An internet-based cloud printing method and apparatus

Abstract

The application provides an internet-based cloud printing method and device, comprising the following steps: obtaining a user's to-be-printed file and printing requirement, matching a merchant meeting the printing requirement, and generating a to-be-printed order; pushing the to-be-printed order to the merchant to complete the printing product manufacturing of the to-be-printed file; and matching a delivery mode according to the printing requirement to complete the printing product delivery by using the delivery mode; thus, the application can realize online cloud printing to solve the problems existing in the current offline printing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of computer technology, and in particular to a cloud printing method and apparatus based on the Internet. Background Technology

[0002] Nowadays, the market demand for printing is increasing. Whether it's college students printing study materials or papers, or companies printing tender documents or office documents, printing has become a very important need. Printing various documents and pictures on paper makes them easy to view, save, and transmit.

[0003] Traditional printing methods suffer from high labor costs, with wages for both full-time and part-time employees increasing annually and supervision proving difficult. Unclear customer needs lead to significant print damage and unnecessary waste. Daily waste occurs due to student printing errors, resulting in monthly losses of various consumables. Limited computer capacity during peak hours leads to overcrowding, long queues, and a poor customer experience, resulting in lost orders. Small store space limits student capacity, especially during peak periods, leading to significant customer loss and frequent revenue bottlenecks. Existing offline store operations have limited order-taking capacity, fixed business scope, difficulty in service upgrades, and negative profit growth. Limited service areas and insufficient influence and operating hours of individual stores result in small coverage areas, hindering order and customer growth. Therefore, the need for rapid response to user printing demands while reducing labor costs and consumable waste has become a key focus for both the printing industry and its customers. Summary of the Invention

[0004] (a) Technical problems to be solved

[0005] To address the aforementioned problems in the prior art, this invention provides an internet-based cloud printing method and apparatus that enables online cloud printing, thereby resolving the issues present in existing offline printing methods.

[0006] (II) Technical Solution

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows:

[0008] An internet-based cloud printing method includes the following steps:

[0009] Obtain the user's files to be printed and printing requirements, match merchants that meet the printing requirements, and generate a print order;

[0010] The order to be printed is sent to the merchant to complete the printing of the document to be printed.

[0011] The delivery method is matched according to the printing requirements, and the printed matter is delivered using the delivery method.

[0012] Furthermore, the printing requirements include the user's geographical location, print file parameters, and the timeframe required by the user;

[0013] The merchants that match the printing requirements include:

[0014] Obtain the geographical location, equipment capacity, and support time of all merchants within a preset range of the user's geographical location;

[0015] The system identifies the merchant whose equipment capacity can meet the printing file parameters and whose delivery time can meet the user's needs, and then selects the merchant whose geographical location is closest to the user.

[0016] Furthermore, among all the merchants whose equipment capacity can meet the printing document parameters and whose delivery time can meet the user's needs, the merchants closest to the user's geographical location include:

[0017] Based on the user's geographical location and the merchant's geographical location, the first merchant closest to the user is calculated. It is then determined whether the merchant's equipment capacity can meet the printing file parameters. If so, it is determined whether the first merchant can meet the user's timeliness requirements. If so, the first merchant is selected as the merchant that meets the printing requirements.

[0018] If the first merchant's equipment capacity cannot meet the printing file parameters or the first merchant cannot meet the user's timeliness requirements, then capacity and timeliness will be matched sequentially according to the distance from the user until a merchant whose equipment capacity can meet the printing file parameters and whose timeliness meets the user's timeliness requirements is found.

[0019] If none of the merchants with matching capacity can meet the user's timeliness requirements, then the closest timeliness that can be met among all the merchants with matching capacity will be pushed to the user for selection.

[0020] Furthermore, the determination of whether the first merchant can meet the user's timeliness needs includes:

[0021] Determine whether the merchant's supported timeframe includes the user's required timeframe, and whether the printed materials can be delivered within the user's required timeframe based on the user's geographical location and the merchant's geographical location.

[0022] Furthermore, it also includes:

[0023] If none of the merchants with matching capacity can meet the user's time-sensitive needs, and the user has made an urgent selection for the time-sensitive needs, a prompt will be generated for the user to pay additional fees.

[0024] Furthermore, the step of matching the delivery method according to the printing requirements specifically means matching the delivery method according to the timeliness finally selected by the user.

[0025] Furthermore, it also includes:

[0026] The system determines whether each time-sensitive event can be selected by the user based on the current time.

[0027] Furthermore, the user's geographical location can only be obtained after the user authorizes it.

[0028] Furthermore, both the user's geographical location and the merchant's geographical location are converted to latitude and longitude before distance calculation.

