Information processing apparatus

Abstract

To control, when instructing printing, whether to cause a printer to perform printing based on authentication processing.SOLUTION: An information processing apparatus is communicable with a printer, and the information processing apparatus has: first acquisition means that acquires, from the printer, specific information indicating whether another user has used the printer; and control means that, when the information processing apparatus instructs the printer to perform printing, on the basis of the specific information acquired by the first acquisition means, if the another user has not used the printer, performs control not to perform specific processing of urging printing processing of a first system in which printing is performed on the basis of successful authentication processing in the printer, and if the another user has used the printer, to perform the specific processing.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, a control method for an information processing apparatus, a printing system, a program, and a storage medium. [Background technology]

[0002] Generally, documents printed by a printing device may contain confidential information. To prevent such confidential documents from being accidentally leaked, a technology known as reservation printing is known that authenticates the print job at the time of printing to prevent confidential documents from being taken away by others.

[0003] The authentication method for reservation printing is to send a print job to the printing device with authentication information such as an ID and PIN set by the printing application, and the user enters the authentication information on the printing device's operation panel when printing. The permission to print is determined depending on whether the entered authentication information matches the authentication information added to the print job.

[0004] In this type of reserved printing, if the reservation setting is configured to store the print job on the printing device until a print execution command is received from the user, the received print job will be temporarily reserved on the printing device, which will result in a long time before the printing can begin on the printing device.

[0005] Therefore, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for remote printing in which a print job is sent from one printing device to another printing device without inputting authentication information, and printing is instructed, thereby shortening the time until the print job is printed. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-3875 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] However, while printing on a printing device that is used only by an individual may save time, printing on a shared printing device carries the risk of being taken away by someone else, and security is not guaranteed.

[0008] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to make it possible to control whether or not printing is performed based on authentication processing when issuing a print instruction. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The information processing device is an information processing device capable of communicating with a printing device, and has a first acquisition means for acquiring from the printing device specific information indicating whether or not another user has used the printing device, and a control means for controlling, when the information processing device issues a print instruction to the printing device, based on the specific information acquired by the first acquisition means, that if the printing device has not been used by another user, then the specific processing for prompting printing processing of a first method in which printing is performed based on authentication in an authentication process in the printing device is not performed, but that if the printing device has been used by another user, then the specific processing is performed. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, when a print instruction is given, it is possible to control whether or not printing is to be performed based on authentication processing. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 illustrates an example of the hardware configuration of an information processing apparatus and a printing apparatus. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 illustrates an example of a job history DB. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 illustrates an example of a display screen of an application that executes printing. [Figure 4]10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a flow for adding authentication information to a print job. [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a flow for printing a print job. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a flow for adding authentication information to a print job. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the scope of the present invention, and not all of the combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the solution of the present invention.

[0013] (First embodiment) Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a printing system 150 according to the first embodiment. First, the configuration of the printing system 150 according to the first embodiment will be described. The printing system 150 according to this embodiment includes an information processing device 100 in which a printing application shown in Fig. 1 is installed, and one or more printing devices 101. The information processing device 100 and the printing device 101 are connected via a network 102 such as a USB.

[0014] First, we will explain the printing device 101. The printing device 101 has a CPU 130, a ROM 131, a RAM 132, a system bus 133, an input unit 134, a printing unit I / F 135, a memory controller 136, a printing unit 137, an external memory 138, and an operation unit 139.

[0015] The printing device 101 is controlled by a CPU 130. The CPU 130 operates based on a control program stored in a program ROM of a ROM 131 or a control program stored in an external memory 138.

[0016] The CPU 130 outputs an image signal as output information to a printing unit 137 connected to a printing unit I / F 135 via a system bus 133. The CPU 130 is capable of communication processing with the information processing device 100 via an input unit 134, and can notify the information processing device 100 of information in the printing device 101. The CPU 130 can also receive output data to be output to the printing unit 137 via the input unit 134.

