX 4  of the window WD 2  is already obtained, the manual file transmission is executed (S 24 , S 25 ).  
     [0107] In the case the registration request of the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) is executed automatically according to the above-mentioned registration request schedule, utilizing the above-mentioned ESS-ID, or the like, the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) is transmitted automatically without using the window WD 1 .  
     [0108] Moreover, the “end” button BT 3  is a button to be operated at the time the setting of the user setting information or the transmission of the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) is completed, or it is canceled without execution. In the case the “end” button BT 3  is operated, the step S 24  is stemmed to the NO side so as to finish the process (S 26 ). It is also possible that the process is finished by operating the “end” button BT 3  in the step S 22 .  
     [0109] In the case the file transmission of the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) is executed either manually or automatically, the file registering module  34  is operated.  
     [0110] Since the file registering module  34  obtains the information such as the addressee of the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) by receiving the user setting information from the data obtaining module  33  (step S 15  of FIG. 4), in the case the user setting information is apparently mistaken or incomplete, the step S 16  of FIG. 4 is stemmed to the YES side so as to finish the process without transmission of the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) (S 19 ).  
     [0111] However, as needed, it is also possible that the process is returned to the step S 14  in the case the step S 16  is stemmed to the YES side so that input (correction or re-input) of the user setting information is requested by displaying the above-mentioned window WD 2  on the screen.  
     [0112] In the case appropriate user setting information is obtained and transmission of the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) is commanded manually or automatically, the file registering module  34  executes the file transmission so that the wireless LAN connecting module  35  and the wireless LAN setting module  36  on the lower hierarchy support the execution.  
     [0113] Since the SOAP using the HTTP as the communication protocol has a connection type TCP as the transport layer protocol, a highly reliable transmission can be executed on the transport layer level. Therefore, in the case the TCP connection is provided, the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) can certainly be transmitted to the in-house printing spooler  21  or virtual printing server  15 , but for example, if the laptop personal computer  25  is outside the cover area of the access resource providing service, an electric wave cannot be reached physically so that the wireless propagation path does not exist, thus the TCP connection cannot be provided so that the step S 18  is stemmed to the YES side.  
     [0114] Moreover, even in the case the laptop personal computer  25  is disposed in the cover area of the access resource providing service so that the electric wave can be reached physically, if a trouble is present in the addressee in-house printing spooler  21  or the virtual printing server  15 , or the like, the TCP connection cannot be established so that the step S 18  is stemmed to the YES side.  
     [0115] In terms of the incapability of normal transmission of the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ), the case unable to establish the TCP connection and the case unable to reach the electric wave are same. However, since the measure to be taken by the user U 1  to deal with the situation differs, it is desirable that whether it is stemmed to the YES side due to incapability of establishing the TCP connection or it is stemmed to the YES side due to incapability of reaching the electric wave is displayed so that the user U 1  can distinguish thereof in the case the step S 18  is stemmed to the YES side.  
     [0116] In the case the TCP connection cannot be established, change of the method for transmitting the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) to the SOAP or the electronic mail can be the measure to be taken by the user U 1  (this may be changed automatically by the laptop personal computer  25 ). In the case the electric wave cannot be reached, movement from the present position is the substantially only one measure to be taken by the user U 1 .  
     [0117] Even in the case for example the communication by the SOAP cannot be executed normally, if the mail server (not only  20  but also an unshown mail server to be provided in the virtual printing server  15 ) can be used normally, the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) can be transmitted, using an electronic mail.  
     [0118] The display for allowing the user U 1  to distinguish whether it is stemmed to the YES side due to incapability of establishing the TCP connection or it is stemmed to the YES side due to incapability of reaching the electric wave can be provided, utilizing the judgment result by the connection property judging section  40  in the administering module  37 .  
     [0119] This is because the connection property judging section  40  obtains information from the wireless LAN connecting module  35 , the wireless LAN setting module  36  and the file registering module in the step S 32  shown in FIG. 6, and judges whether or not the connection can be achieved in the step S 33 .  
     [0120] In consideration of these points, in the case the step S 18  in FIG. 4 is stemmed to the YES side, whether or not the connection is to be re-executed (retry) is inquired to the user U 1  via the user interface  30  in the subsequent step S 60 . In the case the user U 1  does not show the intention of the re-execution, the step S 60  is stemmed to the NO side so as to finish the process (S 19 ). In the case the user shows the intention of the re-execution, the step S 60  is stemmed to the YES side so that the process proceeds to the step S 61  so as to execute a predetermined retry operation.  
