JP2010134765A - Device and method for supporting reduction in the number of prints, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a device and method for supporting the reduction in the number of prints, and a program, which increase users' environmental awareness. <P>SOLUTION: The device for supporting the reduction in the number of prints includes: a target setting means which sets a target value for specifying the number of prints in a predetermined period; an actual result recording means which records an actual result value of the number of prints into an actual result value management means in accordance with execution of a print job; a target achievement determination means which determines whether the target is achieved or not on the basis of the actual result value and the number of prints based on the target value; and a display means which causes a display device to display the determination result of the target achievement determination means. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a print number reduction support device, a print number reduction support method, and a program.

  Due to the recent increase in the environment-oriented or energy-saving orientation, consideration for the environment or energy-saving is becoming important with respect to image forming apparatuses (hereinafter referred to as “devices”) such as printers, copiers, and multifunction machines. For example, models with low power consumption and supplies with low environmental impact (toner, printing paper, etc.) are being favored in the market.

In addition, computer systems have been devised that can present environmental indicators related to the use of equipment.
JP 2007-109145 A

  However, even if a device having a low environmental load is used, the environmental load cannot be effectively reduced if the user has a low environmental awareness. In addition, it is considered difficult to improve the user's environmental awareness only by presenting environmental indicators.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides a printed sheet number reduction support apparatus, a printed sheet number reduction support method, and a program capable of effectively improving a user's environmental awareness. .

  Therefore, in order to solve the above-described problem, the present invention records target value setting means for setting a target value that can specify the number of printed sheets in a predetermined period, and the actual value of the number of printed sheets in the actual value managing means according to execution of the print job. A result recording means, a target achievement determination means for determining whether or not the target is achieved based on the number of printed sheets based on the target value and the actual value, and a determination result by the target achievement determination means on the display device Display means for displaying.

  In such a printed sheet number reduction support apparatus, it is possible to effectively improve the user's environmental awareness.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, a user's environmental awareness can be improved effectively.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of an eco-support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, the eco-support system 1 includes a client PC 10, an aggregation server 20, a conversion information management server 30, a log management server 40, a print server 50, a printer 60a, a printer 60b, and the like. Each device is connected via a network such as a LAN (Local Area Network) or the Internet (whether wired or wireless). However, the print server 50 and the printer 60a may be connected by a cable such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) cable or an RS-232C cable. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the eco support system 1 is used in a corporate office.

  The client PC 10 is a PC (Personal Computer) used directly by a user, and includes a print control unit 11 and an eco support unit 12. The print control unit 11 is a program or a group of programs that accepts an input of a print instruction such as document data from a user and causes the client PC 10 to execute generation and transmission of print data. For example, the print control unit 11 includes document data editing software (word processing software), a printer driver, a spooler, a port monitor, and the like.

  The eco support unit 12 is a program that causes the client PC 10 to execute processing in order to make the user aware of the environmental load due to printing. Specifically, the eco support unit 12 causes the user to set a target value for the reduction amount of the number of printed sheets for the previous period every predetermined period, and notifies the user of the achievement status of the current period with respect to the target value. The client PC 10 is arranged for each user.

  The aggregation server 20 is a computer having an aggregation unit 21. The aggregation unit 21 is a program that causes the aggregation server 20 to execute a process of aggregating data output for each user by the eco support unit 12 of each client PC 10.

  The conversion information management server 30 is a computer having a conversion information DB 31. The conversion information DB 31 is a DB (Data Base) that manages various types of information (hereinafter referred to as “conversion information”) required to convert the number of printed sheets into a predetermined environmental index (for example, CO 2 reduction amount). is there.

  The log management server 40 is a computer having a log management unit 41. The log management unit 41 is a program that causes the client PC 10 to manage log information related to a print job executed in the printer 60 a or the printer 60 b based on print data transmitted from the client PC 10.

  The printer 60 a and the printer 60 b are so-called printers that execute a print job based on print data transmitted from the client PC 10.

