JP2014059697A - Output control device, program and output system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an output control device for easily changing output setting of data that is made to be outputted from an output device, a program and an output system.SOLUTION: The output control device connected to an output device for outputting data and a conversion device for converting a job into data through a network has job reception means for acquiring first output setting linked to user's attribute information from an output setting holding part, the user's attribute information obtained by linking attribute information with the first output setting when receiving a job from a user, and determining output setting of the job on the basis of the first output setting and second output setting received from the user, conversion request means for requesting a conversion device to convert the job based on the output setting of the job into data, and transmission means for receiving a job acquisition request from the output device and transmitting data converted from the job to the output device.

Description

  The present invention relates to an output control device, a program, and an output system.

  An image forming apparatus that prints print data selected from a list of print data spooled after the user logs in, without immediately printing the print data received from the host computer, and spooling (accumulating) the print data in the print server Is conventionally known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  In a printing system including such a print server, a user inputs a print instruction from a client PC. The client PC transmits a print job corresponding to the print instruction to the print server. The print server does not immediately transfer the print job to the image forming apparatus but stores it in a storage device such as an HDD. Thereafter, the user operates the image forming apparatus to instruct printing of the accumulated print job. The image forming apparatus acquires a print job from a print server in accordance with a printing instruction and performs printing.

  In recent years, location-free printing has come into use. Location-free printing is an output device such as an image forming device in the network. By logging in, the job list stored in an output control device such as a print server can be acquired and displayed. In this printing method, a selected job is acquired and printed.

  In recent years, a printing system using a rule base in which an administrator or the like can set rules (such as not performing color printing) for reducing TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) has been used.

  In a printing system using such a rule base, the print settings set by the user are changed based on the rules set by the administrator or the like. However, when changing the print setting set by the user, the print setting must be changed before conversion from the application file or the like to the print data in the client terminal or the like operated by the user.

  Such a problem can be said to be a common problem in an output method in which a user selects data from a list of accumulated data and outputs it to an output device, as in the case of location-free printing.

  Embodiments of the present invention have been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide an output control device, a program, and an output system that can easily change the output setting of data to be output to an output device. .

  In order to achieve the above object, claim 1 of the present application is an output control device connected via a network to an output device that outputs data and a conversion device that converts a job into the data, and accepts the job from a user The first output setting associated with the user attribute information is acquired from the output setting holding unit associated with the attribute information and the first output setting, and the first output setting and the job are acquired. Job accepting means for determining the output setting of the job based on the second output setting received from the user included, and requesting the conversion device to convert the job to the data based on the job output setting A conversion requesting unit that receives the job acquisition request from the output device, and a transmission unit that transmits the data converted from the job to the output device. It is characterized in.

  According to the embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to provide an output control device, a program, and an output system in which the output setting of data to be output to the output device can be easily changed.

It is a lineblock diagram of an example of a printing system concerning this embodiment. It is a hardware block diagram of an example of the computer system which concerns on this embodiment. 1 is a hardware configuration diagram of an example of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment. It is a processing block diagram of an example of a print server concerning this embodiment. It is a processing block diagram of an example of a rendering server concerning this embodiment. It is a processing block diagram of an example of an authentication server concerning this embodiment. 1 is a processing block diagram of an example of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment. It is a sequence diagram showing an example of processing of the printing system according to the present embodiment. It is an image figure of an example of a job input screen. 6 is a configuration diagram of an example of forced print settings held by a print setting holding unit. FIG. It is explanatory drawing of an example showing application of forced printing setting. FIG. 10 is a configuration diagram of another example of forced print settings held by a print setting holding unit. It is explanatory drawing of the other example showing application of forced printing setting. It is a block diagram of an example of the job information which a job storage part preserve | saves. It is a block diagram of an example of the rendering information which a rendering information holding part hold | maintains. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing for determining print settings. It is a sequence diagram showing an example of processing of the printing system according to the present embodiment. It is a block diagram of an example of external information. It is a sequence diagram showing an example of processing of the printing system according to the present embodiment. It is an image figure of an example of the job input screen reflecting the forced print setting. It is a sequence diagram showing an example of processing of the printing system according to the present embodiment. It is a block diagram of an example of the job information which a job storage part preserve | saves. It is a block diagram of an example of the rendering information which a rendering information holding part hold | maintains.

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail.
[First Embodiment]
<System configuration>
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an example of a printing system according to the present embodiment. The printing system 1 in FIG. 1 includes a network N1 that provides services such as a cloud service and a network N2 in a private environment such as an office.

  The network N1 and the network N2 are connected by a firewall FW on the network N2 side. The firewall FW is installed at the contact point between the network N1 and the network N2, and relays access from the network N2 to the network N1.

