JP5664335B2 - Print client, printing method, computer program, and image forming system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a print client that performs processing related to printing in cooperation with a server that performs so-called pull printing.

  In recent years, a form in which main arithmetic processing for a service is not executed by an end user client but by a server of a service provider has been widespread. That is, a form in which software for main calculation processing is run on a server and the calculation result is transmitted to the client via the network has become widespread. Such software or its form is generally called “SaaS (Software as a Service)”.

  In recent years, image forming apparatuses having various functions such as copying, scanning, faxing, IP (Internet Protocol) communication, and file servers have become widespread. Such an image forming apparatus is called an “MFP (Multi Function Peripherals)” or “multifunction machine”. Furthermore, these functions are applied in various ways depending on applications, and various services provided by the image forming apparatus are provided to users.

  SaaS can be applied by linking the image forming apparatus with the server. For example, a service called “pull print” has been proposed.

  According to this service, print data transmitted from a personal computer is not immediately received by the image forming apparatus, but temporarily stored in a server called “pull print server”. The pull print server receives print data from various personal computers and manages them centrally. Thereafter, when the user goes to an arbitrary image forming apparatus and performs a predetermined operation, the pull print server transmits the print data of the user to the image forming apparatus.

  In addition, conventionally, the following method has been proposed as a method for performing printing in cooperation with a plurality of apparatuses.

  An image reading apparatus having an image reading means for reading an image from a document to obtain image data, a first information processing apparatus connected to the image reading apparatus, and a first information processing apparatus connected to the first information processing apparatus A server, an image forming apparatus having an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet based on the image data, a second information processing apparatus connected to the image forming apparatus, and a second information processing apparatus connected to the second information processing apparatus. A second server is provided in the image processing system. The first server and the second server are connected by a network. Furthermore, job data transfer means for transferring job data having image data and processing information is provided between the first server and the second server (Patent Document 1).

  In addition, the following method has been proposed as a method for sharing an image forming apparatus among a plurality of users.

  In an image forming apparatus comprising: first image data input means for reading a document on a document table as image data; and second image data input means for inputting image information from another information processing apparatus via a communication medium During the output setting of the operation unit, and starting from the test output until the main output is completed, the start of the print output process by the second image data input unit is prohibited (Patent Document 2).

JP 2004-104256 A JP 2006-56025 A

  It has been proposed that a provider such as ASP (Application Service Provider) provides a pull print service by providing a pull print server on the Internet and cooperating with image forming apparatuses in various places. By using this service, an organization such as a government office or a company can obtain a printed matter whether the member is in the office or on the go. In addition, the trouble of operating the pull print server can be saved.

  However, there are many cases where a firewall is provided in an organization network, that is, an intranet. A firewall severely restricts access to the intranet from outside networks. Therefore, access from the pull print server to the in-house image forming apparatus is restricted by the firewall, and members may not be able to receive the pull print service from the in-house image forming apparatus.

  The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and it is an object of the present invention to make it easier for a user to receive a pull print service than before.

A print client according to an aspect of the present invention is a print client having a function of communicating with a plurality of image forming apparatuses that print an image and a server that provides print data for printing the image. when the detecting means for performing detection processing of detecting that it has logged into one of the plurality of image forming apparatuses, that the user has logged in is detected by the pre-dangerous known means, the print data Download means for downloading from the server, and transfer means for transferring the print data downloaded by the download means to the image forming apparatus to which the user has logged in among the plurality of image forming apparatuses. .

  Preferably, a measurement unit that measures a no-operation time that is a time when the user does not perform an operation on the print client, and the detection unit is the no-operation time measured by the measurement unit. Starts exceeding the predetermined time.

  Alternatively, an upload unit that uploads the print data to the server, and the detection unit starts the detection process after the print data is uploaded by the upload unit.

  Or a monitoring unit that monitors whether or not the print data is stored in the server, and the detection unit executes the detection process if the print data is stored in the server. To do.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to make it easier for a user to receive a pull print service than before.

