JP2003051925A - Imaging device and image forming program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an imaging device and an image forming program which enable other imaging devices to conduct processing, in the case the prescribed functions of the imaging device on a network are not available. SOLUTION: A CPU 7 discriminates whether or not a plotter 13 is available, when receiving a print request. When the plotter 13 is not available, the CPU 7 acquires functional information of the other imaging devices and retrieves whether or not there are the other imaging devices capable of making print outs. When there is any other imaging device capable of making print outs, the CPU 7 informs a computer being a print request source about it to urge an instruction entry. When an instruction of print stop is entered, the print job is deleted; when a print re-output instruction is entered, print data and updated print request contents are transmitted to the other imaging devices.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a LAN (Local).
l Area Network), WAN (Wide)
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and an image forming program to which a plurality of terminal devices and MFPs (hereinafter, referred to as multi-function peripherals), facsimile devices, image forming devices, etc. are connected via a network such as Area Network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, with the spread of networks, terminal devices such as a plurality of workstations (WS) and personal computers (PC) and various functions such as a facsimile function, a printer function, and a copying function are provided. Network systems to which multi-function peripherals are connected are widely used. A multi-function peripheral connected to such a network system can receive a facsimile from another multi-function peripheral connected via a network, print or copy original data and images created by another terminal device. It can be carried out. In the network system, a user can input a print request or a copy request for data from a terminal device and transfer the data to be printed or the data to be copied to the multi-function peripheral to execute desired printing or copying.

Regarding the network system as described above, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-293955 discloses information processing when an information processing terminal device and an image forming device are connected via a network and a preset condition is satisfied. A means for connecting a line between the processing terminal device and the image forming apparatus, a means for transmitting the image forming condition of the image forming apparatus side to the information processing terminal device side when the condition is satisfied, and an information processing terminal device side And a means for displaying the transmitted image forming condition, the display device on the information processing terminal device side can easily confirm the state of the image forming device when the data printing process is executed. A distributed processing system capable of processing and a network connection method in the system are described.

[0004]

However, if the printer function of the multifunction machine requested by the user to print out of the plurality of multifunction machines connected via the network is in an unusable state, printing is not possible. I can't do it. In such a case, there is a growing demand from users for performing printing by another multifunction peripheral connected to the same network and effectively using the multifunction peripheral within the network. Similarly, if the fax reception / output function of one of the multifunction machines that is connected via the network is disabled, another multifunction machine connected to the same network will receive the fax. -There is also a demand for effective use of multi-function peripherals in the network by performing output. In addition, the status of each processing such as print processing, facsimile reception / output request processing by the multi-function peripheral in the network, distributed processing when it is supposed to be performed by other multi-function peripherals, that is, job proxy processing by each multi-function peripheral Without confirmation, the user cannot recognize what the printing or facsimile reception / output is like.

Therefore, a first object of the present invention is to use a predetermined function by effectively utilizing image forming apparatus resources such as a facsimile function, a printer function, and a copying function possessed by a plurality of image forming apparatuses on a network. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus and an image forming program capable of reducing the time (downtime) in the disabled state as a whole. A second object of the present invention is that each image forming apparatus on the network has a function of searching (retrieving) the status of another image forming apparatus, so that a user who has made a print request can be a re-output destination. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus and an image forming program that can prompt the selection of the image forming apparatus or can automatically select the image forming apparatus itself. A third object of the present invention is to display a list of distributed processing states in each image forming apparatus on the network so that the user can confirm the substitute processing status and facilitate management. And to provide an image forming program.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, in an image forming apparatus capable of network connection with one or a plurality of terminal apparatuses and another image forming apparatus, the terminal apparatus or the other image forming apparatus is provided. A data transmission / reception means for transmitting / receiving print data or facsimile image data via a network, and a function information acquisition means for acquiring function information such as a printer function and a facsimile function of the other image forming apparatus connected to the network, When the data transmitting / receiving unit receives print data or facsimile image data from the terminal device or the image forming apparatus, a determining unit that determines whether an image can be formed on a sheet, and the determining unit determines whether the image is formed on the sheet. If it is determined that image formation is impossible, another image acquired by the function information acquisition means A selection instruction unit that presents function information of the image forming apparatus and that prompts the user to select a print instruction in the other image forming apparatus connected to the network. When it is determined that the formation is impossible, the print data is transmitted to the image forming apparatus selected by the selection instructing unit via the network, thereby achieving the first and second objects.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, when the data transmission / reception unit receives facsimile image data from another image forming apparatus connected to the network, the determination unit determines An image for automatically selecting an image forming apparatus capable of forming an image of the facsimile image data based on the function information acquired by the function information acquisition unit when it is determined that the image formation of the facsimile image data on the sheet is impossible. The data transmission / reception means achieves the first object by transmitting the facsimile image data to the image forming apparatus selected by the image forming apparatus selecting means.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the invention, a job for acquiring and presenting job information such as a print status and a facsimile reception status of the image forming apparatus connected to the network The third object is achieved by further including the information presenting means.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, an image forming apparatus capable of network connection with one or more terminal apparatuses and another image forming apparatus is printed with the terminal apparatus or the other image forming apparatus via a network. Data transmission / reception means for transmitting / receiving data or facsimile image data, function information acquisition means for acquiring function information such as printer function and facsimile function of the other image forming apparatus connected to the network, and the data transmission / reception means are the terminal device. Alternatively, when print data or facsimile image data is received from the image forming apparatus, a determination unit that determines whether an image can be formed on a sheet, and the determination unit determines that an image cannot be formed on the sheet. In the case of doing, presenting the function information of the other image forming apparatus acquired by the function information acquiring unit, In the case where the data transmitting / receiving unit determines that the image forming unit cannot form an image on a sheet, the data transmitting / receiving unit functions as a selection instructing unit that prompts selection of a print instruction in another image forming apparatus connected to the network. By transmitting the print data via the network to the image forming apparatus selected by the selection instruction unit,
The first and second objects are achieved.

