Print control device, print control method, and program

Abstract

To suppress unintended operation of a Web page accompanied by printing.SOLUTION: A print control device includes: an identification information acquisition unit which acquires page identification information for identifying a Web page of a request source among a plurality of Web pages; a printing request acquisition unit which acquires a printing request to a printing device from the Web page identified by the page identification information; a control instruction transmission unit which transmits a control instruction based on the printing request to the printing device; a response receiving unit which receives response from the printing device which transmits a response corresponding to the control instruction; a determination unit which determines whether the Web page which has output the printing request is in a state capable of making notification, or in a state not capable of making notification; and a response notifying unit which, when the determination unit has determined that the Web page which has output the printing request is in a state where it can be notified of information regarding the response, notifies the Web page of the information regarding the response, and when the determination unit has determined that the Web page which has output the printing request information is not in the state, does not notify the Web page of the information regarding the response.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a printing control device, a printing control method, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there has been a technique for performing printing using a program described in a script language or the like on a web page from a web page on a web browser. In such a printing technique, printing is performed by directly connecting to a printing device from a web page, or by connecting to relay software operating on a terminal where the web browser operates, passing print data thereto, and connecting to the printing device from the relay software to perform printing (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In such a web browser or web page, the program may be interrupted or stopped at an unintended timing due to a web browser closing operation by the user using it, a web page closing operation, or the like. When the web page is closed in an unintended situation immediately after the printing operation of the web page and a response notification from the printing device for the printing operation is made, there has been a problem that unintended operations may occur in the web browser, web page, or the like.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and an object thereof is to provide a printing control device, a printing control method, and a program capable of suppressing an unintended operation of a web page associated with printing.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0006] A printing control apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention includes: an identification information acquisition unit that acquires page identification information for identifying a requesting Web page among a plurality of Web pages; a printing request acquisition unit that acquires a printing request, which is a request related to a printing apparatus, from the Web page identified by the page identification information; a control instruction transmission unit that transmits a control instruction based on the printing request to the printing apparatus; a response reception unit that receives a response from the printing apparatus that transmits a response corresponding to the control instruction; a determination unit that determines whether the Web page that output the printing request is in a notifiable state or a non-notifiable state; and a response notification unit that, when the determination unit determines that it is notifiable, notifies the Web page that output the printing request of information related to the response, and when the determination unit determines that it is non-notifiable, does not notify the Web page that output the printing request of information related to the response.

[0007] A printing control method according to an aspect of the present invention is executed by a computer device to: acquire page identification information for identifying a requesting Web page among a plurality of Web pages; acquire a printing request, which is a request related to a printing apparatus, from the Web page identified by the page identification information; transmit a control instruction based on the printing request to the printing apparatus; receive the response from the printing apparatus that transmits a response corresponding to the control instruction; determine whether the Web page that output the printing request is in a notifiable state or a non-notifiable state; and when the determination unit determines that it is notifiable, notify the Web page that output the printing request of information related to the response, and when the determination unit determines that it is non-notifiable, do not notify the Web page that output the printing request of information related to the response.

[0008] A program according to an aspect of the present invention causes a computer device to acquire page identification information for identifying a requesting Web page among a plurality of Web pages, acquire a print request that is a request regarding a printing device from the Web page identified by the page identification information, transmit a control instruction based on the print request to the printing device, receive the response from the printing device that transmits the response corresponding to the control instruction, determine whether the Web page that output the print request is in a notifiable state or a non-notifiable state, and when the determination unit determines that it is notifiable, notify information regarding the response to the Web page that output the print request, and when it determines that it is non-notifiable, not notify information regarding the response to the Web page that output the print request.

Effects of the Invention

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress an unintended operation of a Web page associated with printing.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] The printing system 1 of this embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, components having the same or similar functions are denoted by the same reference numerals. Also, redundant descriptions of these components may be omitted.

[0012] [Functional Configuration of Printing System 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the printing system 1 of this embodiment. The printing system 1 of this embodiment is a computer system capable of printing information (hereinafter also referred to as Web page W) composed of a description language such as HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) by HTML viewing software (so-called Web browser) operating on a computer device. The printing system 1 includes a terminal device 10, a Web server 20, a display device 30, an input device 40, and a printing device 50.

