JP2006150732A - Print controller - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To control print order efficiently even when the print job operation of a printer is interrupted by such a job as requiring print results immediately but operating time of an operator is long, e.g. a test print, and to control the printer such that print-out results of a different job are not mixed while minimizing stopping time of a job under printing. <P>SOLUTION: The print controller comprises a job storing means, a priority imparting means, and a job processing progress managing means. When a job of highest priority is different from a job under processing, the job under processing is stopped temporarily and the job of highest priority is started. Test print is imparted with a high priority even in one job. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a digital copying machine and a page printer.

  In the case where different printed materials are continuously printed by one printer, there are conventionally the following technologies.

  One is print queue technology. This is a technique for registering one print request as a job in a queue every time a print request occurs, and performing printing in the order of highest priority among the jobs registered in the queue. It is.

  Second, if you want to print another second print while printing the first print, you can print another second print without waiting for the first print to finish printing. This is a technique of the interrupt printing mode in which the first is performed. This is the following technology. When the operator presses the interrupt key of the copier operation unit during printing of the first printed matter, the copier saves the image data and print setting values of the first printed matter currently being printed in the storage device and performs interrupt printing. Enter the mode. In the interrupt printing mode, it is possible to instruct and execute a copying operation or the like as in standby, so that the operator can print the second printed matter. When the interrupt key is pressed again by the operator, the copier exits from the interrupt printing mode and returns to the normal mode, and calls the print setting of the first printed matter stored in the storage device to resume the printing. . The operator can perform urgent printing by using this interrupt printing mode.

For example, the above technique is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-222338.
JP 2000-222338 A

  However, since the print queue technology can only switch processes in units of jobs, if a job that takes a long time to execute mass printing or the like is being executed, the next job may wait for a very long time. .

  In addition, the interrupt printing mode temporarily stops the operation of the entire printer, and the operation of the entire printer including the time during which the operator is operating is stopped. Therefore, the printing operation is not stopped as much as possible. This is inconvenient in the case of large-scale printing or the like that wants to increase the number of print outputs per hour. In addition, since printing in the interrupt printing mode uses the same output method as printing in the normal mode, there is also a problem that print output results are mixed.

  Because of this, when you want to perform test printing, such as printing every time you adjust print settings, checking the print results, and then adjusting print settings based on the print results, Especially when the printing time is long and it is desired to obtain the printing result immediately, it is difficult to efficiently control the printing order regardless of which technique is used.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems of the prior art, and an object of the print control apparatus according to claim 1 is to perform test printing during a print job operation by a printer. Even if you want to interrupt and print a job that requires a long time for the operator, and you want to get a print result immediately, you can efficiently control the order of printing and stop the job during printing Is to minimize it.

  The purpose of the print control apparatus according to claim 2 is that a job such as trial printing that requires a long time for the operator to operate during a print job operation by the printer and that wants to obtain a print result immediately. Even when you want to interrupt and print, control the order of printing efficiently, minimize the stop time of the job being printed, and prevent the print output results from different jobs from mixing There is to do.

  The purpose of the print control apparatus according to claim 3 is that a job such as trial printing that requires a long time for an operator to operate during a print job operation by a printer and that wants to obtain a print result immediately. Even when you want to interrupt and print, efficiently control the order of printing, minimize the stop time of jobs during printing, and automatically give only high priority to test printing in particular. Thus, it is possible to perform quick test printing and main printing without complicated operations by the operator.

  In order to achieve the above object, a print control apparatus according to claim 1 is stored in a job storage unit that stores a print job, a priority addition unit that prioritizes a plurality of print jobs, and the job storage unit. A job management unit for managing the processing progress of each print job, and among the print jobs stored in the job storage unit, the job with the highest priority by the priority order adding unit is the job currently being executed If they are different, the job currently being executed is temporarily stopped and the job having the highest priority is started.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a print control apparatus that includes, in addition to the units described in the first aspect, a paper discharge method instruction unit that instructs a paper discharge method according to a print job. Among the stored print jobs, if the job with the highest priority by the priority adding means is different from the job currently being executed, the job currently being executed is temporarily stopped and the job with the highest priority is started. And by controlling the use of a plurality of paper discharge methods so as not to mix print outputs of a plurality of print jobs.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a print control apparatus including the units according to the first aspect, wherein the priority order adding unit adds a high print priority in the case of trial printing. To do.

