JP2008242699A - Print management device, print management system and print management program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To simplify proxy print setting by a user to uniform print quality. <P>SOLUTION: Image forming apparatuses A-C and a server D are connected to a network 1. The image forming apparatuses A-C has: a printing part 11; a print management part 13 for outputting a proxy instruction when it cannot execute a print job in the printing part 11; and a communication part 15 for outputting the print job received from the network 1 to the printing part 11 side and transmitting the proxy instruction. The server D has: a communication part 19 for designating the image forming apparatus A, B, C via the network 1, transmitting the print job, and receiving the proxy instruction; a device management part 21 for managing the image forming apparatuses A-C; and a device designation part 23 for designating the image forming apparatuses A-C, performing transmission control of the print job from the communication part 19, and performing proxy designation of the image forming apparatuses A, B, C common to a print function in reference to management data when receiving the proxy instruction. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a print management apparatus, a print management system, and a print management program, and more particularly to a print management system and a print management program using an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a multi-function peripheral (MFP) connected to a network. More specifically, the present invention relates to improvements in a print management apparatus, a print management system, and a print management program that can perform proxy printing.

  In recent years, image forming apparatuses such as copiers and multifunction machines have a function that allows other image forming apparatuses to perform proxy printing when printing cannot be performed due to an error such as a shortage of printing paper or a malfunction (jam) during printing. Things to be installed have come to be offered.

  For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-54909 (Patent Document 1) is this type.

In this information processing apparatus that generates a print job to be printed by a printing apparatus, a substitution condition is set as a condition for preventing the printing apparatus from printing, and the set substitution condition and the state of the printing apparatus are set. In response to this, it is determined whether the proxy printing should be performed by another printing device different from the printing device, and if it is determined that the proxy printing should be performed, a print job is transmitted to perform the proxy printing by another printing device. The proxy condition is managed in relation to the print job, and it is determined whether the proxy printing is possible based on the proxy condition associated with each print job, and the same condition even if the output destination processing device is changed It is possible to perform proxy processing with.
JP 2004-54909 A

  However, in Patent Document 1 described above, it is necessary for the user to manually input and set proxy conditions for proxy printing for each print job, and not only the proxy printing operation is complicated, but also an operation error is likely to occur.

  In particular, even if the output destination processing device changes, it is a considerable user burden to manually set the substitution conditions for substitution printing for each print job in order to avoid print image deterioration of the substitution printing result. Is desired.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve such a problem. A print management apparatus, a print management system, and a print management program capable of simplifying proxy print setting by a user and easily aligning print quality. The purpose is to provide.

  In order to solve such a problem, a print management apparatus designates a plurality of image forming apparatuses connected via a network, transmits a print job, and performs management information including a printing function of the image forming apparatus and a proxy for printing. A communication unit that receives an instruction; a device management unit that manages a state of the image forming apparatus based on the received management information; and the image forming apparatus that designates the image forming apparatus and controls transmission of a print job from the communication unit. Device designation that refers to the management data of the device management unit when the substitution instruction is received from the device, and designates an image forming device having a printing function similar to the designated image forming device and outputs a print job from the communication unit Part.

  In the print management apparatus of the present invention, a configuration in which the apparatus designating unit designates an image forming apparatus having a common basic print function as a substitute is also possible.

  In the print management apparatus according to the present invention, the apparatus designation unit designates an image forming apparatus having management information of the image forming apparatus having resolution information of the image forming apparatus and having a printing function close to the resolution of the image forming apparatus designated last time. A configuration in which substitution is specified is also possible.

  In the print management apparatus according to the present invention, the management data of the apparatus management unit includes the position information of the image forming apparatus, and the apparatus designating unit designates an image forming apparatus in a position close to the previously specified image forming apparatus. Configuration is also possible.

  The print management system according to the present invention is a print management system in which one or more image forming apparatuses and a print management apparatus that manages the image forming apparatuses are connected via a network, and the image forming apparatus prints a print job. The printing unit that outputs the management information including the printing function of the printing unit and the substitution instruction when the printing job cannot be executed in the printing unit, and the printing unit side that receives the print job via the network And a communication unit that transmits management information and proxy instructions to the print management apparatus, the print management apparatus transmits a print job by designating an image forming apparatus via the network, and also includes management information and proxy A communication unit that receives instructions, and a device management unit that manages image forming apparatuses connected to the network based on the received management information The print function of the designated image forming apparatus is controlled by referring to the management data of the apparatus management unit when the image forming apparatus is designated and the transmission job is controlled from the communication unit, and the proxy instruction is received from the designated image forming apparatus. A device designation unit that designates a similar image forming apparatus as a substitute and outputs a print job from the communication unit.