[0013] The Web server 20 is a computer device that provides HTML data 201 such as Web page W to the terminal device 10. The display device 30 includes, for example, a liquid crystal display, and displays an image based on the control of the terminal device 10. The input device 40 includes, for example, a keyboard, a mouse, a touch panel, etc., detects the operation of the user of the terminal device 10, and gives an instruction based on the user's operation to the terminal device 10.

[0014] The terminal device 10 is a computer device such as a personal computer, a tablet, or a smartphone. The terminal device 10 includes an arithmetic unit 100 and a storage unit 150.

[0015] The arithmetic unit 100 includes, for example, a Central Processing Unit (CPU), operates based on programs and data stored in the storage unit 150, and provides various functions. The storage unit 150 includes, for example, a semiconductor memory, a hard disk device, etc., and stores programs and data for operating the arithmetic unit 100. Note that the storage unit 150 may be a virtual memory (e.g., cloud memory) configured on a network or the like.

[0016] The arithmetic unit 100 executes a web browser 110 and relay software 120. Here, the relay software 120 is software for relaying between the web browser 110 and the printing device 50. The web browser 110 includes a web page control unit 111 as its software functional unit. The web page control unit 111 executes a program described in a script language such as JavaScript (registered trademark), interprets the HTML data 201 provided from the web server 20, and displays characters and images of the web page W on the display device 30 or the like. In the following description, the above program described in the script language executed by the web page control unit 111 is also referred to as a printing script.

[0017] In addition, the web browser 110 has a function (hereinafter, also simply referred to as a printing function) of generating print data by the printing script of the web page W, transmitting it to the relay server, and causing the printing device 50 to print the content. In the following description, the fact that the printing script of the web browser 110 causes the content of the web page W to be printed by the printing device 50 is also referred to as a printing request. The web page W for which the printing request is made is also referred to as the web page W of the printing request source.

[0018] FIG. 2 is an example of a web page W displayed on the display device 30 of the present embodiment. The web browser 110 can display a plurality of web pages W on the display device 30 at the same time. In the figure, a case where the first web page W1, the second web page W2, and the third web page W3 are displayed at the same time is shown as an example.

[0019] Returning to FIG. 1, the relay software 120 includes, as its software functional units, an identification information acquisition unit 121, a print request acquisition unit 122, a control instruction transmission unit 123, a response reception unit 124, a determination unit 125, and a response notification unit 126.

[0020] The identification information acquisition unit 121 acquires page identification information 1211 that identifies the requesting Web page W among a plurality of Web pages W.

[0021] [Example of Acquisition of Page Identification Information (1)] When the identification information acquisition unit 121 detects that the Web page W has been closed, it acquires the page identification information 1211. In this case, the page identification information 1211 is information indicating that the Web page W has been closed, that is, that the Web page W that should return a response to a request from the Web page W has already been closed.

[0022] More specifically, a program that notifies the identification information acquisition unit 121 that the Web page W of the print request source has been closed is operated in advance on the Web page W. When the Web page W is closed, the program operating on the Web page W notifies the identification information acquisition unit 121 that the Web page W has been closed. The identification information acquisition unit 121 detects that the Web page W of the print request source has been closed based on this notification. When the Web page W of the print request source is closed, information indicating that the Web page W has been closed (for example, values such as 0 (zero), NULL, false, or FALSE) is substituted into the page identification information 1211 of the Web page W. The identification information acquisition unit 121 acquires the page identification information 1211 into which this information indicating that the Web page W has been closed is substituted.

[0023] [Example of Acquisition of Page Identification Information (2)] The relay software 120 may have a function of establishing a connection with the web browser 110 by means of so-called WebSocket. In this case, the relay software 120 opens a WebSocket that is set to be connectable to only one web page W at the same timing. When there is a WebSocket connection request from the web page control unit 111, the identification information acquisition unit 121 detects the WebSocket connection request. When the identification information acquisition unit 121 detects a connection request, it generates a web page ID. Note that the WebSocket connection request is information indicating the connection state with the web page W.

