JP2003131857A - Print management device, print management method, program thereof, and recording medium storing print management program therein - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To detect an error not indicated by the status of a printer. SOLUTION: A failure in the printer printing system may be detected by requesting an enumeration of jobs in the printer (a list of jobs) even if the failure is an error not indicated by the status of the printer.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing system in which print data created by an information processing apparatus is transferred to an image processing apparatus having a printing function and printed.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional printing system, an information processing device is an SNMP (Simple Network M).
An information protocol (hereinafter, referred to as status information) indicating the state (status) of the image processing apparatus is acquired by using a network protocol such as the management protocol), and print control is performed according to the acquired status information.

[0003]

Therefore, the SNMP
Even if the status information obtained using, for example, indicates that the image processing apparatus is normal, if the printed material cannot be ejected, the information processing apparatus indicates that the image processing apparatus is in trouble. Could not be detected.

This is, for example, when the main body of the image processing apparatus is normal although the discharging section for removably attaching the image processing apparatus, which discharges the printed matter, is in an error state, finally, It occurs when it is determined that the state of the image processing apparatus is normal.

Further, when the communication control unit of the image processing apparatus stores information indicating the state of the image processing apparatus and returns status information based on the stored information in response to a request from the information processing apparatus, It also occurs when the state indicated by the stored information does not match the current state of the image processing apparatus.

Therefore, it is necessary for the information processing apparatus to be able to detect the occurrence of a failure that is not indicated by simple status information.

[0007]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is characterized by the following. First, the information processing apparatus acquires information indicating a list of jobs in the image processing apparatus (hereinafter referred to as job list information) in addition to the status information of the image processing apparatus, and the state of the image processing apparatus is normal. However, if the status of the job indicated by the job list information has not changed for a certain period of time, it is determined that something abnormal has occurred in the image processing device, and the user or software is notified of that fact. To do.

Secondly, the information processing apparatus acquires the job list information in addition to the status information of the image processing apparatus,
If the status of the job shown in the job list has not changed for a certain period of time even though the status of the image processing information is normal, it is determined that the image processing apparatus has some abnormality. Is initialized (reset), and the job is input to the image processing apparatus again for reprinting.

[0009]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The present invention will be described in detail below based on examples.

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of a system according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, 111 to 112 are client devices that issue print requests. The client devices 111 to 113 are information processing devices such as personal computers, mobile phones, and mobile terminals, and issue print requests for printing the created document data.

Reference numeral 120 is a server device. The server device 120 receives the print request sent from each of the plurality of client devices, and sequentially transmits the print data corresponding to the print request to the printer 130.

Reference numeral 130 is a printer. The printer 130 may be an image processing apparatus such as an inkjet printer, a laser beam printer, a copying machine, a multifunction machine, a multifunction machine, or a facsimile. Further, the job processing apparatus is not limited to the image processing apparatus and may be a job processing apparatus that processes a job according to the purpose.

The client devices 111 to 113,
The server device 120 and the printer 130 are the network 1
00 is connected. The network 100 includes the Internet and a wireless LAN (Local Area Net).
work), telephone lines, digital lines, etc.

In this system, first, each of the client apparatuses 111 to 113 issues a print request in response to an instruction from the user. The server device 120 sequentially receives and holds each print request, and controls the printing order based on each print request.

Specifically, the server device 120 monitors the state of the printer 130, and if the printer 130 is in an output state, selects one from a plurality of print requests and responds to the print request. Print data to
Send to 0. Further, whether or not the paper is discharged by the printing process based on the print data is monitored, and when the paper is discharged, the client device that issued the print request is notified of the completion of the paper discharge.

In the above description, the print data is transferred from the client device to the server device and then from the server device to the printer, but it may be transferred as follows. First, the client device issues print data that does not include print data to the server device 120. The server device monitors the status of the printer 130, and if the printer is ready for output, selects one from a plurality of print requests and issues a print instruction to the client device that issued the selected print request. put out. The client device that receives the print instruction transfers the print data to the printer 130.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the functional configuration of the printing system. In this example, the client computer 110,
Server computer 120, network printer 13
It is composed of 0s. Although the client computer 110 and the server computer 120 are connected by the communication medium 250 in this figure, they may be connected by the communication medium 100.