  The print server 50 is a so-called print server, and allows each printer PC 10 on the network to share the printer 60a.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the eco support unit in the client PC. In the figure, components are shown in a tree format. The tree shows an inclusion relationship between the constituent elements.

  That is, the eco support unit 12 includes a target value setting unit 121, an achievement status monitoring unit 122, and an environment report display unit 123. The target value setting unit 121 includes a print result acquisition unit 1211, an input unit 1212, and an eco information calculation unit 1213. The eco information calculation unit 1213 includes a conversion information acquisition unit 1213a and a CO2 conversion unit 1213b.

  The achievement status monitoring unit 122 includes a job information acquisition unit 1221 and an achievement level calculation unit 1222. The job information acquisition unit 1221 includes a print number acquisition unit 1221a and a print condition acquisition unit 1221b.

  The environmental report display unit 123 includes an achievement status display unit 1231, an eco information calculation unit 1213, and an environmental report setting unit 1232. The eco information calculation unit 1213 is shared by the environment report display unit 123 and the target value setting unit 121.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a totaling unit in the totaling server. The tree shown in FIG. 3 shows the inclusion relationship between the components as in FIG.

  That is, the totaling unit 21 includes a user information management unit 211, a totaling information generation unit 212, and a totaling information display unit 213. The user information management unit 211 includes a user information acquisition unit 2111 and a user group management unit 2112. The user information acquisition unit 2111 includes a target information acquisition unit 2111a and a performance information acquisition unit 2111b.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration example of the client PC according to the embodiment of the present invention. The client PC 10 shown in FIG. 4 includes a drive device 100, an auxiliary storage device 102, a memory device 103, a CPU 104, an interface device 105, a display device 106, and an input device 107, which are mutually connected by a bus B. It is comprised so that it may have.

  A program for realizing processing in the client PC 10 is provided by a recording medium 101 such as a CD-ROM. When the recording medium 101 on which the program is recorded is set in the drive device 100, the program is installed from the recording medium 101 to the auxiliary storage device 102 via the drive device 100. However, the program need not be installed from the recording medium 101 and may be downloaded from another computer via a network. The auxiliary storage device 102 stores the installed program and also stores necessary files and data.

  The memory device 103 reads the program from the auxiliary storage device 102 and stores it when there is an instruction to start the program. The CPU 104 realizes functions related to the client PC 10 in accordance with a program stored in the memory device 103. The interface device 105 is used as an interface for connecting to a network. The display device 106 displays a GUI (Graphical User Interface) or the like by a program. The input device 107 includes a keyboard and a mouse, and is used for inputting various operation instructions.

  Hereinafter, the processing procedure of the eco-support system 1 will be described. FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram for explaining the processing procedure of the target value setting processing.

  When the user logs on (logs in) to the OS (Operating System) of the client PC 10 (S101) and activates the target value setting unit 121 (S102), the printing result value acquisition unit 121 of the target value setting unit 121 receives the information from the OS. A login user name is acquired (S103, S104). Subsequently, the print result value acquisition unit 1211 acquires information (printer information) of the printer 60a or 60b corresponding to the installed printer driver from the OS (S105, S106). When a plurality of printer drivers are installed, printer information of each printer driver is acquired. The printer information only needs to include at least printer identification information (name, etc.).

  Subsequently, the printing result value acquisition unit 1211 transmits the login user name and printer information to the log management unit 41 of the log management server 40, and requests acquisition of the past printing number actual value of the login user (S107). . Note that the process of FIG. 5 is executed every predetermined period. The past actual number of printed sheets refers to the number of printed sheets in the previous period in each predetermined period. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the predetermined period is one month, and the process of FIG. 5 is executed at the beginning of each month. Therefore, the log management unit 41 determines the number of prints for each printer 60 in the previous month of the logged-in user from the log information of the print job accumulated for each user and for each printer 60 in the storage device of the log management server 40. Acquire and return to the print result value acquisition unit 1211 (S108). The actual printing value acquisition unit 1211 stores the received number of printed sheets for each day in the auxiliary storage device 102. Note that the acquisition destination of the actual value of the number of printed sheets may be the print server 50 or the printer 60b. Further, when the number of printed sheets acquired at the time of printing by the number-of-printed-sheet acquiring unit 1221a is stored in the auxiliary storage device 102, the number of printed sheets may be acquired.

