JPH10333848A - Print server - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a print server capable of executing the order exchange or deletion of print jobs only by a print server single body. SOLUTION: At the time of exchanging the processing order and deleting print jobs, a print job detection situation stored in a print queue 9 is updated and displayed with a constant time interval on a display part 4 of a print server 1. Print jobs whose order should be changed are selected from the print jobs displayed on the display part 4, and a printing order is inputted by a key input from an operating part 3. Thus, the printing order of the print jobs can be exchanged. An erroneously stored print job is selected from among the print jobs stored in the print queue 9, and a deleting operation is executed by the key input from the operating part 3. Thus, the deletion of the print job can be attained.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a print server, and more particularly to a print server with a queue control function for a computer system.

[0002]

[Prior art]

In the computer system, one (single) print server is installed so that one is connected to a main bus line for the purpose of controlling a printer, and the other is connected to a printer to be controlled.

[0003] A print server is connected to a network (main bus line) and, at regular intervals, into a designated print queue (print job container) in a designated file server, and prints itself from a workstation. Check if there is a print job from the workstation.If there is a print job from the workstation in the specified print queue, take out the print jobs in the order registered in the print queue and send them to the printer connected to the print server. Output print data.

In the conventional stand-alone print server, when the order of print jobs needs to be changed or deleted, it is necessary to use the operation unit or display unit of the entire computer system. That is, such control cannot be performed only by the print server.

In Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 7-23556, monitoring for a print service is provided in the printer itself, thereby eliminating the need for monitoring on the terminal side.
In addition, a method has been proposed in which a printer is provided with a display means and a key which are minimum required for monitoring in a housing, so that a dedicated keyboard and a display need not be provided.

That is, the proposed page printer is:
Connect to the network with the network driver,
It has print queue monitor, print queue operation, and terminal recognition functions. It also performs input / output control of display and key operations, and the printer itself has monitoring for print services. This eliminates the need for monitoring on the terminal side. In addition, the printer is provided with at least display means and keys required for monitoring, so that a dedicated keyboard and display need not be provided.

[0007]

Problems to be Solved by the Invention
Providing a control unit, a display unit, and an operation unit for a print job monitor in a printer as proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. H10-209, has a feature that monitoring and operation of a print job at a workstation or server are not required. However, since multiple printers are connected and operated in a normal network, all printers must be equipped with a display unit and an operation unit for print job monitoring, and as a result, printer installation costs or printer management costs are reduced. Increase the cost of the entire network (computer) system.

[0008] Further, if the printer maker is different, the operation method of print job monitoring and control is changed, which causes inconvenience in operation management.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a print server in which the order and deletion of print jobs can be executed only by a single print server.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A print server according to the present invention is a print server that retrieves print jobs stored in a print queue in a server of a network system at regular time intervals, controls a printer, and performs print processing. And print processing control means for controlling the print processing of the print job.

The operation of the present invention is as follows. By providing an operation unit and a display unit for print job control in the print server body instead of in the printer,
Realize that it can be used by connecting to more types of printers. By connecting a plurality of printers to one print server, it is possible to operate and control a plurality of print queues and print jobs of the printers.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of a print server according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, a print server 1 according to the present invention and its periphery include a workstation (computer) 7 connected to a network (main bus line) 11 for controlling an entire computer (network) system, a server 8 for storing data, A print server 1; printers 10-1 to 10-n connected to the print server 1 via a printer port 6
It consists of.

The print server 1 includes a print job control unit 2 for controlling a print job, an operation unit 3 for changing the order of print jobs and a delete operation, a display unit 4, a network port 5 for interfacing with the network 11, and a printer 10-1. 10 to 10-n. A print queue 9 is secured in the server 8.

From the workstation 7 to the printer 10-
The basic operation of the print server 1 according to the present invention when printing and outputting will be described in 1 to 10-n. From the workstation 7, print data (hereinafter, referred to as a print job) is temporarily stored in a print queue 9 on a disk of the file server 8 via the network 11.
The print server 1 prints the print queue 9 at regular time intervals.
Is detected, and when it is detected that a print job is stored in the print queue 9, the print job is taken out, and
The printing is sequentially output to the printers 10-1 to 10-n.

Normally, in an environment in which a plurality of workstations 7 are connected to the network 11, a plurality of blind jops from the workstations 7 occur accordingly. Further, there are various types of printers connected to the network 11, and it is conceivable that printer control commands are different for each printer.

In such an environment, a request for changing the processing order of the print jobs and a request for deleting the print jobs erroneously stored in the print queue 9 of the file server 8 are generated from the user of the workstation 7. Can be considered. The operation and processing procedure of the print server 1 of the present invention in such a case will be described.

First, a procedure for changing the processing order of print jobs will be described. The print job detection status stored in the print queue 9 is updated and displayed at regular time intervals on the display unit 4 of the print server 1.
Normally, the print job is printed in a first-in first-out manner. However, if the order of the print jobs stored in the print queue 9 is changed so that the print processing is performed first, the print job displayed on the display unit 4 is displayed. Select the print job whose order you want to change,
The order of printing is input by key input from the operation unit 3. With this operation, the print order of the print job can be changed.

Next, the procedure for deleting a print job will be described. As described above, the display status of the print job is displayed on the display unit 4 of the print server l. Among the print jobs stored in the print queue 9, a print job registered by mistake is selected, and a delete operation is performed by key input from the operation unit 3. With this operation, the print job can be deleted.

[0020]

As described above, according to the present invention, by providing the display unit and the search unit in the print server, the print order of the print job can be changed or deleted in correspondence with an unspecified printer. effective. In addition, there is an effect that a plurality of printers are connected to one print server, so that print jobs of the plurality of printers can be controlled and operated.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 print server 2 print job control unit 3 operation unit 4 display unit 5 network port 6 printer port 7 workstation 8 server 9 print queue 10-1 to 10-n printer 11 network

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A print server for taking out print jobs stored in a print queue in a server of a network system at regular time intervals, controlling a printer, and performing print processing, wherein operation control of print processing of the print jobs is performed. A print server comprising print processing control means. 2. The print server according to claim 1, wherein the print processing control means can change a print processing order of the print job and delete the print job. 3. The print processing control unit according to claim 1, further comprising: an operation unit configured to operate a print process of the print job; and a display unit configured to display a print process status of the print job. Print server as described.