  The network N1 includes one or more information processing apparatuses (computer systems) that provide functions through Web applications or server-side applications. By such an information processing apparatus, the print server 11, the rendering server 12, the authentication server 13, and the like are realized on the network N1 side. The network N2 includes a client terminal 21, a portable terminal 22, and an image forming apparatus 23. The portable terminal 22 can also be connected to the network N1.

  The print server 11 is an example of a print control apparatus. The print server 11 accepts an authentication request or job input from the client terminal 21 or the portable terminal 22 by means such as http communication. Further, the print server 11 provides a job list and jobs to the portable terminal 22 and the image forming apparatus 23.

  The rendering server 12 receives a rendering request from the print server 11 and performs a rendering process. For example, the rendering server 12 performs conversion from an application file performed on the client terminal 21 or the portable terminal 22 to print data. As described above, in the printing system 1 according to the present embodiment, a job of application data can be input from the client terminal 21 or the portable terminal 22 to the print server 11 to perform printing. The authentication server 13 is an example of an authentication device. The authentication server 13 receives an authentication request from the print server 12 or the image forming apparatus 23 and performs authentication.

  The client terminal 21 is an example of a terminal device. The client terminal 21 can be realized by an information processing apparatus (computer system) equipped with a general OS or the like. The client terminal 21 has a wireless communication means or a wired communication means. The client terminal 21 is a terminal that can be operated by the user, such as a tablet PC or a notebook PC.

  The portable terminal 22 is an example of a terminal device. The portable terminal 22 has a wireless communication means or a wired communication means. The mobile terminal 22 is a terminal that can be carried by the user, such as a smartphone, a mobile phone, a tablet PC, or a notebook PC.

  The image forming apparatus 23 is an example of an output device. The image forming apparatus 23 includes a wireless communication unit or a wired communication unit. The image forming apparatus 23 is an apparatus that performs processing related to image formation, such as a multifunction peripheral, a copier, a scanner, a printer, and a laser printer.

  The image forming apparatus 23 is provided with a job list from the print server 11. Further, the image forming apparatus 23 acquires the job selected by the user from the job list from the print server 11 and prints it.

  Note that the print server 11, the rendering server 12, and the authentication server 13 of the printing system 1 of FIG. 1 may be integrated into a single computer. Further, the print server 11, the rendering server 12, and the authentication server 13 may be realized by being distributed to a plurality of computers.

  Further, at least some of the functions of the print server 11, the rendering server 12, and the authentication server 13 may be provided in the image forming apparatus 23. For example, the printing system 1 in FIG. 1 includes at least a part of the functions of the print server 11, the rendering server 12, and the authentication server 13 in the image forming apparatus 23, thereby at least a part of the print server 11, the rendering server 12, and the authentication server 13. It is good also as a structure which deleted.

<Hardware configuration>
The print server 11, the rendering server 12, the authentication server 13, the client terminal 21, and the portable terminal 22 in FIG. 1 are realized by a computer system having a hardware configuration as shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram of an example of a computer system according to the present embodiment.

  A computer system 100 shown in FIG. 2 includes an input device 101, a display device 102, an external I / F 103, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 104, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 105, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 106, a communication I / O. F107, HDD (Hard Disk Drive) 108, etc. are provided, and each is connected to each other via a bus B.

  The input device 101 includes a keyboard and a mouse, and is used by a user to input each operation signal. The display device 102 includes a display and the like, and displays a processing result by the computer system 100.

  The communication I / F 107 is an interface that connects the computer system 100 to the networks N1 and N2. Thereby, the computer system 100 can perform data communication via the communication I / F 107.

  The HDD 108 is a non-volatile storage device that stores programs and data. The stored programs and data include, for example, an OS (Operating System) that is basic software for controlling the entire computer system 100, and application software that provides various functions on the OS. The HDD 108 manages stored programs and data by a predetermined file system and / or DB (database).

  The external I / F 103 is an interface with an external device. The external device includes a recording medium 103a. Thereby, the computer system 100 can read and / or write the recording medium 103a via the external I / F 103. The recording medium 103a includes a flexible disk, a CD (Compact Disk), a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk), an SD memory card (SD Memory card), a USB memory (Universal Serial Bus memory), and the like.

  The ROM 105 is a nonvolatile semiconductor memory (storage device) that can retain programs and data even when the power is turned off. The ROM 105 stores programs and data such as BIOS (Basic Input / Output System), OS settings, and network settings that are executed when the computer system 100 is started. The RAM 104 is a volatile semiconductor memory (storage device) that temporarily stores programs and data.