1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the overall configuration of a printing system. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of an image forming apparatus. FIG. It is a figure which shows the example of the hardware constitutions of a client. It is a figure which shows the example of a functional structure of a client. It is a figure which shows the example of a functional structure of a pull print server. It is a flowchart explaining the example of the flow of the whole process of a client. It is a flowchart explaining the example of the flow of a state monitoring process.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the overall configuration of the printing system 6. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus 1. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of the hardware configuration of the client 2. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of the client 2. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of the pull print server 5.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the printing system 6 includes an intranet 4 and a pull print server 5. Each device constituting the intranet 4 and the pull print server 5 can be connected via a communication line such as the Internet.

  The intranet 4 includes a firewall device 3, one or a plurality of image forming apparatuses 1, and one or a plurality of clients 2. Hereinafter, each image forming apparatus 1 may be described separately as “image forming apparatus 1A”, “image forming apparatus 1B”,. Similarly, each client 2 may be described separately as “client 2A”, “client 2B”,.

  The intranet 4 is provided in a facility of an organization such as a government office or a company. Therefore, the members of the organization are users of the printing system 6. Each user is given one unique user code 71.

  The firewall device 3 monitors communications performed between the intranet 4 and other networks, and prevents attacks and unauthorized access to devices of the intranet 4 from devices of other networks. Specifically, the firewall device 3 permits a request for access from a device on the intranet 4 to a device on another network (particularly, the pull print server 5). However, requests for access from other network devices to devices on the intranet 4 are blocked.

  The image forming apparatus 1 is an apparatus called “MFP” or “MFP (Multi Function Peripherals)”, and is an apparatus in which functions such as copying, network printing, fax, and scanner are integrated.

  The network print function is a function for receiving print data from a client such as a personal computer and printing an image on paper. Sometimes called a “network printer function” or a “PC print function”.

  Some image forming apparatuses 1 further have a pull print function. In the pull print function, print data transmitted from a client such as a personal computer is not immediately received but accumulated in a server (pull print server). Thereafter, when the user performs a predetermined operation, the print data is sent from the pull print server. It is a function that downloads and prints. Hereinafter, the case where the image forming apparatus 1B has the pull print function but not the image forming apparatus 1A will be described as an example.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the image forming apparatus 1 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 10a, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 10b, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 10c, a mass storage device 10d, a scanner unit 10e, and a printing unit 10f. , A network interface 10g, a touch panel display 10h, a modem 10i, a finisher 10j, and a control circuit.

  The network interface 10g is a NIC (Network Interface Card) for communicating with a device such as the client 2 or the pull print server 5 using a protocol such as TCP / IP (Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol).

  The touch panel display 10h displays a screen for giving a message or an instruction to the user, a screen for the user to input processing commands and conditions, a screen showing the processing result of the CPU 10a, and the like. Moreover, the position which the user touched with the finger | toe is detected, and the signal which shows a detection result is transmitted to CPU10a.

  The scanner unit 10e reads an image made up of photographs, characters, pictures, charts and the like written on a sheet and generates image data.

  The modem 10i is a device for exchanging image data with other fax terminals using a protocol such as G3.

  The printing unit 10f prints an image indicated by data received from a personal computer or a fax terminal in addition to the image read by the scanner unit 10e.

  The finisher 10j performs a finishing process such as a process of binding with staples and a process of punching holes on a printed material on which an image is printed by the printing unit 10f.

  Software such as an operating system and middleware is installed in the ROM 10c or the mass storage device 10d. Modules constituting the software are loaded into the RAM 10b as necessary and executed by the CPU 10a. An HDD (Hard Disk Drive), an SSD (Solid State Drive), or the like is used as the mass storage device 10d.

  Returning to FIG. 1, the client 2 is a terminal device for the user to receive services related to printing provided by the image forming apparatus 1 and the pull print server 5. As the client 2, a personal computer, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), a smartphone, or the like is used. Hereinafter, a case where a personal computer is used as the client 2 will be described as an example.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the client 2 includes a CPU 20a, a RAM 20b, a ROM 20c, a mass storage device 20d, a network interface 20e, a keyboard 20f, a pointing device 20g, a liquid crystal display 20h, and the like.

