JP2017182639A - Job reservation system and job reservation method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a job reservation system capable of making reservations for jobs other than printing.SOLUTION: A management server includes: a first communication unit capable of communication via a network; a reservation job database capable of storing reservation information which is information on a job which any of one or more image formation devices is reserved for and does; and a job reservation management unit that stores instructions as reservation information in a reservation job database when a user terminal instructs the server to select an image formation device to execute a job and make reservations for the job, and transmits reservation information on the job to the selected image formation device. Each of the one or more image formation devices includes: a second communication unit capable of communication via the network; a storage unit; and a job execution management unit for having the storage unit store received reservation information and confirming contents of the received reservation information when the reservation information is received from the management server. The job execution management unit executes the job when appointment time for the job comes.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

  The present invention relates to a job reservation system and a job reservation method for reserving a job to be executed by an image forming apparatus (MFP, Multifunction Peripheral).

  Conventionally, when a print job is reserved and executed by an image forming apparatus, only reservation data such as a print data file name and a print end date is transmitted in advance from a PC (Personal Computer) as a host computer. It has been performed to store in the storage unit (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  In the image forming apparatus of Patent Document 1, reservation data from a PC is recorded in a print reservation recording unit, and a reservation is received. When printing is actually output, a print data transmission request is issued to the PC.

  As a result, print data is transmitted from the PC, and print output is performed by the image forming apparatus. As described above, since the image forming apparatus acquires print data at the time of actual print output, it is not necessary to store the print data by itself from the time of reservation to the time of print output.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-234881

  However, the technique of Patent Document 1 cannot reserve and execute a job other than printing.

  In view of the circumstances as described above, an object of the present invention is to provide a job reservation system and a job reservation method capable of reserving jobs other than printing.

  In order to achieve the above object, a job reservation system according to an aspect of the present invention includes a network-connected management server and one or more image forming apparatuses managed by the management server, wherein the management server includes: A first communication unit capable of communicating via the network, a reserved job database capable of storing reservation information that is information of a job reserved and executed in any one of the one or more image forming apparatuses, and a user terminal When the selection of the image forming apparatus that executes the job and the reservation of the job are instructed, the instructed contents are stored in the reserved job database as the reservation information, and the selected image forming apparatus is stored. A job reservation management unit that transmits the reservation information of the job, and each of the one or more image forming apparatuses includes the network When the reservation information is received from the second communication unit, the storage unit, and the management server, the received reservation information is stored in the storage unit, and the received content of the reservation information The job execution management unit executes the job when the time when the job is reserved is reached. Therefore, jobs other than printing can be reserved.

  To achieve the above object, in the job reservation system according to an aspect of the present invention, the job reservation management unit is instructed by the user terminal to select a reserved job and cancel the selected job. The job execution management unit transmits the cancel instruction from the management server to the image forming apparatus for which the selected job is reserved based on the reserved job database. When received, the content of the received cancel instruction may be confirmed, and the job reservation information stored in the storage unit may be deleted.

  To achieve the above object, in the job reservation system according to an aspect of the present invention, the reservation information includes job type information when the type of job to be executed is firmware update of the image forming apparatus, and When the execution time of the reserved job and the URL indicating the download destination of the firmware are included and the type of job to be executed is restart of the image forming apparatus, information on the type of job and execution of the reserved job And when the type of job to be executed is acquisition of a report relating to the image forming apparatus, the type of job, the execution time of the reserved job, and a URL indicating the upload destination of the report are included. It may be configured.

  In order to achieve the above object, in the job reservation method according to an aspect of the present invention, the job reservation management unit of the management server is any of one or more image forming apparatuses managed by the management server from the user terminal. When selection of an image forming apparatus that executes a reserved and executed job and reservation of the job are instructed, the instructed contents are stored as reservation information in a reserved job database, and the selected image forming apparatus is stored in the reservation job database. The job execution management unit of the image forming apparatus that has transmitted the reservation information of the job and received the reservation information from the management server stores the received reservation information in a storage unit, and checking the content.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to reserve a job other than printing.