  Subsequently, the printing result value acquisition unit 1211 sums up the number of printed sheets for each day, and calculates the total value of the number of printed sheets for the previous month (S109). Subsequently, the printing result value acquisition unit 1211 requests the input unit 1212 to display a target setting screen (S111). The input unit 1212 displays the target setting screen on the display device 106 (S112).

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a display example of the target setting screen. In the target setting screen 510 of FIG. 5, the actual value (200 (sheets)) of the number of printed sheets of the previous month is displayed at 511. The result value is acquired by the print result value acquisition unit 1211.

  Subsequently, the target value of the reduction amount of the number of printed sheets for the current month relative to the previous month is input by the user in the target value input area 512 of the target setting screen 510 (S113). FIG. 6 shows an example in which 10 (%) is input. In response to the input, the input unit 1212 calculates the maximum number of prints this month (target number: 180 (sheets)) to satisfy the reduction target value, and displays it on 513. Note that the reduction amount may be set not by the reduction ratio (%) but by the reduction number. Further, the target value may be input by an absolute value instead of the reduction amount. In the example of FIG. 6, 180 (sheets) may be input as the target value. In other words, the target value may be a value that can specify the target print number (target number) for this month. In the present embodiment, an example in which the reduction ratio is set as a target value will be described.

  Subsequently, the input unit 1212 requests the conversion of the reduced number of sheets into the CO2 emission amount by inputting the reduced number of sheets to the eco information calculation unit 1213 (S114). The conversion information acquisition unit 1213a of the eco information calculation unit 1213 acquires conversion information (various coefficients) necessary for converting the number of printed sheets into the CO2 emission amount from the conversion information DB 31 (S115, S116). Subsequently, the CO2 conversion unit 1213b of the eco information calculation unit 1213 calculates the CO2 reduction amount based on the number of reductions and the conversion information (S117), and outputs the calculation result to the input unit 1212 (S118). A known technique may be applied as the conversion method. Further, for example, when the coefficient for conversion differs according to the printer 60 as the printing destination due to differences in power consumption, printing paper used, toner, etc., conversion may be performed in consideration of such circumstances. Good.

  Subsequently, the input unit 1212 displays the calculation result (CO2 reduction amount) on the target setting screen 510 514 (S119). The cumulative value (actual value) of CO2 reduction from the beginning of the year (January) is held, and the value obtained by adding the CO2 reduction based on the target value of this month to the integrated value is displayed in 515 You may let them.

  Subsequently, when the user clicks the OK button 516 on the target setting screen 510 (S120), the input unit 180 stores the set information and the like (target information) in the auxiliary storage device 102 (S121).

  FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of target information. In the figure, target information 610 includes a user name, a printer to be used, the number of pages printed in the previous month, a target value, a target number, and the like. A login user name is recorded in the user name. In the used printer, the printer name of the printer information acquired from the OS is recorded. The actual value of the number of printed sheets of the previous month is recorded in the number of printed sheets of the previous month. In the target value, the target value (%) of the reduction amount input on the target setting screen 510 is recorded. In the target number, the number obtained by subtracting the target reduction number from the actual value of the previous month is recorded.

  Next, a processing procedure when executing printing will be described. FIG. 8 is a sequence diagram for explaining a processing procedure during printing.

  In advance, the achievement status monitoring unit 122 registers itself with the port monitor 113 of the print control unit 11 (S201). This registration is for notifying the achievement status monitoring unit 122 of job information included in the print data when the port monitor 113 transmits the print data to the printer 60.