  In the print management system of the present invention, a configuration in which the device designation unit designates an image forming apparatus having a common basic print function as a proxy is also possible.

  In the print management system according to the present invention, the device designation unit includes an image forming apparatus having management information of the image forming apparatus having resolution information of the image forming apparatus and having a printing function close to the resolution of the image forming apparatus designated last time. A configuration in which substitution is specified is also possible.

  In the print management system according to the present invention, the management data of the apparatus management unit includes the position information of the image forming apparatus, and the apparatus designating unit designates an image forming apparatus in a position close to the previously specified image forming apparatus. Configuration is also possible.

  In addition, a print management program according to the present invention provides a control computer that controls one or more image forming apparatuses connected via a network and a print management apparatus that manages the image forming apparatuses to a specified image forming apparatus. Sending process that sends a print job via the network, receiving process that receives the print job via the network and outputs it to the printing unit side of the image forming apparatus, and substitutes when the received print job cannot be printed by the printing unit A reply process for returning an instruction to the print management apparatus via the network, and when the proxy instruction is returned, the management data for managing the state of the image forming apparatus connected to the network is referred to, and the designated image forming apparatus And device specification processing for outputting print jobs via the network by substituting image forming devices with similar print functions. It is intended to be.

  In the print management program of the present invention, the apparatus management process may be configured to manage management data relating to an image forming apparatus connected to a network based on management information received from the image forming apparatus.

  The print management program of the present invention may be configured such that the device designation process executes substitution designation of an image forming apparatus having a common basic print function.

  In the print management program according to the present invention, the management data includes the resolution information of the image forming apparatus, and the apparatus designation process executes substitution designation of an image forming apparatus having a printing function close to the resolution of the image forming apparatus designated last time. It is also possible to configure.

  In the print management program of the present invention, the management data includes the position information of the image forming apparatus, and the apparatus specifying process executes substitution designation of the image forming apparatus located near the previously specified image forming apparatus. Is possible.

  In such a print management apparatus according to the present invention, when a substitute instruction is received from an image forming apparatus designated via a network, the management function of the apparatus management unit is referred to and the printing function is similar to that of the designated image forming apparatus. Since the image designation apparatus is designated by the apparatus designation unit and a print job is output, the substitution print setting by the user can be simplified and the print quality can be easily aligned.

  In the print management system according to the present invention, when the image forming apparatus cannot execute the print job received via the network on the printing unit, the print management unit outputs a substitute instruction to the print management device side, and When the apparatus receives a proxy instruction regarding a print job to the designated image forming apparatus, the apparatus designating unit refers to the management data of the apparatus management unit and substitutes the image forming apparatus similar to the printing function of the municipal image forming apparatus. Since the print job is designated and output from the communication unit, similarly, the proxy print setting by the user can be greatly simplified, and the print quality can be easily aligned.

  In the present invention, in the configuration in which the apparatus designating unit designates an image forming apparatus having a common basic printing function as a substitute, it is possible to obtain a printing result closer to the initially designated print quality.

  In the present invention, in the configuration in which the device designating unit designates an image forming device having a printing function close to the resolution of the image forming device designated last time, it is possible to obtain a printing result close to the initially designated printing result. .

  In the present invention, in the configuration in which the device designation unit designates the image forming device located near the previously designated image forming device, the print result can be obtained at a location near the initially designated image forming device.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing an embodiment of a print management system including a print management apparatus according to the present invention. The print management program according to the present invention will be described in the course of describing the print management system for convenience.

  In FIG. 1, a print management system according to the present invention includes a plurality of image forming apparatuses A, B, and C and a server D that is a print management apparatus of the present invention connected via a network 1. The network 1 is a known one such as an in-house LAN or the Internet.

  Since the image forming apparatuses A, B, and C have substantially the same configuration, only the image forming apparatus A will be described, and detailed description and illustration of the image forming apparatuses B and C will be omitted.

  For convenience, the image forming apparatus A will be described.

  The image forming apparatus A includes an image reading unit 5, a storage unit 7, an operation panel unit 9, a printing unit 11, a print management unit 13, a communication unit 15, and a main control unit 17 that controls these units connected via the bus 3. For example, a multifunction peripheral (MFP).

  The image reading unit 5 is a known scanner or the like that optically reads an image from, for example, a printed document of a plurality of pages and generates electronic image data as a print job by performing a filtering process or the like. Each page is stored in the storage unit 7.

  The storage unit 7 is a hard disk (HDD) that stores and stores the operation program of the main control unit 17 in addition to the generated image data and management information described later regarding the printing unit 11.