[0029] To achieve the above objectives, another technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows:

[0030] An internet-based cloud printing device includes a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor. When the processor executes the computer program, it implements the aforementioned internet-based cloud printing method.

[0031] (III) Beneficial Effects

[0032] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: an internet-based cloud printing method and apparatus acquires the user's documents to be printed and printing requirements, matches merchants that meet the printing requirements, generates a print order, pushes the print order to the merchant so that the matched merchant can complete the printing of the documents to be printed, and then matches a delivery method according to the printing requirements to complete the delivery of the print, thereby realizing online cloud printing and solving the problems existing in the current offline printing. Attached Figure Description

[0033] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the main process of an Internet-based cloud printing method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall process of the cloud printing system involved in the embodiments of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an Internet-based cloud printing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] [Explanation of Labels in the Attached Image]

[0037] 1: An internet-based cloud printing device;

[0038] 2: Processor;

[0039] 3: Memory. Detailed Implementation

[0040] To better explain and facilitate understanding of the present invention, the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0041] Example 1

[0042] Please refer to Figures 1 to 2 A cloud printing method based on the Internet includes the following steps:

[0043] S1. Obtain the user's files to be printed and printing requirements, match merchants that meet the printing requirements, and generate a print order;

[0044] In this embodiment, the entire cloud printing system includes a user system, a service system, and a merchant system. The user system can be used on terminals such as PCs or mobile phones. The printing requirements in this embodiment include the user's geographical location, print file parameters, and the timeframe required by the user.

[0045] Please refer to Figure 2 When a user logs in for the first time, the service system pushes a request for authorization to the user and reports the location. After the user agrees to the authorization, the user's system obtains the latitude and longitude of the user's geographical location through GPS positioning and sends it to the service system, so that the service system can obtain the user's geographical location.

[0046] Next, the user uploads the file to be printed on the application terminal. After successful upload, the user needs to select the print file parameters. The service system then obtains the uploaded file and print file parameters, first verifying the print file parameters in the configuration database. After successful verification, the system matches the latitude and longitude converted from the user's geographical location and the print file parameter configuration with the latitude and longitude converted from the address and equipment capacity information filled in by the merchant when joining the platform. At the same time, it also obtains the timeliness information filled in by the merchant when joining the platform for matching.

[0047] In this embodiment, the print file parameters include: file name, file format, print type, paper size, layout orientation, single-sided or double-sided printing, paper type, printing weight, binding method, number of holes, and page layout. The filenames are user-generated; file formats include: doc, docx, ppt, pdf, txt, excel, png, jpg, jpeg; print types include: black and white, color; paper sizes include: A0, A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, B4, B5; layout orientation includes: portrait, landscape; single-sided / double-sided includes: single-sided, double-sided; paper types include: plain paper, matte paper, coated paper; printing weights include: 157g, 200g, 250g, 300g, and other weights; binding methods include: stapled, perfect binding, saddle stitching, ring binding, hardcover; number of holes includes: single hole, double hole, triple hole; page layouts include: two-in-one, four-in-one, six-in-one, nine-in-one.

[0048] In this embodiment, the merchants that meet the printing requirements include:

[0049] S11. Obtain the merchant's geographical location, equipment capacity, and support time of all merchants within the preset range of the user's geographical location;

[0050] When merchants join the platform, they fill in their geographical location, equipment capacity, and support time. After knowing the user's geographical location, the platform can select merchants within a preset range for matching. The preset range can be a distance range, such as within 5 kilometers, or a condition range, such as the nearest or within the city, etc.

[0051] S12. Match the merchant whose equipment capacity can meet the printing document parameters and whose timeliness can meet the user's needs, and then find the merchant whose geographical location is closest to the user.

[0052] Therefore, based on the parameters of the document to be printed and the user's geographical location information, the latitude and longitude of the merchant, the merchant's equipment capacity and timeliness are obtained and pushed to the user's order for matching, thereby achieving more accurate merchant recommendations. For the merchant, based on the equipment capacity information and timeliness, more accurate order pushes are achieved, which is more conducive to the merchant's production output and meeting user needs.

[0053] Step S12 includes:

[0054] S121. Calculate the first merchant closest to the user based on the user's geographical location and the merchant's geographical location. Determine whether the first merchant's equipment capacity can meet the printing file parameters. If so, determine whether the first merchant can meet the user's timeliness requirements. If so, then select the first merchant as the merchant that meets the printing requirements.

[0055] Therefore, based on the latitude and longitude converted from the previous geographical location, the merchant closest to the user is calculated, and for ease of explanation, it is referred to as the first merchant.