1 is an overall configuration diagram of a job reservation system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a block diagram in case the management server 10 is comprised by a general computer. 1 is a configuration diagram schematically showing a configuration of an image forming apparatus 20. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of job reservation information reserved in the image forming apparatus 20. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a job reservation setting screen used when a job is reserved in the image forming apparatus 20. FIG. It is a figure which shows the example of the cancellation screen of a job reservation used when canceling the already reserved job. FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram for explaining a flow of processing related to job reservation in processing in the job reservation system 1. FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram for explaining a flow of processing related to execution of a reserved job among processing in the job reservation system 1. FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram for explaining a flow of processing relating to cancellation of a reserved job among the processing in the job reservation system 1.

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

[overall structure]
First, the overall configuration of a job reservation system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a job reservation system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  The job reservation system 1 includes a management server 10 and one or more image forming apparatuses 20 managed by the management server 10.

  The management server 10, the image forming apparatus 20, and the PC 30 (user terminal) used by the user to access the management server 10 are connected via a network.

  In order to reserve a job to be executed in any one of the image forming apparatuses 20 connected to the network, the user accesses the management server 10 using the PC 30 and executes the job. Specify a time and reserve a job.

  At the reserved time, the job is executed in the image forming apparatus 20 for which the job is reserved, and the execution result is notified to the user via the management server 10.

  The overall configuration of the job reservation system according to the embodiment of the present invention has been described above.

[Management Server Configuration]
Next, the configuration of the management server 10 will be described. The management server 10 may be configured by dedicated hardware or software, or may be configured by a general computer. FIG. 2 shows a configuration diagram when the management server 10 is configured by a general computer.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the management server 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 12, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 13, an operation input unit 14, a communication unit 15 (first communication unit). ), A display unit 16, and a storage unit 17, and these blocks are connected via a bus 18.

  The ROM 12 stores a plurality of programs and data such as firmware for executing various processes. The RAM 13 is used as a work area for the CPU 11 and temporarily holds an OS (Operating System), various applications being executed, and various data being processed.

  The storage unit 17 is, for example, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), a flash memory, or other nonvolatile memory. The storage unit 17 stores an OS, various applications, various data, and a reserved job DB (database) 17a.

  The reserved job DB 17 a is a database that stores reservation information that is information on jobs that are reserved for execution in the image forming apparatus 20 under the management of the management server 10.

  The communication unit 15 is connected to a network for exchanging information with the image forming apparatus 20 and the PC 30.

  The CPU 11 develops a program corresponding to an instruction given from the operation input unit 14 among the plurality of programs stored in the ROM 12 or the storage unit 17 in the RAM 13, and the display unit 16 and the storage unit according to the expanded program. 17 is appropriately controlled.

  The operation input unit 14 is, for example, a pointing device such as a mouse, a keyboard, a touch panel, and other operation devices.

  The display unit 16 is, for example, a liquid crystal display, an EL (Electro-Luminescence) display, a plasma display, or the like.

  Next, functional blocks realized by executing a program in the CPU 11 will be described.

  A functional block realized in the CPU 11 of the management server 10 is a job reservation management unit 11a.

  The job reservation management unit 11a reserves a job to be executed by the selected image forming apparatus 20 with respect to the image forming apparatus 20 according to an instruction from the user, or registers the reserved job in the reserved job DB 17a. The user cancels the reservation based on the cancel instruction of the job reservation from the user.

  The configuration of the management server 10 has been described above.

[Configuration of Image Forming Apparatus]
Next, the configuration of the image forming apparatus 20 will be described. FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram schematically showing the configuration of the image forming apparatus 20.

  The image forming apparatus 20 includes a control unit 21. The control unit 21 includes a CPU, a RAM, a ROM, a dedicated hardware circuit, and the like, and governs overall operation control of the image forming apparatus 20.

  The control unit 21 includes a document reading unit 22, an image processing unit 23, an image memory 24, an image forming unit 25, an operation unit 26, a display unit 26a, a facsimile communication unit 27, a communication unit 28 (second communication unit), and a storage unit. 29 and the like. The control unit 21 performs operation control of each of the above connected units, and transmission / reception of signals or data to / from each unit.

