JP2000272205A - Printer determining printing execution order and network system including the printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To determine a printing execution order for a printer to automatically judge an order of prints in accordance with a user's urgency for printing and sequentially print from a higher necessity. SOLUTION: Printing is executed in accordance with a printing priority order in a printer used in common by a plurality of users on a network on the basis of a plurality of kinds of printing priority order determination signals 6, 8 and 10 from a computer which determines the printing priority order in stages regardless of an order in which each user outputs a printing command from the computer 2. Printing can be executed at a designated time on the basis of a time designation printing signal 12 from the computer 2. Moreover, printing can be executed with priority in response to an interruption printing signal 16 from the computer, or printing can be executed in a free time zone registered beforehand.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer commonly used by a plurality of users on a network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With the spread of computers, each office uses one computer, and these computers are connected to each other by a network. In such an environment, users on the network can share and use one printer, so that costs can be reduced and desk space of each person can be effectively used.

[0003]

However, when one printer is shared and used by a plurality of users, other users cannot use this printer while one printer is being used, and for example, printing is urgent. Even if it is necessary, there is an inconvenience that the user has to wait until the printing of another user is completed. In particular, when one user prints at a low printing speed such as color printing, prints a long report, or prints over a long period of time via the Internet, the other users may spend a considerable amount of time. , The user will have to wait for printing. On the other hand, some users do not particularly have an urgency in printing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a printer which automatically determines the order of printing according to the urgency of printing by a user and determines a printing execution order so that printing can be performed in descending order of necessity. Is to provide.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the invention described in claim 1 of the present application is a printer commonly used by a plurality of users on a network, wherein the printer receives a print command in the order received. Instead, each user determines a printing priority based on a printing priority determination signal from a computer from which a user can arbitrarily select one from a plurality of types of printing priorities, and performs printing in accordance with the determined priority. A control unit is provided.

According to the present invention, the order in which printing is performed is determined by the type of the print priority determination signal regardless of the order in which the print commands are issued from the computer. Therefore, even when a print command is issued later, if a print command is issued by a superior print priority determination signal, printing is performed in preference to another user's print. Here, the type of the print priority determination signal is prepared in advance so that the user can select and set it.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printer commonly used by a plurality of users on a network, and executes printing at a designated time based on a time designation print signal from a computer. A print control unit is provided. According to the present invention, printing can be performed at a time designated by the user. Therefore, printing can be performed with the time set in accordance with the time required for the printed matter.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printer commonly used by a plurality of users on a network, wherein an interrupt from the computer is performed regardless of the order in which each user issues a print command from the computer. A print control unit that preferentially executes printing based on the interrupt print signal in response to the print signal. According to the present invention, when urgent printing is required, printing can be performed by interruption with priority given to other users.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printer which is commonly used by a plurality of users on a network, and which performs printing based on an idle time print signal from a computer in an idle time zone registered in advance. And a print control unit for executing the print control. ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, printing can be performed using the time zone when a normal printer is not used, such as a lunch break, early morning, or night time, therefore, competition with other users can be eased.

[0010] The invention described in claim 5 of the present application is a printer commonly used by a plurality of users on a network. A print priority determination mode for determining a print priority based on a print priority determination signal from a computer which can arbitrarily select one of the following, and executing printing in accordance with the determined priority; A designated time print mode for executing printing at a designated time based on a print signal, wherein a plurality of types of print priority determination signals from a computer capable of determining the priority of the print compete with the time designated print signal. In this case, a print control unit is provided which executes printing based on the time designation print signal with priority.

According to the present invention, printing based on the time designation print signal can be prioritized over printing based on the print priority determination signal. Accordingly, printing based on the time designation print signal is always started at a predetermined time, so that a predetermined printed matter can be reliably obtained by a predetermined time.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printer which is commonly used by a plurality of users on a network. A print priority determination mode for determining a print priority based on a print priority determination signal from a computer which can arbitrarily select one from the following, and executing printing in accordance with the determined priority; Regardless of the order in which the print commands are issued, an interrupt print mode that preferentially executes printing based on the interrupt print signal in response to the interrupt print signal from the computer, and from a computer capable of determining the priority of the print. When a plurality of types of print priority determination signals conflict with the interrupt print mode, the interrupt print mode is prioritized. It is characterized in further comprising a printing control unit for the line.