  As described above, the print control apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention is stored in the job storage unit that stores the print job, the priority order addition unit that gives priority to a plurality of print jobs, and the job storage unit. A job management unit for managing the processing progress of each print job, and among the print jobs stored in the job storage unit, the job having the highest priority by the priority adding unit is different from the job currently being executed. In this case, the job currently being executed is temporarily stopped and the job with the highest priority is started.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the above-described units, the print control apparatus includes a discharge method instruction unit that instructs a discharge method according to a print job, and is stored in the job storage unit. If the job with the highest priority by the priority adding means is different from the job that is currently being executed, the currently executing job is temporarily stopped and the job with the highest priority is started. In addition, the present invention is characterized in that control is performed so that print outputs by a plurality of print jobs are not mixed by properly using a plurality of paper discharge methods.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printing control apparatus comprising the means according to the first aspect, wherein the priority adding unit adds a particularly high printing priority in the case of trial printing. Features.

  With this configuration, the print control apparatus according to claim 1 interrupts a job that requires a long operation time for an operator such as test printing and wants to obtain a print result immediately during a print job operation by the printer. Even when printing is desired, it is possible to efficiently control the printing order and minimize the stop time of the job being printed.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, the print control apparatus prints by interrupting a job for which the operator is operating for a long time and wants to obtain a print result immediately during a print job operation by the printer. Even if you want to, you can efficiently control the order of printing, minimize the stop time of the job being printed, and control the print output results from different jobs to be mixed. is there.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, the print control apparatus prints by interrupting a job that requires a long operation time for an operator such as trial printing and wants to obtain a print result immediately during a print job operation by the printer. Even if you want to, you can efficiently control the order of printing, minimize the stoppage time of jobs during printing, and automatically give only high priority to test printing. It is possible to perform quick test printing and main printing without performing complicated operations.

Example 1
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a system configuration of the image printing apparatus according to the present embodiment. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a reader unit that reads an image of a document and outputs image data corresponding to the document image to an image input / output control unit 3 described later. A printer unit 2 records an image corresponding to the image data from the image input / output control unit 3 on a recording sheet. An image input / output control unit 3 is connected to the reader unit 1 and the printer unit 2, and includes a facsimile unit 4, a network interface unit 5, a computer interface unit 6, a core unit 10, and the like.

  The facsimile unit 4 decompresses the compressed image data received via the telephone line 11, transfers the decompressed image data to the core unit 10, and compresses the image data transferred from the core unit 10. The compressed image data is transmitted via the telephone line 11.

  The network interface unit 5 is an interface between the local area network or wide area network (LAN / WAN) 12 and the core unit 10.

The computer interface unit 6 is an interface between the personal computer or workstation (PC / WS) 13 and the core unit 10.

  The core unit 10 controls the flow of data among the reader unit 1, printer unit 2, facsimile unit 4, network interface 5, and computer interface unit 6.

  FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the reader unit 1 and the printer unit 2. In the figure, a document feeder 101 of the reader unit 1 feeds documents one by one on the platen glass 102 sequentially from the last page, and discharges the document on the platen glass 102 after the document reading operation is completed. is there.

  When the document is conveyed onto the platen glass 102, the lamp 103 is turned on, the movement of the scanner unit 104 is started, and the document is exposed and scanned. Reflected light from the original at this time is guided to a CCD image sensor (hereinafter referred to as CCD) 109 by mirrors 105, 106, 107 and a lens 108. The image of the original scanned in this way is read by the CCD 109. Image data output from the CCD 109 is transferred to the core unit 10 of the image input / output control unit 3 after being subjected to predetermined processing.