[0010]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a multifunction peripheral on the network printing system. Although illustration is omitted,
In the network printing system according to the present embodiment, it is assumed that a plurality of terminal devices such as workstations and personal computers (hereinafter referred to as computers) and a multi-function peripheral as shown in FIG. 1 are connected via a network. Further, the network may be a network such as a LAN, WAN, or a captain system which is connected by wire or wireless or both, or a communication network by a line through a dedicated line. As shown in FIG. 1, the multi-function peripheral according to the present embodiment includes, as an example, a communication control unit 1, a NIC (Network Interface C).
ard) 2, speaker 3, modem 4, network controller 5,
Encoding / decoding unit 6, CPU (central processing unit) 7, ROM
(Read only memory) 8, buffer memory 9,
Character generator 10, scanner 11, document sensor 12, plotter 13, paper sensor 14, operation display unit 1
5, the image memory 16, the parameter memory 17, and the battery 18 are provided.

The CPU 7 controls each unit in the multifunction machine according to the firmware program stored in the ROM 8. When transmitting a document, the communication control unit 1 sends the image information read by the scanner 11 to the public line network by controlling the modem 4 and the network control device 5. In addition, the communication control unit 1 controls transmission / reception of various information to / from another computer or a multifunction peripheral connected to the network via the NIC 2. The operation display unit 15 captures the input information by the button operation by the user, and displays the operating state and the like on the display device of the computer or the display device of the multi-function peripheral itself according to the input information. When the multi-function peripheral is in the on-hook mode, the CPU 7 controls the network control device 5 to close the line with the public line network and the communication control unit 1 to adjust the output volume level of the speaker 3. In the CPU 7, the communication control unit 1 uses the network control device 5 and the NIC.
When print data from a computer connected to the network via 2 and facsimile transmission data from another multifunction peripheral or a facsimile device are received, it is confirmed whether the plotter 13 can be used. The CPU 7 determines whether to transfer the print data or the facsimile transmission data to another multifunction machine according to the state of the plotter 13.

Next, the operation of the network printing system according to this embodiment will be described. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure in the multi-function peripheral when a print request is received. When the communication control unit 1 receives the print request from the computer connected to the network via the NIC 2, the CPU 7 determines whether or not the plotter 13, which is the print output unit of the multifunction peripheral, can be used (step 201). . If the plotter 13 is available (step 201;
Y), print data is received from the computer, printed out by the plotter 13 (step 202), and the process ends. If the plotter 13 is in an unusable state due to a failure or there is no paper to print (step 201; N), a printer of another multifunction peripheral connected to the network via the communication control unit 1. A function is searched for and function information is acquired (step 20).
3). In such a case, not only information about whether or not the plotter of another multifunction peripheral is in a usable state, but also functional information about whether or not the multifunction device has a function that satisfies the content of the print request, such as print resolution and print Image processing functions such as size and aggregate double-sided printing are also acquired (step 20).
3). Based on the acquired information, the CPU 7 determines whether or not there is a multi-function peripheral capable of print output on the network (step 204).

