| CPC G06F 3/1285 (2013.01) [G06F 9/547 (2013.01); H04L 67/06 (2013.01); H04L 67/561 (2022.05); H04L 67/564 (2022.05); H04N 1/00188 (2013.01)] | 15 Claims |
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1. A printing system comprising a printer and a server,
wherein the server is configured to be:
accessed from printers through the Internet; and
available of utilizing Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) provided from each of service providers and released on the Internet,
each of the service providers configured to be a server computer or a set of server computers being accessible through the Internet, each of the service providers releasing a unique API,
each of the service providers being capable of storing image data in volume uploaded through the Internet from a terminal device including a web browser with utilizing an API, and
each of the service providers being capable of allowing the terminal device to download stored image data according to a request from the terminal device including the web browser with utilizing the API,
wherein the server is configured to:
receive a first request for obtaining image data selection screen data from the printer through the Internet,
the first request being a request for designating a service provider selected through a user interface of the printer out of the service providers,
wherein the server is configured to:
receive a thumbnail ID identifying a thumbnail of image data with utilizing the API provided from the service providers with respect to each image data stored in the service provider designated in the first request; and
transmit image data selection screen data including the received thumbnail ID to the printer that transmits the first request,
the image data selection screen data including a plurality of thumbnail IDs identifying associated image data for one page within image data stored in the designated service provider, in a case where the designated service provider stores the image data in volume that is larger than image data for one page,
wherein the printer is configured to:
display a service provider selection screen for selecting a service provider on a display of the printer;
transmit the first request designating the service provider selected through the user interface of the printer to the server through the Internet;
receive the image data selection screen data including the plurality of thumbnail IDs identifying the associated image data for the one page from the server to which the first request is transmitted;
receive thumbnail data of the image data from the selected service provider through the Internet with utilizing the thumbnail ID included in the received image data selection screen data; and
display an image data selection screen including a thumbnail indicated by the received thumbnail data on the display of the printer according to the received image data selection screen data,
the image data selection screen includes a screenful of thumbnail, and
the printer being capable of displaying the thumbnail for the screenful at a maximum within the thumbnail for one page,
wherein the server is configured to:
in a case of receiving a second request through the Internet from the printer to which the image data selection screen data is transmitted, transmit image data selection screen data of a next page subsequent to image data selection screen data that is already transmitted to a printer that transmits the second request,
the second request being a request that is transmitted in a case where the printer to which the image data selection screen data is transmitted receives an operation for instructing to display the next page subsequent to the page displayed on the image data selection screen through the user interface of the printer in a state of displaying the image data selection screen,
the image data selection screen data of the next page including the thumbnail ID received with utilizing the API provided from the service provider designated by the first request, and
a thumbnail ID included in the image data selection screen data of the next page being a thumbnail ID of the next page subsequent to the page displayed on the image data selection screen when the printer receives the operation for instructing to display the next page, within the image data stored in the service provider designated by the first request,
wherein the printer is configured to:
transmit the second request to the server through the Internet in a case of receiving the operation for instructing to display the next page subsequent to the page displayed on the image data selection screen through the user interface of the printer in the state of displaying the image data selection screen;
receive the image data selection screen data of the next page from the server that transmits the second request,
receive thumbnail data of image data from one of the service providers through the Internet with utilizing the thumbnail ID included in the received image data selection screen data of the next page;
newly display a new image data selection screen including a thumbnail indicated by the received thumbnail data on the display of the printer according to the image data selection screen data of the next page,
the new image data selection screen including a screenful of the thumbnail, and
the printer being capable of displaying the screenful at a maximum of thumbnail on the display within the next one page of thumbnail; and
enabling to receive an operation for instructing to display a next page subsequent to a page displayed on the new image data selection screen through the user interface in a state of displaying the new image data selection screen,
wherein the server is configured to:
in a case of receiving a third request through the Internet from the printer to which the image data selection screen data is transmitted, transmit a request for downloading image data identified by an image data ID included in the third request to one of the service providers through the Internet, with utilizing the API provided from one of the service providers storing image data indicated by the image data ID included in the received third request,
the third request being a request that is transmitted in a case of receiving an operation of selecting any of thumbnails included in an image data selection screen thorough the user interface of the printer, in a state where the printer to which the image data selection screen data is transmitted displays the image data selection screen, and
the printer printing image data downloaded from one of the service providers under a requirement that the server request to one of the service providers, the server request including the image data ID of the image data corresponding to the selected thumbnail and included in the third request, and
wherein the printer is configured to:
transmit the third request for requesting to download-print image data corresponding to the selected thumbnail to the server that transmits the image data selection screen data through the Internet, in the case of receiving the operation for selecting any of the thumbnails included in the image data selection screen, in the state of displaying the image data selection screen,
the third request including an image data ID of image data corresponding to the selected thumbnail, and
the printer printing image data downloaded from one of the service providers under a requirement that the server requests to one of the service providers.
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