[0017] The RAM 132 functions as the main memory, work area, etc. of the CPU 130, and is configured so that its memory capacity can be expanded by an optional RAM connected to an expansion port (not shown). The RAM 132 is used as an output information development area, an environmental data storage area, a non-volatile memory, etc.

[0018] Access to external memory 138, such as a hard disk (HDD) or IC card, is controlled by memory controller 136. External memory 138 can be connected as an option and stores font data, emulation programs, form data, information about paper registered in printing device 101, paper attribute information, and the like.

[0019] The operation unit 139 is provided with a panel and is capable of displaying various types of information.

[0020] Next, a description will be given of the information processing device 100. The information processing device 100 is, for example, a personal computer, and includes a control unit 117, a keyboard 118, a display 119, and an external memory 120.

[0021] The control unit 117 includes a CPU 110 , a ROM 111 , a RAM 112 , a keyboard controller 114 , a display controller 115 , a disk controller 116 , and an I / F 121 .

[0022] The CPU 110 may read a control program or the like from a ROM 111. The CPU 110 may be a dedicated circuit such as an ASIC. The CPU 110 and the dedicated circuit are examples of a hardware circuit or a hardware processor.

[0023] The disk controller 116 controls access to an external memory 120 such as a HD, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, or USB.

[0024] The RAM 112 is configured so that its capacity can be expanded by adding an optional RAM (not shown) or the like, and is mainly used as a work area for the CPU 110 .

[0025] The keyboard controller 114 controls key input from a keyboard 118 or a pointing device (not shown).

[0026] A display controller 115 controls the display on a display 119. An I / F 121 controls communication with external devices with which communication is possible.

[0027] In this embodiment, unless otherwise specified, the CPU 110 controls each unit connected to the main bus 113 via the main bus 113.

[0028] 2 is a diagram showing an example of a job history DB 200 stored in the ROM 131 or RAM 132 of the printing device 101. The job history DB 200 has user information 211, a job name 212, and a print execution date 213. The user information 211 is information about the user who executed the printing. The job name 212 indicates the name of the print job. The print execution date 213 indicates the date and time when the printing was executed.

[0029] The job history DB 200 holds parameters relating to information at the time of print job execution, but may hold only some of the user information 211, job name 212, and print execution date 213, or may hold more parameters.

[0030] 3A shows an example of a display screen of a printing application installed in the information processing device 100. The CPU 110 of the information processing device 100 displays a main screen 300 of the printing application on the display 119 via the display controller 115.

[0031] On the main screen 300 of the print application, the CPU 110 displays a file to be printed in a file display section 301. The CPU 110 also displays a print preview of the file selected in the file display section 301 in a preview display section 302.

[0032] Furthermore, the CPU 110 displays the printing device 101 to which the print job is to be sent in a printing device display section 303. The CPU 110 also displays various print setting items in a print setting display section 304. The print setting display section 304 includes a button 305 for opening a screen for setting operations for reservation printing.

[0033] When the user presses the print button 306 , the CPU 110 creates a print job and transmits it to the printing device 101 via the I / F 121 .

[0034] FIG. 3B shows an example of a reservation printing setting screen 307 that is displayed when the open button 305 in FIG. 3A is pressed.

[0035] When "Execute all print jobs immediately" 308 is selected, the printing device 101 is set to immediately execute printing without holding print jobs.

[0036] When "Keep all print jobs in the printing device" 309 is selected, the CPU 110 assigns authentication information to the print job and sends it to the printing device 101, thereby setting all print jobs to be kept in the printing device 101.

[0037] The authentication information may be authentication information 311 arbitrarily set by the user, or authentication information predetermined for each individual may be automatically set as in IC card authentication, or a setting screen may be displayed after pressing the print button 306 so that the user can enter the information.

[0038] When "Automatically determine based on the user history of the printing device" 310 is selected, a setting is made to automatically determine whether or not to grant authentication information based on the usage history of the printing device 101, which will be described later.