  Thereafter, when the printer driver 111 of the print control unit 11 receives an input of a print instruction for document data from the user (S202), the print job information (including the number of prints and print conditions) set by the user via the print setting dialog. Information) is generated, and the generated print data is stored in the spooler 112 (S203, S204). Subsequently, the port monitor 113 acquires job information from the print data stored in the spooler 112 (S205), and notifies the job information to the job information acquisition unit 1221 of the achievement status monitoring unit 122 (S206). Note that the job information acquisition unit 1221 may acquire print data from the port monitor 113 or the spooler 112 and acquire job information from the print data.

  The print number acquisition unit 1221a of the job information acquisition unit 1221 acquires the print number from the job information. It is assumed that the number of printed sheets is the number of printed sheets (that is, the number of sheets actually printed by the printer 60) in consideration of printing conditions that affect the usage amount of printing paper such as aggregate printing and double-sided printing. Also, the print condition acquisition unit 1221a acquires the presence / absence of the setting for at least one of the aggregate printing and the duplex printing from the print conditions included in the print job information.

  Subsequently, the port monitor 113 transmits the print data to the printer 60 designated as the print destination (S207). Upon receiving the print data, the printer 60 returns a response indicating that the print data has been received normally to the port monitor 113 (S208). Thereafter, the printer 60 executes a print job based on the print data at an appropriate timing (S209). Note that the printer 60 transmits job information of the current print job to the log management unit 41. The log management unit 41 classifies the job information for each user and for each printer 60 and stores the job information in a storage device.

  On the other hand, the job information acquisition unit 1221 of the achievement status monitoring unit 122 makes an inquiry about the job execution status to the printer 60 of the printing destination (S210). The inquiry may be repeated. In response to the inquiry, when a response indicating that the job is completed is returned from the printer 60 (S211), the job information acquisition unit displays the number of prints and print conditions of the current print job as the actual information of the print job of this month. (S212).

  FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the record information of the print job. In the figure, the record information 620 includes a user name, the number of times of printing, the number of printed sheets, the number of times of aggregate printing, the number of times of duplexing, and the like. The user name is information for identifying which user's performance information 620 is. That is, in step S212, the record information 620 whose user name matches the login user name is set as the update target. The number of times of printing is the number of times printing has been executed in this month. Therefore, in step S212, “1” is added. The number of printed sheets is the number of printed sheets for each printer. In step S212, the current print number is added to the printer designated as the print destination. The number of times of intensive printing and the number of times of duplex printing are the number of times that intensive printing or double-sided printing is set out of the number of times of printing this month. Therefore, in step S212, when the consolidated printing is set, the number of consolidated printing is incremented. If duplex printing is set, the duplex setting is incremented. Note that the record information 620 is stored in the auxiliary storage device 102.

  Subsequently, the achievement level calculation unit 1222 of the achievement status monitoring unit 122 calculates an achievement level for the target based on the target number of sheets included in the target information 610 and the number of printed sheets included in the result information 620. The calculation result is stored in the auxiliary storage device 102 in association with the login user name (S213).

  The method for calculating the achievement level is not limited to a predetermined one, but examples include the following. First, by dividing the target number of sheets by the number of days in this month, the allowable number of printed sheets (M) (per day) is calculated for each day. When the day of printing is the Nth day of this month and the number of printed sheets for this month (the total number of printed sheets for each printer 60; 65 + 30 = 95 in the example of FIG. 9) is P, this is achieved by the following equation: Calculate the degree.

Achievement = 1-P ÷ (M × N)
In other words, this is based on the ratio (ratio) of the actual value of the number of printed sheets (M × N) (the total value of the number of printed sheets for each printer 60) to the number of printed sheets (M × N) allowed up to the current day based on the allowable number of printed sheets. It is an example.

  For example, when the target number of sheets is 180 and the actual working days of this month is 20 days, the allowable number of printed sheets is 180 ÷ 20 = 9 (sheets). When the current day is the first day and 6 sheets are printed, the achievement level is 1-6 ÷ (9 × 1) = − 33.3 (%).