  The CPU 106 is an arithmetic device that realizes control and functions of the entire computer system 100 by reading a program and data from a storage device such as the ROM 105 and the HDD 108 onto the RAM 104 and executing processing.

  The print server 11, the rendering server 12, the authentication server 13, the client terminal 21, and the mobile terminal 22 according to the present embodiment can realize various processes as described later with the hardware configuration of the computer system 100 described above.

  FIG. 3 is a hardware configuration diagram of an example of the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment. The image forming apparatus 23 illustrated in FIG. 3 includes a controller 201, an operation panel 202, an external I / F 203, a communication I / F 204, a printer 205, a scanner 206, and the like.

  The controller 201 includes a CPU 211, a RAM 212, a ROM 213, an NVRAM 214, an HDD 215, and the like. The ROM 213 stores various programs and data. The RAM 212 temporarily stores programs and data. The NVRAM 214 stores setting information, for example. The HDD 215 stores various programs and data.

  The CPU 211 implements control and functions of the entire image forming apparatus 10 by reading programs, data, setting information, and the like from the ROM 213, NVRAM 214, HDD 215, and the like onto the RAM 212 and executing processing.

  The operation panel 202 includes an input unit that receives input from the user and a display unit that performs display. The external I / F 203 is an interface with an external device. The external device includes a recording medium 203a. Accordingly, the image forming apparatus 10 can read and / or write the recording medium 103a via the external I / F 203. Examples of the recording medium 203a include an IC card, a flexible disk, a CD, a DVD, an SD memory card, and a USB memory.

  The communication I / F 204 is an interface that connects the image forming apparatus 23 to the network N2. Thereby, the image forming apparatus 23 can perform data communication via the communication I / F 204.

  The printer 205 is a printing device for printing print data on paper. A scanner 206 is a reading device for reading image data from a document. The image forming apparatus 23 according to the present embodiment can realize various processes as described later with the above hardware configuration.

<Software configuration>
<< Print Server 11 >>
The print server 11 according to the present embodiment is realized by, for example, the processing blocks illustrated in FIG. FIG. 4 is a processing block diagram of an example of the print server according to the present embodiment.

  By executing the program, the print server 11 includes a rendering request unit 31, a communication unit 32, a job reception unit 33, an authentication request unit 34, a job list acquisition unit 35, a job acquisition unit 36, a job storage unit 37, and a display unit 38. Realized.

  The rendering request unit 31 makes a rendering request to the rendering server 12 via the communication unit 32 when the job reception unit 33 receives input of an application file and print settings. The communication unit 32 performs communication using http communication or the like.

  The job receiving unit 33 receives an application file and print setting input from the user via the communication unit 32. When the job reception unit 33 receives an input of an application file and print settings from the user, the job reception unit 33 acquires forced print settings (to be described later) from the authentication server 13 and reflects them in the user print settings. The job reception unit 33 assigns a job ID that uniquely identifies the job, and accumulates job information. The job reception unit 33 notifies the rendering request unit 31 that the input of the application file and the print setting has been received.

  The authentication request unit 34 requests authentication from the authentication server 13 based on authentication information such as a group ID, user ID, and password from the user, and receives the result. The job list acquisition unit 35 acquires from the job storage unit 37 a list of jobs accepted from the user (job list) from the user authentication information. Note that the job list reflects the rendering state of the rendering information held by the rendering server 12 as will be described later.

  The job acquisition unit 36 receives a job selected from the job list by the user, and acquires the job selected by the user from a URL storing print data, which will be described later. The job storage unit 37 stores job information of the job received by the job receiving unit 33 from the user. The display unit 38 displays a later-described authentication screen on the client terminal 21 or the portable terminal 22 in response to access to a specific URL from the user, and accepts input of authentication information from the user.

<< Rendering server 12 >>
The rendering server 12 according to the present embodiment is realized by, for example, processing blocks illustrated in FIG. FIG. 5 is a processing block diagram of an example of the rendering server according to the present embodiment.

  The rendering server 12 implements a communication unit 41, a rendering data holding unit 42, a rendering unit 43, and a rendering information holding unit 44 by executing a program.

  The communication unit 41 performs communication through http communication or the like. The rendering data holding unit 42 stores the application file and the print data in a unique URL. The rendering unit 43 converts the application file into print data based on the input of the application file and print settings.

  The rendering information holding unit 44 holds rendering information described later. The rendering information includes a URL that stores the application file and the print data. The rendering information holding unit 44 returns a rendering state included in the rendering information in response to a request from the print server 11.

<< Authentication Server 13 >>
The authentication server 13 according to the present embodiment is realized by, for example, the processing block illustrated in FIG. FIG. 6 is a processing block diagram of an example of the authentication server according to the present embodiment.

