An information processing device which can communicate over a network with a print control apparatus for activating a second interface unit when a print job is applied to a printer in a power-saving status which is to be activated by a specific packet, and when an first activation instruction including identification information specifying a print control apparatus to be activated is received through a first interface unit includes: first instruction control means for transmitting a first activation instruction to the print control apparatus when a print instruction is issued; and output control means for outputting a print job to the print control apparatus after establishing a communication facility of the second interface unit after transmitting the first activation instruction.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. An information processing apparatus for performing a communication via a network with a print control apparatus which activates a second interface unit in response to reception of a first activation instruction through a first interface unit, said information processing apparatus comprising: a first instruction control unit configured to transmit, via the network, upon input of a print instruction via a printer driver by a user, the first activation instruction to the print control apparatus for shifting the print control apparatus from a first power status in which no print job can be received to a second power status in which a print job can be received but cannot be processed; a reception unit configured to receive, from the print control apparatus via the network, information indicating that the print control apparatus has activated a communication function of the second interface in response to the first activation instruction transmitted by said first instruction control unit; and an output control unit configured to output, via the network without an instruction by the user, a print job to the print control apparatus for shifting the print control apparatus from the second power status to a third power status in which the print job can be processed and for controlling the print control apparatus to process the print job, after the reception unit receives the information from the print control apparatus, wherein power consumed in the second power status is larger than power in the first power status and power consumed in the third power status is larger than power in the second power status.
2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the output control unit does not output the print job for a predetermined time after transmitting the first activation instruction.
3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: a confirmation unit configured to confirm a notification of establishment of a communication facility of the second interface unit from the print control apparatus after the first activation instruction, wherein after confirming the notification of the establishment of the communication facility of the second interface unit by the confirmation unit, the output control unit outputs the print job.
4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: a second instruction control unit configured to issue a second activation instruction to activate a second interface unit of a print control apparatus connected to the network; a search unit configured to search for identification information about the print control apparatus after issuing the second activation instruction; and an obtaining unit configured to obtain identification information from the print control apparatus in response to the search by the search means, wherein the first instruction control unit transmits the identification information obtained by the obtaining unit in the first activation instruction.
5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4 , further comprising: a first setting control unit configured to set and associate the identification information obtained by the obtaining unit with an output port of a logical printer corresponding to the information processing apparatus device.
6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the second instruction control unit transmits the second activation instruction to a plurality of print control apparatuses, and the first setting control unit sets identification information about a print control apparatus specified from among the plurality of print control apparatuses as associated with an output port of a logical printer corresponding to the specified print control apparatus.
7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: a display control unit configured to display a setting screen for setting the identification information and inputting the identification information; and a second setting control unit configured to set the identification information input through the setting screen displayed by the display control means as identification information to be transmitted as included in first activation instruction.
8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: an issue control unit configured to issue a specific pattern using a non-specific device registered in a print control apparatus as a destination, and when the specific pattern registered in advance is identified, the second interface unit is energized in the print control apparatus, and a specific pattern using the non-specific device as a destination is changed and registered.
9. An information processing method for performing communications via a network with a print control apparatus which activates a second interface unit in response to reception of a first activation instruction through a first interface unit, comprising: a first instruction control step of transmitting, via the network, upon input of a print instruction via a printer driver by a user, the first activation instruction to the print control apparatus for shifting the print control apparatus from a first power status in which no print job can be received to a second power status in which a print job can be received but cannot be processed; a reception control step of receiving, from the print control apparatus via the network, information indicating that the print control apparatus has activated a communication function of the second interface in response to the first activation instruction transmitted by said first instruction control step; and an output control step of outputting, via the network without an instruction by the user, a print job to the print control apparatus for shifting the print control apparatus from the second power status to a third power status in which the print job can be processed and for controlling the print control apparatus to process the print job, after the reception step receives the information from the print control apparatus, wherein power consumed in the second power status is larger than power in the first power status and power consumed in the third power status is larger than power in the second power status.
10. The information processing method according to claim 9 , wherein the output control step does not output the print job for a predetermined time after transmitting the first activation instruction.
11. The information processing method according to claim 9 , further comprising: confirmation step of confirming a notification of establishment of a communication facility of the second interface unit from the print control apparatus after the first activation instruction, wherein after confirming the notification of the establishment of the communication facility of the second interface unit by the confirmation step, the output control step outputs the print job.