  The operation panel unit 9 is a well-known liquid crystal display panel on which the operation state of the apparatus and the operation input result by the operation panel unit 9 are displayed under the control of the main control unit 17, and print (copy) processing, print processing , A touch-type keyboard for performing various operation instructions and selections such as scanner processing and facsimile transmission / reception processing, and setting the processing thereof, and is disposed on the upper outer periphery of the main body (not shown) of the apparatus.

  The printing unit 11 develops the print image image data from the print job generated by the image reading unit 5 or the print job received from the server D by the communication unit 15 and performs toner development processing, and transfers the toner development to the printing paper. This is a known color or monochrome printing engine for fixing the toner.

  The print management unit 13 manages information about the printing unit 11 and information about the apparatus, and outputs a proxy instruction when the management information and a print job in the printing unit 11 cannot be executed based on a request from the server D. Have.

  As the management information, for example, as shown in FIG. 2, printing function information such as the product number and version of the print engine, the printing speed, and the printing resolution, the first floor (F) zone 3, the first floor (F) zone 9, the first floor (F ) In addition to the position information of the image forming apparatus A such as the zone 13 and the type information of the set printing paper, there are operating state information of the printing unit 11, printing waiting information, and the like. Based on the request from the server D, The data is output from the communication unit 15 to the server D. FIG. 2 shows management data in the server D described later.

  The proxy instruction is, for example, a print instruction for instructing a print job received from the server D when the print management unit 15 cannot immediately execute the print job in the print unit 11 with reference to the management information. The data is output to the communication unit 15 under the control of the control unit 17.

  The communication unit 15 is an interface unit that receives a print job from the server D via the network 1 according to a predetermined protocol and transmits the management information and the proxy instruction described above.

  Facsimile transmission / reception is also performed via the communication unit 15, but the description is omitted because it is not a main part of the present invention.

  The main control unit 17 includes a CPU and a ROM that stores an operation program for the CPU. The main control unit 17 includes the image reading unit 5, the storage unit 7, the operation panel unit 9, the printing unit 11, and the print management unit 13. In addition to controlling the communication unit 15 and the like, some functions of the print management unit 13 are realized.

  The image forming apparatuses B and C have substantially the same configuration as the image forming apparatus A, but the description thereof is omitted as described above.

  Next, the server D that is the print management apparatus of the present invention will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the server D has a communication unit 19, a device management unit 21, a device designation unit 23, a storage unit 25, and a main control unit 27 for controlling them, and has a general configuration as a server. is doing.

  The communication unit 19 receives management information from the image forming apparatuses A, B, and C via the network 1 under the control of the main control unit 27 and outputs the management information to the device management unit 21, and management from the device designation unit 23. The interface unit outputs information acquisition requests and print jobs to the image forming apparatuses A, B, and C via the network 1.

  The apparatus management unit 21 controls the image forming apparatuses A, B, and C connected to the network 1 based on the management information from the image forming apparatuses A, B, and C received by the communication unit 19 under the control of the main control unit 27. Data is managed in a table-like management table, and the management data is stored and controlled in the storage unit 25.

  As shown in FIG. 2 described above, the management table includes printing function information such as the product number and version of the print engine, the printing speed, and the printing resolution, and the first floor (F) zone 3, the first floor (F) zone 9, and the first floor. (F) Position information such as zone 13 is associated with the image forming apparatuses A, B, and C in the form of a table, and is updated and changed at predetermined timings.

  The apparatus designating unit 23 controls output of management information acquisition requests from the communication unit 19 to the image forming apparatuses A, B, and C connected to the network 1 under the control of the main control unit 27, and the image forming apparatus It has a function of specifying A, B, and C and controlling output of a print job from the communication unit 19.

  Note that the print job that designates and outputs the image forming apparatuses A, B, and C is, for example, designated by the image forming apparatuses B and C or a computer (not shown) and designated as the image forming apparatus A to be printed.

  When the communication unit 19 receives a substitution instruction from the designated image forming apparatus A, the apparatus designation unit 23 refers to the management data from the apparatus management unit 21 and designates the image forming apparatus B most suitable for the print job as a substitute. A function of outputting a job from the communication unit 19 is provided.

  For example, the image forming apparatuses A, B, and C having the same basic print function such as the same or similar print engine part number specified last time (initial) may be used as the substitute designation condition for the image forming apparatus optimal for the print job. Designation, the designation of the image forming apparatus B that is close in position (location) to the previously designated image forming apparatus A, and the combination designation thereof, which are set in advance in the apparatus designation unit 23 or attached to the print job Is specified.

  The image forming apparatuses A, B, and C having a common basic printing function are often referred to as so-called brother machines or series machines.