  The authentication server 13 implements a communication unit 51, an authentication unit 52, and a print setting holding unit 53 by executing a program.

  The communication unit 51 performs communication using http communication or the like. The authentication unit 52 receives an authentication request from the print server 11 or the image forming apparatus 23, performs authentication using authentication information, and returns an authentication result. The print setting holding unit 53 holds forced print settings described later. The forced print setting is associated with, for example, a group ID, a user ID, and the like. For example, the administrator sets the forced printing setting in advance.

<< Image forming apparatus 23 >>
The image forming apparatus 23 according to the present embodiment is realized by, for example, the processing blocks illustrated in FIG. FIG. 7 is a processing block diagram of an example of the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment.

  The image forming apparatus 23 executes a program to realize a communication unit 61, a display unit 62, an authentication request unit 63, a job list acquisition unit 64, a job list display unit 65, and a job acquisition unit 66.

  The communication unit 61 performs communication through http communication or the like. The display unit 62 displays an authentication screen described later in response to access to a specific URL from the user, and accepts input of authentication information from the user. The display unit 62 displays a job list and accepts a job selection from the user.

  The authentication request unit 63 receives input of authentication information from the user, requests authentication from the authentication server 13, and acquires an authentication result. The job list acquisition unit 64 acquires a job list from the print server 11. The job list display unit 65 displays a job list. The job acquisition unit 66 acquires a job selected by the user from the print server 11.

<Details of processing>
Below, the detail of the process of the printing system 1 which concerns on this embodiment is demonstrated. FIG. 8 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of processing of the printing system according to the present embodiment.

  In step S <b> 1, the user inputs authentication information (login information) such as a group ID, a user ID, and a password on an authentication screen displayed on a terminal device such as the client terminal 21 or the mobile terminal 22. The terminal device transmits login information input by the user to the print server 11. In step S2, the print server 11 requests the authentication server 13 for authentication based on the login information received from the terminal device.

  In step S <b> 3, upon receiving an authentication request from the print server 11, the authentication server 13 performs authentication based on login information and returns an authentication result to the print server 11. If the authentication result is successful, the print server 11 displays a job input screen described later on the terminal device in step S4.

  In step S5, the user designates an application file to be printed on the job input screen and print settings. The terminal device submits the job by transmitting the application file and print settings designated by the user to the print server 11. The print server 11 assigns a job ID that can uniquely identify the job to the submitted job.

  In step S <b> 6, the print server 11 specifies a group ID and requests the authentication server 13 for forced print setting described later. In step S <b> 7, the authentication server 13 reads out the forced print setting associated with the group ID from the print setting holding unit 53 and transmits it to the print server 11.

  In step S8, the print server 11 forcibly applies the forced print settings to the print settings received from the user. Details of the processing in step S8 will be described later. Here, the description is continued assuming that the print server 11 forcibly applies the forced print setting. The print server 11 may determine the data format according to the location.

  In step S9, the print server 11 transmits a group ID, a user ID, a job ID, an application file, and print settings to the rendering server 12, and makes a rendering request. In step S10, the rendering server 12 converts the application file into print data based on the group ID, user ID, job ID, application file, and print settings.

  In step S11, the rendering server 12 stores the application file and the print data converted from the application file in a unique URL. In step S <b> 12, the rendering server 12 causes the rendering information holding unit 44 to hold rendering information including a group ID, a user ID, a job ID, an application file URL, a print data URL, and a rendering state.

  In step S <b> 13, the print server 11 stores job information including the group ID, user ID, job ID, print setting, and rendering state in the job storage unit 37. Since the print server 11 has forcibly applied the forced print setting, in step S14, a screen displaying that the forced print setting has been applied is displayed on the terminal device as described later.

  In step S <b> 15, the user inputs login information from the authentication screen displayed on the image forming apparatus 23. In step S <b> 16, the image forming apparatus 23 receives input of authentication information from the user and requests authentication from the authentication server 13.

  In step S17, the authentication server 13 receives an authentication request from the image forming apparatus 23, performs authentication using the authentication information, and returns an authentication result. Here, the description is continued assuming that the authentication is successful.

  In step S <b> 18, the image forming apparatus 23 requests the job list from the print server 11 by specifying the group ID and the user ID. In step S19, the print server 11 specifies a group ID and a user ID, and requests the rendering server 12 for a job rendering state.

  In step S <b> 20, the rendering server 12 refers to the rendering information held by the rendering information holding unit 44, confirms the rendering state of the job associated with the group ID and the user ID, and returns it to the print server 11.