  The network interface 20e is a NIC for communicating with devices such as the image forming apparatus 1 and the pull print server 5 using a protocol such as TCP / IP.

  The keyboard 20f and the pointing device 20g are devices for the user to input data and commands to the client 2.

  The liquid crystal display 20h displays a screen for giving a message or an instruction to the user, a screen for the user to input processing commands and conditions, a screen showing a result of processing of the CPU 20a, and the like.

  The mass storage device 20d includes a print condition reception unit 201, a print job registration processing unit 202, a no-operation time measurement unit 203, a job status monitoring unit 204, a login status monitoring unit 205, and a job data conversion request unit 206 shown in FIG. , A program and data for realizing a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) confirmation unit 207, a job data download unit 208, a job data transfer unit 209, and the like are stored. These programs and data are loaded into the RAM 20b as necessary, and the programs are executed by the CPU 20a. An HDD or SDD is used as the mass storage device 20d.

  Returning to FIG. 1, the pull print server 5 centrally stores the print data transmitted from each client 2, and distributes the print data based on a request from the image forming apparatus 1. In the present embodiment, print data is also distributed when there is a request from the client 2.

  The hardware configuration of the pull print server 5 is basically the same as the hardware configuration of the client 2. However, the large-capacity storage device includes the print data receiving unit 501, the job data generating unit 502, the first job data storing unit 503, the job status data transmitting unit 504, the job data converting unit 505, and the second data shown in FIG. A program and data for realizing the job data storage unit 506, the job data transmission unit 507, the URL response unit 508, and the like are stored. These programs and data are loaded into the RAM as necessary, and the programs are executed by the CPU.

  Next, details of processing by each unit of the client 2 shown in FIG. 4, each unit of the pull print server 5 shown in FIG. 5, and the image forming apparatus 1, processing for registering a print job in the pull print server 5 and the image forming apparatus 1. The process for providing a print job is roughly described below.

[Process of Registering Print Job in Pull Print Server 5]
The user logs in to the client 2 with his / her user code 71. Hereinafter, a user who logs in to the client 2 is referred to as a “login user”. Further, image data of a document to be printed is prepared in the client 2. The image data may be prepared by creating a document with an application such as word processing software or drawing software. Alternatively, it is also possible to download WEB page data from a website on the Internet and use this data as image data. Then, the login user inputs a print command to the client 2.

  When a print command is input, the print condition receiving unit 201 (see FIG. 4) of the client 2 executes a process for receiving the print condition as follows, for example.

  The printing condition receiving unit 201 displays a screen (so-called printer driver screen) for designating printing conditions on the liquid crystal display 20h. Here, the login user inputs printing conditions. Then, the printing condition reception unit 201 receives the input printing condition. In particular, in this example, the login user designates the pull print function to be on.

  The print job registration processing unit 202 generates print data 7PD for printing a document using the prepared image data based on the printing conditions received by the printing condition receiving unit 201. If the pull print function is specified to be on, the generated print data 7PD is uploaded (transmitted) to the pull print server 5.

  The print data 7PD is described in a page description language corresponding to one of the image forming apparatuses 1. The login user may select which page description language to use. Alternatively, a default page description language may be determined and used. The print data 7PD includes a user code 71 of the login user and a data identifier 72 for identifying the print data 7PD. An existing printer driver can be used to display the screen by the print condition receiving unit 201 and generate the print data 7PD by the print job registration processing unit 202.

  In the pull print server 5, the print data receiving unit 501 (see FIG. 5) receives the print data 7PD from the client 2.