  The determination of the perspective of the position (place) between the image forming apparatuses A, B, and C is performed by plotting the installation positions of the image forming apparatuses A, B, and C on each floor map as shown in FIG. A method of calculating and comparing the distances P1, P2, and P3 can be used, and matching or approximation of functions such as printing speed and printing resolution can be designated by simple numerical comparison.

  The main control unit 27 is formed with a CPU and a ROM that stores an operation program of the CPU, and functions to control the communication unit 19, the device designating unit 23, the device management unit 21, the storage unit 25, and the like described above. have.

  Next, the operation of the above-described print management system according to the present invention will be briefly described.

  Note that the description will be made on the assumption that the device management unit 21 of the server D previously creates management data and stores it in the storage unit 25.

  In the server D, when the device designating unit 23 designates, for example, the image forming device A and transmits a print job from the communication unit 19 via the network 1, the communication unit 15 of the image forming device A receives the print job and prints it. Output to the unit 11 and the print management unit 13.

  The print management unit 13 returns a proxy instruction from the communication unit 15 to the server D via the network 1 when printing of the print job cannot be immediately executed from the printing state of the printing unit 11.

  In the server D, the communication unit 19 receives the proxy instruction and sends it to the device designation unit 23. When the device designation unit 23 receives the substitution instruction, the management unit 21 refers to the management data from the device management unit 21, for example, the image forming apparatus A The image forming apparatus B having the same basic printing function as the image forming apparatus is determined as the optimum image forming apparatus for the print job, and the image forming apparatus B is designated as a substitute and the print job is transmitted from the communication unit 19 via the network 1 to the image forming apparatus. Output processing to B.

  In order to discriminate the image from the optimum image forming apparatus, an image forming apparatus having a common basic printing function and similar functions such as printing speed and resolution may be selected.

  If a proxy instruction is received from the image forming apparatus B, the server D further specifies the next optimal image forming apparatus D and outputs a print job.

  These processing procedures become the print management program according to the present invention.

  As described above, in the print management system of the present invention, one or more image forming apparatuses A, B, and C and a server D that manages the image forming apparatuses A, B, and C are connected via the network 1, and the image forming apparatuses A, B, and C The print unit 11 that prints a print job, the management information of the print unit 11 and the print management unit 13 that outputs a substitute instruction when the print job in the print unit 11 cannot be executed, and the print job are received via the network 1 And a communication unit 15 that transmits management information and proxy instructions to the server D, and the server D designates the image forming apparatuses A, B, and C via the network 1. A communication unit 19 that transmits a print job and receives management information and proxy instructions, and an image forming apparatus A connected to the network 1 based on the received management information, , C, and the image forming apparatuses A, B, and C are designated, the print unit is controlled to be transmitted from the communication unit 19, and a substitute instruction is issued from the designated image forming apparatuses A, B, and C. When received, the management data of the device management unit 21 is referred to, and the device designation unit 23 that designates other image forming apparatuses A, B, and C having the same basic print function as a substitute and outputs a print job from the communication unit 19; It has.

  Therefore, the user can perform proxy printing without setting the proxy printing destination or the like individually for each print job or image forming apparatuses A, B, and C, and the proxy printing setting by the user can be greatly simplified. In addition, there is an advantage that the printed result and the print quality of the printed matter can be easily obtained.

  In addition, when the image forming apparatuses B and D having a printing function close to the image resolution, for example, the function of the image forming apparatus A specified last time are designated as substitutes, a printed matter is obtained in a state close to the initially specified printing result and print quality. Is possible.

  In addition, since it is possible to designate the image forming apparatus B at a position close to the image forming apparatus A designated last time, it is possible to acquire the printing result at a position close to the image forming apparatus A initially designated, and the printed matter can be collected. Easy.

  In the present invention, the determination conditions for substituting the optimum image forming apparatus for the print job include the print engine product number and version, the printing function such as the printing speed and resolution, the above-mentioned approximate relationship of positions, the same model, The same department, group, and other various conditions can be set.

  Note that the server D described above does not have to be an independent device on the network 1, and can be configured by, for example, the same type of functional part built in a multifunction device, a printer, or the like connected to the network 1.

  The server D described above includes a communication unit 19, a device management unit 21, a device designation unit 23, a storage unit 25, and a main control unit 27 that controls them, and independently configures the print management device of the present invention. It is possible to simplify the proxy print setting by the user as described above, and it is possible to easily align the print quality.