  The laser driver 201 of the printer unit 2 drives the laser light emitting unit 201a, and causes the laser light emitting unit 201a to emit laser light corresponding to the image data output from the core unit 10. The laser beam is irradiated onto the photosensitive drum 202, and a latent image corresponding to the laser beam is formed on the photosensitive drum 202. A developer is attached to the latent image portion of the photosensitive drum 202 by the developing unit 203. Then, at the timing synchronized with the start of laser light irradiation, the recording paper is fed from either the upper paper feed cassette 204 or the lower paper feed cassette 205 and conveyed to the transfer unit 206, and the development adhered to the photosensitive drum 202. The agent is transferred to the recording paper. The recording sheet to which the developer has been transferred is conveyed to the fixing unit 207, and the developer is fixed to the recording sheet by the heat and pressure of the fixing unit 207. The recording paper that has passed through the fixing unit 207 is discharged by a discharge roller 208, and the sorter 211 stores the discharged recording paper in each bin 212 and sorts the recording paper.

  The sorter 211 stores recording paper in the uppermost bin 212 when the sorting is not set. If double-sided recording is set, the recording paper is transported to the discharge roller 208, and then the rotation direction of the discharge roller 208 is reversed and guided to the refeed conveyance path 210 by the flapper 209. If multiple recording is set, the flapper 209 guides the recording sheet to the refeed conveyance path 210 so that the recording sheet is not conveyed to the discharge roller 208. The recording sheet guided to the refeed conveyance path 210 is conveyed to the transfer unit 206 at the timing described above.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of the reader unit 1. In the figure, 109 is a CCD, 110 is an A / D conversion / shading correction unit (hereinafter referred to as A / D / SH unit), 111 is an image processing unit, 112 is an interface (I / F), and 113 is a CPU. (Central processing unit), 114 is an operation unit, and 115 is a memory.

  In FIG. 3, the A / D / SH unit 110 performs analog / digital conversion processing and shading correction processing on the image data output from the CCD 109. The image data processed by the A / D / SH unit 110 is transferred to the core unit 10 of the image input / output control unit 3 via the image processing unit 111 and the interface (I / F) 112.

  A CPU (central processing unit) 113 controls the image processing unit 111 and the interface 112 according to the setting content set by the operation unit 114. For example, when the copy mode for performing copying by performing the trimming process in the operation unit 114 is set, the image processing unit 111 performs the trimming process and controls the image data from the interface 112 according to the set mode. The command is transferred to the core unit 10. When the facsimile transmission mode is set on the operation unit 114, the control command corresponding to the image data and the set mode is transferred from the interface 112 to the core unit 10.

  Such a control program of the CPU 113 is stored in the memory 115, and the CPU 113 performs control while referring to the control program in the memory 115. The memory 115 is also used as a work area for the CPU 113.

  FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of the core unit 10. In the figure, 121 is a control LSI, 122 is a memory, and 123 is a hard disk drive (HDD). The control LSI 121 is a highly integrated LSI having a CPU, a memory controller, an HDD controller, an external I / F, and the like. The control LSI 121 controls the flow of image data by a program stored in the memory 122. The memory 122 stores a program for the control LSI 121 and is used as a work area for the control LSI 121. The HDD 123 stores a program for the control LSI 121 and is used as a temporary storage for image data.

  In FIG. 4, image data from the reader unit 1 is transferred to the control LSI 121, and a control command from the reader unit 1 is transferred to the control LSI 121. The image data transferred from the reader unit 1 to the control LSI 121 is stored in the HDD 123.

  Code data representing an image input from the telephone line 11 to the facsimile unit 4 is developed into image data in the facsimile unit 4. The expanded image data is transferred to the control LSI 121 and stored in the HDD 123.

  Image data input from the LAN / WAN 12 to the network interface unit 5 is transferred to the control LSI 121 via the network interface unit 5 and stored in the HDD 123.

  Also, code data representing an image input from the PC / WS 13 to the computer interface unit 6 is developed into image data in the computer interface unit 6. The expanded image data is transferred to the control LSI 121 and stored in the HDD 123.

  In response to a control command transferred together with image data from the reader unit 1, facsimile unit 4, network interface unit 5 or computer interface unit 6, the image data temporarily stored in the HDD 123 is transmitted to the facsimile unit 4 via the control LSI 121. The data is transferred to the printer unit 2 via the network interface unit 5 or the image processing LSI 124.