  In step S <b> 21, the print server 11 updates the rendering state of the job information stored in the job storage unit 37. The print server 11 refers to the job information stored in the job storage unit 37 and transmits, to the image forming apparatus 23, a job list of jobs whose rendering state has been rendered out of jobs associated with the group ID and user ID.

  In step S22, the image forming apparatus 23 displays a job list and allows the user to select a job to be printed. In step S23, the user selects a job to be printed from the displayed job list. In step S24, the image forming apparatus 23 requests the print server 11 to acquire the job selected by the user.

  In step S25, the print server 11 designates a job ID and acquires job rendering information. Then, the print server 11 refers to the URL storing the print data included in the rendering information, and acquires the print data from the URL. The image forming apparatus 23 receives the print data from the print server 11 and prints the print data.

  FIG. 9 is an image diagram of an example of a job input screen. FIG. 9A shows an example of a job input screen for designating an application file to be printed by the user and print settings. The user can specify an application file to be printed and print settings from the job input screen displayed on the terminal device. FIG. 9B shows an example of a screen that displays that the forced print setting has been applied. The user can confirm that the print setting of the input job has been changed by the forced print setting by referring to the screen as shown in FIG. 9B displayed on the terminal device.

  FIG. 10 is a configuration diagram of an example of forced print settings held by the print setting holding unit. The forced printing setting includes items such as group ID, user ID, location, forced monochrome printing, forced consolidated printing, forced duplex printing, and forced copy number upper limit. FIG. 10 shows an example in which the forced printing setting is associated with the group ID. Note that the forced print setting in FIG. 10 is an example. There are various print setting items to be forcibly applied.

  In the item “forced monochrome printing”, whether to apply monochrome printing forcibly is set by ON / OFF. In the item “forced consolidated printing”, whether to apply the consolidated printing forcibly is set by ON / OFF. In the item “forced duplex printing”, whether to apply duplex printing forcibly is set by ON / OFF. The upper limit of the number of copies is set in the item “forced number of copies upper limit”.

  FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of the application of forced print settings. FIG. 11A shows an example of print settings received from the user. FIG. 11B shows an example of print settings rewritten by applying the forced print settings. Here, the forced printing setting in FIG. 10 will be described as an example.

  For example, since the print setting in FIG. 11A is received from the user with the group ID “1202014” and the user ID “23450247”, monochrome printing and double-sided printing are forcibly applied from the forced print setting in FIG. . Accordingly, the print settings in FIG. 11A are rewritten to monochrome printing as shown in FIG. 11B, and single-sided printing is rewritten to double-sided printing as shown in FIG.

  The forced print setting may be associated with the group ID and the user ID and set for each group ID and user ID. FIG. 12 is a configuration diagram of another example of forced print settings held by the print setting holding unit. The forced printing settings in FIG. 12 have items such as a group ID, a user ID, forced monochrome printing, forced consolidated printing, forced duplex printing, and an upper limit for the number of copies.

  FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of another example showing application of forced print settings. When the user in FIG. 13A refers to the forced print setting in FIG. 12, the forced print setting is OFF, so that the print settings for color printing and single-sided printing are possible. On the other hand, the user in FIG. 13B has the same group ID as the user in FIG. 13A, but forced monochrome printing and forced duplex printing are ON when referring to the forced printing setting in FIG. Therefore, the user shown in FIG. 13B cannot perform the print settings for color printing and single-sided printing, and is forcibly rewritten to the print settings for monochrome printing and double-sided printing.

  FIG. 14 is a configuration diagram of an example of job information stored in the job storage unit. The job information includes items such as a group ID, a user ID, a job ID, print settings, and rendering information.

  FIG. 15 is a configuration diagram of an example of rendering information held by the rendering information holding unit. The rendering information includes, as items, a group ID, a user ID, a job ID, a URL that stores an application file, and a URL that stores print data. The URL is an example of information indicating a location where an application file or print data is stored.

  The process of step S8 of FIG. 8 is performed as shown in FIG. 16, for example. FIG. 16 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing for determining print settings.

  In step S <b> 31, the print server 11 refers to the forced print setting associated with the user group ID, and determines whether “ON” or the upper limit of the number of copies is set in the forced print setting item. If “ON” or the upper limit of the number of copies is set in the forced print setting item, the print server 11 compares the print setting received from the user with the forced print setting in step S32 and determines the print setting received from the user. Determine if it needs to be changed.

  For example, if the print setting received from the user is color printing and “ON” is set in the forced monochrome setting item of the forced print setting, the print server 11 needs to change the color print setting received from the user. Judge that there is.