  In addition, when the current day is the second day and 8 sheets are printed (in this case, the number of printed sheets of this month is 6 + 8 = 14), the achievement level is 1-14 ÷ (9 × 2) = − 22.3 (% )

  Furthermore, if the current day is the third day and 16 sheets have been printed (in this case, the number of printed sheets for this month is 6 + 8 + 16 = 30), the achievement level is 1-30 ÷ (9 × 3) = 11.1 (%) It becomes.

  If the print pattern can be predicted, for example, the number of output sheets increases at the end of each month, the allowable number of prints may be calculated by weighting the end of the month. In this case, the allowable number of prints at the end of the month is increased. For example, if 50% weighting is given to 5 days at the end of the month, the target number of sheets × 0.5 ÷ 5 is set as the allowable number of prints for 5 days at the end of the month, and the remaining days (for example, 15 days) The target number of prints × 0.5 ÷ 15 is set as the allowable number of prints.

  The previous month's print pattern may be used as a reference. In this case, the allowable number of prints for each day of the current month may be calculated by obtaining a ratio of the number of prints for each day of the previous month to the total number of prints for the previous month and multiplying that ratio by the target number of prints for this month.

  Subsequently, the achievement status monitoring unit 122 notifies the environmental report display unit 123 that the record information 620 has been updated (S214). The significance of this notification will be described later.

  Note that when the print condition is set in the print setting dialog of the printer driver 111, the printer driver 111 may notify the achievement status management unit 122 of the set print condition. In this case, the achievement status management unit 122 calculates the number of printed sheets when a print job is performed based on the set printing conditions, and achieves the degree of achievement based on the total value of the number of printed sheets and the number of printed sheets up to the present time. Is calculated. When the achievement level is positive (when the target number of sheets up to the current day is exceeded), the achievement status monitoring unit 122 displays a message indicating that the target number of sheets up to the current day will be exceeded, a message prompting aggregate printing or double-sided printing, etc. Is displayed as a dialog. By doing so, it is possible to prevent the target number from being exceeded before printing is performed (in advance). In this case, in order not to impair convenience, it is preferable not to prevent printing under the current printing conditions but to select whether or not to execute the print job as it is (permission / non-permission of execution of the print job).

  Further, such a dialog may not be displayed at the timing when the printing conditions are set. For example, it may be performed when job information is notified in step S206. In this case, the achievement status monitoring unit 122 calculates the achievement level based on the notified job information, and displays the dialog when the achievement level is positive. When printing cancellation is selected in the dialog, the achievement status monitoring unit 122 notifies the port monitor 113 of printing cancellation. In response to the notification, the port monitor 113 discards the print data without transmitting it to the printer 60.

  Then, the process sequence at the time of making a user browse the achievement status of a target is demonstrated. FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram for explaining the processing procedure of the goal achievement status display processing.

  When the activation instruction of the environmental report display unit 123 is input by the user (S301), the achievement status display unit 1231 of the environmental report display unit 123 displays the target information 610 associated with the login user from the auxiliary storage device 102, the actual result. Information 620 and an achievement level are acquired (S302). Subsequently, the achievement status display unit 1231 multiplies the achievement level by the target number of sheets (180 in the example of FIG. 7), thereby obtaining a difference number (target number of sheets) between the target number of sheets up to the current day and the number of printed sheets (actual value) up to that day. -The number of prints is calculated (S303).

  Subsequently, the achievement status display unit 1231 inputs the difference number to the eco information calculation unit 1213 to request conversion of the difference number to the CO2 emission amount (S304). The conversion information acquisition unit 1213a of the eco information calculation unit 1213 acquires conversion information necessary for converting the number of printed sheets into the CO2 emission amount from the conversion information DB 31 (S305, S306). Subsequently, the CO2 conversion unit 1213b of the eco information calculation unit 1213 calculates the CO2 reduction amount based on the difference number and the conversion information (S307), and outputs the calculation result to the achievement status display unit 1231 (S308). Subsequently, the achievement status display unit 1213 displays an environmental report display screen on the display device 106 (S309).

  FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a display example of the environmental report display screen. In the environmental report display screen 520 in FIG. 5, 521, 522, and 523 display the number of previous month prints, target value, and target number included in the target information 610. Reference numeral 524 displays the total number of printed sheets included in the record information 620. In 525, the achievement level is displayed. Reference numeral 526 displays a CO2 reduction amount with respect to the difference number. In addition, 527 displays a value obtained by adding the CO2 reduction amount up to the present time of this month to the integrated value (actual value) of the CO2 reduction amount from the beginning of the year (January).

  The achievement status display unit 1213 uses the aggregate printing or duplex printing when the aggregate printing rate (ratio of aggregated printing times to the number of printings) or duplexing rate (ratio of duplexing times to the number of printings) is lower than a predetermined threshold. A message prompting the user may be displayed on the environmental report display screen 520.

  Further, the process in FIG. 10 may be executed not in response to an explicit activation instruction from the user but in response to an update notification of the record information 620 in step S214 in FIG. In this case, the achievement status display unit 1231 may display the environmental report display screen 520 only when the achievement level is positive (when the current print number exceeds the target number of prints up to the current day). .

  Further, the achievement status display unit 1231 may automatically execute the process of FIG. 10 at the timing set via the environment report setting unit 1232 (for example, when logging in to the client PC 10).

  Furthermore, the achievement status display unit 1231 may always display an icon corresponding to the ring achievement level on a task bar or the like. FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a display example of icons according to achievement levels.

  In the figure, (A) is an icon displayed on the taskbar or the like when the achievement level is positive. (B) is an icon displayed on the task bar when the achievement level is negative. By always displaying the icon, it is possible to make the user aware of the reduction in the number of printed sheets from the usual time.

  Next, processing executed by the aggregation server 20 will be described. FIG. 13 is a flowchart for explaining a processing procedure of processing executed by the aggregation server. The process shown in FIG. 11 is executed in response to an activation instruction for the totaling unit 21 input to the totaling server 20 by an administrator user, for example.

  First, the target information acquisition unit 2111a acquires target information 610 from each client PC 10 (S401). Subsequently, the record information acquisition unit 2111b acquires record information 620 from each client PC 10 (S402). Note that the target information 610 and the performance information 620 may be acquired together.

  Incidentally, the client PC 10 from which the target information 610 and the performance information 620 are obtained is determined based on the user group information managed by the user group management unit 2112.

  FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of user group information. In the user group information shown in the figure, a user name, a machine name, and a department to which the user belongs are registered for each user. The machine name is the name of the client PC 10 used by the user. The department to which the user belongs is the name of the user's department.

  In steps S401 and S402, the target information 610 or the result information 620 is acquired by the client PC 10 related to all the machine names registered in the user group information. In the user group information, an IP address or a MAC address may be registered instead of the machine name. That is, identification information for communicating with each client PC 10 only needs to be registered.

  Subsequently, the total information generation unit 212 generates total information by totaling all the target information 610 and all the performance information 620 (S403). At this time, the total information generation unit 212 calculates the achievement level for each department based on the user group information. Note that the method of calculating the achievement level and the like is more obvious than the calculation method by the achievement level calculation unit 1222 of the client PC 10, and thus description thereof is omitted here.

  Subsequently, the total information display unit 213 displays the environmental report total screen on the display device of the total server 20 based on the total information (S404).

  FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating a display example of the environmental report aggregation screen. In the environmental report totaling screen 530 of FIG. 5, 531, 532, and 533 display the total value of the number of printed sheets for the previous month, the total value of the target value, and the total value of the target number of sheets.

  In addition, a total value of achievement levels is displayed at 534. Reference numeral 535 displays a bar graph indicating the relationship between the target number a, the current print number b, and the current target number c. Similar bar graphs are displayed for each department in 536 to 539. Further, the total value of the CO2 reduction amount is displayed at 541, and the integrated value of the total value of the CO2 reduction amount is displayed at 542, respectively.