  The control LSI 121 performs the control as described above according to the control program stored in the memory 122, the control command transferred from the reader unit 1, and the control command transferred together with the image data. In this manner, processing that combines functions such as reading of a document image, printing of an image, transmission / reception of an image, and input / output of data from the PC / WS 13 can be performed around the core unit 10.

  FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the control LSI 121. In the figure, 170 is a CPU, 171 is a facsimile I / F unit, 172 is a network I / F unit, 173 is a memory controller unit, 174 is an HDD controller unit, 175 is a data input unit, 176 is a data output unit, and 177 is Internal bus.

  The operation of the control LSI 121 will be described below.

  In FIG. 5, image data from the facsimile unit 4 is input to the facsimile I / F unit 171. The facsimile I / F unit 171 stores the received image data in the HDD 123 via the HDD controller 174 under the control of the CPU 170. Image data from the network interface unit 5 is input to the network I / F unit 172. The network I / F unit 172 stores the received image data in the HDD 123 via the HDD controller 174 under the control of the CPU 170.

  In FIG. 5, the image data input from the reader unit 1 and the computer interface unit 6 is input to the data input unit 175. The data input unit 175 stores the received image data in the HDD 123 via the HDD controller 174 under the control of the CPU 170.

  Further, in FIG. 5, the image data read from the HDD 123 under the control of the CPU 170 is sent to the data output unit 176, the facsimile I / F unit 171 or the network I / F unit 172 via the HDD controller unit 174 and the internal bus 177. Transferred. The transfer destination here is determined according to an image data output request received by the CPU 170 via the facsimile I / F unit 171, the network I / F unit 172, and the data input unit 175, and the internal bus 177 is set by the CPU 170. Controlled and switched. When the image data is transferred to the facsimile I / F unit 171, the facsimile I / F unit 171 transfers the image data to the facsimile unit 4 and performs facsimile transmission. When the image data is transferred to the network I / F unit 172, the network I / F unit 172 transfers the image data to the network interface unit 5. When the image data is transferred to the data output unit 176, the data output unit 176 transfers the image data to the printer unit 2.

  An example of the flow of image data in the core unit 10 having the above configuration will be described.

  As an example, a case where a new job is interrupted during execution of a job for printing original image data input from the PC / WS 13 via the computer interface unit 6 by the printer unit 2 will be described. In this new job, it is assumed that the image data of the document read by the reader unit 1 is printed by the printer unit 2, and a higher priority than the print job being executed is set by the operator.

  First, a print control command and image data shown in FIG. 6 are input from the PC / WS 13 to the core unit 10 via the computer interface unit 6. Here, the control command is 4 pages of image data, the output destination is a printer, the number of print copies is 2, and the print priority is normal. As described above, the control LSI 121 in the core unit 10 receives this control command and image data. Since the control command is interpreted by the LSI 121 and the output destination is a printer, this control is additionally registered as a new print job and stored in the HDD 123. Further, since this print job has not yet been processed, the fact that it has not been processed is also stored in the HDD 123 and managed. As described above, in this configuration, the HDD 123 functions as job storage means and job management means.

  Now, the control LSI 121 always compares the priority of the job currently being executed with the priority of the print job stored in the HDD 123. In this configuration, the priority of jobs employs an order that is ordered by three types of printing priorities of normal, high, and low, and that is further ordered by the time order registered as a job, and the order is controlled. The LSI 121 determines. As described above, in this configuration, the control LSI 121 functions as a priority adding unit. Since there is no print job being executed at this time and only one is stored in the HDD 123, the control LSI 121 selects the print job with the highest print priority that was previously registered as the highest priority job. To start this job's operation.

  The image data of this job is stored in the HDD 123 via the network interface unit 5 and the control LSI 121 as described above. The control LSI 121 starts the printing process as soon as the storing process of the image data in the HDD 123 is completed.