[0039] Fig. 4 is an example of a flowchart in which the print application of the information processing device 100 according to the first embodiment assigns authentication information to a print job. The flowchart of Fig. 4 can be realized by the CPU 110 loading a program recorded in the ROM 111 or the external memory 120 into the RAM 112 and executing it. The flowchart of Fig. 4 starts when the print button 306 is pressed in the print application of the information processing device 100. The information processing device 100 is capable of communicating with the printing device 101. A control method for the information processing device 100 will be described below. "S" indicates a step.

[0040] In S401 , when the print button 306 is pressed, the CPU 110 generates a print job in accordance with the settings in the print setting display section 304 and stores the print job in the ROM 111 or the RAM 112 .

[0041] In S402, the CPU 110 acquires the login user name that is logged in to the OS (operating system) of the information processing apparatus 100, and sets the acquired login user name in the print job generated in S401.

[0042] The login user name does not have to be the login user name logged in to the OS, and other user information may be used instead as long as it is user information that can identify the user. In this embodiment, the login user name will be described as the user information that identifies the user.

[0043] In S403, the CPU 110 functions as an acquisition unit and acquires job histories (including print job histories) from the job history DB 200 of FIG. 2 stored in the ROM 131 or RAM 132 of the printing apparatus 101 via the I / F 121.

[0044] In S404, the CPU 110 obtains, from the obtained job history, a list of all stored user information 211. Here, the list of user information 211 is information about users who have used the printing device 101, and is an example of specific information indicating whether other users have used the printing device 101.

[0045] In S405, the CPU 110 determines whether the user information 211 acquired in S404 includes a login user name other than the login user name acquired in S402. If the user information 211 does not include a login user name other than the login user name acquired in S402, this means that the printing device 101 is a printing device that has not been used by another user, and the process proceeds to S406. If the user information 211 includes a login user name other than the login user name acquired in S402, this means that the printing device 101 has been used by another user, and the process proceeds to S407.

[0046] In S407, the CPU 110 sets the authentication information set in the authentication information 311 in FIG. 3B, etc., in the print job. Then, the CPU 110 controls the print job, in which the login user name and authentication information acquired in S402 are set, to be sent to the printing device 101 via the I / F 121. This sending indicates a print instruction from the information processing device 100 to the printing device 101. In other words, the CPU 110 functions as a control unit and controls the printing device 101 to perform a specific process that prompts printing processing in a first method, in which printing is performed based on authentication in the authentication process in the printing device 101. Specifically, the CPU 110 instructs the printing device 101 to perform the above-mentioned printing processing in the first method.

[0047] In S406, CPU 110 controls the printing device 101 via I / F 121 to send a print job to which the login user name acquired in S402 is set but for which no authentication information is set. This transmission indicates a print instruction from information processing device 100 to printing device 101. In other words, CPU 110 controls the printing device 101 not to perform a specific process that prompts printing processing of a first method, in which printing is performed based on authentication in the authentication process in the printing device 101. Specifically, CPU 110 instructs the printing device 101 to perform printing processing of a second method, in which the printing device 101 prints without authentication processing.

[0048] Fig. 5 is an example of a flowchart in which the printing device 101 prints a print job for which authentication information has been set. The flowchart in Fig. 5 can be realized by the CPU 130 loading a program recorded in the ROM 131 or the external memory 138 into the RAM 132 and executing it. The flowchart in Fig. 5 starts when the printing device 101 receives a print job from the information processing device 100 or when the operation unit 139 of the printing device 101 is operated. A control method for the printing device 101 will be described below.

[0049] In S501, the CPU 130 determines whether the printing device 101 has received a print job or whether the operation unit 139 of the printing device 101 has been operated. If the printing device 101 has received a print job, the process proceeds to S502, and if the operation unit 139 of the printing device 101 has been operated, the process proceeds to S506.

[0050] In S502, CPU 130 determines whether the received print job is a print job for which authentication information is set. If the print job is a print job for which authentication information is set, the process proceeds to S503, and if the print job is a print job for which authentication information is not set, the process proceeds to S504.