[0024] In the case of this example, the identification information acquisition unit 121 acquires page identification information by generating identification information unique to each web page W. As a specific example, each time the identification information acquisition unit 121 detects a WebSocket connection request, it increments (counts up) the web page ID to generate a unique web page ID for each newly opened web page W. Also, as another example, each time the identification information acquisition unit 121 detects a WebSocket connection request, it may identify by attaching either a binary flag (for example, 0 (zero) or 1) value to the web page W as the web page ID.

[0025] That is, the identification information acquisition unit 121 acquires the page identification information 1211 by generating the page identification information 1211 based on the information indicating the connection state with the web page W.

[0026] [Example of acquisition of page identification information (3)] There may be a case where unique identification information (for example, a web page ID) is pre-attached to the web page W. In this case, the identification information acquisition unit 121 acquires the page identification information 1211 by acquiring the web page ID from the web page W. The above-mentioned plurality of Web pages W (for example, the first Web page W1, the second Web page W2, and the third Web page W3) are each identified by a Web page ID. In this example case, the Web page ID is page identification information 1211.

[0027] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the correspondence between the Web page W of the present embodiment and the page identification information 1211. In this example, if the Web page ID is between 1 and 99, it indicates the first Web page W1. Also, if the Web page ID is between 100 and 199, it indicates the second Web page W2, and if the Web page ID is between 200 and 299, it indicates the third Web page W3.

[0028] Returning to FIG. 1, the identification information acquisition unit 121 acquires the page identification information 1211 of the Web page W displayed by the Web page control unit 111. In this example, as shown in FIG. 2, the Web page control unit 111 is displaying the first Web page W1, the second Web page W2, and the third Web page W3. In this case, the identification information acquisition unit 121 acquires the Web page ID: 1 to 99 as the page identification information 1211 of the first Web page W1. Also, the identification information acquisition unit 121 acquires the Web page ID: 100 to 199 as the page identification information 1211 of the second Web page W2, and the Web page ID: 200 to 299 as the page identification information 1211 of the third Web page W3, respectively. That is, the identification information acquisition unit 121 acquires the page identification information 1211 uniquely assigned to each Web page W from the Web page control unit 111.

[0029] The print request acquisition unit 122 acquires a print request 1231, which is a request regarding the printing device 50 from the Web page W identified by the page identification information 1211. The control instruction transmission unit 123 transmits a print instruction CMD based on the print request 1231 to the printing device 50. The response reception unit 124 receives a response RS from the printing device 50 that transmits the response RS corresponding to the print instruction CMD. The determination unit 125 determines whether the Web page W that has output the print request 1231 is in a state where it can be notified or a state where it cannot be notified. When the determination unit 125 determines that notification is possible, the response notification unit 126 notifies the Web page W that has output the print request 1231 of information regarding the response RS. Further, when the determination unit 125 determines that notification is not possible, the response notification unit 126 does not notify the Web page W that has output the print request 1231 of information regarding the response RS.

[0030] The operations of these respective units will be described in more detail. Note that, in the following, the description will be made on the premise of the method using the above-described WebSocket, but it is not limited thereto.

[0031] [Flow of operations of the printing system 1] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the flow of operations of the printing system 1 of the present embodiment.

[0032] [Operations when a new Web page is opened] (Step S121) The relay software 120 opens a WebSocket that is set to be connectable to only one Web page W at the same timing.

[0033] (Step S111) The Web page control unit 111 of the web browser 110 acquires the HTML data 201 from the web server 20. The Web page control unit 111 interprets the acquired HTML data 201 and causes the display device 30 to display the configured Web page W. That is, the Web page control unit 111 reads the Web page W. (Step S112) The Web page control unit 111 requests a WebSocket connection to the relay software 120 according to the instruction of a program described in a script language. (Step S122) The identification information acquisition unit 121 of the relay software 120 detects the WebSocket connection request from the Web page control unit 111. When the identification information acquisition unit 121 detects the WebSocket connection request, it determines that a new Web page W has been opened. The identification information acquisition unit 121 acquires page identification information 1211 for the newly opened web page W by any of the methods described above.

[0034] (Step S123) The control instruction transmission unit 123 of the relay software 120 outputs a control instruction CMD to the printing device 50.