  The control unit 21 performs operation control on each function such as a scanner function, a print function, a copy function, and a facsimile transmission / reception function in accordance with a job execution instruction input from the user through the operation unit 26 or a network-connected PC. Controls the drive and processing of the mechanisms necessary to execute.

  Further, the control unit 21 has a job execution management unit 21a. The job execution management unit 21a is a functional block realized by the CPU executing a program loaded from the ROM or the like to the RAM.

  The job execution management unit 21a reserves a job instructed from the management server 10 and stores it in the storage unit 29 as reservation information 29a (described later). When the execution time of the reserved job arrives, the reserved job is executed and the execution result is returned to the management server 10.

  In addition, when an instruction to cancel a reserved job is received from the management server 10, the job execution management unit 21a deletes the reservation information 29a for the job to be canceled from the storage unit 29 and cancels the job.

  The document reading unit 22 reads an image from a document.

  The image processing unit 23 performs image processing on the image data of the image read by the document reading unit 22 as necessary. For example, the image processing unit 23 performs image processing such as shading correction in order to improve the quality after the image read by the document reading unit 22 is formed.

  The image memory 24 is an area for temporarily storing data of a document image obtained by reading by the document reading unit 22 and temporarily storing data to be printed by the image forming unit 25.

  The image forming unit 25 forms an image such as the image data read by the document reading unit 22.

  The operation unit 26 includes a touch panel unit and operation key units that receive instructions from the user regarding various operations and processes that can be executed by the image forming apparatus 20. The touch panel unit includes a display unit 26a such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) provided with a touch panel.

  The facsimile communication unit 27 includes an encoding / decoding unit, a modulation / demodulation unit, and an NCU (Network Control Unit) (not shown), and performs facsimile transmission using a public telephone line network.

  The communication unit 28 includes a communication module such as a LAN board, and transmits / receives various data to / from devices in the local area such as the management server 10 and the PC 30 via the LAN connected to the communication unit 28.

  The storage unit 29 stores a document image read by the document reading unit 22. The storage unit 29 is a large-capacity storage device such as an HDD. The storage unit 29 stores reservation information 29a that is information related to a reserved job.

  The configuration of the image forming apparatus 20 has been described above.

[About job reservation information]
Next, an example of job reservation information reserved in the image forming apparatus 20 will be described. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of job reservation information reserved in the image forming apparatus 20.

  Examples of job types reserved in the image forming apparatus 20 include “image forming apparatus firmware upgrade” and “printing”.

  Each type of job, depending on whether there is a job reservation, waits until the reservation time, as shown in the figure with “schedule reservation”, and is executed at the reservation time, and “no schedule reservation” in the figure As described above, there are some that are executed immediately by the image forming apparatus 20.

  For example, in the job type “image forming apparatus firmware upgrade”, the reservation information includes three types of information: “job type information”, “time information”, and “file download destination URL (Uniform Resource Locator)”.

  “Job type information” refers to the four job types illustrated on the left side of the figure, and “Time information” refers to the time at which the reserved job starts to be executed. The “URL” indicates a location where data necessary for executing a job is downloaded.

  Note that the “file upload destination URL” in the reservation information of the job type “report acquisition” indicates a place to upload in order to submit a report on the status of the image forming apparatus 20 and the like.

  Note that the download destination URL and the upload destination URL of the file or the like may be paths indicating the storage unit 17 in the management server 10.

  The example of job reservation information reserved in the image forming apparatus 20 has been described above.

[Job reservation setting screen]
Next, an example of a job reservation setting screen used when reserving a job in the image forming apparatus 20 will be described. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a job reservation setting screen used when a job is reserved in the image forming apparatus 20.

  In the example shown in the figure, 13:08 on October 15, 2015 is designated as the job start time.

  In addition, a retry is executed when the job execution fails, the waiting time until the retry is set to 10 minutes, and the retry is specified only once.

  The example of the job reservation setting screen used when reserving a job in the image forming apparatus 20 has been described above.