[0056] The platform collects equipment capacity information provided by merchants when they join, including: printer model, printing speed, number of papers printed per minute, supported print types, file formats, paper size, layout orientation, single-sided / double-sided printing, paper type, printing weight, binding method, number of holes, and page layout. The platform then queries a merchant capacity database to obtain the equipment capacity of the first merchant. This capacity is matched with the print file parameters to determine if the first merchant can fulfill the user's needs. If so, the platform assesses whether the first merchant can meet the user's timeliness requirements. This timeliness matching includes:

[0057] Determine whether the merchant's support timeframe includes the user's required timeframe, and whether the printed materials can be delivered within the user's required timeframe based on the user's geographical location and the merchant's geographical location.

[0058] In this embodiment, delivery times include express delivery, same-day delivery, and next-day delivery. Express delivery refers to delivery within 1-3 days, with no time limit; orders can be placed at any time. Next-day delivery means delivery before 9:00 AM the following day, requiring orders to be placed before 4:00 PM on the same day. This differs from traditional delivery at any time the next day; this embodiment limits delivery to before 9:00 AM the following day. This allows merchants to utilize their spare time effectively for online printing while meeting users' needs for printed documents the next day in most scenarios. Same-day delivery means delivery within one hour of ordering on the same day, requiring orders to be placed before 3:00 PM on the same day. In other words, this embodiment controls whether each delivery time can be selected by the user based on the current time; if it is after 4:00 PM, neither same-day nor next-day delivery can be selected by the user.

[0059] In terms of timeliness matching, since the merchant's supported timeliness may not include one of the timeliness options, for example, if the first merchant does not support same-day delivery, then if the user's required timeliness is same-day delivery, then the first merchant does not meet the user's needs. However, if the user's required timeliness is next-day delivery, then the first merchant's supported timeliness includes next-day delivery. In this case, it is also necessary to determine whether the printed materials can be delivered the next day based on the location of both parties, because if there is a cross-city situation, it is possible that the printed materials cannot be delivered on the next day.

[0060] Merchants can configure delivery times to suit different time periods. In some cases, while same-day delivery may not be supported after 3 PM, some merchants might be busy during specific times, such as 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM, and may not have time for printing. In such cases, same-day delivery can be disabled during these times, while remaining supported at other times. This allows merchants greater flexibility in setting delivery times to suit their needs and achieve better economic benefits.

[0061] S122. If the first merchant's equipment capacity cannot meet the printing document parameters or the first merchant cannot meet the user's timeliness requirements, then capacity and timeliness will be matched sequentially according to the distance from the user until a merchant whose equipment capacity can meet the printing document parameters and whose timeliness meets the user's timeliness requirements is matched.

[0062] If the first vendor's equipment capacity cannot meet the printing document parameters, or if, as mentioned above, the first vendor cannot meet the user's timeliness requirements, then another vendor needs to be selected to match capacity and timeliness. If the next vendor cannot be selected completely, then another vendor needs to be selected, and so on.

[0063] In this situation, there may be merchants who are far away but can meet the user's production capacity and timeliness requirements. In this case, the user's latitude and longitude and the merchant's latitude and longitude will be used as the basis for judging the distance. If the distance is far, it will be judged that same-day delivery or next-day delivery is not supported.

[0064] S123. If the user's timeliness requirement cannot be met by any of the merchants with matching capacity, then the closest timeliness that can be met by any of the merchants with matching capacity will be pushed to the user for selection.

[0065] When none of the merchants on the platform can meet the user's delivery time requirements, the closest delivery time to same-day delivery is next-day delivery. This is because the first merchant or other merchants that can meet the production capacity requirements can deliver next-day, so the customer is notified that same-day delivery is not supported, and next-day delivery is recommended to the user for selection.

[0066] Therefore, by further limiting the merchant matching through steps S121 to S123, the print orders in this embodiment can be pushed to suitable merchants more accurately, which is conducive to the merchants producing printed products that meet user needs.

[0067] S124. If the user's timeliness requirement cannot be met by any of the merchants with matching capacity, and the user has made an urgent selection for the timeliness requirement, then a prompt will be generated for the user to pay additional fees.

[0068] If a user urgently needs to print a document, they can simply select "Urgent same-day delivery" or "Urgent next-day delivery" on the terminal order page. However, the user will be prompted to pay an additional fee to meet the user's needs through other cooperative delivery methods.

[0069] Please refer to Figure 2 Based on the timeframe selected by the user, the matched merchants will submit and generate an order to be printed after the user confirms.