     [0121] The specific content of the retry operation may be various ones. As an example, one automatically repeating the step S 17  process by a predetermined time (for example, about 5 times) with a certain time interval (for example, about 5 seconds) may be used. Moreover, the retry operation may include a process for changing over the communication by the SOAP to the communication by the electronic mail (automatically, or according to a command from the user U 1 ). The retry operation corresponds to the above-mentioned measure to be taken by the user U 1  in the case the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) cannot be transmitted normally.  
     [0122] In the case the connection is possible and the step S 33  in FIG. 6 is stemmed to the YES side, for example, the window WD 3  shown in FIG. 7A is displayed on the screen of the user interface  30  (S 34 ). In the case the “yes” button BT 10  is operated on the window WD 3 , the file registering module  24 , the wireless LAN connecting module  35 , and the wireless LAN setting module  36  are connected with the access point  24  in the provided wireless LAN  13  so as to execute the file transmission (S 35 , S 36 ).  
     [0123] In the case the “no” button BT 11  is operated on the window WD 3 , the process is finished without executing the connection (S 37 ).  
     [0124] In contrast, in the case the connection is impossible and the step S 33  is stemmed to the NO side, for example, the window WD 4  shown in FIG. 7B is displayed on the screen of the user interface  30  (S 38 ). In the case the user U 1  operates the “no” button BT 13  on the window WD 4 , the process is finished (S 40 ), however, in the case the user U 1  operates the “yes” button BT 12  so as to show the intention of executing the transmission at the time the connection with the wireless LAN is confirmed (the connection concept may include the TCP connection establishment) even though the transmission cannot be executed at the moment, for example, the window WD 5  shown in FIG. 7C is displayed on the screen (S 41 ).  
     [0125] The window WD 5  comprises text boxes TX 5  and TX 6  so as to describe the above-mentioned registration request schedule content.  
     [0126] In the case the content of the registration request schedule is for example “completing the registration request of the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) utilizing the access resource providing service of the service providing agent ES 1  by 6:15PM of May 25, 2002” (SC 1 ) as mentioned above, “6:15PM of May 25, 2002” is described in the text box TX 5  corresponding to the time, and for example, the “lobby of the OO hotel”, is described in the text box TX 6  corresponding to the place (the cover area of the access resource providing service of the service providing agent ES 1  is set at the lobby).  
     [0127] Here, since only one printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) is stored in the storage folder  32 , the printing subject file needs not be specified on the window WD 5 . However, in the case a plurality of printing subject files can be stored in the storage folder  32 , the printing subject file to be transmitted needs to be specified by describing the file name by the user U 1 , displaying the list of the file names for selection by the user U 1 , or the like.  
     [0128] Transmission of the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) may be stored in the log file (not shown) in the laptop personal computer  25  as needed.  
     [0129] Even in the case of non-connection according to the intention of the user U 1  with the step S 35  stemmed to the NO side, the steps S 38  and S 39  may be executed without finishing the process as mentioned above.  
     [0130] Moreover, in the case the content the registration request schedule includes a new condition added to the above-mentioned SC 1 , for example, “completing the registration request of the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) utilizing the access resource providing service of the service providing agent ES 1  between 5:00PM to 6:15PM of May 25, 2002” (SC 2 ), or the like, too early the file registration request may be problematic, and in order to deal with such a case, it is preferable to display the window for describing the registration request schedule on the screen regardless of whether or not the connection to the access point  24  can be achieved.  
     [0131] The step S 42  subsequent to the step S 41  is a process corresponding to the step S 32 , and the step S 43  is a process corresponding to the step S 33 . However, in the case the step S 43  is stemmed to the NO side, the process is returned to the step S 42 .  
     [0132] In the case the step S 43  is stemmed to the YES side, the file transmission is executed as in the step S 36  (S 44 ).  
     [0133] In the case the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) is transmitted to the in-house printing spooler  21  by the file transmission, the file registration is executed according to the transmission of the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) from the in-house printing spooler  21  to the virtual printing server  15 . In the case it is transmitted from the laptop personal computer  25  to the virtual printing server  15  without passing through the in-house printing spooler  21 , the file registration is executed according to the transmission thereof.  
     [0134] However, at the time of registering the file, since the user authentication is executed, utilizing the electronic mail address (member ID), or the like described in the text box TX 1  of FIG. 3B, in the case the authentication result is NG, the virtual printing server  15  rejects the registration of the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ), and the registration is executed only when the authentication result is OK.  