  In this print job, the number of image data is 4 pages and the number of copies is 2. Therefore, the print order for this job alone is page 1, page 2, page 3, page 4, page 1, page 2, page. 3 and page 4.

  The control LSI 121 transfers an image for each page from the HDD 123 to the printer unit 2 in this order, and executes print processing. The printer unit 2 prints the transferred image data. The control LSI 121 updates the process progress information of this print job stored in the HDD 123 every time one page print process is completed.

  Here, a case will be described in which another print job is entered when only two pages have been printed.

  Assume that the operator designates processing for reading and printing the original image data shown in FIG. 7 by using the reader unit 1 by operating the operation unit 114 as described above. At this time, the output destination, the number of copies, and the print priority are designated by the operation of the operation unit 114 by the operator. In this example, the output destination is a printer, the number of print copies is 1, and the print priority is high. The number of image data is two because it matches the number of originals shown in FIG. These print job setting values become control commands as shown in FIG. 8, and are transferred from the reader unit 1 to the core unit 10 together with two pieces of image data generated by reading a document.

  The control LSI 121 inside the core unit 10 receives this control command and image data. Since the control command is interpreted by the LSI 121 and the output destination is a printer, this control is additionally registered as a new print job and stored in the HDD 123. Further, since this print job has not yet been processed, the fact that it has not been processed is also stored in the HDD 123 and managed.

  As described above, the control LSI 121 always compares the priority level of the job currently being executed with the priority level of the print job stored in the HDD 123. At this time, print jobs that are being executed have the same print priority, those stored in the HDD 123 are those that are newly added and have a high print priority newly registered. Therefore, the control LSI 121 selects a newly additionally registered print job with a high print priority as the highest priority job, ends the job being executed, and starts the operation of a new job.

  The two pages of image data of the new print job are transferred from the reader unit 1 and stored in the HDD 123 as described above. The control LSI 121 transfers an image for each page from the HDD 123 to the printer unit 2 and executes print processing. The printer unit 2 prints the transferred image data. The control LSI 121 updates the process progress information of this print job stored in the HDD 123 every time one page print process is completed.

  Since the print job is completed when the printing of two pages is completed, the control LSI 121 deletes the completed print job from the print jobs stored in the HDD 123.

  As described above, the control LSI 121 always compares the priority level of the job currently being executed with the priority level of the print job stored in the HDD 123. Since there is no print job being executed at this time and only one is stored in the HDD 123, the control LSI 121 has been executed halfway and has a print priority with a parallel print priority. Is selected as the highest priority job, and the operation of this job is resumed. At this time, since the processing progress is also stored in the HDD 123, it is possible to correctly start continuous printing under the control of the control LSI 121.

  Then, as described above, the printing operation is performed on one page to complete this print job.

  FIG. 9 shows the outputs from the printer unit 2 arranged in time order when printing is performed as described above. It can be confirmed that the output by the print job from the PC / WS and the output by the print job from the reader unit 1 are mixed.

  Note that the printer unit 2 can store the recording paper discharged using the sorter 211 in each bin 212 and sort the recording paper as described above. In this configuration, output by different print jobs is not possible. The control LSI 121 instructs the printer unit 2 to be stored in different bins. For this reason, outputs from different print jobs do not overlap at the same place.

  As described above, even when a new print job with a higher priority than the print job being executed is registered, the print job with a high priority is not stopped without being stopped more than necessary. Can be automatically prioritized and printed. Furthermore, even when the execution order of different print jobs is mixed, the output is not mixed by adopting different paper discharge methods depending on the print jobs.

(Example 2)
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  The apparatus configuration in the second embodiment is the same as that in the first embodiment.

  An example of the flow of image data in the core unit 10 having the above configuration will be described.

  As an example, a case where a new job is interrupted during execution of a job for printing original image data input from the PC / WS 13 via the computer interface unit 6 by the printer unit 2 will be described. In this new job, it is assumed that image data of a document read by the reader unit 1 is printed by the printer unit 2 and the test print mode is set by the operator.