  As described above, according to the client PC 10 of the present embodiment, it is possible to cause each user to input a target value related to the reduction in the number of printed sheets and to display the achievement status for the target value as needed. Therefore, each user can be effectively aware of the reduction in the number of printed sheets. As a result, it can be expected that the environmental load is reduced by reducing the number of printed sheets.

  Moreover, according to the totaling server 20, the information (target information 610 and performance information 620) managed for each user in the client PC 10 can be totaled and displayed. Accordingly, the administrator or the like can easily grasp the reduction status of the number of printed sheets for the entire company or for each department.

  In addition, the process performed in each client PC10 may be centrally performed by one computer (for example, totaling server 20). In this case, the computer only needs to have the functional configuration shown in FIG. Each client PC 10 only needs to have a browser function for remotely using each function of the computer.

  As mentioned above, although the Example of this invention was explained in full detail, this invention is not limited to such specific embodiment, In the range of the summary of this invention described in the claim, various deformation | transformation・ Change is possible.

It is a figure which shows the structural example of the eco-support system in embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the eco-support part in a client PC. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the total part in a total server. It is a figure which shows the hardware structural example of client PC in embodiment of this invention. It is a sequence diagram for demonstrating the process sequence of a target value setting process. It is a figure which shows the example of a display of a target setting screen. It is a figure which shows the structural example of target information. It is a sequence diagram for demonstrating the process sequence at the time of printing. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of print job performance information. It is a sequence diagram for demonstrating the process sequence of a target achievement status display process. It is a figure which shows the example of a display of an environmental report display screen. It is a figure which shows the example of a display of the icon according to the achievement level. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the process sequence of the process which a total server performs. It is a figure which shows the structural example of user group information. It is a figure which shows the example of a display of an environmental report total screen.

Explanation of symbols

1 Eco-support system 10 Client PC
11 Print Control Unit 12 Eco Support Unit 20 Total Server 21 Total Unit 30 Conversion Information Management Server 31 Conversion Information DB
40 Log management server 41 Log management unit 50 Print server 60a, 60b Printer 100 Drive device 101 Recording medium 102 Auxiliary storage device 103 Memory device 104 CPU
105 Interface Device 106 Display Device 107 Input Device 121 Target Value Setting Unit 122 Achievement Status Monitoring Unit 123 Environmental Report Display Unit 211 User Information Management Unit 212 Total Information Generation Unit 213 Total Information Display Unit 1211 Printing Result Acquisition Unit 1212 Input Unit 1213 Eco Information Calculation unit 1213a Conversion information acquisition unit 1213b CO2 conversion unit 1221 Job information acquisition unit 1221a Print number acquisition unit 1221b Print condition acquisition unit 1222 Achievement degree calculation unit 1231 Achievement status display unit 1232 Environment report setting unit 2111 User information acquisition unit 2111a Target information acquisition Part 2111b result information acquisition part 2112 user group management part B bus

Claims (15)