Reference numeral 21 denotes a client computer (hereinafter,
It may be abbreviated as a client) system bus. A CPU 22 controls the system. Reference numeral 23 is a hard disk in which a control code to be executed by the CPU 22 is written. 24 is a RAM.

Reference numeral 25 is an image management unit. Image management unit 2
5 manages jobs submitted by application software used by the user. 26
Is a job management unit that manages job information.

Reference numeral 27 is a key input unit of a personal computer or the like.
28 is a display unit such as a display. 29 is IP
A printing unit that controls a printing protocol such as P or LPR. A server communication unit 20 controls communication with the server computer 120. The server communication unit 20 is an RP
It controls communication by C (remote procedure call) or the like and executes communication with the server computer 120.

When a job is submitted in the same device or by user application software of an external device, the image management unit 25 stores image data, and the job management unit 26 manages the job information in a queue such as a FIFO. Control the processing order of jobs.

Reference numeral 220 is a system bus of a server computer (hereinafter sometimes abbreviated as a server). Two
A CPU 21 controls the system of the server computer. Reference numeral 222 is a hard disk in which a control code to be executed by the CPU 221 is written. 223 is a RAM.

Reference numeral 224 is a client communication unit that controls communication with the client. A printer status determination unit 225 acquires the printer status using a protocol such as SNMP. An event communication unit 226 receives an event notification from the printer. 227
Is a job listing unit that lists jobs in the printer. A log enumeration unit 228 refers to a print result log held in the printer. A printer I / F unit 229 sets and analyzes a protocol negotiated between the printer and the client.

An image management unit 232 collectively manages the data managed by the image management units 25 of the plurality of clients. A job management unit 233 collectively manages information on jobs issued by a plurality of clients.

In this printing system, when a print request is received from the user application software, the image management unit 25 and the job management unit 26 temporarily hold the image data and the job information, respectively, and then,
The server communication unit 211 issues a print request to the server.

Next, the image management 232 stores the print data (print information) sent together with the print request from the client, and the job management unit 233 stores the information of the job.

Then, the server receives print requests from a plurality of clients and causes the printer to perform print processing while monitoring the status of the printer 130.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a reception queue (queue) in the printer. Reference numeral 31 is a pointer portion of the received job. This indicates the beginning of the receive queue. In FIG. 3, the job information (32, 33, 34) of three jobs are linked in time series. Corresponding jobs are sent from the server in the order of 33 and 34, starting with 32.

Each job information stores the name of the job and the current status of the job. The job No. 32 has a job name of A32 and indicates that it is currently being printed. The job of No. 33 is the name of the job of A33, and it is shown that the data is currently received from the server and completed, and is waiting for output. The job of No. 34 is the name of the job of A34, which indicates that the data is currently being received from the server.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration for holding the printer status in the printer. The printer holds data indicating the status in 41, and when a request for the status of the printer is made from the outside, the code described in 41 is converted and passed to the outside as status information.

In this example, the status code is 4
It is a byte. 42 has shown the specific example of the code. 42 is a bit definition of the abnormal status of the printer. For example, in the offline state without toner, the code 0x00040080 is written in 41. 0x0000000 if the printer status is normal
The code 0 is held in 41.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a print job queue in this printing system. This queue is the job management unit 2
It is managed by 33, and the name and status of each job are stored. When a print request is issued to a specific printer, job information about the job is linked to this queue. The server sequentially submits jobs to the printer according to this queue. In FIG. 5, 52, 53, 5
4 corresponds to the jobs of 32, 33, and 34. Since these jobs have already been submitted to the printer, the statuses 52, 53 and 54 indicate that they have been submitted to the printer.