  First, a print control command and image data shown in FIG. 6 are input from the PC / WS 13 to the core unit 10 via the computer interface unit 6. Here, the control command is 4 pages of image data, the output destination is a printer, the number of print copies is 2, and the print priority is normal. As described above, the control LSI 121 in the core unit 10 receives this control command and image data. Since the control command is interpreted by the LSI 121 and the output destination is a printer, this control is additionally registered as a new print job and stored in the HDD 123. Further, since this print job has not yet been processed, the fact that it has not been processed is also stored in the HDD 123 and managed. As described above, in this configuration, the HDD 123 functions as job storage means and job management means.

  Now, the control LSI 121 always compares the priority of the job currently being executed with the priority of the print job stored in the HDD 123. In this configuration, the priority of jobs employs an order that is ordered by three types of printing priorities of normal, high, and low, and that is further ordered by the time order registered as a job, and the order is controlled. The LSI 121 determines. As described above, in this configuration, the control LSI 121 functions as a priority adding unit. Since there is no print job being executed at this time and only one is stored in the HDD 123, the control LSI 121 selects the print job with the highest print priority that was previously registered as the highest priority job. To start this job's operation.

  The image data of this job is stored in the HDD 123 via the network interface unit 5 and the control LSI 121 as described above. The control LSI 121 starts the printing process as soon as the storing process of the image data in the HDD 123 is completed.

  In this print job, the number of image data is 4 pages and the number of copies is 2. Therefore, the print order for this job alone is page 1, page 2, page 3, page 4, page 1, page 2, page. 3 and page 4.

  The control LSI 121 transfers an image for each page from the HDD 123 to the printer unit 2 in this order, and executes print processing. The printer unit 2 prints the transferred image data. The control LSI 121 updates the process progress information of this print job stored in the HDD 123 every time one page print process is completed.

  Here, a case will be described in which another print job is entered when only two pages have been printed.

  Assume that the operator designates processing for reading and printing the original image data shown in FIG. 7 by using the reader unit 1 by operating the operation unit 114 as described above. At this time, the output destination, the number of copies, the print priority, and the presence / absence of trial printing are designated by the operation of the operation unit 114 by the operator. In this example, the output destination is a printer, the number of print copies is 10, and the print priority is Normal, with trial printing. The number of image data is two because it matches the number of originals shown in FIG. These print job setting values become control commands as shown in FIG. 10, and are transferred from the reader unit 1 to the core unit 10 together with two pieces of image data generated by reading a document.

  The control LSI 121 inside the core unit 10 receives this control command and image data. Since the control command is interpreted by the LSI 121 and the output destination is a printer, this control is additionally registered as a new print job and stored in the HDD 123. Further, since this print job has not yet been processed, the fact that it has not been processed is also stored in the HDD 123 and managed.

  As described above, the control LSI 121 always compares the priority level of the job currently being executed with the priority level of the print job stored in the HDD 123. At this point, the print jobs that are being executed have the same print priority, the print jobs that are stored in the HDD 123 are the print jobs that have been newly registered, and the trial print that has the newly added print priority. Since there is a print job, the control LSI 121 selects a newly added print job with a trial print with the same print priority as the highest priority job, ends the job being executed, and starts a new job operation. To do.

  The two pages of image data of the new print job are transferred from the reader unit 1 and stored in the HDD 123 as described above. The control LSI 121 transfers an image for each page from the HDD 123 to the printer unit 2 and executes print processing. The printer unit 2 prints the transferred image data. The control LSI 121 updates the process progress information of this print job stored in the HDD 123 every time one page print process is completed.

  Since the trial printing is completed when the printing of two pages is completed, the control LSI 121 updates the processing progress information of this print job stored in the HDD 123 as trial printing completed. In this embodiment, the control LSI 121 automatically controls trial printing as only one copy.

  As described above, the control LSI 121 always compares the priority level of the job currently being executed with the priority level of the print job stored in the HDD 123. Among the print jobs that are currently being executed, the control LSI 121 determines that the print LSI that is being executed has the same print priority stored in the HDD 123 as well as the test print that has the same print priority. Since the print job with the same print priority that has been executed halfway earlier and with the same registration order will be the highest priority job, the job that has been trial printed and is being held first and registered first Restart the job operation. At this time, since the processing progress is also stored in the HDD 123, it is possible to correctly start continuous printing under the control of the control LSI 121.