[0051] In S503, CPU 130 saves the received print job. If external memory 138 is attached to printing device 101, CPU 130 may save the print job in external memory 138, or if external memory 138 is not attached, CPU 130 may save the print job in the cloud or the like.

[0052] In S506, CPU 130 determines whether the operation on operation unit 139 is an operation to select a print job for which authentication information has been set in order to print the print job for which authentication information has been set. If the operation is an operation to select a print job for which authentication information has been set, the process proceeds to S507, and if the operation is not an operation to select a print job for which authentication information has been set, the process in the flowchart of FIG. 5 ends.

[0053] In S507, the CPU 130 acquires the print job saved in S503.

[0054] In S508, the CPU 130 controls the operation unit 139 to display a screen for inputting authentication information.

[0055] In S509, CPU 130 determines whether or not correct authentication information has been entered on the authentication information input screen of operation unit 139. If correct authentication information has been entered, the process proceeds to S504, and if correct authentication information has not been entered, the process returns to S508.

[0056] In S504, the CPU 130 controls the printing unit 137 to perform printing based on the print job.

[0057] In S505, the CPU 130 saves information about the completed print job as a print job history in the job history DB 200 of Fig. 2. Specifically, the CPU 130 saves the login user name set in the print job as user information 211 in the job history DB 200 of Fig. 2 in the ROM 131 or RAM 132.

[0058] As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to prevent users who use the printing device 101 for personal use from accidentally printing other than reserved printing, without causing inconvenience to users who use the printing device 101 for personal use.

[0059] (Second embodiment) The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, in the first embodiment, when the target is a printing device 101 that is used in a shared environment, authentication information is assigned to prevent unauthorized removal of the device.

[0060] However, even when printing on a shared printing device 101, if other users cannot print (e.g., the device is offline on the network), confidential documents, etc. will not be taken away by others, and the print job may be sent without setting authentication information.

[0061] Fig. 6 is an example of a flowchart in which the print application of the information processing device 100 according to the second embodiment assigns authentication information to a print job. The CPU 110 loads a program recorded in the ROM 111 or the external memory 120 into the RAM 112 and executes it, thereby realizing the flowchart of Fig. 6. The flowchart of Fig. 6 starts when the print button 306 is pressed in the print application of the information processing device 100.

[0062] In S601, when the print button 306 is pressed, the CPU 110 generates a print job in accordance with the settings in the print setting display section 304 and stores the print job in the ROM 111 or the RAM 112.

[0063] In S602, the CPU 110 acquires connection destination information for the information processing device 100 that pressed the print button 306, and sets the acquired connection destination information in the print job. In this embodiment, the connection destination information will be described as an IP address.

[0064] In S603, the CPU 110 acquires the job history from the job history DB 200 of FIG.

[0065] 5, the CPU 130 stores the connection destination information (IP address) set in the print job in the ROM 131 or RAM 132 as the connection destination information in the job history DB 200 of FIG. 2. The job history information in the job history DB 200 includes the connection destination information. Here, the connection destination information is information on connection destinations that have previously used the printing device 101.

[0066] In S604, the CPU 110 acquires all stored connection destination information (IP addresses) from the acquired job history.

[0067] In S605, the CPU 110 sends a Ping to all of the above-mentioned connection destination information (IP addresses) via the I / F 121 and waits for a response. Here, it is sufficient to confirm that the connection destination information of the destination is online, so the online status may be acquired by other communication protocols instead of sending a Ping.

[0068] In S606, the CPU 110 determines whether or not at least any of the connection destination information acquired in S604 other than the connection destination information acquired in S602 is in an online state.

[0069] For example, if there is a response to a Ping sent to at least one of the connection destination information other than the connection destination information acquired in S602, CPU 110 determines that at least one of the connection destination information other than the connection destination information acquired in S602 is online. Also, if there is no response to a Ping sent to all of the connection destination information other than the connection destination information acquired in S602, CPU 110 determines that all of the connection destination information other than the connection destination information acquired in S602 is offline.