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of the print job queue after the printer is reset in this printing system. After the printer is reset and the recovery process is performed, the status of each job is as shown in FIG. All of 52, 53, and 54 are in an error state because the discharge confirmation cannot be obtained from the printer, and they remain on the queue. In this example, job information remains in the queue except when the print confirmation is normally acquired.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a control flow for obtaining the completion of paper discharge in this printing system. In step 701, the job is submitted from the client to the printer via the server. In step 702,
The printer status determination unit 225 acquires the printer status from the printer. In step 703, the printer converts the code held in 41 and sends status information to the server. Here, status information indicating that the printer is normal is transmitted.

In step 704, the job listing unit 227
Requests a list of jobs (information indicating a list of jobs). In step 705, the printer determines in step 704.
Information indicating a list of jobs in the printer is transmitted in accordance with the command transmitted in step 1. The job in the printer is shown in Figure 3.
If it looks like "A32, A33, A34"
Information is sent.

The processing corresponding to steps 702 to 705 is periodically performed. Here, the processing is performed at intervals of 5 seconds, and steps 706 to 709 indicate the processing of the next cycle. In step 706, similarly to step 702, the printer status determination unit 225 acquires the printer status from the printer. In step 707, the printer converts the code held in 41 and returns the status information. Here, status information indicating that the printer is normal is transmitted.

At step 708, the job listing unit 227 is executed.
Requests to enumerate jobs. In step 709, the printer sends information indicating a list of jobs in the printer. Here, the print job of 32 jobs has already been normally completed and the discharge of paper has also been completed, so only the jobs of 33 and 34 remain in the printer. Then, "A33, A
The information "34" is transmitted.

Then, in step 710, the server
The response in step 709 can detect that the job “A32” has been ejected, and thus notifies the client that issued the job “A32” that the ejection has been completed.

The printer status monitoring interval shown as 5 seconds is set by the user and may be a variable value. It may also be a value defined by the printer.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a control flow of recovery processing by resetting after the printer failure is detected in this printing system. In step 801, the job is submitted from the client to the printer via the server. In step 802, the printer status determination unit 225 acquires the printer status from the printer. In step 803, the printer converts the code held in 41 and sends the status information to the server. Here, status information indicating that the printer is normal is transmitted.

At step 804, the job listing unit 227 is executed.
Requests a list of jobs (information indicating a list of jobs). In step 805, the printer determines in step 804.
Information indicating a list of jobs in the printer is transmitted in accordance with the command transmitted in step 1. The job in the printer is shown in Figure 3.
If it looks like "A32, A33, A34"
Information is sent.

Thereafter, the processing corresponding to steps 702 to 705 is performed every 5 seconds. Then, when 60 seconds have passed from step 802, step 80
In step 7, when the printer status information is requested, in step 808, the printer returns information indicating that the status is normal.

Further, in step 809, a job listing command is issued. Then, in step 810,
No change from step 805, “A32, A33, A3
The information "4" is sent.

Here, since the server does not change the status of the job for 60 seconds even though the status of the printer is normal, the server presumes that a printing system trouble has occurred in the printer. Then, as shown in FIG. 6, after the status of the job held in the printing system is set to error, a reset recovery command is transmitted in step 811.

The printer executes reset in response to the reset recovery command. Then, in step 812, a normal response indicating that the reset recovery command has functioned normally is transmitted to the server. After the reset and recovery in step 811, the printer status becomes initialization or the like, and the job inside the printer disappears.

The printer status monitoring interval shown as 5 seconds may be a user-settable value or a value defined by the printer. Further, the printer failure detection timer shown as 60 seconds may be a user-settable value or a value defined by the printer.

As described above, when the list of jobs stored in the printer does not change for a certain period of time, the server estimates that the printer has a printing-related problem, and thus the status of the printer is determined. You can find errors that are not shown in.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen for notifying the user after the printer failure is detected in the present printing system. If recovery (reset) is not performed normally by the recovery command, such as when the printer does not have the reset recovery command in step 811, or when the reset recovery command is prepared but does not operate normally, This is an error message displayed on the screen of application software or a personal computer. It also applies when step 812 is answered as abnormal or when no response is received. On this display screen, a display is displayed to prompt the user to turn the printer power off / on when the printer cannot be automatically restored.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing an example of use when the present printing system is incorporated in an application program. A personal computer 1001 has printing system software installed. The printing system software referred to here is 232, 233 in FIG.
It is software for realizing 225, 226, 227, 228, and 229. 1002 is a network printer.