Target setting means for setting a target value capable of specifying the number of printed sheets in a predetermined period;
A record recording unit that records a record value of the number of printed sheets in the record value management unit according to execution of the print job;
Target achievement determination means for determining whether or not the target is achieved based on the number of printed sheets based on the target value and the actual value;
A printing number reduction support device, comprising: a display unit configured to display a determination result by the target achievement determination unit on a display device. Previous period results acquisition means for acquiring the actual value of the number of printed sheets for a predetermined period of the previous period from the past result value management means,
The number-of-printing-sheet reduction support device according to claim 1, wherein the target setting unit sets the number of sheets to be reduced with respect to the actual value of the previous period as the target value.   The target achievement determination means calculates the allowable number of prints for each day of the current period based on the target value, and the target is achieved based on the actual value of the current period up to the day of the determination and the allowable number of prints for each day. The number-of-printing-sheet reduction support device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein it is determined whether or not the printing has been performed. The performance record means records the presence / absence of settings relating to at least one of aggregate printing and double-sided printing in a print job, and the number of times of printing in the current period in the performance value management means,
The display means displays information prompting the use of at least one of aggregate printing and double-sided printing in accordance with a comparison between the threshold value and the ratio of the set number of at least one of aggregate printing and double-sided printing to the current number of printings. The number-of-printing-sheet reduction support device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.   In response to the print job execution instruction, it is determined whether the target has been achieved based on the actual value of the current term when the print job is performed and the target value, and it is determined that the target has not been achieved. 5. The number-of-prints-reduction support apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising pre-determination means for selecting whether or not to execute a print job when the print job is executed. A method for supporting the reduction in the number of printed sheets executed by a computer,
A target setting procedure for setting a target value capable of specifying the number of printed sheets in a predetermined period;
A result recording procedure for recording the actual value of the number of printed sheets in the actual value management means according to the execution of the print job,
A target achievement determination procedure for determining whether or not the target has been achieved based on the number of printed sheets based on the target value and the actual value;
And a display procedure for displaying a determination result by the target achievement determination procedure on a display device. There is a previous period results acquisition procedure to acquire the actual value of the number of printed sheets for a predetermined period of the previous period from the past result value management means,
The number-of-printing-sheet-reduction support method according to claim 6, wherein the target setting procedure sets a reduction number for the actual value of the previous period as the target value.   The target achievement determination procedure calculates the allowable number of prints for each day of the current period based on the target value, and the target is achieved based on the actual value of the current period up to the day of the determination and the allowable number of prints for each day. The method for supporting reduction in the number of printed sheets according to claim 6 or 7, wherein it is determined whether or not the printing has been performed. The actual record procedure records the presence / absence of settings regarding at least one of aggregate printing and double-sided printing in a print job, and the number of times of printing in the current period in the actual value management unit,
The display procedure displays information prompting the use of at least one of aggregate printing and double-sided printing in accordance with a comparison between a threshold value and a ratio of the set number of at least one of aggregate printing and double-sided printing to the number of times of printing in the current period. The method for supporting reduction in the number of printed sheets according to any one of claims 6 to 8.   In response to the print job execution instruction, it is determined whether the target has been achieved based on the actual value of the current term when the print job is performed and the target value, and it is determined that the target has not been achieved. 10. The method for supporting reduction in the number of printed sheets according to any one of claims 6 to 9, further comprising a pre-determination procedure for selecting whether or not to execute a print job when the print job is executed. On the computer,
A target setting procedure for setting a target value capable of specifying the number of printed sheets in a predetermined period;
A result recording procedure for recording the actual value of the number of printed sheets in the actual value management means according to the execution of the print job,
A target achievement determination procedure for determining whether or not the target has been achieved based on the number of printed sheets based on the target value and the actual value;
A program for executing a display procedure for displaying a determination result by the target achievement determination procedure on a display device. There is a previous period results acquisition procedure to acquire the actual value of the number of printed sheets for a predetermined period of the previous period from the past result value management means,
12. The program according to claim 11, wherein the target setting procedure sets the number of sheets to be reduced with respect to the actual value of the previous period as the target value.   The target achievement determination procedure calculates the allowable number of prints for each day of the current period based on the target value, and the target is achieved based on the actual value of the current period up to the day of the determination and the allowable number of prints for each day. The program according to claim 11 or 12, wherein it is determined whether or not it is executed. The actual record procedure records the presence / absence of settings regarding at least one of aggregate printing and double-sided printing in a print job, and the number of times of printing in the current period in the actual value management unit,
The display procedure displays information prompting the use of at least one of aggregate printing and double-sided printing in accordance with a comparison between a threshold value and a ratio of the set number of at least one of aggregate printing and double-sided printing to the number of times of printing in the current period. The program according to any one of claims 11 to 13.   In response to the print job execution instruction, it is determined whether the target has been achieved based on the actual value of the current term when the print job is performed and the target value, and it is determined that the target has not been achieved. 15. The program according to claim 11, further comprising a pre-determination procedure for selecting whether to execute the print job when the print job is executed.

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