[0070] If at least one of the connection destination information other than the connection destination information acquired in S602 is online, proceed to S607, and if all of the connection destination information acquired in S604 other than the connection destination information acquired in S602 is offline, proceed to S608.

[0071] In S607, the CPU 110 sets the authentication information set in the authentication information 311 in Fig. 3B, etc., in the print job. Then, the CPU 110 controls the print job, in which the connection destination information (IP address) acquired in S602 and the authentication information have been set, to be sent to the printing device 101 via the I / F 121.

[0072] In S608, CPU 110 determines that there is no possibility that the print job will be sent from a connection destination other than its own information processing device 100 and mistakenly taken away, and controls the print job to be sent via I / F 121 to printing device 101, with the connection destination information (IP address) acquired in S602 set and no authentication information set.

[0073] The flow of the printing apparatus 101 is the same as the flow from S501 to S509 in Fig. 5. However, in S505, the CPU 130 saves the connection destination information (IP address) set in the print job as a job history in the job history DB 200.

[0074] As described above, according to this embodiment, by checking whether the connection destination information is online at the time of printing, it is possible to automatically set authentication information. Note that although the connection destination information is an IP address here, the connection destination information may also be a host name, MAC address, or the like. Also, if the connection destination information is a local connection such as a USB connection and is not a setting for a shared printing device 101, printing from others is not possible, so the print job may be sent without setting authentication information.

[0075] (Third embodiment) The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, in the second embodiment, the authentication information is automatically set depending on whether the connection destination information of the information processing device 100 other than the information processing device 100 that executes printing is online or not.

[0076] However, even if the connection information of the information processing device 100 other than the one that performs printing is online, if the printing application or printer driver has been uninstalled, printing is not possible, so the print job may be sent without setting authentication information.

[0077] For example, with regard to a print application, the destination has a function of returning a response indicating that the application is installed when it receives a confirmation notification of the installation status. In this case, in S605 of Fig. 6, the CPU 110 sends a Ping to the information processing device of each destination information (IP address) via the I / F 121, and at the same time sends a confirmation notification of the installation status of the print application to each information processing device, so that the print application can obtain the installation information.

[0078] In S605, the CPU 110 further acquires information indicating whether or not a print application is installed at a destination in the destination information that is online, from the destination in the destination information that is online.

[0079] In S606, CPU 110 determines whether a print application is installed in at least one of the destinations in the destination information that are online. If a print application is installed in at least one of the destinations in the destination information that are online, the process proceeds to S607. If a print application is not installed in all of the destinations in the destination information that are online, the process proceeds to S608.

[0080] Furthermore, since the printer driver executes communication such as a search with the printing device 101 during installation, when the printing device 101 receives this communication, the CPU 130 stores the connection destination information of the information processing device 100 that is the communication source in an information processing device list DB (not shown). The information processing device list DB is assumed to be stored in ROM 131 or RAM 132.

[0081] Furthermore, when the printer driver is uninstalled, it notifies the printing device 101 that it has been uninstalled, and when the printing device 101 receives this notification, it deletes the connection destination information of the communication destination information processing device from the information processing device list DB using the CPU 130.

[0082] In step S604 of FIG. 6, the CPU 110 acquires all the connection destination information and also acquires a list of information processing devices in which the printer driver is installed from the information processing device list DB.

[0083] In S605, after receiving a Ping response from the information processing device of each connection destination information (IP address), the CPU 110 checks the received response against the list of information processing devices acquired above to confirm whether the response is only from an information processing device on which the printer driver is installed.

[0084] If a print application or printer driver is installed in an information processing apparatus other than the information processing apparatus 100 that is executing printing, the CPU 110 sets authentication information and transmits the print job in S607.

[0085] If a print application or printer driver is not installed in any information processing apparatus other than the information processing apparatus 100 that executes printing, the CPU 110 transmits the print job without setting authentication information in S608.

[0086] That is, in S604, the CPU 110 further acquires from the printing device 101 information indicating whether or not a printer driver is installed at a connection destination in the connection destination information for which the printing device 101 has been used.

