Print data transfer system, method of transferring print data, and computer program product to effect the method

Abstract

In a receiver computer 100 , a transmission controller 111 transmits user interface data 171 to a transmitter computer 200 . In the transmitter computer 200 , a display processing unit 213 causes a user interface for inputting print settings information to be displayed on the screen of a monitor 250 , based on the transmitted user interface data 171 . When the print settings information is input via an input device 240 , a transmission controller 211 transmits color image data 271 , color-correction source data 272 , and the input print settings information to the receiver computer 100 . In the receiver computer 100 , a print processing unit 114 carries out a variety of processing operations with respect to color image data, based on the print settings information. A color correction element 118 in the print processing unit 114 carries out a color correction of the color image data using the color-correction source data 272 and color-correction destination data 172 read from a hard disk 170 . A printer 180 prints a color image, which is expressed by the contents of the color-corrected color image data. This arrangement enables a printer connected to the receiver computer to print a color image based on the print data transmitted from the transmitter computer via a computer network, even if a printer driver exclusively provided for the printer has not been installed in the transmitter computer.

1 - 5 . (canceled)  
     
     
         6 . A transmitter for transmitting print data to a receiver, which is connected to a printer, via a computer network, the transmitter comprising: 
 a memory that stores the print data;    a transmission unit that executes transmission of the print data;    an input device;    a display device; and    a controller that controls operation of the transmitter,    wherein the controller causes the transmission unit to send an instruction for starting a transmission process of the print data to the receiver when receiving the instruction for starting the transmission process via the input device,    the controller causes the display device to display a user interface for allowing a user to input print settings information for the printer based on user interface data when receiving the user interface data transmitted from the receiver via the transmission unit, and    the controller reads the print data from the memory and causes the transmission unit to send the print data and the print settings information, which is to be used in a printing process by the printer, to the receiver when receiving the print settings information and a transmission instruction of the print data via the input device.    
     
     
         7 . A receiver, which is connected to a printer, for receiving print data from a transmitter via a computer network, the receiver comprising: 
 a memory that stores user interface data, which is used to display a user interface for allowing a user to input print settings information for the printer;    a transmission unit that executes transmission of the user interface data; and    a controller that control operation of the receiver,    wherein the controller reads the user interface data from the memory and causes the transmission unit to send the user interface data to the transmitter when receiving the instruction for starting the transmission process from the transmitter via the transmission unit, and    the controller causes the printer to print the contents represented by the print data according to the print settings information when receiving the print data and the print settings information, which is to be used in a printing process by the printer, transmitted from via the transmission unit.    
     
     
         8 - 34 . (canceled)