[0035] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the control instruction CMD and the response RS of the present embodiment. Here, the control instruction CMD is information for causing the printing device 50 to execute a predetermined operation, and is information transmitted from the terminal device 10 to the printing device 50. The response RS is information returned by the printing device 50 that has received the control instruction CMD from the terminal device 10 to the terminal device 10 that transmitted the control instruction CMD. FIG. [A] of the figure shows an example of the configuration of the control instruction CMD, and FIG. [B] of the figure shows an example of the response RS. Note that the control instruction CMD includes those having a response RS from the printing device 50 to the control instruction CMD of the terminal device 10 and those not having a response RS. Here, the control instruction CMD having a response RS will be described.

[0036] The control instruction CMD includes a command identifier, arguments 1... arguments n (n is a natural number). The response RS includes a response identifier, arguments 1... arguments n (n is a natural number). The command identifier is information indicating the type of operation that the terminal device 10 instructs the printing device 50 to perform. The response identifier is information indicating the type of operation that the printing device 50 has performed based on the instruction of the terminal device 10. For example, the types of the control instruction CMD include printing, paper feeding, status notification of the printing device 50, and the like. The command identifier and the response identifier indicate whether the type of the control instruction CMD is any of these printing, paper feeding, status notification of the printing device 50...

[0037] Note that the relay software 120 may transfer the control instruction CMD output by the print script of the web browser 110 to the printing device 50 as it is, as the control instruction CMD to the printing device 50. Also, the relay software 120 may interpret an operation instruction (e.g., a print instruction) to the printing device 50 output by the print script of the web browser 110, and send, as the control instruction CMD to the printing device 50, a converted one into a print instruction command in a format defined by the printing device 50.

[0038] The relay software 120 may sequentially transmit a plurality of types of control instructions CMD. The relay software 120 can confirm, based on the response identifier included in the received response RS, which control instruction CMD among the plurality of types of control instructions CMD transmitted sequentially is the response RS for.

[0039] Here, the types of the control instruction CMD include those for which the printing mechanism of the printing device 50 operates and those for which the printing mechanism of the printing device 50 does not operate. The printing mechanism of the printing device 50 includes a print head, a paper feed device, etc. Those for which the printing mechanism of the printing device 50 does not operate include status_check of the printing device 50, ver_check of the firmware version of the printing device 50, etc. The control instruction CMD of the type for which the printing mechanism of the printing device 50 does not operate, such as status_check, is also referred to as a first control instruction CMD1 (or a specific control instruction; the same applies in the following description). Also, the control instruction CMD of the type for which the printing mechanism of the printing device 50 operates, such as printing and paper feeding, is also referred to as a second control instruction CMD2.

[0040] In step S123, the control instruction transmission unit 123 transmits, to the printing device 50, a control instruction CMD of the type for which the printing mechanism of the printing device 50 does not operate (that is, the first control instruction CMD1). For example, the control instruction transmission unit 123 transmits a control instruction CMD for status_check to the printing device 50. When the printing device 50 receives the control instruction CMD for status_check, it returns a response RS corresponding to this control instruction CMD to the relay software 120.

[0041] That is, the control instruction transmission unit 123 transmits a specific control instruction corresponding to the page identification information 1211 to the printing device 50.

[0042] Here, the first control instruction CMD1 (specific control instruction) is a control instruction CMD among the control instructions CMD of the printing device 50 that has a response RS from the printing device 50 to the control instruction CMD and for which the printing mechanism of the printing device 50 does not operate.

[0043] According to the relay software 120 configured as described above, by transmitting the first control instruction CMD1 to the printing device 50, it is possible to confirm which response RS is for which control instruction CMD without operating the printing mechanism of the printing device 50.

[0044] Note that the configurations of the control instruction CMD and the response RS described above are merely examples and are not limited thereto. For example, the control instruction CMD and the response RS may be configured as shown in FIG. 6.

[0045] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a modified example of the configuration of the control instruction CMD and the response RS of the present embodiment. In this modified example, in addition to each piece of information shown in FIG. 5, the control instruction CMD includes a transmission source identifier, and the response RS includes a transmission destination identifier.