If it is determined that there is no other multifunction machine capable of print output (step 204;
N) Then, the print request source computer is notified that the multi-function peripheral on the network cannot print (step 205), and the process ends. When it is determined that there are one or more multi-function peripherals capable of print output or a printer device having a single printer function (step 204; Y), the names and IDs of other multi-function peripherals capable of print output. Information and the list of function information of the multifunction peripheral are created (step 20
6) The created list is transmitted to the computer that issued the print request (step 207). The user of the computer that is the source of the print request refers to the transmitted list on the display device and selects a multifunction peripheral or printer device different from the designated multifunction peripheral to output the print again or cancel the print. An instruction request as to whether or not to input is input (step 208).

When a print cancel instruction is input (step 208; print cancel instruction), the CPU 7 of the multi-function peripheral which receives this request erases the print job (step 209) and terminates the processing. When an instruction to print again with another multifunction peripheral or printer is input (step 208; output printer instruction), CPU 7
Receives the name of the multifunction device specified for output from the computer that is the source of the print request and the instruction contents such as the change contents of the print request, and print data and updated print data for the multifunction device that is the target of re-output. The request content is transmitted (step 210), and the process ends. As mentioned above,
In the multi-function device network system according to the present embodiment,
It is possible to effectively use the multifunction peripheral resources on the network and reduce the time required for the function to deteriorate in the entire network system. Further, since each multi-function peripheral can search (search) the states of other multi-function peripherals on the network and acquire various information and function information, for example, when a notification that print request execution is impossible is received, It is possible to prompt the user to select the multifunction peripheral as the output destination.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing a processing procedure in the multi-function peripheral when receiving a facsimile.
When a facsimile reception (incoming call) is received via the network control device 5, the CPU 7 of the multi-function peripheral determines whether the plotter 13, which is the print output unit of the multi-function peripheral, can be used (step 301). When the plotter 13 is in the usable state (step 301; Y), the facsimile is directly received from the transmission source, and the plotter 13 immediately prints out the data while receiving it (step 303), and the process ends. When the plotter 13 is in an unusable state because it is out of order or there is no paper to print (step 3
01; N), PSTN (Public Switche)
d Telephone Network (public telephone network) receives a facsimile image from the memory (step 302) and determines again whether the plotter 13 is usable (step 304). Here, the plotter 1
3 is available (step 304;
Y), the facsimile image received by the memory is printed out (step 306), and the process is terminated.

When it is determined that the plotter 13 is not usable again (step 304; N), the CPU 7 determines whether the plotter 13 is usable until a certain time has elapsed (step 305; N). Is repeated (steps 304 to 305). When the elapse of a certain time is confirmed by the CPU 7 (step 305), the facsimile image is transferred to another multifunction peripheral on the network that can receive the facsimile and print out the facsimile image by using the FTP (File Transfer Prot).
ocol) transfer (step 307), and the process ends. As described above, in the multifunction peripheral network system according to the present embodiment, facsimile reception and output can be executed by other multifunction peripherals on the network, and the multifunction peripheral resources can be effectively used. Further, since each multi-function peripheral can retrieve the status of other multi-function peripherals on the network and acquire various information and function information, for example, in the case of a multi-function peripheral that cannot receive facsimiles, On the other hand, it is possible to prompt the user to select the multifunction machine that is the re-transmission destination.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of job history information of the multi-function peripheral displayed on a computer on the network. On a display device such as a monitor or a display of a computer (not shown), the history of jobs executed by all the multifunction peripherals network-connected to the computer is displayed. Each multi-function peripheral on the network transmits the job history information as shown in FIG. 4 to the computer connected to the network. The terminal name 41 includes, for example, MFP1, MFP
2, the MFP 3 and the like are displayed together with the IDs of the multifunction peripherals on the network. Further, the end date and time 42 displays the date and time regarding the job executed in each multifunction peripheral, and the job content 43 displays job information, function information and the like. The job content 43 also displays transfer processing information when a facsimile reception is performed, and the user can refer to the job history information to display processing status such as facsimile reception status and print output status. It is easy to recognize. In addition, particularly for an image with confidentiality, it is possible to confirm whether or not the transferred multifunction peripheral is appropriate.

In the network printing system according to the present embodiment, it has been described that the multifunction peripheral itself determines whether or not it is possible to print out, receive a facsimile, and the like. It is also possible to separately provide a network information judging device capable of making a judgment and to decide a multifunction machine to perform print re-output or facsimile re-receiving according to the judgment made by the network information judging device. Further, by using the network printing program in the multifunction peripheral or the image forming apparatus, it is possible to determine the function information or the processing state of the other multifunction peripheral or the image forming apparatus on the network.
In addition, in the network printing system of the present embodiment,
The description has been made assuming that a plurality of computers (terminal devices) and the multi-function peripheral are connected, but the invention is not limited to this, and other than the multi-function peripheral, a printer device, a facsimile device,
It can also be applied to the case where a single-function image forming apparatus such as a copying machine is connected.