     [0135] According to the registration, the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) is stored temporarily in the virtual printing server  15 . Then, in the case the printing output request from the user U 1  is received via the internet  11 , the virtual printing server  15  transmits the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) to the printing terminal  16  designated by the printing output request for executing the printing output.  
     [0136] The advantages of registering the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) in the virtual printing server  15  by the path via the in-house printing spooler  21  include that the communication by the user U 1  as an employee can be administered by the company side, and the mobility can be ensured by shortening the communication time of the laptop personal computer  25  in the case the band range of the access line  15 A between the virtual printing server  15  and the internet  11  is narrower than the band range of the intranet  12 A and the communication speed is low.  
     [0137] In the case it passes through the in-house printing spooler  21 , the time for executing the registration request to the virtual printing server  15  (registration request schedule time) can be administered on the intranet  12  side. For example, in the case of the schedule content as the above-mentioned SC 2 , the possibility of executing the registration request loyal to the preset registration request schedule time (for example, between 5:00PM to 6:15PM of May 25, 2002) is high by administering the same on the intranet  12  side with the connection property with respect to the internet  11  ensured without moving rather than by administering the same on the moving laptop personal computer  25  side.  
     [0138] Furthermore, it is also advantageous in that the storage folder  32  on the laptop personal computer  25  side can be made empty once the printing subject file is transmitted to the in-house printing spooler  21  so that the limited memory capacity can be utilized effectively for storing a new printing subject file.  
     [0139] Also at the time of transmitting the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) from the in-house printing spooler  21  to the virtual printing server  15 , enciphered can be applied as needed.  
     [0140] The enciphered may be executed according to the function of the in-house printing spooler  21  itself, and it may be executed also by utilizing the function of the VPN section  22 .  
     [0141] By linking the VPN section  22  and the packet filter of the fire wall, or the like, whether or not the enciphered is to be applied can be selected each time according to the addressee on the internet  11  (moreover, according to the communication application (port number)).  
     [0142] (A-3) The Effect of the First Embodiment  
     [0143] As heretofore mentioned, according to this embodiment, by using the laptop personal computer with a printing driver ( 31 ) corresponding to the data format (DM 1 ) of the virtual printing server installed, since the printing output of the printing subject file (F 1  (DM 1 )) can be executed via an optional printing terminal selected among a large number of the printing terminals ( 16 ) distributed and installed in a wide area, the load on the user (U 1 ) is light so that the excellent usability and convenience can be provided.  
     [0144] (B) Second Embodiment  
     [0145] Hereinafter, only the points of this embodiment different from those of the first embodiment will be explained.  
     [0146] In this embodiment, according to the above-mentioned process of having the user U 1  select a desirable printing terminal by showing several printing terminals  16  close to the present position of the laptop personal computer  25  at the time of transmitting the printing subject file by the laptop personal computer  25 , some points not clearly described in the first embodiment will be specified.  
     [0147] This function is particularly effective in the case the user wants to receive the printing output immediately after the printing subject file transmission. In consideration of the actual average users, such a case is considered to be most frequent.  
     [0148] (B-1) Configuration and Operation of a Second Embodiment  
     [0149] A configuration example of the principal part of this embodiment is shown in FIG. 9, and an operation example is shown in the flow chart of FIG. 10.  
     [0150] In FIG. 9, since the function of the constituent elements provided with the same numerals  11 ,  15 ,  16 ,  24 ,  25 ,  31  as in FIGS. 1 and 2 is same as that in the first embodiment, detailed explanation thereof is not given.  
     [0151] A printing position guiding server  50  shown in FIG. 9 is a server having a function of showing several nearby printing terminals  16  to the user U 1  who has transmitted the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) (registration request). The printing position guiding server  50  has a base station position data base  51 , and a printing position data base  52 . The printing position guiding server  50  is provided in the ISP network for storing the access line  14 A (or  13 A).  
     [0152] As explained in the first embodiment, so far, most of the access resource providing services comprise only one access point (for example, the above-mentioned  24 ), however, since a large number of access resource providing services are stored in one ISP network, a large number of access points (one of which is the above-mentioned  24 ) exist under one ISP network.  
     [0153] Then, in consideration of the fact that it is difficult to set cover areas at the same points by a plurality of service providing agents, and the fact that the size of the cover area is at most a 50 m radius (or 200 m), these access points in most cases are disposed with at least about 50 m (or 200 m) interval.  
     [0154] In the local station position data base  51 , the information showing the geographical positions (base station position information) of these access points (that is, the wireless base stations) are accumulated in a form corresponding to the identifiers (for example, the IP address) of the access points.  