In 1003, the application software issues commands such as a print request, a printer status acquisition request, and a print cancel instruction to the printing system software. At 1004, the printing system software returns a response to the command. When the application software monitors the printer status, it periodically sends a command in 1003 and sequentially receives a response in 1004. For example,
When the printing system detects a failure and the printer cannot be reset and reset, a response "printer cannot be restored, power OFF / ON required" is returned to the command from the application. With this, it is possible to notify the application software of the abnormality.

FIG. 11 is a flow chart showing a process for judging a printer failure in the printing system of the present invention.
In step S111, the save information area used in the printer failure determination process is initialized. The save information is used to determine whether the enumerated contents of the jobs are the same.

In step S112, a timer for measuring the printer monitoring interval N, which is 5 seconds in FIG. 7 or 8, is set. In step S113, it is determined whether N seconds have elapsed. When N drawings have elapsed, the process advances to step S114 to acquire the printer status.
If the printer is connected to the network, SNM
P (Simple Network Magemen)
The printer status information is obtained using a standard protocol such as t Protocol). Further, the printing system may use a protocol unique to the printer as a known one.

In step S115, it is determined whether the printer status is normal. If not normal,
Other fault processing is executed, and the process returns to step S112. If it is determined to be normal in step S115, the printer is requested to list the jobs in step S116.

In step S117, it is determined whether or not the listed jobs exist based on the information indicating the list of returned jobs. If it exists, the process proceeds to step S118. If it does not exist, step S11
Return to 2.

In step S118, it is determined whether or not the job listed previously is the same as the job listed this time by comparing with the save information. If the jobs in the list match, the process proceeds to step S121, and if they do not match, the process proceeds to step S120.

In step S120, if they do not match, information indicating the listed jobs (information indicating a list of jobs) is registered as save information. Step S12
At 5, the comparison timer described below is initialized to 0.
If they do not match, it is determined that the jobs are sequentially processed, and the process returns to step S112.

On the other hand, in step S121, the determination interval M
The comparison timer for measuring is counted up by N. Then, in step S122, it is determined whether or not the comparison timer has reached a specified value. In the example of FIG. 8, the determination interval M is 60
Seconds. If it exceeds the specified value, step S12
3 and turns on the reset flag. Then, in step S124, the printer is reset and recovered. Specifically, send a reset recovery command to the printer,
Display a message to reset the printer on the display screen of the server or client. If the comparison timer does not exceed the specified value, the process returns to step S112.

By this determination processing, if the enumeration of jobs is constant for a specified time, that is, if the jobs in the printer do not change for a specified time, it is determined that an error not indicated by the status information has occurred, and the printer The reset can be done automatically.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart when it can be detected that the printer has been reset. S12
2 to S124 are the same as those in FIG. Here, as a continuation of step S124, it is determined in step S126 whether or not the reset of the printer has succeeded. This determination is made based on the information when the printer can reply whether the reset process is successful.

If it is determined that the reset has succeeded, the process returns to step S112, and if the reset has not succeeded, a message "the printer is abnormal" is displayed to the user.
In S127, the application software of the user may be notified. The display example of S127 is as shown in FIG.

FIG. 13 is a flow chart showing the reprint processing after the printer reset recovery according to the present invention. In step S131, it is determined whether the reset flag is ON, and the process continues to wait until it is ON. The reset flag is set to ON in step S123.

When it is detected that the reset flag is turned on, first, in step S132, the reset flag is set to O.
Set to FF. Then, in step S133, as shown in FIG.
Check the queue in FIG. 6 and select the job in error. Then, in step S134, it is determined whether or not there is an error job.