[0019]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the data transmitting / receiving means determines that the image forming on the paper is impossible, the data transmitting / receiving means sends the image forming apparatus selected by the selection instructing means via the network. Since the print data is transmitted by using the multi-function peripheral, it is possible to effectively use the multifunction peripheral resources on the network. Further, since each multi-function peripheral has a function of searching the status of other multi-function peripherals on the network, it is possible to prompt the user who has made a print request to select the re-output destination multi-function peripheral.

According to the second aspect of the invention, the data transmitting / receiving means transmits the facsimile image data to the image forming apparatus selected by the image forming apparatus selecting means.
Since the facsimile image data is transmitted to the image forming apparatus selected by the image forming apparatus selecting means, it is possible to effectively use the multifunction peripheral resources on the network and reduce the downtime of the entire system. .

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the job information presenting means for obtaining and presenting the job information such as the print status and the facsimile reception status of the image forming apparatus connected to the network is further provided. It is possible to confirm the distributed processing status in the machine as a list and facilitate management.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the data transmitting / receiving unit prints on the image forming apparatus selected by the selection instructing unit via the network when the determining unit determines that the image formation on the sheet is impossible. Since the data is transmitted, it is possible to effectively use the multifunction peripheral resources on the network. Further, since each multi-function peripheral has a function of searching the status of other multi-function peripherals on the network, it is possible to prompt the user who has made a print request to select the re-output destination multi-function peripheral.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a multifunction peripheral on a network printing system.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure in the multi-function peripheral when a print request is received.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure in the multi-function peripheral when receiving a facsimile.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of job history information of a multifunction peripheral displayed on a computer on a network.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Communication Control Unit 2 NIC (Network Interface)
Card) 3 Speaker 4 Modem 5 Network control device 6 Encoding / decoding unit 7 CPU (Central processing unit) 8 ROM (Read only memory) 9 Buffer memory 10 Character generator 11 Scanner 12 Original sensor 13 Plotter 14 Paper sensor 15 Operation Display unit 16 Image memory 17 Parameter memory 18 Battery

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus capable of network connection with a single or a plurality of terminal apparatuses and other image forming apparatuses, wherein print data and facsimile image data of the terminal apparatus or the other image forming apparatuses are transmitted via a network. A data transmitting / receiving unit for transmitting / receiving, a function information acquiring unit for acquiring functional information such as a printer function and a facsimile function of the other image forming apparatus connected to the network, and the data transmitting / receiving unit for the terminal device or the image forming unit. When receiving the print data or the facsimile image data from the device, the determination means for determining whether the image formation on the paper is possible, and when the determination means determines that the image formation on the paper is impossible, The function information of the other image forming apparatus acquired by the function information acquiring unit is presented, and the network information is displayed. Selection instructing means for urging the user to select a print instruction in another image forming apparatus connected to the work, wherein the data transmitting / receiving means determines that the determining means cannot form an image on a sheet. An image forming apparatus, wherein the print data is transmitted to the image forming apparatus selected by the selection instructing unit via a network. 2. When the data transmitting / receiving unit receives facsimile image data from another image forming apparatus connected to the network, the determining unit cannot form an image of the facsimile image data on a sheet. When it is determined that, based on the function information acquired by the function information acquisition unit, further comprises an image forming apparatus selection unit for automatically selecting an image forming apparatus capable of forming an image of the facsimile image data, the data transmitting and receiving unit, The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the facsimile image data is transmitted to the image forming apparatus selected by the image forming apparatus selecting unit. 3. The job information presenting means for obtaining and presenting job information such as a printing status and a facsimile reception status of the image forming apparatus connected to the network is further provided. 2. The image forming apparatus according to 2. 4. An image forming apparatus capable of network connection with one or a plurality of terminal apparatuses and another image forming apparatus is provided for printing data and facsimile image data via the network with the terminal apparatus or the other image forming apparatus. Data transmitting / receiving means for transmitting / receiving, function information acquiring means for acquiring function information such as printer function and facsimile function of the other image forming apparatus connected to the network, the data transmitting / receiving means from the terminal device or the image forming apparatus. When receiving the print data or the facsimile image data, a determination unit that determines whether an image can be formed on a sheet, and when the determination unit determines that an image cannot be formed on the sheet, the function information is The functional information of the other image forming apparatus acquired by the acquisition unit is presented, and the network connection is performed. If the determination unit determines that the image formation on the sheet is impossible, the data transmission / reception unit causes the selection instruction to function as a selection instruction unit that prompts selection of a print instruction in another image forming apparatus. An image forming program for transmitting the print data to the image forming apparatus selected by the means via a network.