  As described above, the client 2 belongs to the intranet 4, but the pull print server 5 does not belong. Therefore, the communication between the client 2 and the pull print server 5 is monitored by the firewall device 3. Therefore, the client 2 side requests access to the pull print server 5 to establish a session, and the print data 7PD is exchanged through this session. More specifically, the print data receiving unit 501 is realized by a CGI (Character Based User Interface), and the print job registration processing unit 202 accesses the pull print server 5 based on the URL of the print data receiving unit 501 to perform printing. Data 7PD may be transmitted.

  The job data generation unit 502 generates job data 7JD for performing a series of processes for printing based on the print data 7PD (hereinafter referred to as “print job”) based on the print data 7PD. And stored in the first job data storage unit 503. That is, the spooling process of the print job to the first job data storage unit 503 is performed. The job data 7JD also includes the user code 71 and the data identifier 72 indicated in the print data 7PD that is the basis of the job data 7JD.

  In this way, each time the pull print function is designated on and a print command is issued, the job data 7JD is accumulated in the first job data storage unit 503.

[Process of Providing Print Job to Image Forming Apparatus 1]
After the print job is spooled, the login user can execute a print job on an arbitrary image forming apparatus 1 to obtain a printed matter of the document. At this time, it moves to the image forming apparatus 1 and directly operates the image forming apparatus 1. Therefore, the login user interrupts the operation of the client 2 after spooling the print job.

  The no-operation time measuring unit 203 (see FIG. 4) of the client 2 measures the time that has elapsed since the login user last operated the keyboard 20f and the pointing device 20g. That is, the time during which no operation is continued is measured. Hereinafter, this time is referred to as “no-operation time Tm”. Specifically, each time a signal is input to the CPU 20a from either the keyboard 20f or the pointing device 20g, time measurement is started from zero seconds.

  The job state monitoring unit 204 and the login state monitoring unit 205 are periodically (for example, 10 seconds to 1 minute) while the no-operation time Tm measured by the no-operation time measurement unit 203 exceeds a predetermined time Ta. For each):

  The job status monitoring unit 204 monitors the status of the print job registered in the pull print server 5 by the print job registration processing unit 202 as follows, for example.

  The job status monitoring unit 204 accesses the pull print server 5 and inquires about the status of the job data 7JD of this print job. At this time, the pull print server 5 is notified of the user code 71 and the data identifier 72 indicated in the print data 7PD that is the basis of the job data 7JD.

  Then, in the pull print server 5, the job status data transmission unit 504 searches the first job data storage unit 503 for job data 7 JD indicating the user code 71 and the data identifier 72 notified from the client 2. Then, job status response data 7UM indicating the presence / absence of such job data 7JD is returned to the client 2.

  Note that the job status data transmission unit 504 may be realized by CGI similarly to the print data reception unit 501. The job status monitoring unit 204 accesses the pull print server 5 based on the URL of the job status data transmission unit 504 including the user code 71 and the data identifier 72 as arguments, and sends the job status response data 7UM to the job status data transmission unit 504. What is necessary is just to generate.

  On the other hand, the login state monitoring unit 205 monitors whether or not the login user has logged into any of the image forming apparatuses 1. For example, the MIB (Management Information Base) of each image forming apparatus 1 may be acquired by SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) to check whether or not the login user has logged in.

  The login status monitoring unit 205 starts monitoring when the job status response data 7UM indicating that the job data 7JD of the logged-in user is stored is obtained by the job status monitoring unit 204, and is stored thereafter. If job status response data 7UM indicating that there is no data is obtained, monitoring may be stopped.

  When the login state monitoring unit 205 detects that the login user has logged in to any one of the image forming apparatuses 1, the job data conversion request unit 206 stores the job data 7JD of the login user in accordance with the logged-in image forming apparatus 1. The pull print server 5 is requested to convert the format. At this time, the job data conversion request unit 206 notifies the pull print server 5 of the user code 71 of the login user and the model code 73 for identifying the model of the image forming apparatus 1.