[0046] The page identification information 1211 (for example, "1") acquired by the identification information acquisition unit 121 in step S122 is substituted into the transmission source identifier. The transmission source identifier included in the control instruction CMD received by the printing device 50 (that is, the page identification information 1211. For example, "1") is substituted into the transmission destination identifier of the response RS. The terminal device 10 can determine which control instruction CMD the response RS corresponds to when a plurality of control instructions CMD are transmitted by comparing the transmission source identifier of the control instruction CMD and the transmission destination identifier of the response RS.

[0047] (Step S501) Return to FIG. 4, and the printing device 50 receives the first control instruction CMD1 from the relay software 120. (Step S502) The printing device 50 transmits a response RS to the control instruction CMD received in Step S501 to the relay software 120.

[0048] (Step S124) The response receiving unit 124 receives the response RS transmitted from the printing device 50 in Step S502.

[0049] Here, it can be said that the response RS transmitted in Step S502 is a response RS including the identification result of the web page W included in the specific control instruction transmitted in Step S123. That is, the response receiving unit 124 receives a response RS including the identification result corresponding to the specific control instruction from the printing device 50.

[0050] The determination unit 125 determines whether the received response RS is a response RS corresponding to the first control instruction CMD1 transmitted in Step S123. Specifically, the determination unit 125 determines whether the response RS corresponds to the first control instruction CMD1 based on whether the command identifier of the first control instruction CMD1 shown in FIG. 5 matches the response identifier of the response RS. Alternatively, the determination unit 125 determines whether the response RS corresponds to the first control instruction CMD1 based on whether the transmission source identifier of the first control instruction CMD1 shown in FIG. 6 matches the transmission destination identifier of the response RS.

[0051] As described above, in the series of operations from step S122 to step S124, when the identification information acquisition unit 121 detects a WebSocket connection request, it determines that a new web page W has been opened. The identification information acquisition unit 121 acquires page identification information 1211 for the newly opened web page W by any of the methods described above. The control instruction transmission unit 123 transmits a first control instruction CMD1 to the printing device 50. The printing device 50 transmits a response RS to the first control instruction CMD1 to the relay software 120. That is, the relay software 120 transmits the first control instruction CMD1 on the condition that the newly opened web page W has been identified, and receives the response RS to the first control instruction CMD1 from the printing device 50. The determination unit 125 determines whether the received response RS is a response RS to the first control instruction CMD1 transmitted on the condition that the newly opened web page W has been identified.

[0052] That is, it can be said that the response RS includes information indicating the identification result of the web page W based on the page identification information 1211.

[0053] [Operation at the time of print request] (Step S113) The web page control unit 111 of the web browser 110 outputs a print request 1231 to the terminal device 10. The print request 1231 is generated, for example, when an operation of instructing printing is performed on the print script of the web page displayed on the display device 30 by the user operating the web browser 110. In this case, when the web page control unit 111 detects the user's print operation, it outputs the print request 1231 to the terminal device 10. (Step S125) The print request acquisition unit 122 acquires the print request 1231 output by the web page control unit 111. Here, the web page W displayed by the web page control unit 111 on the display device 30 is the web page W identified by the page identification information 1211 as described above.

[0054] That is, the print request acquisition unit 122 acquires a print request 1231 that is a request regarding the printing device 50 from the Web page W identified by the page identification information 1211.

[0055] (Step S126) The control instruction transmission unit 123 transmits a control instruction CMD (that is, a print instruction) based on the print request 1231 to the printing device 50.

[0056] (Step S503) The printing device 50 receives the control instruction CMD of the print instruction. (Step S504) The printing device 50 executes printing based on the print request from the Web page W specified by the control instruction CMD. Note that since the printing operation by the printing device 50 and the exchange of the control instruction CMD for the printing operation are known, the description thereof is omitted. (Step S505) The printing device 50 transmits a response RS indicating that the printing has ended to the relay software 120.

[0057] (Step S127) The response reception unit 124 receives the response RS from the printing device 50 that transmits the response RS corresponding to the print instruction CMD.