[0087] In S606, CPU 110 determines whether a printer driver is installed for at least one of the destinations in the destination information that are online. If a printer driver is installed for at least one of the destinations in the destination information that are online, the process proceeds to S607. If a printer driver is not installed for all of the destinations in the destination information that are online, the process proceeds to S608.

[0088] As described above, according to this embodiment, when printing, it is possible to automatically set authentication information by checking the installation status of printing applications and printer drivers of information processing devices other than the information processing device 100 itself.

[0089] According to the first to third embodiments, it is possible to prevent the user from feeling unnecessarily bothered and to prevent inadvertent printing depending on the situation.

[0090] The various controls described above as being performed by the CPU may be performed by a single piece of hardware, or the entire device may be controlled by multiple pieces of hardware (e.g., multiple processors or circuits) sharing the processing.

[0091] Furthermore, although the present invention has been described in detail based on preferred embodiments thereof, the present invention is not limited to these specific embodiments, and various forms within the scope of the gist of the present invention are also included in the present invention. Furthermore, each of the above-described embodiments merely represents one embodiment of the present invention, and each embodiment can be combined as appropriate.

[0092] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the present invention has been described as being applied to information processing device 100, but the present invention is not limited to this example and can be applied to any information processing device that is capable of setting authentication information for a print job. In other words, the present invention can be applied to personal computers, PDAs, mobile phone terminals, portable image viewers, digital photo frames, music players, game consoles, e-book readers, and the like.

[0093] (Other embodiments) The present invention can also be realized by executing the following process. That is, software (programs) that realize the functions of the above-described embodiments are supplied to a system or device via a network or various storage media, and a computer (or CPU, MPU, etc.) of the system or device reads and executes the program code. In this case, the program and the computer-readable storage media storing the program constitute the present invention.