If there is no job having an error status (error job), the process returns to step S131 and waits until the reset flag is turned ON next. If it is determined that there is an error job, the process advances to step S135 to reprint the error job. In the reprint process, the print data of the error job stored in the image management unit 232 is retransmitted to the printer. In step S136, it is determined whether the transmission to the printer is completed, and if the transmission is completed, the process proceeds to step S133 to select the next error job.

By this processing, it is possible to reprint the job in which the error occurred due to the printer being reset.

FIG. 14 is a sectional view showing the internal structure of a laser beam printer applicable to the printer 130. This laser beam printer can input character pattern data and the like and print it on recording paper. Reference numeral 8012 denotes a laser beam printer main body, which forms an image on a recording paper, which is a recording medium, based on the supplied character pattern and the like. 8
Reference numeral 000 is an operation panel on which a switch for operation and an LED display are arranged, and reference numeral 8001 is a printer control unit for controlling the entire laser beam printer 8012 and analyzing character pattern information and the like. The printer control unit 8001 mainly converts character pattern information into a video signal and outputs it to the laser driver 8002. A laser driver 8002 is a circuit for driving the semiconductor laser 8003, and turns on a laser beam 8004 emitted from the semiconductor laser 8003 according to an input video signal.
Switch off.

The laser beam 8004 is swung in the left-right direction by the rotary polygon mirror 8005 to scan the electrostatic drum 8006.
As a result, an electrostatic latent image having a character pattern is formed on the electrostatic drum 8006. This latent image is an electrostatic drum 8006
After being developed by the surrounding developing unit 8007, it is transferred to the recording paper. A cut sheet is used for this recording paper,
The cut sheet recording paper is composed of a plurality of paper cassettes 8 corresponding to a plurality of kinds of papers mounted on the laser beam printer 8012.
The sheet is housed in 008, taken in the apparatus by the sheet feeding roller 8009 and the conveying rollers 8010 and 8011, and then supplied to the electrostatic drum 8006.

FIG. 15 is a sectional view of an ink jet recording apparatus IJRA applicable to the printer 130. In the figure, the carriage HC that engages with the spiral groove 9003 of the lead screw 9004 that rotates via the driving force transmission gears 9010 and 9008 in conjunction with the forward and reverse rotation of the drive motor 9011 has a pin (not shown). Then, it is reciprocated in the directions of arrows a and b. An inkjet cartridge IJC is mounted on the carriage HC.

A paper pressing plate 9001 presses the paper against the platen 9000 in the moving direction of the carriage. Photocouplers 9006 and 9007 are home position detection means for confirming the presence of the lever 9005 of the carriage in this area and switching the rotation direction of the motor 9011. Reference numeral 9013 denotes a member that supports a cap member 9019 that caps the front surface of the recording head.
9012 is a suction means for sucking the inside of the cap, and performs suction recovery of the recording head through the opening 9020 in the cap.

9014 is a cleaning blade,
Reference numeral 16 denotes a member that allows this blade to move in the front-rear direction, and these members are supported by the main body support plate 9015.
Needless to say, a well-known cleaning blade can be applied to this example instead of this form. Also, 90
Reference numeral 18 denotes a lever for starting suction for suction recovery, which moves in accordance with movement of a cam 9017 that engages with a carriage, and the driving force from a drive motor is movement-controlled by a known transmission means such as clutch switching. .

The capping, cleaning, and suction recovery are configured so that the desired processing can be performed at their corresponding positions by the action of the lead screw 9004 when the carriage comes to the area on the home position side. As long as the desired operation is performed at the timing, any of the above can be applied to this example.

The present invention is not limited to the apparatus of the above-described embodiment, but may be applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices or an apparatus composed of a single device.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an example of a program code supply method. Storage medium 1000 storing program code of software for realizing the functions of the embodiment
3 is supplied to the system or apparatus 10001, and the computer (or CPU or M) of the system or apparatus is supplied.
It is needless to say that it is completed by the PU) reading and executing the program code stored in the storage medium.