[0058] (Step S128) The determination unit 125 determines whether a response can be made to the Web page W that output the print request 1231. As described above, in step S124, the determination unit 125 determines whether it is the response RS corresponding to the first control instruction CMD1. For example, the determination unit 125 determines whether it is the response RS corresponding to the first control instruction CMD1 based on whether the command identifier of the first control instruction CMD1 matches the response identifier of the response RS. If the command identifier of the first control instruction CMD1 matches the response identifier of the response RS, the determination unit 125 determines that the Web page W that output the print request 1231 is in a state where a notification can be made. Further, if the command identifier of the first control instruction CMD1 does not match the response identifier of the response RS, the determination unit 125 determines that the Web page W that output the print request 1231 is not in a notifiable state.

[0059] That is, the determination unit 125 determines whether the Web page W that output the print request 1231 is in a notifiable state or a non-notifiable state.

[0060] Note that the non-notifiable state for the Web page that output the print request includes not only the case where the Web page W is closed, but also, for example, the case where the web browser 110 is closed, or the case where the WebSocket connection between the Web page W and the relay software 120 is disconnected.

[0061] (Step S127) Returning to FIG. 4, when the determination unit 125 determines that notification is possible, the response notification unit 126 notifies the Web page W that output the print request 1231 of information regarding the response RS. Further, when the determination unit 125 determines that notification is not possible, the response notification unit 126 does not notify the Web page W that output the print request 1231 of information regarding the response RS.

[0062] That is, the response notification unit 126 associates the print request 1231 with the response 501 based on the identification result of the Web page W, and notifies the Web page W identified by the page identification information 1211 of information regarding the received response 501.

[0063] Note that the above-mentioned "information regarding the response RS" may be the response RS itself, or may be information obtained by performing some conversion (e.g., format conversion, aggregation of multiple responses RS) on the response RS in the relay software 120.

[0064] (Step S114) When the response RS is notified in Step S127, the Web page control unit 111 receives the response RS.

[0065] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the determination operation by the determination unit 125 of the present embodiment. In FIG. [A], the first Web page W1 of the Web browser 110 and the relay software 120 output a control instruction CMD_A, and a response RS_A is returned from the printing apparatus 50 to the first Web page W1. In FIG. [B], after the first Web page W1 of the Web browser 110 and the relay software 120 output the control instruction CMD_A, the first Web page W1 is closed, and a new Web page, the second Web page W2, is opened.

[0066] In the case of FIG. [B], the response RS_A of the printing apparatus 50 to the control instruction CMD_A is returned to the relay software 120 after the second Web page W2 is opened. In this case, if the relay software 120 notifies the second Web page W2 of the response RS_A, the second Web page W2 will receive an unexpected response RS (response RS_A). In this case, depending on the design of the second Web page W2, unexpected operations may occur due to receiving the unexpected response RS_A.

[0067] As shown in FIG. [B], when the second Web page W2 is opened, the relay software 120 of the present embodiment transmits a control instruction CMD_B (the specific control instruction described above) to the printing apparatus 50. The printing apparatus 50 returns a response RS_B to the control instruction CMD_B to the relay software 120. As shown in FIG. [B], after transmitting the control instruction CMD_B, the relay software 120 receives the response RS_A and then the response RS_B in this order. In this case, the page identification information 1211 of the control instruction CMD_B and the response RS_A do not match. The page identification information 1211 of the control instruction CMD_B and the response RS_B match.

[0068] When the determination unit 125 of the present embodiment receives the response RS_A after transmitting the control instruction CMD_B, it determines that it has received a response RS that does not correspond to the control instruction CMD_B (i.e., the control instruction CMD for the second web page W2). In this case, even if the determination unit 125 receives the response RS_A, it does not notify the second web page W2 of the response RS_A.

[0069] That is, the printing system 1 of the present embodiment suppresses notifying a new web page W (e.g., the second web page W2) of an unexpected response RS (e.g., the response RS_A) for a web page W (e.g., the first web page W1) that has already been closed. That is, the printing system 1 of the present embodiment suppresses notifying a response RS that does not correspond to the second web page W2.

[0070] According to the printing system 1 configured as described above, even when an operation such as closing the web page W by the user occurs, it is possible to avoid notifying the second web page W2 of an unexpected response RS and suppress an unintended operation.