[0094] The disclosure of this embodiment includes the following configuration, method, system, program, and storage medium. (Configuration 1) An information processing device capable of communicating with a printing device, a first acquiring means for acquiring, from the printing device, specific information indicating whether other users have used the printing device; a control means for controlling, when the information processing device issues a print instruction to the printing device, based on the specific information acquired by the first acquisition means, not to perform a specific process for prompting a first-method printing process in which printing is performed based on authentication in an authentication process in the printing device if the printing device has not been used by another user, and to perform the specific process if the printing device has been used by another user; An information processing device comprising: (Configuration 2) The information processing device according to configuration 1, wherein the control means instructs the printing device to perform printing processing using the first method if the printing device has been used by another user, and instructs the printing device to perform printing processing using the second method in which the printing device prints without authentication processing if the printing device has not been used by another user. (Configuration 3) The information processing device according to configuration 2, wherein the control means controls the printing device to send a print job with authentication information set thereto if the printing device has been used by another user, and controls the printing device to send a print job without authentication information set thereto if the printing device has not been used by another user. (Configuration 4) further comprising a second acquisition means for acquiring user information of the information processing device; the specific information includes information about users who have used the printing device; The information processing device described in any one of configurations 1 to 3, characterized in that the control means performs the specific processing when the user information included in the specific information includes user information other than the user information acquired by the second acquisition means, and controls so as not to perform the specific processing when the user information included in the specific information does not include user information other than the user information acquired by the second acquisition means. (Configuration 5) The information processing device according to configuration 4, wherein the control means controls the printing device to send a print job in which the user information acquired by the second acquisition means and authentication information are set when the user information included in the specific information includes user information other than the user information acquired by the second acquisition means, and controls the printing device to send a print job in which the user information acquired by the second acquisition means is set and no authentication information is set when the user information included in the specific information does not include user information other than the user information acquired by the second acquisition means. (Configuration 6) 6. The information processing device according to configuration 5, wherein the specific information is a print job history. (Configuration 7) 7. The information processing device according to any one of configurations 4 to 6, wherein the user information is a login user name. (Configuration 8) Further, a second acquisition means for acquiring connection destination information of the information processing device is provided, the specific information includes information on connection destinations that have used the printing device; The information processing device described in any one of configurations 1 to 3, characterized in that the control means performs the specific processing when at least one of the connection destination information included in the specific information other than the connection destination information acquired by the second acquisition means is online, and controls not to perform the specific processing when all of the connection destination information included in the specific information other than the connection destination information acquired by the second acquisition means is offline. (Configuration 9) The information processing device according to configuration 8, wherein the control means controls the printing device to send a print job in which authentication information is set when at least one of the connection destination information included in the specific information other than the connection destination information acquired by the second acquisition means is online, and controls the printing device to send a print job in which authentication information is not set when all of the connection destination information included in the specific information other than the connection destination information acquired by the second acquisition means is offline. (Configuration 10) The information processing device according to configuration 8 or 9, characterized in that the control means performs the specific processing when there is a response to transmission to at least any of the connection destination information included in the specific information other than the connection destination information acquired by the second acquisition means, and controls not to perform the specific processing when there is no response to transmission to any of the connection destination information included in the specific information other than the connection destination information acquired by the second acquisition means. (Configuration 11) 11. The information processing device according to configuration 10, wherein the transmission is a Ping transmission. (Configuration 12) 12. The information processing device according to any one of configurations 8 to 11, wherein the connection destination information is an IP address. (Configuration 13) The information processing device according to any one of configurations 8 to 12, wherein the control means performs the specific processing when a print application is installed in at least one of the destinations in the connection destination information that are online, and controls so as not to perform the specific processing when a print application is not installed in all of the destinations in the connection destination information that are online. (Configuration 14) The information processing device according to configuration 13 further comprises a third acquisition means for acquiring information indicating whether a printing application is installed at the destination of the connection destination information that is online from the destination of the connection destination information that is online. (Configuration 15) The information processing device according to any one of configurations 8 to 12, characterized in that the control means performs the specific processing when a printer driver is installed in at least one of the destinations in the connection destination information that are online, and controls so as not to perform the specific processing when a printer driver is not installed in all of the destinations in the connection destination information that are online. (Configuration 16) The information processing device according to configuration 15, further comprising a third acquisition means for acquiring from the printing device information indicating whether a printer driver is installed at a connection destination of connection information that has used the printing device. (Method 1) A method for controlling an information processing device capable of communicating with a printing device, comprising: a first obtaining step of obtaining specific information from the printing device indicating whether other users have used the printing device; a control step of controlling, when instructing the printing device from the information processing device to print, based on the specific information acquired in the first acquisition step, not to perform specific processing to prompt printing processing of a first method in which printing is performed based on authentication in authentication processing in the printing device if the printing device has not been used by another user, and to perform the specific processing if the printing device has been used by another user; 1. A method for controlling an information processing device, comprising: (System 1) The information processing device according to any one of configurations 1 to 16, a printing device capable of communicating with the information processing device; A printing system comprising: (Program 1) A program for causing a computer to function as each means of the information processing device described in any one of configurations 1 to 16. (Storage medium 1) A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as each means of the information processing device described in any one of configurations 1 to 16. [Explanation of symbols]

[0095] 100 information processing device, 110 CPU, 111 ROM, 112 RAM, 114 keyboard controller, 115 display controller, 116 disk controller, 117 control unit, 118 keyboard, 119 display, 120 external memory, 121 I / F

Claims

1. An information processing device capable of communicating with a printing device, a first acquiring means for acquiring, from the printing device, specific information indicating whether or not other users have used the printing device; a control means for controlling, when the information processing device issues a print instruction to the printing device, based on the specific information acquired by the first acquisition means, not to perform a specific process for prompting a printing process of a first method in which printing is performed based on authentication in an authentication process in the printing device if the printing device has not been used by another user, and to perform the specific process if the printing device has been used by another user; An information processing device comprising:

2. The information processing device according to claim 1, characterized in that the control means instructs the printing device to perform printing processing using the first method if the printing device has been used by another user, and instructs the printing device to perform printing processing using the second method in which the printing device prints without authentication processing if the printing device has not been used by another user.