12. The information processing method according to claim 9 , further comprising: a second instruction control step of issuing a second activation instruction to activate a second interface unit of a print control apparatus connected to the network; a search step of searching for identification information about the print control apparatus after issuing the second activation instruction; and an obtaining step of obtaining identification information from the print control apparatus in response to the search by the search means, wherein the first instruction control step transmits the identification information obtained by the obtaining step in the first activation instruction.
13. The information processing method according to claim 12 , further comprising: a first setting control step of setting and associating the identification information obtained by the obtaining step with an output port of a logical printer corresponding to the information processing device.
14. The information processing method according to claim 12 , wherein the second instruction control step transmits the second activation instruction to a plurality of print control apparatuses, and the first setting control step sets identification information about print control apparatus specified from among the plurality of print control apparatuses as associated with an output port of a logical printer corresponding to the specified print control apparatus.
15. The information processing method according to claim 9 , further comprising: a display control step of allowing a display unit to display a setting screen for setting the identification information and inputting the identification information; and a second setting control step of setting the identification information input through the setting screen displayed by the display control step as identification information to be transmitted as included in first activation instruction.
16. The information processing method according to claim 9 , further comprising an issue control step of issuing a specific pattern using a non-specific device registered in a print control apparatus as a destination, and when the specific pattern registered in advance is identified, the second interface unit is energized in the print control apparatus, and a specific pattern using the non-specific device as a destination is changed and registered.
17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a computer-executable program used to direct an information processing apparatus for performing communications via a network with a print control apparatus which activates a second interface unit in response to reception of a first activation instruction through a first interface unit, comprising: a first instruction control step of transmitting, via the network, upon input of a print instruction via a printer driver by a user, a first activation instruction to the print control apparatus for shifting the print control apparatus from a first power status in which no print job can be received to a second power status in which a print job can be received but can be processed; a reception control of receiving, from the print control apparatus via the network, information indicating that the print control apparatus has activated a communication function of the second interface in response to the first activation instruction transmitted by said first instruction control step; and an output control step configured to output, via the network without an instruction by the user, a print job to the print control apparatus for shifting the print control apparatus from the second power status to a third power status in which the print job can be processed and for controlling the print control apparatus to process the print job, after the reception step receives the information from the print control apparatus, wherein power consumed in the second power status is larger than power in the first power status and power consumed in the third power status is larger than power in the second power status.
18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a computer-executable program according to claim 17 , wherein the output control step does not output the print job for a predetermined time after transmitting the first activation instruction.
19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a computer-executable program according to claim 17 , further comprising: confirmation step of confirming a notification of establishment of a communication facility of the second interface unit from the print control apparatus after the first activation instruction, wherein after confirming the notification of the establishment of the communication facility of the second interface unit by the confirmation step, the output control step outputs the print job.
20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a computer-executable program according to claim 17 , further comprising: a second instruction control step of issuing a second activation instruction to activate a second interface unit of a print control apparatus connected to the network; a search step of searching for identification information about the print control apparatus after issuing the second activation instruction; and an obtaining step of obtaining identification information from the print control apparatus in response to the search by the search means, wherein the first instruction control step transmits the identification information obtained by the obtaining step in the first activation instruction.
21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a computer-executable program according to claim 20 , further comprising a first setting control step of setting and associating the identification information obtained by the obtaining step with an output port of a logical printer corresponding to the information processing device.
22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a computer-executable program according to claim 20 , wherein the second instruction control step transmits the second activation instruction to a plurality of print control apparatuses, and the first setting control step sets identification information about print control apparatus specified from among the plurality of print control apparatuses as associated with an output port of a logical printer corresponding to the specified print control apparatus.
23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a computer-executable program according to claim 17 , further comprising: a display control step of allowing a display unit to display a setting screen for setting the identification information and inputting the identification information; and a second setting control step of setting the identification information input through the setting screen displayed by the display control step as identification information to be transmitted as included in first activation instruction.
24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a computer-executable program according to claim 17 , further comprising an issue control step of issuing a specific pattern using a non-specific device registered in a print control apparatus as a destination, and when the specific pattern registered in advance is identified, the second interface unit is energized in the print control apparatus, and a specific pattern using the non-specific device as a destination is changed and registered.
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December 8, 2004
February 23, 2016
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