  Then, as described above, the printing operation is performed on one page to complete this print job.

  Thereafter, similarly, the print job that has been subjected to the trial printing stored in the HDD 123 is resumed, and all nine copies of the main printing are printed. Note that the operator can cancel the remaining main print jobs by operating the operation unit 114 after seeing the result of the trial printing. In this embodiment, it is assumed that there is no cancel operation and all the main printing is completed.

  FIG. 11 shows the outputs from the printer unit 2 arranged in time order when printing is performed as described above. It can be confirmed that the output by the print job from the PC / WS and the output by the print job from the reader unit 1 are mixed.

  Note that the printer unit 2 can store the recording paper discharged using the sorter 211 in each bin 212 and sort the recording paper as described above. In this configuration, output by different print jobs is not possible. The control LSI 121 instructs the printer unit 2 to be stored in different bins. For this reason, outputs from different print jobs do not overlap at the same place.

  As described so far, even if there is a print job in progress and a new print job with the trial print mode set is registered, the print job in progress is not stopped more than necessary. Therefore, it is possible to automatically give priority to the test printing and perform the printing process. Further, as soon as the print job being executed is completed, the main printing can be automatically started without any operation by the operator.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a system configuration of a print control apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating the configuration of a reader unit and a printer unit in the print control apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a block diagram which shows the internal structure of the reader part in the printing control apparatus which concerns on one embodiment of this invention. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an internal configuration of a core unit in the print control apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of a control LSI unit in the print control apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating control commands and image data input to the print control apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a document read by a reader unit in the print control apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating control commands and image data input to the print control apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating a relationship between a printing result output from a printer unit and time in a printing control apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating control commands and image data input to the print control apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating a relationship between a printing result output from a printer unit and time in a printing control apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Reader part 2 Printer part 3 Image input / output control part 4 Facsimile part 5 Network interface part 6 Computer interface part 10 Core part 11 Telephone line 12 Local area network or wide area network (LAN / WAN)
13 Personal computer or workstation (PC / WS
)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 Document feeder 102 Platen glass 103 Lamp 104 Scanner unit 105 Mirror 106 Mirror 107 Mirror 108 Lens 109 CCD image sensor 110 A / D conversion / shading correction (A / D / SH) unit 111 Image processing unit 112 Interface (I / F)
113 CPU (Central Processing Unit)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 114 Operation part 115 Memory 201 Laser light emission part 202 Photosensitive drum 203 Developing device 204 Upper stage paper feed cassette 205 Lower stage paper feed cassette 206 Transfer part 207 Fixing part 208 Discharge roller 209 Flapper 210 Refeed paper conveyance path 211 Sorter 212 Bin 121 Control LSI
122 Memory 123 Hard Disk Drive (HDD)
170 CPU
171 Facsimile I / F (FAX I / F)
172 Network I / F unit 173 Memory controller unit 174 Hard disk (HDD) controller unit 175 Data input unit 176 Data output unit 177 Internal bus

Claims (3)

  Job storage means for storing print jobs, priority order addition means for assigning priorities to a plurality of print jobs, and job management means for managing the processing progress of each print job stored in the job storage means. If the job with the highest priority by the priority adding unit is different from the currently executing job among the print jobs stored in the storage unit, the currently executing job is temporarily stopped and the highest priority is given. A printing control apparatus for starting a job.   In addition to each means according to claim 1, there is provided a paper discharge method instruction means for instructing a paper discharge method according to a print job, and the priority order is added among the print jobs stored in the job storage means. If the job with the highest priority by the means is different from the job currently being executed, the job currently being executed is temporarily stopped, the job with the highest priority is started, and a plurality of paper discharge methods are used properly. A print control apparatus for controlling so that the print output by the print job is not mixed.   2. A printing control apparatus comprising the means according to claim 1, wherein the priority adding unit adds a particularly high printing priority in the case of trial printing.

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