3. 3. The information processing device according to claim 2, wherein the control means controls the printing device to send a print job with authentication information set to it if the printing device has been used by another user, and controls the printing device to send a print job without authentication information set to it if the printing device has not been used by another user.

4. The information processing device further includes a second acquisition means for acquiring user information of the information processing device, the specific information includes information about users who have used the printing device; The information processing device described in claim 1, characterized in that the control means performs the specific processing if the user information included in the specific information includes user information other than the user information acquired by the second acquisition means, and controls so as not to perform the specific processing if the user information included in the specific information does not include user information other than the user information acquired by the second acquisition means.

5. The information processing device according to claim 4, characterized in that, when the user information included in the specific information includes user information other than the user information acquired by the second acquisition means, the control means controls the printing device to send a print job in which the user information acquired by the second acquisition means and authentication information are set, and when the user information included in the specific information does not include user information other than the user information acquired by the second acquisition means, the control means controls the printing device to send a print job in which the user information acquired by the second acquisition means is set and no authentication information is set.

6. 6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the specific information is a print job history.

7. 5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the user information is a login user name.

8. The information processing device further includes a second acquisition unit for acquiring connection destination information of the information processing device, the specific information includes information on connection destinations that have used the printing device; The information processing device described in claim 1, characterized in that the control means performs the specific processing when at least one of the connection destination information included in the specific information other than the connection destination information acquired by the second acquisition means is online, and controls not to perform the specific processing when all of the connection destination information included in the specific information other than the connection destination information acquired by the second acquisition means is offline.

9. The information processing device according to claim 8, wherein the control means controls the printing device to send a print job with authentication information set when at least one of the connection destination information included in the specific information other than the connection destination information acquired by the second acquisition means is online, and controls the printing device to send a print job without authentication information set when all of the connection destination information included in the specific information other than the connection destination information acquired by the second acquisition means is offline.

10. The information processing device described in claim 8, characterized in that the control means performs the specific processing when there is a response to transmission to at least any of the connection destination information included in the specific information other than the connection destination information acquired by the second acquisition means, and controls so as not to perform the specific processing when there is no response to transmission to all of the connection destination information included in the specific information other than the connection destination information acquired by the second acquisition means.

11. 11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the transmission is a Ping transmission.

12. 9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the connection destination information is an IP address.

13. The information processing device according to claim 8, characterized in that the control means performs the specific processing when a printing application is installed in at least one of the connection destinations in the connection destination information that are online, and controls so as not to perform the specific processing when a printing application is not installed in all of the connection destinations in the connection destination information that are online.

14. 14. The information processing apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a third acquisition means for acquiring information indicating whether a printing application is installed at the destination of the connection destination information in the online state from the destination of the connection destination information in the online state.

15. The information processing device according to claim 8, characterized in that the control means performs the specific processing when a printer driver is installed in at least one of the destinations in the connection destination information that is in an online state, and controls so as not to perform the specific processing when a printer driver is not installed in all of the destinations in the connection destination information that is in an online state.

16. 16. The information processing apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising a third acquisition means for acquiring, from the printing device, information indicating whether a printer driver is installed at a connection destination of connection information that has used the printing device.

17. A method for controlling an information processing device capable of communicating with a printing device, comprising: a first obtaining step of obtaining specific information from the printing device indicating whether other users have used the printing device; a control step of controlling, when issuing a print instruction from the information processing device to the printing device, based on the specific information acquired in the first acquisition step, not to perform a specific process to prompt a printing process of a first method in which printing is performed based on authentication in an authentication process in the printing device if the printing device has not been used by another user, and to perform the specific process if the printing device has been used by another user; 1. A method for controlling an information processing device, comprising:

18. An information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 16; a printing device capable of communicating with the information processing device; A printing system comprising:

19. A program for causing a computer to function as each of the means of the information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 16.

20. 17. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as each of the means of the information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 16.

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