Specifically, the program code based on the flowcharts of FIGS. 11 to 13 is stored in the RAM 223, and the CPU 221 controls according to these program codes to realize the above control method. Becomes

In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments, and the storage medium storing the program code or the program code itself constitutes the present invention. become.

As a storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a floppy (registered trademark) disk, a hard disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, C
A D-ROM, a CD-R, a magnetic tape, a non-volatile memory card, a ROM, a DVD-RAM, a DVD-ROM can be used. Further, by executing the program code read by the computer, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but also the computer is operating on the computer based on the instruction of the program code.
It goes without saying that the case where S or the like performs a part or all of the actual processing and the processing realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments is also included.

Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written in the memory provided in the function expansion board inserted into the computer or the function expansion unit connected to the computer, based on the instruction of the next program code. Needless to say, this also includes the case where the CPU or the like provided in the expansion board or the expansion unit performs the expansion function to perform a part or all of the actual processing, and the processing realizes the function of the above-described embodiment. Yes.

[0077]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Even if the error is not shown in the printer status,
By requesting an enumeration of jobs in the printer (a list of jobs), a failure in the printing system of the printer can be detected.

As a result, the user or the upper application software can be notified of a printer failure which is not indicated by the printer status.

Further, by making the printer monitoring interval variable, it becomes possible to construct an efficient printer failure detection system according to the user environment.

When a failure occurs, the printer can be externally reset (for example, a soft reset or a hard reset) and automatically restored.

When a failure occurs, it is determined whether the reset of the printer has succeeded, and if it is determined that the reset has failed, a message is displayed to the user to prompt an instruction without error. Became.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of a system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a functional configuration of a printing system.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a reception queue (queue) in the printer.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration for holding a printer status in the printer.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of a print job queue in the present printing system.

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of a print job queue after printer reset in the present printing system.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a control flow for acquiring a paper discharge completion.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a control flow of recovery processing by reset after detecting a printer failure.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen for notifying a user after a printer failure is detected.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a usage example when the present printing system is incorporated into an application program.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a printer failure determination process in the printing system of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart when it can be detected that the printer is reset.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing a reprinting process after reset recovery of the printer according to the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of a laser beam printer.

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of an inkjet recording device IJRA.

FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating an example of a program code supply method.

[Explanation of symbols]

100 networks 101 client 111 Client 112 clients 120 servers 130 printer

Claims (40)