  By the way, in the print management program according to the present invention, the apparatus management process executes management data management related to the image forming apparatus connected to the network based on the management information received from the image forming apparatus, and the management data is an image. A configuration in which the apparatus designating process executes the proxy designation of the image forming apparatus close to the resolution of the image forming apparatus designated last time, and the management data includes the position information of the image forming apparatus. The same effect as that of the print management system can be obtained even in the configuration in which the device designation process executes substitution designation of an image forming apparatus located near the image forming apparatus designated last time.

1 is a schematic block diagram showing an embodiment of a print management system including a print management apparatus according to the present invention. It is a figure which shows the example of the management table in this invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of an installation position relationship of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Network 3 Bus 5 Image reading part 7, 25 Storage part 9 Operation panel part 11 Printing part 13 Print management part 15, 19 Communication part 17, 27 Main control part 21 Device management part 23 Device designation part A, B, C Image formation Device D server (print management device)

Claims (13)

A communication unit that designates a plurality of image forming apparatuses connected via a network, transmits a print job, and receives management information including a print function of the image forming apparatus and a print substitution instruction;
An apparatus management unit that manages the state of the image forming apparatus based on the received management information;
Specifying the image forming apparatus, controlling the transmission of the print job from the communication unit, and receiving the substitution instruction from the specified image forming apparatus, refer to the management data of the apparatus management unit, and specify the specified An apparatus designating unit that designates the image forming apparatus similar in printing function to the image forming apparatus and outputs the print job from the communication unit;
A print management apparatus comprising: The print management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus designation unit designates the image forming apparatus having a common basic print function as a substitute. The management data of the apparatus management unit includes resolution information of the image forming apparatus, and the apparatus specifying unit designates the image forming apparatus having a printing function close to the resolution of the image forming apparatus specified last time as a substitute. 2. The print management apparatus according to 2. 4. The management data of the apparatus management unit includes position information of the image forming apparatus, and the apparatus designating unit designates the image forming apparatus located near the image forming apparatus designated last time as a substitute. The print management apparatus according to any one of the above. A print management system in which one or more image forming apparatuses and a print management apparatus that manages the image forming apparatuses are connected via a network;
The image forming apparatus includes:
A print section for printing a print job;
A print management unit that outputs management information including a print function of the print unit and a substitute instruction when the print job cannot be executed in the print unit;
A communication unit that receives the print job via the network and outputs the print job to the printing unit side, and transmits the management information and a substitute instruction to the print management device;
Comprising
The print management apparatus includes:
A communication unit that designates the image forming apparatus via the network and transmits the print job and receives the management information and a substitute instruction;
An apparatus management unit for managing the image forming apparatus connected to the network based on the received management information;
Specifying the image forming apparatus, controlling the transmission of the print job from the communication unit, and when receiving the substitution instruction from the specified image forming apparatus, refer to the management data of the apparatus management unit and specify the specified An apparatus designating unit that designates the image forming apparatus similar in printing function to the image forming apparatus and outputs the print job from the communication unit;
A print management system comprising: The print management system according to claim 5, wherein the device designation unit designates the image forming device having a common basic print function as a substitute. The management data of the apparatus management unit includes resolution information of the image forming apparatus, and the apparatus specifying unit designates the image forming apparatus having a printing function close to the resolution of the image forming apparatus specified last time as a substitute. 6. The print management system according to 6. 8. The management data of the apparatus management unit includes position information of the image forming apparatus, and the apparatus designating unit designates the image forming apparatus located near the image forming apparatus designated last time as a substitute. The print management system according to any one of the above. A control computer that controls one or more image forming apparatuses connected via a network and a print management apparatus that manages the image forming apparatuses;
A transmission process for transmitting the print job to the designated image forming apparatus via the network;
A receiving process for receiving the print job via the network and outputting the print job to the printing unit side of the image forming apparatus;
A reply process for returning a substitute instruction to the print management apparatus via the network when the received print job cannot be printed by the printing unit;
When the proxy instruction is returned, the image forming apparatus refers to management data for managing the state including the print function of the image forming apparatus connected to the network, and has the print function similar to the designated image forming apparatus A device designation process for designating the print job and outputting the print job via the network;
A print management program. The print management program according to claim 9, wherein the device management process executes management of the management data related to the image forming device connected to the network based on management information received from the image forming device. The print management program according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the device designation processing executes substitution designation of the image forming apparatus having a common basic print function. 12. The management data includes resolution information of the image forming apparatus, and the apparatus designation processing executes substitution designation of the image forming apparatus having a printing function close to the resolution of the image forming apparatus designated last time. The print management program described. 13. The management data includes position information of the image forming apparatus, and the apparatus designation processing executes substitution designation of the image forming apparatus located at a position close to the previously designated image forming apparatus. Or the print management program according to claim 1.

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