According to the present invention, printing in the interrupt printing mode is given priority over printing in the printing priority order determination mode, so that urgent printing can be immediately obtained by interruption.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printer which is commonly used by a plurality of users on a network. A print priority determination mode for determining a print priority based on a print priority determination signal from a computer which can arbitrarily select one of the following, and executing printing in accordance with the determined priority; In response to the interrupt print signal from the computer, the interrupt print signal is given priority in response to the interrupt print signal from the computer, regardless of the order in which each user issues a print command from the computer, regardless of the order in which each user issues a print command from the computer. Interrupt printing mode for executing printing based on a plurality of types of marks from a computer capable of determining the priority of printing. When the priority determination signal, the time designation print signal, and the interrupt print signal compete with each other, the order of printing based on the interrupt print signal, printing based on the time designation print signal, and printing based on the print priority order determination signal. And a print control unit for determining a print order.

According to the present invention, since the order of printing is determined by the print priority determination signal, the time designation print signal, and the interrupt print signal, the user can select one of various modes according to the urgency of obtaining a printed material. A desired mode can be selected. As a result, the order of printing is balanced with other users, so that a highly urgent printed matter can be obtained earlier, and if not, the printing is completed by a predetermined time. Can be.

The invention according to claim 8 of the present application is characterized in that, in any one of claims 1 to 7, a print control unit that performs a print head cleaning operation at a previously reserved time is provided. It is. ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, since the dirt of a print head can be regularly cleaned, the dirt of a printed material can be avoided reliably and the quality of a printed material can be stabilized.

A network system according to a ninth aspect of the present invention includes a server, a plurality of user computers connected to the server, and a printer according to any one of the first to eighth aspects. I do. According to the present invention, when the printer receives a print signal from each of a plurality of user computers in a short time, depending on the type of each of the print command signals, the print order is independent of the order of reception. Is determined. This balances the printing order with other users, so that it is possible to realize a situation in which a highly urgent printed matter can be obtained earlier, and if it is not, printing has been completed by a predetermined time. .

[0018]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a view showing a print command screen displayed on a display of a computer for operating a printer according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a printer, a server and user computers according to the present invention. . In these figures, reference numeral 1 denotes a print command screen, reference numeral 2 denotes a computer, and reference numeral 3 denotes a print priority order determination button. The button 3 includes a priority print button 5, a normal print button 7, and a later print button 9. Signals transmitted to the printer when these buttons are clicked are collectively defined as a "print priority determination signal".

The priority print button 5 transmits a priority print signal 6, which is one of the print priority order determination signals, to the printer 4 when this button is clicked. Is a button for instructing that printing should be performed with the highest priority among other print priority determination signals from the user who has already reached. When the printer 4 receives the priority print signal 6 while receiving a plurality of print priority determination signals before printing,
A printing control program stored in a ROM (not shown) is programmed so that printing corresponding to the signal is finished with the highest priority after the current printing is completed. When a plurality of users issue a print command to the printer 4 using the priority print button 5, printing corresponding to the priority print signal 6 received first is performed with the highest priority.

The normal print button 7 transmits a normal print signal 8, which is one of the print priority order determination signals, to the printer 4 by clicking this button. Is a button for instructing that printing should be given priority next to the priority printing signal 6 among other printing priority order determination signals from the user who has already arrived at the printer 4. When the printer 4 receives the normal print signal 8 while receiving a plurality of print priority determination signals before printing, after the print corresponding to the signal is completed, the priority print is completed. Print signal 6
The printing control program is programmed to print next to the printing based on the printing.

Further, the late print button 9 is designed to transmit a late print signal 10, which is one of the print priority order determining signals, to the printer 4 by clicking this button. This is a button for instructing to print next to the priority print signal and the normal print signal among other print priority determination signals from the user who has already reached the printer 4 at the time. That is, this button can be selected when it is not necessary to perform printing in a hurry, and when it is desired to perform printing after printing instructed by another user is completed. While receiving a plurality of print priority determination signals before printing, the printer 4
When receiving the postponed printing signal 10, after the printing corresponding to the signal is completed, the printing based on the priority printing signal and the printing based on the normal printing signal are performed next to the printing based on the priority printing signal. The control program has been programmed.