[Claims] 1. A print management apparatus that manages a printing apparatus that performs a printing process based on a print request, and an acquisition unit that acquires information indicating a list of print requests that have been submitted to the printing apparatus; The list of print requests indicated by the information obtained by the means determines whether or not there is a change, and the determination means determines that the print request does not change. A print management apparatus comprising: a control unit for notifying. 2. A measuring means for measuring time is provided, and the control means determines that the list of print requests has not changed for a predetermined time after the time is measured by the measuring means. The print management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a failure of the printing apparatus is notified accordingly. 3. A status acquisition unit that acquires information indicating the status of the printing apparatus, and a status that determines whether or not a failure has occurred in the printing apparatus based on the information acquired by the status acquisition unit. The control means has a determining means, and when the status determining means determines that no failure has occurred, the control means determines that the determining means determines that no change has occurred. The print management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the print management apparatus notifies a failure. 4. A print management apparatus that manages a printing apparatus that performs a printing process based on a print request, and an acquisition unit that acquires information indicating a list of print requests that have been submitted to the printing apparatus; The print request list indicated by the information acquired by the means determines whether the change has occurred, and the print device is initialized in response to the determination that the change has not changed. A print management apparatus having control means for controlling the print management apparatus. 5. A measuring unit for measuring time is provided, and the control unit determines that the list of print requests has not changed for a predetermined time after the time is measured by the measuring unit. The print management apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the printing apparatus is initialized accordingly. 6. A status acquisition unit that acquires information indicating the status of the printing apparatus, and a status that determines whether or not a failure has occurred in the printing apparatus based on the information acquired by the status acquisition unit. The control means includes a determining means, and when the state determining means determines that no failure has occurred, the control means controls the printing device to respond in response to the determination by the determining means to be unchanged. The print management apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the print management apparatus is initialized. 7. The print management apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the control unit sends a reset instruction command to initialize the printing apparatus. 8. The reprinting control means for transmitting data corresponding to a print request input to the printing device to the previous printing device after the control device initializes the printing device. The print management apparatus according to any one of claims 4 to 7. 9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising setting means for setting the predetermined time and storage means for storing information indicating the predetermined time set by the setting means. Print management device. 10. The print management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the print management apparatus is connected to the printing apparatus via a network. 11. A print management method for managing a printing device that performs a printing process based on a printing request, wherein information indicating a list of printing requests input to the printing device is acquired, and the acquired information is A print management method, comprising: determining whether or not the list of print requests shown has changed, and notifying a failure of the printing device when it is determined that the print request has not changed. 12. A predetermined time after the time is measured,
The print management method according to claim 11, further comprising notifying a failure of the printing device when it is determined that the list of print requests has not changed. 13. Based on the information indicating the status of the printing apparatus, which is acquired from the printing apparatus, it is determined whether or not a failure has occurred in the printing apparatus, and it is determined that no failure has occurred. 13. The print management method according to claim 11, further comprising notifying a failure of the printing device when it is determined that the printing apparatus has not changed. 14. A print management method for managing a printing device that performs a printing process based on a print request, wherein information indicating a list of print requests input to the printing device is acquired, and the acquired information is A print management method, comprising: determining whether or not the list of print requests shown has changed, and initializing the printing device when it is determined not to have changed. 15. A predetermined time period after the time is measured,
15. The print management method according to claim 14, wherein the printing device is initialized in response to the determination that the list of print requests has not changed. 16. Based on the information indicating the status of the printing apparatus, which is acquired from the printing apparatus, it is determined whether or not a failure has occurred in the printing apparatus, and it is determined that no failure has occurred. 16. The print management method according to claim 14, wherein the printing apparatus is initialized when it is determined that the printing apparatus has not changed. 17. The print management method according to claim 14, wherein a command for resetting is transmitted to initialize the printing device. 18. The method according to claim 14, wherein after initializing the printing device, data corresponding to the print request input to the printing device is transmitted to the printing device in the previous period. Print management method described. 19. The printer according to claim 1, wherein it is determined whether or not the printing apparatus has been normally initialized, and a failure of the printing apparatus is notified when it is determined that the printing apparatus has not been initialized. The print management method according to any one of 14 to 18. 20. The print management method according to claim 11, wherein the predetermined time can be set. 21. A computer-readable recording medium that stores a print management program for managing a printing device that performs a printing process based on a print request, wherein the print management program is loaded into the printing device. An acquisition step of acquiring information indicating a list of print requests that are present, a determination step of determining whether or not the list of print requests indicated by the information acquired in the acquisition step has changed, and A recording medium characterized by causing a computer to execute a control step of notifying a failure of the printing device in response to the determination made by the determination step. 22. The print management program causes a computer to execute a measurement step of measuring time, and in the control step, a list of print requests is changed for a predetermined time after the time is measured by the measurement step. 22. The recording medium according to claim 21, wherein a failure of the printing device is notified in response to the determination that the printing device is not present. 23. A status acquisition step, wherein the print management program acquires information indicating a status of the printing apparatus,