  In the pull print server 5, the job data conversion unit 505 retrieves the job data 7 JD indicating the user code 71 notified from the client 2 from the first job data storage unit 503 and calls it. If the called job data 7JD does not correspond to the model of the model code 73 notified from the client 2, it is converted into a corresponding format. Even after the format conversion, the user code 71 is indicated in the job data 7JD.

  The job data 7JD is stored in the second job data storage unit 506 after being called up and converted in format as necessary. Hereinafter, job data 7JD whose format has been converted as necessary and stored in the second job data storage unit 506 will be referred to as “job data 7KD” in order to distinguish it from the original job data 7JD. The base job data 7JD is deleted from the first job data storage unit 503.

  When the format conversion is performed as necessary, the job data transmission unit 507 transmits the job data 7KD to the client 2 that is the request source.

  By the way, it may take a long time to convert the format, and the session at the time of request from the client 2 to the pull print server 5 may be cut off before the job data 7KD is transmitted to the client 2. After the session is terminated, the URL check unit 207 of the client 2 and the URL reply unit 508 of the pull print server 5 perform the following processing to transmit job data 7KD from the pull print server 5 to the client 2. .

  The URL confirmation unit 207 inquires the pull print server 5 about the URL of the job data 7KD. At this time, the user code 71 of the login user is notified to the pull print server 5.

  Then, the URL response unit 508 searches the second job data storage unit 506 for job data 7KD indicating the notified user code 71, and inquires URL response data 7HB indicating the URL of the found job data 7KD. Transmit to the original client 2.

  Then, the job data download unit 208 requests and downloads the job data 7KD from the pull print server 5 based on the URL indicated in the URL response data 7HB notified from the pull print server 5.

  At this time, the job data transmission unit 507 retrieves the job data 7KD from the second job data storage unit 506 according to the request, and transmits the job data 7KD to the requesting client 2.

  The job data transfer unit 209 transfers the job data 7KD obtained from the pull print server 5 by the above-described method to the image forming apparatus 1 to which the login user has logged in.

  When receiving the job data 7KD from the client 2, the image forming apparatus 1 spools the job data 7KD in a queue. When the turn comes, the document is printed on paper based on the job data 7KD.

  Note that the job data 7KD transferred to the image forming apparatus 1 is deleted from the second job data storage unit 506.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining an example of the overall processing flow of the client 2. FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining an example of the flow of the state monitoring process.

  Next, the overall processing flow of the client 2 until a certain document is printed by the image forming apparatus 1 will be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS.

  In FIG. 6, when a print command is given from the user and a print condition is specified (Yes in # 801), the client 2 generates print data 7PD and transmits it to the client 2 to send a print job to the client 2. (# 802). Then, measurement of the no-operation time Tm is started (# 803).

  When the no-operation time Tm exceeds the predetermined time Ta (Yes in # 804), the client 2 executes processing for monitoring the image forming apparatus 1 and the pull print server 5 in the procedure shown in FIG. 7 (# 805). .

  The client 2 periodically checks whether this print job is still registered in the pull print server 5 (# 822). If registered (Yes in # 823), it is periodically checked whether the user is logged in to any of the image forming apparatuses 1 (# 824).

  When the user logs in to any of the image forming apparatuses 1 (Yes in # 825), the client 2 detects the login (# 826) and ends the monitoring process. When the user operates the client 2 during monitoring (Yes in # 821), the monitoring process is terminated.

  Returning to FIG. 6, when the client 2 detects that the user has logged in to the image forming apparatus 1 (Yes in # 806), the client 2 informs the pull print server 5 to convert the format of the job data 7JD of this print job. Request (# 807).

  The client 2 inquires the pull print server 5 about the URL of the job data 7JD whose format has been converted, that is, the job data 7KD (# 808). When the URL response is received (Yes in # 809), the job data 7KD is downloaded from the pull print server 5 based on the URL (# 810) and transferred to the image forming apparatus 1 to which the user has logged in (# 811). ).

  Thereafter, when receiving the job data 7KD, the image forming apparatus 1 prints a document on a sheet using the job data 7KD.