[0070] S2. Push the order to be printed to the merchant to complete the printing of the documents to be printed;

[0071] The service system pushes the orders to be printed to the matched merchant system, which automatically accepts the orders and produces the printed materials based on the files to be printed and the parameters of the files to be printed uploaded by the user.

[0072] S3. Match the delivery method according to the printing requirements, and use the delivery method to complete the delivery of the printed materials.

[0073] As described above, the timeframe initially selected by the user may not be achievable, and there may be situations where the user needs to re-select or change the timeframe. Therefore, matching the delivery method according to the printing needs specifically means matching the delivery method according to the timeframe finally selected by the user.

[0074] Once the printed materials are completed, they will be delivered according to the timeframe selected by the user. The user can then wait for the courier to deliver the materials according to the selected timeframe.

[0075] Therefore, this embodiment achieves a solution where scanning QR codes and manual order dispatch are unnecessary, and users do not need to queue on-site. Users can upload files and submit orders via PCs, mobile phones, or other terminals. The system intelligently matches merchants that can meet the user's needs and distributes the orders to them. After the merchants produce the printed materials according to the requirements, they can arrange for express delivery. For merchants, there is no need to constantly monitor orders, as the system automatically accepts orders, thereby reducing labor costs and enabling various offline printing scenarios to be moved online, bringing a more convenient printing experience to both users and merchants.

[0076] Example 2

[0077] Please refer to Figure 3 A cloud printing device 1 based on the Internet includes a memory 3, a processor 2, and a computer program stored on the memory 3 and executable on the processor 2. When the processor 2 executes the computer program, it implements the steps in Embodiment 1 above.

[0078] In this embodiment, the Internet-based cloud printing device 1 is equivalent to some of the devices in the service system of Embodiment 1.

[0079] The above description is merely an embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent modifications made based on the content of the present invention specification and drawings, or direct or indirect applications in related technical fields, are similarly included within the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A cloud printing method based on the Internet, characterized in that, Including the following steps: Obtain the user's files to be printed and printing requirements, match merchants that meet the printing requirements, and generate a print order; The order to be printed is sent to the merchant to complete the printing of the document to be printed. The delivery method is matched according to the printing requirements, and the printed materials are delivered using the delivery method. The printing requirements include the user's geographical location, print file parameters, and the timeframe required by the user. The merchants that match the printing requirements include: Obtain the geographical location, equipment capacity, and support time of all merchants within a preset range of the user's geographical location; The merchant whose equipment capacity can meet the printing file parameters and whose timeliness can meet the user's needs is matched with the merchant whose geographical location is closest to the user. Among all the merchants whose equipment capacity can meet the printing file parameters and whose delivery time can meet the user's needs, the merchants closest to the user's geographical location include: Based on the user's geographical location and the merchant's geographical location, the first merchant closest to the user is calculated. It is then determined whether the merchant's equipment capacity can meet the printing file parameters. If so, it is determined whether the first merchant can meet the user's timeliness requirements. If so, the first merchant is selected as the merchant that meets the printing requirements. If the first merchant's equipment capacity cannot meet the printing file parameters or the first merchant cannot meet the user's timeliness requirements, then capacity and timeliness will be matched sequentially according to the distance from the user until a merchant whose equipment capacity can meet the printing file parameters and whose timeliness meets the user's timeliness requirements is found. If none of the merchants with matching capacity can meet the user's timeliness requirements, then the closest timeliness that can be met among all the merchants with matching capacity will be pushed to the user for selection.

2. The cloud printing method based on the Internet according to claim 1, characterized in that, The determination of whether the first merchant can meet the user's timeliness needs includes: Determine whether the merchant's supported timeframe includes the user's required timeframe, and whether the printed materials can be delivered within the user's required timeframe based on the user's geographical location and the merchant's geographical location.

3. The cloud printing method based on the Internet according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: If none of the merchants with matching capacity can meet the user's time-sensitive needs, and the user has made an urgent selection for the time-sensitive needs, a prompt will be generated for the user to pay additional fees.

4. A cloud printing method based on the Internet according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The specific method of matching the delivery method according to the printing requirements is to match the delivery method according to the timeliness finally selected by the user.

5. A cloud printing method based on the Internet according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, Also includes: The system determines whether each time-sensitive event can be selected by the user based on the current time.

6. A cloud printing method based on the Internet according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The user's geolocation can only be obtained after the user authorizes it.

7. A cloud printing method based on the Internet according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, Both the user's geographical location and the merchant's geographical location are calculated by converting them to latitude and longitude.

8. An internet-based cloud printing device, comprising a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, characterized in that, When the processor executes the computer program, it implements the Internet-based cloud printing method according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

Images