Printing apparatus, content outputting apparatus and printing system

Abstract

When a print instruction is made by a user who is watching a digital television or the like, a printer makes a send request for print data necessary for printing the first page to a set top box (STB) and receives “Sample. bml” from the STB. Next, the printer refers to the contents written in “Sample. bml”, and specifies image data whose vertical and horizontal sizes are unknown. Next, the printer makes a send request for the vertical and horizontal sizes of an image data whose vertical and horizontal sizes are unknown (such as “B. jpg”) to the STB, and receives the vertical and horizontal sizes from the STB. Further, the printer obtains actual image data from the STB after performing the layout for printing based on the received vertical and horizontal sizes and executes printing page by page.

1 . A printing apparatus for connection to a content storage device which stores a content including an image, said apparatus comprising: 
 a data obtainment unit operable to obtain size data, an image file and control data, from the content storage device, the size data being in the image file which includes (a) image data for representing the image and (b) the size data indicating a size of the image, and the control data defining information concerning a layout of the image;    a layout unit operable to perform the layout of the image for printing, based on the obtained size data and the obtained control data; and    a printing unit operable to print the image based on the obtained image data and the layout.    
     
     
         2 . The printing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising 
 a data request unit operable to request the content storage device for the size data, the image file and the control data,    wherein said data obtainment unit is operable to obtain, from the content storage device, the size data, the image file and the control data which have been requested by said data request unit.    
     
     
         3 . The printing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising 
 a determination unit operable to determine whether or not the obtained control data includes layout size information indicating the size of the image in printing layout,    wherein said layout unit is operable to perform the layout based on the result of the determination by said determination unit.    
     
     
         4 . The printing apparatus according to  claim 3 , 
 wherein said layout unit is operable to perform the layout based on the size data in the case where said determination unit determines that the layout size information is not included in the control data.    
     
     
         5 . The printing apparatus according to  claim 3 , further comprising 
 a size request unit operable to request the content storage device to send one of the size data and the image file in the case where said determination unit determines that the layout size information is not included in the control data,    wherein said data obtainment unit is operable to obtain, from the content storage device, one of the size data and the image file which has been requested by said size request unit.    
     
     
         6 . The printing apparatus according to  claim 5 , 
 wherein said data obtainment unit is operable to obtain one of the size data and the image file, after the request and before said printing unit prints a page on which the image is printed.    
     
     
         7 . The printing apparatus according to  claim 1 , 
 wherein the content storage device is one of a television for digital broadcasting and a set top box for digital broadcasting.    
     
     
         8 . The printing apparatus according to  claim 1 , 
 wherein said control data is described in a markup language.    
     
     
         9 . The printing apparatus according to  claim 1 , 
 wherein said control data is described in XHTM.    
     
     
         10 . The printing apparatus according to  claim 1 , 
 wherein the size data is described in a header of the image file.    
     
     
         11 . A printing method for a printing apparatus for connection to a content storage device which stores a content including an image, said method comprising: 
 obtaining size data, an image file and control data, from the content storage device, the size data being in the image file which includes (a) image data for representing the image and (b) the size data indicating the size of the image, and the control data defining information concerning a layout of the image;    performing the layout of the image for printing, based on the obtained size data and the obtained control data; and    printing the image based on the obtained image data and the layout.