  According to the present embodiment, the user can receive a pull print service by the pull print server 5 and the image forming apparatus 1 of the intranet 4 even when the user is in an organization facility.

  In addition, the job data 7 JD is transferred from the pull print server 5 to the image forming apparatus 1 via the client 2. Therefore, the user can receive the pull print service by either the image forming apparatus 1B corresponding to the pull print or the image forming apparatus 1A not originally corresponding to the pull print. In addition, it is possible to utilize an old image forming apparatus.

  Further, the client 2 starts monitoring whether or not the user has logged in to the image forming apparatus 1 when the time when there is no operation on the client 2 exceeds a certain time. Therefore, communication resources can be saved.

  In addition, the configuration of the entire printing system 6, intranet 4, client 2, pull print server 5, each unit, processing contents, processing order, data configuration, and the like can be changed as appropriate in accordance with the spirit of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 2 Client 202 Print job registration process part (upload means)
203 No-operation time measuring unit (measuring means)
204 Job status monitoring unit (monitoring means)
205 Login status monitoring unit (detection means)
208 Job data download section (download means)
209 Job data transfer unit (transfer means)
5 Pull print server 7JD, 7KD Job data (printing data)
7PD print data (print data)

Claims (7)

A print client having a function of communicating with a plurality of image forming apparatuses that print an image and a server that provides print data for printing the image,
Detection means for performing detection processing for detecting that a user has logged in to any of the plurality of image forming apparatuses;
When said user logs in is detected by the pre-dangerous known means, to download the print data from the server, and download means,
Transfer means for transferring the print data downloaded by the download means to the image forming apparatus to which the user has logged in among the plurality of image forming apparatuses;
A print client characterized by comprising: Measuring means for measuring a no-operation time that is a time in which the user does not perform an operation on the print client;
The detection means starts the detection process when the no-operation time measured by the measurement means exceeds a predetermined time.
The print client according to claim 1. Uploading means for uploading the printing data to the server;
The detection unit starts the detection process after the printing data is uploaded by the upload unit.
The print client according to claim 1 or 2. Monitoring means for monitoring whether or not the printing data is stored in the server,
The detection means executes the detection process if the print data is stored in the server.
The print client according to claim 1. A printing method by a computer having a function of communicating with a plurality of image forming apparatuses for printing an image and a server for providing printing data for printing the image,
In the computer,
Executing a detection process for detecting that a user has logged into any of the plurality of image forming apparatuses;
When it is detected that the user has logged in, a process of downloading the print data from the server is executed,
Causing the downloaded data for printing to be transferred to an image forming apparatus to which the user has logged in among the plurality of image forming apparatuses;
A printing method characterized by the above. A computer program used in a computer having a function of communicating with a plurality of image forming apparatuses that print an image and a server that provides print data for printing the image,
Executing a detection process for detecting that a user has logged into any of the plurality of image forming apparatuses;
When it is detected that the user has logged in, a process of downloading the print data from the server is executed,
Causing the downloaded data for printing to be transferred to an image forming apparatus to which the user has logged in among the plurality of image forming apparatuses;
A computer program characterized by the above. An image forming system comprising a plurality of image forming apparatuses, a server for providing print data, and a print client,
Each of the plurality of image forming apparatuses includes:
First communication means for communicating with the print client;
Login acceptance means for accepting user login;
Image forming means for printing an image based on the print data received from the print client by the first communication means;
With
The print client
Second communication means for communicating with each of the plurality of image forming apparatuses and the server;
Detecting means for detecting that the user has logged into any of the plurality of image forming apparatuses;
Download means for requesting and downloading the print data to the server by the second communication means when the detection means detects that the user has logged in;
Transfer means for transferring, by the second communication means, the print data downloaded by the download means to the image forming apparatus to which the user has logged in among the plurality of image forming apparatuses;
With
The server
A third communication means capable of communicating with the print client;
Print data transmission means for transmitting the print data to the print client by the third communication means when the print data is requested from the print client;
Comprising
An image forming system.

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