[About cancel job reservation screen]
Next, an example of a job reservation cancel screen used when canceling an already reserved job will be described. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a job reservation cancel screen used when canceling a job that has already been reserved.

  In the example shown in the figure, the job reservation check box whose task name is “Test1” is selected by being checked. In this state, when the “cancel job” button at the upper left is clicked, the job reservation is performed. Is canceled.

  The example of the job reservation cancel screen used when canceling an already reserved job has been described above.

[Processing flow (Job reservation)]
Next, of the processes in the job reservation system 1, the flow of processing related to job reservation will be described. FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram for explaining the flow of processing related to job reservation in the processing in the job reservation system 1.

  First, the user accesses the management server 10 from the PC 30 and selects the image forming apparatus 20 that he / she wants to reserve execution of a job (step S1).

  Next, the user inputs information necessary for job reservation (step S2).

  Next, the job reservation management unit 11a of the management server 10 receives information necessary for job reservation execution from the user, and transmits it as reservation information to the target image forming apparatus 20 (step S2.1). At this time, the job reservation management unit 11a stores the reservation information in the reservation job DB 17a.

  Next, the job execution management unit 21a of the image forming apparatus 20 that has received the reservation information stores the received reservation information (step S2.1.1) and confirms the contents of the reservation information (step S2.1.2). ).

  Next, the job execution management unit 21a transmits a job reservation completion notification to the management server 10 (step S2.2).

  Next, the job reservation management unit 11a transfers the received job reservation completion notification to the PC 30 (step S2.3).

  In the foregoing, the flow of processing related to job reservation among the processing in the job reservation system 1 has been described.

[Flow of processing (execution of reserved job)]
Next, a flow of processing related to execution of a reserved job among the processing in the job reservation system 1 will be described. FIG. 8 is a sequence diagram for explaining the flow of processing related to execution of a reserved job among the processing in the job reservation system 1.

  First, the job execution management unit 21a of the image forming apparatus 20 for which a job is reserved starts preparation for executing the reserved job at the reserved time (step S3).

  Next, the job execution management unit 21a downloads a file (job file) necessary for job execution from the management server 10 that is the file download destination URL as necessary (step S3.1).

  Next, the job execution management unit 21a executes the job (step S3.2).

  Next, if there is a file to be uploaded by executing the job according to the type of job, the file is transmitted to the management server 10 which is the file upload destination URL (step S4).

  Next, the job execution management unit 21a transmits a job execution completion notification to the management server 10 (step S5).

  Next, the job reservation management unit 11a transfers the received job execution completion notification to the PC 30 (step S5.1).

  Note that the user may appropriately check the job result with respect to the management server 10 (step S6), and the job reservation management unit 11a may return the result each time.

  The flow of processing related to execution of a reserved job among the processing in the job reservation system 1 has been described above.

[Flow of processing (execution of reserved job)]
Next, of the processes in the job reservation system 1, a process flow related to cancellation of a reserved job will be described. FIG. 9 is a sequence diagram for explaining a flow of processing relating to cancellation of a reserved job among the processing in the job reservation system 1.

  First, the user accesses the management server 10 from the PC 30 and selects a job reservation to be canceled from the job reservations registered in the reservation job DB 17a (step S11).

  Next, an instruction to cancel the reservation of the job selected by the user is issued (step S12).

  Next, the job reservation management unit 11a of the management server 10 transmits a cancel instruction to the image forming apparatus 20 having the target reservation job (step S12.1). The job reservation management unit 11a deletes the target reservation job from the reservation job DB 17a.

  Next, the job execution management unit 21a of the image forming apparatus 20 that has received the cancel instruction confirms the cancel instruction (step S12.1.1).

  Next, the job execution management unit 21a deletes the reservation information 29a that is the object of the cancel instruction from the storage unit 29 (step S12.1.2).

  Next, the job execution management unit 21a transmits a job cancellation completion notification to the management server 10 (step S12.2).

  Next, the job reservation management unit 11a transfers the received job cancellation completion notification to the PC 30 (step S12.3).