Based on the information acquired by the status acquisition step, the computer is caused to execute a status determination step of determining whether or not a failure has occurred in the printing device, and in the control step, it is determined that no failure has occurred. 22. When it is determined by the state determination step, a failure of the printing device is notified in response to the determination by the determination step that it has not changed.
Alternatively, the recording medium according to item 22. 24. A computer-readable recording medium that stores a print management program for managing a printing device that performs a printing process based on a print request, wherein the print management program is loaded into the printing device. An acquisition step of acquiring information indicating a list of print requests that are present, a determination step of determining whether or not the list of print requests indicated by the information acquired in the acquisition step has changed, and A recording medium for causing a computer to execute a control step of initializing the printing device according to the determination made by the determination step. 25. The print management program causes a computer to execute a measurement step of measuring time, and in the control step, a list of print requests is changed for a predetermined time after the time is measured by the measurement step. The recording medium according to claim 24, wherein the printing device is initialized when it is determined that the printing device is not present. 26. A status acquisition step, wherein the print management program acquires information indicating a status of the printing apparatus,
Based on the information acquired by the status acquisition step, the computer is caused to execute a status determination step of determining whether or not a failure has occurred in the printing device, and in the control step, it is determined that no failure has occurred. The recording medium according to claim 24 or 25, wherein, when it is determined by the state determination step, the printing device is initialized in response to the determination by the determination step that it has not changed. 27. The recording medium according to claim 24, wherein in the control step, a command instructing a reset is transmitted to initialize the printing device. 28. The reprint control step, wherein the print management program initializes the printing device in the control step, and then transmits data corresponding to a print request input to the printing device to the previous printing device. 28. The recording medium according to claim 24, which causes a computer to execute. 29. The print management program causes a computer to execute an initialization determination step of determining whether or not the printing apparatus has been normally initialized, and the control step determines that the printing apparatus has not been initialized. 29. The print management method according to claim 24, wherein a failure of the printing device is notified according to the above. 30. The recording medium according to claim 21, wherein the print management program causes a computer to execute a setting step for setting the predetermined time. 31. A print management program for managing a printing device that performs a printing process based on a print request, the acquisition step of acquiring information indicating a list of print requests input to the printing device; The list of print requests indicated by the information obtained in step determines whether the printing device has a failure in response to a determination step of determining whether or not it has changed, and a determination step of determining that it has not changed. A print management program that causes a computer to execute a control step of notifying. 32. The print management program causes a computer to execute a measurement step of measuring time, and in the control step, a list of print requests changes for a predetermined time after the time is measured by the measurement step. The print management program according to claim 31, wherein a failure of the printing device is notified when it is determined that the printing apparatus is not in operation. 33. A status acquisition step of acquiring information indicating a status of the printing device, the print management program;
Based on the information acquired by the status acquisition step, the computer is caused to execute a status determination step of determining whether or not a failure has occurred in the printing device, and in the control step, it is determined that no failure has occurred. 32. When the determination in the state determination step is made, a failure of the printing device is notified in response to the determination in the determination step that there is no change.
Alternatively, the print management program described in 32. 34. A print management program for managing a printing device that performs a printing process based on a print request, the acquisition step of acquiring information indicating a list of print requests input to the printing device; Initialize the printing device in response to the determination step of determining whether or not the list of print requests indicated by the information acquired in step has changed, and the determination step of not changing A print management program that causes a computer to execute a control step. 35. The print management program causes a computer to execute a measurement step of measuring time, and in the control step, a list of print requests changes during a predetermined time after the time is measured by the measurement step. 35. The print management program according to claim 34, wherein the printing device is initialized in response to a determination that the printing management program is not present. 36. A status acquisition step, wherein the print management program acquires information indicating a status of the printing apparatus,
Based on the information acquired by the status acquisition step, the computer is caused to execute a status determination step of determining whether or not a failure has occurred in the printing device, and in the control step, it is determined that no failure has occurred. 36. The print management program according to claim 34, wherein, when it is determined by the state determination step, the printing device is initialized according to the determination by the determination step that it has not changed. . 37. The print management program according to claim 34, wherein in the control step, a command instructing a reset is transmitted to initialize the printing device. 38. The reprint control step, wherein the print management program, after initializing the printing device in the control step, transmits data corresponding to a print request input to the printing device to the previous printing device. 38. The print management program according to claim 34, which causes a computer to execute. 39. The print management program causes a computer to execute an initialization determination step of determining whether or not the printing apparatus has been normally initialized, and the control step determines that the printing apparatus has not been initialized. 39. The print management method according to claim 34, wherein a failure of the printing device is notified according to the above. 40. The print management program according to claim 31, wherein the print management program causes a computer to execute a setting step for setting the predetermined time.