     [0155] Moreover, in the printing position data base  52 , the information showing the geographical positions (printing position information) of a large number of the printing terminals  16  distributed and installed in a wide area is accumulated in a form corresponding to the identifiers (for example, the MMK-ID) of the printing terminals  16 .  
     [0156] In the flow chart of FIG. 10 comprising the steps S 50  to S 57 , in the case the user U 1  carrying the laptop personal computer  25  is in the cover area of the provided wireless LAN  13 , when the connection is executed from the laptop personal computer  25  to the ISP network via the access point  24  (S 50 ), the printing position guiding server  50  in the ISP network confirms whether or not the laptop personal computer  25  comprises the printing driver  31  (S 51 , S 52 ).  
     [0157] Since it can be the subject of the process of the printing position guiding server  50  only in the case the printing driver  31  is provided, if the printing driver  31  is not provided and the step S 52  is stemmed to the NO side, an operation of consecutively selecting and monitoring the access point  24  of the provided wireless LAN  13  and the access point of the provided wireless LAN of the other service providing agents is repeated until the connection from the laptop personal computer (for example,  25 ) with the printing driver mounted  31  is found (S 56 , S 57 ).  
     [0158] Those that access to the internet  11  utilizing the access resource providing service are not limited to the laptop personal computer  25  with the printing driver  31  mounted.  
     [0159] In the case one connected with the ISP network is the laptop personal computer  25 , since the printing driver  31  is already mounted, the step S 52  is stemmed to the YES side.  
     [0160] As to the method of recognizing whether or not the printing driver  31  is mounted in the laptop personal computer  25  by the printing position guiding server  50 , or the communication procedure, various ones are conceivable. As an example, whether or not the printing driver  31  is provided may be recognized by providing predetermined identification information at a predetermined position on the payload of the IP packet (or the peayload of the TCP packet) at the time the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) is transmitted from the laptop personal computer  25 , and detecting whether or not the identification information exists.  
     [0161] Or in the case the data format DM 1  is a data format specific to the virtual printing server  15  not used in the other system, it is also possible to recognize whether or not the printing driver  31  is mounted by detecting the data format.  
     [0162] In the case the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) is transmitted from the laptop personal computer  25 , the content of the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) is stored in the IP packet and transmitted so that the IP packet reaches to the ISP network from the access pint  24  in the provided wireless LAN  13  through the access line  13 A ( 14 A) so as to be received by the printing position guiding server  50  in the ISP network.  
     [0163] The printing position guiding server  50  receiving the IP packet has the IP packet rooted according to the addressee IP address (the addressee is the in-house printing spooler  21  (mail server  20 ) or the virtual printing server  15 ), and whether or not the printing driver  31  is mounted is examined by itself using the above-mentioned method.  
     [0164] Then, in the case the printing driver  31  is recognized to be mounted as a result of the examination, the printing position guiding server  50  refers to the addresser IP address of the IP header for the IP packet. Next, in the case the base station position data base  51  is retrieved with the addresser IP address provided as the retrieval key, the above-mentioned base station position information can be obtained as the retrieval result (S 53 ).  
     [0165] Since the IP header is outside the subject of the enciphered in the IP sec enciphered using the ESP header executed corresponding to the above-mentioned VPN, it is possible that the printing position guiding server  50  refers to the addresser IP address stored in the IP header.  
     [0166] Furthermore, the printing position guiding server  50  retrieves the printing position data base  52  using the base station position information. In the case for example, the position information of the longitude and the latitude is stored as the base station position information and the printing position information, the MMK-ID of the total printing terminals  16  with the geographical distance of less than a predetermined value can be obtained by the retrieval (S 54 ).  
     [0167] By storing the installation position description in a natural language easily comprehendible by man is stored in the data bases  51  and  52  in addition to the description by the longitude and the latitude convenient for the information process by the machine as the base station position information and the printing position information, the installation position description can also be obtained according to the retrieval in the steps S 53  and S 54 .  
     [0168] The obtained installation position description list is sent back to the above-mentioned addresser IP address by the printing position guiding server  50  (S 55 ). Subsequent to the step S 55 , the step S 56  is executed.  
     [0169] In the laptop personal computer  25  receiving the installation position description list sent back in the step S 55  via the access point  24 , for example the window WD 10  having a list box LB 1  as shown in FIG. 11 is displayed on the screen in the user interface  30  thereof.  