  Also, if the number of print settings received from the user is 60 and 50 is set as the mandatory number limit of forced print settings, the print server 11 changes the setting of the number of prints accepted from the user. Judge that it is necessary.

  If it is determined that the print setting received from the user needs to be changed, the print server 11 forcibly changes the print setting received from the user with the forced print setting in step S33. For example, if the print server 11 determines that the color printing setting received from the user needs to be changed, the print server 11 changes the color printing setting received from the user to monochrome printing. If the print server 11 determines that the setting for the number of print copies received from the user needs to be changed, the print server 11 changes the setting for the number of print copies accepted from the user based on the upper limit of the number of copies to be printed.

  For example, as a method of changing the setting of the number of print copies received from the user based on the forced copy number upper limit, changing the number of print copies received from the user to the forced copy number upper limit, or the amount exceeding the forced copy number upper limit among the number of print copies received from the user For example, it may be possible to change color printing to monochrome printing and to change single-sided printing to double-sided printing for the number of copies received from the user that exceeds the upper limit of the number of copies.

  If it is determined in step S31 that “ON” or the upper limit of the number of copies is not set in the forced print setting item, or if it is determined in step S32 that it is not necessary to change the print setting received from the user, the print server 11 Do not change the print settings received from.

<Summary>
According to the printing system 1 according to the first embodiment, by using the rendering server 12, an application file before conversion from the terminal device to print data can be input to the print server 11 as a job.

Further, the printing system 1 can rewrite the print settings received from the user to the forced print settings set in advance by the administrator or the like until the timing when the rendering server 12 converts the application file or the like into print data. Thereby, the printing system 1 according to the first embodiment can easily change the print setting of a job to be printed by the image forming apparatus 23 in the location-free printing using the rule base.
[Second Embodiment]
In the second embodiment, whether the forced print setting is forcibly applied to the print setting received from the user by the print server 11 is determined based on external information. In the second embodiment, the system configuration, the hardware configuration, and the software configuration are the same as those in the first embodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted.

<Details of processing>
Hereinafter, details of processing of the printing system 1 according to the second embodiment will be described. FIG. 17 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of processing of the printing system according to the present embodiment. The sequence diagram of FIG. 17 is the same as the sequence diagram of FIG.

  The processing in steps S51 to S57 is the same as the processing in steps S1 to S7 in FIG. In step S58, the print server 11 refers to external information as shown in FIG.

  FIG. 18 is a configuration diagram of an example of external information. The external information in FIG. 18 includes, as items, forced printing application conditions, key, and value. In the printing system 1 according to the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 18, key values such as color printing, the number of pages, and single-sided printing are counted as logs of the printing system 1. For example, when the image forming apparatus 23 prints 5 pages of color printing, the value of the key “color printing” is counted as 221. Note that the unit of counting is not limited to a page, and may be the number of sheets, the number of faces, or the like.

  The print server 11 refers to external information as shown in FIG. 18, evaluates the value of the key under the forced printing application condition (evaluates whether the value of the value satisfies the forced printing application condition), and the result (True / false) is returned as a reference value. In the example of FIG. 18, the result of the forced printing application condition evaluation is false.

  In step S59, the print server 11 determines whether the forced print setting is forcibly applied to the print setting received from the user based on a reference value referring to external information as shown in FIG. 18, and determines the print setting. To do.

  For example, if the reference value is true, the print server 11 forcibly applies the forced print setting to the print setting received from the user. Further, if the reference value is false, the print server 11 does not forcibly apply the forced print setting to the print setting received from the user.

  The processing in steps S60 to S63 is the same as the processing in steps S9 to S12 in FIG. The process in step S64 is the same as the process in step S13 in FIG. Further, the processing after step S65 is the same as the processing after step S15 in FIG.

<Summary>
As described above, according to the printing system 1 according to the second embodiment, the print server 11 can determine from the external information whether the forced print setting is forcibly applied to the print setting received from the user.
[Third Embodiment]
In the third embodiment, a job input screen reflecting forced print settings is displayed on a terminal device. In the third embodiment, the system configuration, the hardware configuration, and the software configuration are the same as those in the first embodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted.

<Details of processing>
Hereinafter, details of processing of the printing system 1 according to the third embodiment will be described. FIG. 19 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of processing of the printing system according to the present embodiment. The sequence diagram of FIG. 19 is the same as the sequence diagram of FIG.

  The processing in steps S81 to S83 is the same as the processing in steps S1 to S3 in FIG. In step S <b> 84, if the authentication result from the authentication server 13 is successful, the printer server 11 starts processing for displaying a job input screen described later on the terminal device. In step S85, the print server 11 designates a group ID and requests the authentication server 13 for forced print setting. In step S <b> 86, the authentication server 13 reads the forced print setting associated with the group ID from the print setting holding unit 53 and transmits it to the print server 11.