  Note that the user may appropriately check the job result with respect to the management server 10 (step S13), and the job reservation management unit 11a may return the result each time.

  The flow of processing related to canceling a reserved job among the processing in the job reservation system 1 has been described above.

[Additional notes]
As described above, the job reservation system 1 according to the present invention includes the management server 10 and one or more image forming apparatuses 20 managed by the management server 10 connected to the network. Reservation job database 17a capable of storing reservation information 29a, which is information of a job reserved and executed by any one of the first communication unit 15 capable of communication via the network and the one or more image forming apparatuses 20. When the selection of the image forming apparatus 20 that executes the job and the reservation of the job are instructed from the user terminal 30, the instructed contents are stored in the reserved job database 17a as the reservation information 29a and selected. A job reservation management unit 11a that transmits the reservation information 29a of the job to the image forming apparatus 20 When each of the one or more image forming apparatuses 20 receives the reservation information 29a from the second communication unit 28, the storage unit 29, and the management server 10 capable of communicating via the network, A job execution management unit 21a for storing the received reservation information 29a in the storage unit 29 and confirming the content of the received reservation information 29a, wherein the job execution management unit 21a includes a time when the job is reserved; Then, the job is executed.

  In addition, this invention is not limited only to the above-mentioned embodiment, Of course, various changes can be added within the range which does not deviate from the summary of this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Job reservation system 10 ... Management server 11 ... CPU
11a ... Job reservation management unit 12 ... ROM
13 ... RAM
14 ... Operation input unit 15 ... Communication unit 16 ... Display unit 17 ... Storage unit 17a ... Reserved job DB
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 18 ... Bus 20 ... Image forming apparatus 21 ... Control part 21a ... Job execution management part 22 ... Document reading part 23 ... Image processing part 24 ... Image memory 25 ... Image forming part 26 ... Operation part 26a ... Display part 27 ... Facsimile communication part 28 ... Communication unit 29 ... Storage unit 29a ... Reservation information 30 ... PC

Claims (4)

A network-connected management server, and one or more image forming apparatuses managed by the management server,
The management server is
A first communication unit capable of communicating via the network;
A reserved job database capable of storing reservation information that is information of a job reserved and executed in any one of the one or more image forming apparatuses;
When selection of an image forming apparatus that executes the job and reservation of the job are instructed from a user terminal, the instructed content is stored as the reservation information in the reserved job database, and the selected image forming apparatus is selected. A job reservation management unit that transmits the reservation information of the job to
Each of the one or more image forming apparatuses includes:
A second communication unit capable of communication via the network;
A storage unit;
A job execution management unit that, when receiving the reservation information from the management server, stores the received reservation information in the storage unit and confirms the content of the received reservation information;
The job execution management unit
A job reservation system that executes the job at a time when the job is reserved. The job reservation system according to claim 1,
The job reservation management unit
When the user terminal is instructed to select a reserved job and cancel the selected job, the selected job is reserved based on the reserved job database. Send an instruction to cancel the job,
The job execution management unit
A job reservation system that, when receiving the cancellation instruction from the management server, confirms the content of the received cancellation instruction and deletes the reservation information of the job stored in the storage unit. The job reservation system according to claim 1 or 2,
The reservation information includes
When the type of job to be executed is firmware update of the image forming apparatus, the job type information, the execution time of the reserved job, and a URL indicating the firmware download destination are included.
When the type of job to be executed is restart of the image forming apparatus, information on the type of job and the execution time of the reserved job are included.
A job reservation system including a job type, an execution time of a reserved job, and a URL indicating an upload destination of the report when the type of job to be executed is acquisition of a report regarding the image forming apparatus. The job reservation management unit of the management server selects, from the user terminal, an image forming apparatus that executes a job that is reserved and executed by one or more of the image forming apparatuses managed by the management server, and reserves the job Is stored in the reservation job database as reservation information, and the reservation information of the job is transmitted to the selected image forming apparatus,
A job reservation method in which a job execution management unit of the image forming apparatus that has received the reservation information from the management server stores the received reservation information in a storage unit and confirms the content of the received reservation information.

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