[0071] Note that all or part of the functions provided in the terminal device 10 described above may be recorded as a program on a computer-readable recording medium, and this program may be executed by a computer system. The computer system shall include an OS, hardware such as peripheral devices, etc. Also, the computer-readable recording medium is, for example, a portable medium such as a flexible disk, a magneto-optical disk, a ROM (Read Only Memory), a CD-ROM, etc., a storage device such as a hard disk incorporated in the computer system, or a volatile memory (Random Access Memory: RAM) provided in a server on a network such as the Internet. Note that the volatile memory is an example of a recording medium that holds a program for a certain period of time.

[0072] In addition, the above-described program may be transmitted to another computer system via a transmission medium, for example, a network such as the Internet or a communication line such as a telephone line.

[0073] Also, the above program may be a program that realizes all or part of the above-described functions. Note that a program that realizes part of the above-described functions may be a so-called differential program that can be realized in combination with a program that is pre-recorded in a computer system with the above-described functions.

[0074] As described above, the embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to the drawings. However, the specific configuration is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and design changes and the like within the scope not departing from the gist of the present invention are also included.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0075] 1... Printing system, 10... Terminal device, 20... Web server, 30... Display device, 40... Input device, 50... Printing device, 100... Arithmetic unit, 110... Web browser, 111... Web page control unit, 120... Relay software, 121... Identification information acquisition unit, 122... Printing request acquisition unit, 123... Control instruction transmission unit (control instruction transmission unit), 124... Response reception unit, 125... Determination unit, 126... Response notification unit, 150... Storage unit, 201... HTML data, 1211... Page identification information, 1231... Printing request, W... Web page, CMD... Control instruction, CMD1... First control instruction, CMD2... Second control instruction, RS... Response

Claims

1. An identification information acquisition unit that acquires page identification information for identifying a requesting Web page among a plurality of Web pages; A print request acquisition unit that acquires a print request, which is a request related to a printing device, from the Web page identified by the page identification information; A control instruction transmission unit that transmits a control instruction based on the print request to the printing device; A response reception unit that receives the response from the printing device that transmits the response corresponding to the control instruction; A determination unit that determines whether the Web page that output the print request is in a notifiable state or a non - notifiable state; A response notification unit that, when the determination unit determines that notification is possible, notifies the Web page that output the print request of information related to the response, and when it determines that notification is impossible, does not notify the Web page that output the print request of information related to the response; A printing control device comprising the above.

2. The identification information acquisition unit acquires the page identification information by generating the page identification information based on information indicating a connection state with a Web page. The printing control device according to claim 1.

3. The response includes information indicating an identification result of a Web page based on the page identification information. The response notification unit associates the print request and the response based on the identification result, and notifies the Web page identified by the page identification information of information related to the received response. The printing control device according to claim 1.

4. The control instruction transmission unit transmits a specific control instruction corresponding to the page identification information to the printing device. The response reception unit receives the identification result corresponding to the specific control instruction from the printing device. The printing control device according to claim 3.

5. The specific control instruction is a control instruction among the control instructions of the printing apparatus, which has a response from the printing apparatus to the control instruction and for which the printing apparatus structure of the printing apparatus does not operate. The printing control apparatus according to claim 4.

6. A computer device acquires page identification information for identifying the Web page of the request source among a plurality of Web pages; acquires a printing request that is a request regarding a printing apparatus from the Web page identified by the page identification information; transmits a control instruction based on the printing request to the printing apparatus; receives the response from the printing apparatus that transmits the response corresponding to the control instruction; determines whether the Web page that output the printing request is in a notifiable state or a non-notifiable state; when the determination unit determines that it is notifiable, notifies information regarding the response to the Web page that output the printing request, and when it determines that it is non-notifiable, does not notify information regarding the response to the Web page that output the printing request; A printing control method for executing the above.

7. In a computer device acquires page identification information for identifying the Web page of the request source among a plurality of Web pages; acquires a printing request that is a request regarding a printing apparatus from the Web page identified by the page identification information; transmits a control instruction based on the printing request to the printing apparatus; receives the response from the printing apparatus that transmits the response corresponding to the control instruction; determines whether the Web page that output the printing request is in a notifiable state or a non-notifiable state; When the determination unit determines that notification is possible, information regarding the response is notified to the Web page that output the print request, and when it determines that notification is impossible, information regarding the response is not notified to the Web page that output the print request, and A program for causing the above to be executed.

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