  In step S87, the print server 11 causes the terminal device to display a job input screen as shown in FIG. 20 reflecting the forced print setting associated with the group ID. FIG. 20 is an image diagram of an example of a job input screen reflecting the forced print setting.

  FIG. 20 shows an example in which forced monochrome printing is reflected as an example of forced printing setting associated with a group ID. The job input screen in FIG. 20 is an example in which forced monochrome printing is reflected, and thus is a UI in which color / monochrome print settings are fixed to monochrome.

  In step S88, the user designates an application file to be printed and print settings on the job input screen as shown in FIG. The terminal device submits the job by transmitting the application file and print settings designated by the user to the print server 11. The print server 11 assigns a job ID that can uniquely identify the job to the submitted job.

  The processing in steps S89 to S92 is the same as the processing in steps S9 to S12 in FIG. The process in step S93 is the same as the process in step S13 in FIG. Further, the processing after step S94 is the same as the processing after step S15 in FIG.

<Summary>
As described above, according to the printing system 1 according to the third embodiment, it is possible to display the job input screen reflecting the forced print setting on the terminal device.
[Fourth Embodiment]
In the fourth embodiment, rendering is performed based on print settings (user settings) and recommended print settings (recommended settings) received from the user, and the application file is converted into print data with user settings and print data with recommended settings. To do. In the fourth embodiment, the system configuration, the hardware configuration, and the software configuration are the same as those in the first embodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted.

<Details of processing>
Hereinafter, details of processing of the printing system 1 according to the fourth embodiment will be described. FIG. 21 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of processing of the printing system according to the present embodiment. The sequence diagram of FIG. 21 is the same as the sequence diagram of FIG. 8 except for a part.

  The processing in steps S111 to S115 in FIG. 21 is the same as the processing in steps S1 to S5 in FIG. In step S116, the print server 11 specifies a group ID and requests the authentication server 13 for recommended print settings.

  In step S <b> 117, the authentication server 13 reads the recommended print setting associated with the group ID from the print setting holding unit 53 and transmits it to the print server 11. In step S118, the print server 11 associates the print setting received from the user with the recommended print setting received from the authentication server 13.

  In step S119, the print server 11 transmits the group ID, the user ID, the job ID, the application file, the print setting accepted from the user, and the recommended print setting to the rendering server 12, and makes a rendering request.

  In step S120, the rendering server 12 prints the application file with the user setting print data and the recommended setting based on the group ID, the user ID, the job ID, the application file, the print setting received from the user, and the recommended print setting. Convert to data.

  In step S121, the rendering server 12 stores the application file, the user-set print data converted from the application file, and the recommended-set print data in unique URLs.

  In step S122, the rendering server 12 holds rendering information including a group ID, a user ID, a job ID, an application file URL, a user-set print data URL, a recommended print data URL, and a rendering state. Held by the unit 44.

  In step S123, the print server 11 stores job information including the group ID, user ID, job ID, print settings received from the user, presence / absence of recommended settings, and the rendering state in the job storage unit 37.

  The processing in steps S124 to S133 is the same as the processing in steps S15 to S24 in FIG. In step S134, the print server 11 confirms whether there is a recommended setting for job information based on the job ID of the job selected by the user.

  If there is a recommended setting, the print server 11 informs the image forming apparatus 23 that there is a recommended setting in step S141. In step S <b> 142, the image forming apparatus 23 displays a print setting selection screen that allows the user to select whether to print with recommended settings, and causes the user to select print settings.

  In step S143, the print server 11 designates the job ID and the print setting selected by the user, and acquires job rendering information. The print server 11 refers to the URL of the user-set print data or the recommended print data URL included in the rendering information, and acquires the print data from the URL. The image forming apparatus 23 receives print data of print settings selected by the user from the print server 11 and prints the print data.

  If there is no recommended setting in step S134, the print server 11 proceeds to step S151, specifies a job ID, and acquires job rendering information. The print server 11 refers to the URL storing the user-set print data included in the rendering information, and acquires the print data from the URL. The image forming apparatus 23 receives the print data from the print server 11 and prints the print data.

  FIG. 22 is a configuration diagram of an example of job information stored in the job storage unit. The job information includes items such as a group ID, a user ID, a job ID, print settings, presence / absence of recommended settings, and rendering information.

  FIG. 23 is a configuration diagram of an example of rendering information held by the rendering information holding unit. The rendering information includes, as items, a group ID, a user ID, a job ID, a URL storing application files, a URL storing user setting print data, and a URL storing recommended setting print data.

