Web Conference Printer Information Sharing via Server Mediation

The web conference server acts as an intermediary that mediates printer information sharing between participants. The server receives printer status information from one participant's apparatus and distributes it to other participants' apparatuses, enabling indirect information sharing without requiring direct peer-to-peer connections. This reduces system complexity by centralizing the coordination function in the existing server infrastructure.

The web conference server is extended to perform multiple functions: it continues to provide voice and video conference services while also managing printer information distribution and print job coordination. By making the server universal and multi-functional, the system avoids adding separate dedicated infrastructure for printer sharing, thereby limiting the increase in overall system complexity.

The system implements feedback mechanisms where the server receives printer status information (connected/disconnected states) from participants' apparatuses and uses this feedback to control print job routing. Before enabling printing, the system checks the feedback information to verify printer availability and authorization status. This feedback loop ensures that printing operations only proceed when security conditions are met, preventing unauthorized data leakage while maintaining ease of operation.

The system performs preliminary checks of printer connection status and authorization before allowing print operations. The server pre-validates whether a participant has authorized printers available and whether the print job should be routed to a specific participant's apparatus. By performing these security validations in advance rather than during the actual printing process, the system prevents potential data leakage while maintaining a simple user interface.