     [0170] In the list box LB 1 , a list of the  5  installation position descriptions with a printing terminal installed close to the present position of the user U 1  (that is, in the cover area of the provided wireless LAN  13  (in the example shown in the drawing, the “vicinity of 1-chome Shiba Minato-ku” is described)) is displayed.  
     [0171] Based on the list, the user U 1  can receive the printing output of the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) from a desired printing terminal  16 .  
     [0172] For example, in the case the user U 1 , moved to the desired printing terminal  16  according to the installation position description shown in the list, operates the printing terminal  16  and inputs the member ID and the password (the member ID and the password are determined preliminarily at the time of the member registration with respect to the virtual printing server  15 ), the user authentication is executed by the communication between the printing terminal  16  and the virtual printing server  15 . In the case the authentication result is OK, already at the time the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) stored in the virtual printing server  15  is conveyed to the printing terminal  16  so as to be printed and output.  
     [0173] At this time, as needed, the data format can be converted further from the DM 1  to the data format suited for the printing terminal  16  as in the first embodiment.  
     [0174] In order to receive the list of the installation position description, the user U 1  should stay in the cover area of the provided wireless LAN  13 . However, by restraining the time between the receipt of the above-mentioned IP packet by the printing position guiding server  50  to send back of the installation position description list in a few seconds, the time necessary for the user U 1  to stay in the cover area of the provided wireless LAN  13  for receiving the list can be sufficiently shortened so that a conveniently usable system can be provided.  
     [0175] The display on the window WD 10  may be executed based on the function of the printing driver  31 .  
     [0176] Moreover, a portable phone  50  shown in FIG. 9 is used for notifying that the virtual printing server  15  finished the storage of the printing subject file F 1  (DM 1 ) so as to complete the printing output preparation and be in the state capable of providing the printing output any time by the electronic mail, or the like.  
     [0177] The electronic mail systems of the portable phone  50  vary, and since most of them can notify the reception of the electronic mail immediately to the user U 1  by the receipt sound, the vibration, or the like, it is suitable for such notification.  
     [0178] Since the place with the cover area of the provided wireless LAN set is same as the place with the printing terminal  16  set in terms of the quality as a highly public place, they can highly possibly be provided geographically in the same area (that is, the printing terminal  16  is set in the cover area of the provided wireless LAN). In this case, the distance of the movement of the user U 1  to a desired printing terminal  16  according to the installation position description shown in the above-mentioned list can be in most cases within several tens of meters.  
     [0179] (B-2) Effects of the Second Embodiment  
     [0180] According to this embodiment, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained.  
     [0181] Additionally, since the nearby place with the printing terminal installed can be notified to the user (U 1 ) according to this embodiment, it is extremely usable and highly convenient.  
     [0182] (C) Other Embodiments  
     [0183] Despite the first embodiment, the printing spooler  21  may not be always disposed inside the intranet  12 . For example, the printing spooler  12  may be disposed inside the ISP network.  
     [0184] Moreover, as means for executing the registration request of the printing subject file, the SOAP and the electronic mail are prepared in the first embodiment, however with only one of them, the effects of the present invention can be obtained, and furthermore, means other than those can be prepared.  
     [0185] Furthermore, although the path of passing through the printing spooler  21  and the path without passing through the printing spooler  21  are prepared as the paths for requesting the file registration in the first embodiment, it is also possible to use either one of the paths.  
     [0186] Although the laptop computer is shown as an example in the first and second embodiments, the present invention can also be adopted in a portable communication terminal comprising the same function other than the laptop personal computer.  
     [0187] Moreover, the present invention can also be adopted in a communication terminal without portability (such as a desktop type personal computer) because it is possible that the communication terminal is not connected with a printer unit, or the user desires to receive the printing output at the outside.  
     [0188] Although the printing position data base  52  is disposed in the ISP network according to the second embodiment, in consideration of the fact that the number of the printing terminals  16  in a wide area distributed environment may be highly possibly enormous and addition of new printing terminals  16  or deletion are executed from second to second so that the data base registration content should be updated each time (even the communication traffic can be enormous), it is not always preferable to dispose the data base in each ISP network. In this regard, it is also effective to administer the printing position data base collectively on the virtual printing server  15  side so that the inquiry of the printing position information can be executed from the ISP network to the virtual printing server  15 , or to utilize the mechanism of a distributed data base.  
     [0189] Although the present invention has been achieved mainly as a software in the above-mentioned explanation, the present invention can also be achieved as a hardware.  
     [0190] As heretofore explained, according to the remote printing system and the remote printing service method of the present invention, the load on the user is light and high usability and convenience can be achieved.