<Summary>
As described above, according to the printing system 1 according to the fourth embodiment, the application file is converted into the user setting print data and the recommended setting print data, and the user is allowed to select the print data to be printed. Can do.

  In the above-described embodiment, one or more users (user IDs) are managed as a group (group ID), and forced print setting control is performed using the group ID. As specific examples of this group ID, for example, various attribute information for managing a user associated with the user, such as the user's affiliation (organization, company, etc.), location (office, region, country, etc.), community, etc., is used. I can do it.

  The present invention is not limited to the specifically disclosed embodiments, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the claims. The printing system 1 in the embodiment described above is an example of an output system. The image forming apparatus 23 is an example of an output device. The output device is not necessarily limited to the image forming device 23, and may be any device that outputs data, such as a projection device such as a projector, or a device that displays data. The print server 11 is an example of an output control device. The rendering server 12 is an example of a conversion device.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Printing system 11 Print server 12 Rendering server 13 Authentication server 21 Client terminal 22 Portable terminal 23 Image forming apparatus 31 Rendering request part 32 Communication part 33 Job reception part 34 Authentication request part 35 Job list acquisition part 36 Job acquisition part 37 Job accumulation part 38 display unit 41 communication unit 42 rendering data holding unit 43 rendering unit 44 rendering information holding unit 51 communication unit 52 authentication unit 53 print setting holding unit 61 communication unit 62 display unit 63 authentication request unit 64 job list acquisition unit 65 job list display unit 66 Job acquisition unit 100 Computer system 101 Input device 102 Display device 103 External I / F
103a Recording medium 104 RAM
105 ROM
106 CPU
107 Communication I / F
108 HDD
201 Controller 202 Operation panel 203 External I / F
204 Communication I / F
205 Printer 206 Scanner 211 CPU
212 RAM
213 ROM
214 NVRAM
215 HDD
B bus FW firewall N1, N2 network

JP 2011-56918 A

Claims (8)

An output control device connected via a network to an output device that outputs data and a conversion device that converts a job into the data,
When the job is received from the user, the first output setting associated with the user attribute information is acquired from an output setting holding unit associated with the attribute information and the first output setting, and the first output setting is acquired. Job receiving means for determining the output setting of the job based on the output setting and the second output setting received from the user included in the job;
Conversion request means for requesting the conversion device to convert the job to the data based on the output setting of the job;
An output control apparatus comprising: a transmission unit that receives the job acquisition request from the output apparatus and transmits the data converted from the job to the output apparatus. 2. The output control according to claim 1, wherein the job receiving unit rewrites the second output setting to the first output setting based on the first output setting and the second output setting. apparatus. The job reception means is configured to output the first output setting associated with the user and the user attribute information from an output setting holding unit associated with the user and the user attribute information and the first output setting. The output control device according to claim 1, wherein the output control device acquires the following. The job reception unit determines whether or not to rewrite the second output setting to the first output setting based on an application condition of the first output setting and a value related to processing of the output device. The output control apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, wherein A terminal on which the user operates a screen for acquiring the first output setting associated with the user attribute information from the output setting holding unit and receiving the job from the user with the first output setting. It further has display control means for displaying on the device,
2. The output according to claim 1, wherein the job reception unit requests the conversion request unit to convert the job into the data based on the first output setting when the job is received from the user. Control device. The job reception means is based on the first output setting and the second output setting, converts the job based on the first output setting to the data, and based on the second output setting. The output control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conversion request unit requests conversion from a job to the data. An output control device connected via a network to an output device that outputs data and a conversion device that converts the job into the data;
When the job is received from the user, the first output setting associated with the user attribute information is acquired from an output setting holding unit associated with the attribute information and the first output setting, and the first output setting is acquired. Job accepting means for determining the output setting of the job based on the output setting and the second output setting accepted from the user included in the job;
Conversion request means for requesting the conversion device to convert the job to the data based on the output setting of the job;
A program for receiving a job acquisition request from the output device and causing the data converted from the job to be transmitted to the output device. An output system including an output device that outputs data, a conversion device that converts a job into the data, and an output control device that controls processing related to the output of the job,
An output setting holding unit associating the attribute information with the first output setting;
When the job is received from the user, the first output setting associated with the user attribute information is acquired from the output setting holding unit, and is received from the user included in the first output setting and the job. Job accepting means for determining the output setting of the job based on the second output setting;
Conversion means for performing conversion from the job to the data based on the output setting of the job;
Storage means for storing the data converted from the job based on the output setting of the job;
An output system comprising: output means for outputting the data converted from the job stored in the storage means based on an output request of the job from the user.

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