The operation of the first embodiment will be described. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, when there is a document currently being printed, the user A clicks the post print button 9 and then the user B performs normal printing. It is assumed that the user clicks the button 7 and then the user C clicks the priority print button 5. In this case, the later print signal 10 (user A), the normal print signal 8 (user B), and the priority print signal 6 (user C) are transmitted to the printer 4 one by one in this order. However, in the printer 4, the priority print signal 6, the normal print signal 8,
The print order is rearranged in the order of the postponed print signal 10. Then, when the printing that is currently being performed is completed, printing based on the priority print signal is performed first (user C), printing based on the normal print signal (user B), and finally printing based on the postponed print signal (user A). ) Will be performed.

In the above example, the normal print signal 8
At the stage where printing based on is performed, another user D
Clicks the normal print button 7, the normal print signal 8
Is transmitted to the printer 4, the printing order is rearranged in the printer 4 in the order of the normal print signal 8 and the later print signal 10, and printing is performed in this order.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 shows a print command screen 1 displayed on the display of the computer 2 as in the first embodiment. 3, reference numerals 3, 5, 7
Buttons 9 and 9 have the same functions as in the first embodiment. Reference numeral 11 denotes a time designation button.
Is a time setting display section.

The time designation button 11 is used for the time setting display 1
A button for sending a time designation print signal 12 (see FIG. 2) to the printer 4 so that printing is performed at the time set in Step 3. When the printer 4 receives the time designation print signal 12, the print control program is programmed so that printing based on the signal is not performed until the time is reached, and printing is started only at the time. The mode for printing using the time designation button 11 is defined as "designated time print mode".

The relationship between the time designation print signal 12 and the priority print signal 6, the normal print signal 8, and the later print signal 10 is as follows.
It can be set in advance so that one of them is treated preferentially. That is, when the setting is made such that the time-designated print signal 12 is preferentially processed, even if the priority print signal 6 is stored in the printer 4 at a predetermined time, the printing by the time-designated print signal 12 is preferentially performed. To Time designation print signal 1
In a case where the priority print signal 6 is set to be treated with priority over the second print, the print based on the priority print signal 6 is performed first, and then the print based on the time designation print signal 12 is performed even at a predetermined time. I do. When the priority print signal 6 is handled with priority over the time designation print signal 12, when a plurality of priority print signals 6 are stored in the printer 4, for example, after the printing based on a predetermined number of priority print signals 6 is completed, the remaining The printing by the time designation print signal 12 may be executed prior to the priority print signal 6.

Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described.
This will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 shows the print command screen 1 displayed on the display of the computer 2 as in the first embodiment. In FIG. 4, reference numerals 3, 5, 7, and 9 denote buttons provided with the same functions as in the first embodiment, and buttons indicated by reference numerals 11 and 13 and a time setting display unit are the same as those in the second embodiment. Provide functions. In the present embodiment, in addition to these buttons, an interrupt print button 15
And an idle time print button 17 are provided.

As shown in FIG. 4, the interrupt print button 15
When the user clicks the idle time print button 17 and the idle time print button 17, an interrupt print signal 16 and an idle time print signal 18 are sent to the printer 4 via the server 20, as shown in FIG. .

When the printer 4 receives the interrupt print signal 16, it gives priority to any of the priority print signal 6, the normal print signal 8, the delay print signal 10, and the time designation print signal 12, and performs printing based on the interrupt print signal 16. The print control program is programmed so as to perform

When the printer 4 receives the idle time print signal 18, for example, a time period during which the printer will not be used on the printer side or the computer side (lunch break time, night time or early morning time) is registered as an idle time. By doing so, the printer is driven to perform printing based on the idle time print signal 18 when the idle time comes. The mode for printing using the interrupt print button 15 is defined as “interrupt print mode”.

