Printing system, image forming apparatus, information processing apparatus, and printing method

Abstract

An image forming apparatus which configures a printing system in which a server, comprises: a generation unit configured to generate, as plug-in information, information that associates a user interface provided by the image forming apparatus with the application provided by a server; a holding unit configured to hold the generated plug-in information; a sending unit configured to send the plug-in information to the information processing apparatus when the plug-in information has not been registered in an information processing apparatus; and a providing unit configured, when direct printing is designated, to provide, as the user interface to the information processing apparatus based on the plug-in information held by the holding unit, a direct print screen for accepting a print setting corresponding to the application that has generated print data to be printed.

1 . A printing system in which a server, an image forming apparatus, and an information processing apparatus are connected via a network, and the image forming apparatus can directly print print data generated by an application provided by the server, wherein
 the image forming apparatus includes:
 a generation unit configured to generate, as plug-in information, information that associates a user interface provided by the image forming apparatus with the application provided by the server; 
 a holding unit configured to hold the generated plug-in information; 
 a sending unit configured to send the plug-in information to the information processing apparatus when the plug-in information has not been registered in the information processing apparatus; and 
 a providing unit configured, when direct printing is designated, to provide, as the user interface to the information processing apparatus based on the plug-in information held by said holding unit, a direct print screen for accepting a print setting corresponding to the application that has generated print data to be printed, and 
   the information processing apparatus includes:
 a registration unit configured to register the plug-in information sent from the image forming apparatus; 
 an acquisition unit configured to acquire the print setting made by a user on the print setting screen of the application provided by the server; 
 a display unit configured to reflect and to display the print setting acquired by said acquisition unit based on the plug-in information on the direct print screen provided by said providing unit of the image forming apparatus when direct printing is designated for print data that is generated by the application provided by the server based on the print setting made by the user; and 
 a designation unit configured to designate, on the direct print screen provided by the image forming apparatus, the print data acquired from the application provided by the server. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the information processing apparatus further includes:
 a save destination confirmation unit configured to accept, from the user, designation of a save destination of print data having undergone direct printing;   a save unit configured to save the print data in accordance with the save destination designated by said save destination confirmation unit; and   a holding unit configured to hold the save destination of the print data as history information.   
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 2 , wherein the image forming apparatus further includes a data acquisition unit configured, when the user designates execution of re-printing of print data via the user interface, to acquire the print data using information of the save destination of the print data that is held as the history information by said holding unit. 
     
     
         4 . An image forming apparatus which configures a printing system in which a server, the image forming apparatus, and an information processing apparatus are connected via a network, and the image forming apparatus can directly print print data generated by an application provided by the server, comprising:
 a generation unit configured to generate, as plug-in information, information that associates a user interface provided by the image forming apparatus with the application provided by the server;   a holding unit configured to hold the generated plug-in information;   a sending unit configured to send the plug-in information to the information processing apparatus when the plug-in information has not been registered in the information processing apparatus; and   a providing unit configured, when direct printing is designated, to provide, as the user interface to the information processing apparatus based on the plug-in information held by said holding unit, a direct print screen for accepting a print setting corresponding to the application that has generated print data to be printed.   
     
     
         5 . An information processing apparatus which configures a printing system in which a server, an image forming apparatus, and the information processing apparatus are connected via a network, and the image forming apparatus can directly print print data generated by an application provided by the server, comprising:
 a registration unit configured to register plug-in information sent from the image forming apparatus;   an acquisition unit configured to acquire a print setting made by a user on a print setting screen of the application provided by the server;   a display unit configured to reflect and displays the print setting acquired by said acquisition unit based on the plug-in information on a direct print screen provided by a providing unit of the image forming apparatus when direct printing is designated for print data that is generated by the application provided by the server based on the print setting made by the user; and   a designation unit configured to designate, on the direct print screen provided by the image forming apparatus, the print data acquired from the application provided by the server.   
     
     
         6 . An information processing apparatus which can be connected to a server and an image forming apparatus via a network, comprising:
 an acquisition unit configured, when a user designates printing of data generated using an application provided by the server, to acquire a print setting made by the user on a print setting screen sent from the server in accordance with the designation; and   a sending unit configured to receive the data from the server, and to send, to the image forming apparatus, the received data and the print setting acquired by said acquisition unit.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 an instruction unit configured to acquire, from the image forming apparatus, a first screen for issuing an instruction to launch the application provided by the server, and to issue an instruction to launch the application provided by the server via a browser that displays the acquired first screen; and   a display control unit configured, when an instruction is issued to print data generated using the application provided by the server, to control to display the print setting acquired by said acquisition unit on a second screen which is provided by the image forming apparatus to instruct the image forming apparatus to print,   wherein upon accepting a print instruction from the user via the second screen, said sending unit sends, to the image forming apparatus, the data received from the server and the print setting acquired by said acquisition unit.   
     
     
         8 . A printing method in a printing system in which a server, an image forming apparatus, and an information processing apparatus are connected via a network, and the image forming apparatus can directly print print data generated by an application provided by the server, comprising:
 a generation step of causing a generation unit of the image forming apparatus to generate, as plug-in information, information that associates a user interface provided by the image forming apparatus with the application provided by the server;   a management step of causing a management unit of the image forming apparatus to manage the generated plug-in information;   a sending step of causing a sending unit of the image forming apparatus to send the plug-in information to the information processing apparatus when the plug-in information has not been registered in the information processing apparatus;   a providing step of causing a providing unit of the image forming apparatus to, when direct printing is designated, provide, as the user interface to the information processing apparatus based on the plug-in information managed in the management step, a direct print screen for accepting a print setting corresponding to the application that has generated print data to be printed;   a registration step of causing a registration unit of the information processing apparatus to register the plug-in information sent from the image forming apparatus;   an acquisition step of causing an acquisition unit of the information processing apparatus to acquire the print setting made by a user on the print setting screen of the application provided by the server;   a display step of causing a display unit of the information processing apparatus to reflect and display the print setting acquired in the acquisition step based on the plug-in information on the direct print screen provided in the providing step of the image forming apparatus when direct printing is designated for print data that is generated by the application provided by the server based on the print setting made by the user; and   a designation step of causing a designation unit of the information processing apparatus to designate, on the direct print screen provided by the image forming apparatus, the print data acquired from the application provided by the server.