The operation of the third embodiment will be described. For example, the printer 4 receives the priority print signal 6 and the time designation print signal 12 having a higher priority than the priority print signal 6, and based on these signals. Assume that the user F newly clicks the interrupt print button 15 and then the user G clicks the idle time print button 17 as shown in FIG. At this time, the printer 4 newly receives the interrupt print signal 16 and the idle time print signal 18, and (interrupt print signal 16) →
The signals are rearranged in the order of (time designation print signal 12) → (priority print signal 6) → (empty time print signal 18), and printing corresponding to each signal is performed in the order of these signals. The printing based on the idle time print signal 18 does not start unless the registered idle time is reached.

That is, the interrupt print button 15 can be printed in preference to any other print by clicking it when it is most urgent.
When the interrupt print button 15 is clicked, a setting can be made so that the currently printing job is interrupted halfway and interrupted there to start printing. Also, by using the interrupt print button 15, printing by other users will be delayed.
May be limited, or only a specific user may use the interrupt print button 15.

When the idle time print button 17 is clicked, printing is always performed in a lower order than other prints, and printing is started in a registered idle time zone where no other printing is performed. If used when it is sufficient if printing is completed by tomorrow, it is convenient because printing of another user is not delayed.

In the third embodiment, it is possible to make a reservation so as to use the registered vacant time zone or to perform the cleaning operation of the print head at a regular time other than the vacant time.

[0035]

According to the present invention, a user can select a desired mode from various modes according to the urgency of obtaining a printed matter. As a result, the order of printing is balanced with other users, so that a highly urgent printed matter can be obtained earlier, and if not, the printing is completed by a predetermined time. Can be.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a print command screen displayed on a display of a computer for operating a printer according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a printer, a server, and each user computer according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a print command screen displayed on a display of a computer for operating a printer according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a print command screen displayed on a display of a computer for operating a printer according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Print command screen 2 Computer 3 Print priority determination button 4 Printer 5 Priority print button 6 Priority print signal 7 Normal print button 8 Normal print signal 9 Delay print button 10 Delay print signal 11 Time designation print button 12 Time designation print signal 13 Time Setting display section 15 Interrupt print button 16 Interrupt print signal 17 Free time print button 18 Free time print signal 20 Server

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Mayumi Yamashita 3-3-5 Yamato, Suwa-shi, Nagano F-term in Seiko Epson Corporation (reference) 2C061 AP01 HN05 HN15 HQ06 HQ17 HR02 HR04 5B021 AA01 AA02 BB01 BB04 CC05 EE01

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A printer which is commonly used by a plurality of users on a network and which is not in the order in which a print command is received, but is provided by a computer which allows each user to arbitrarily select one of a plurality of types of print priorities. A print control unit that determines a print priority based on the print priority determination signal, and executes printing in accordance with the determined priority. 2. A printer commonly used by a plurality of users on a network, comprising a print control unit for executing printing at a designated time based on a time designated print signal from a computer. The printer that determines the print execution order to be performed. 3. A printer which is commonly used by a plurality of users on a network, and which is given priority in response to an interrupt print signal from a computer regardless of the order in which each user issues a print command from the computer. A printer for determining a print execution order, comprising a print control unit that executes printing based on an interrupt print signal. 4. A printer commonly used by a plurality of users on a network, comprising a print control unit for executing printing based on an idle time print signal from a computer in an idle time zone registered in advance. A printer that determines a print execution order characterized by the following. 5. A printer commonly used by a plurality of users on a network, wherein the printer is not in the order in which a print command is received, but can be arbitrarily selected from a plurality of types of print priorities by each user. Print priority is determined based on the print priority determination signal, and a print priority determination mode for executing printing in accordance with the determined priority, and printing at a specified time based on a time specification print signal from a computer. A specified time print mode to execute, when a plurality of types of print priority determination signals from the computer that can determine the priority of printing and the time specified print signal conflict, the time specified print signal A printer for determining a print execution order, comprising: a print control unit that executes printing based on priority. 6. A printer commonly used by a plurality of users on a network, wherein the printer is not in the order in which a print command is received, but can be arbitrarily selected from a plurality of types of print priorities by each user. A print priority determination mode for determining a print priority based on the print priority determination signal of, and executing printing in accordance with the determined priority, and a computer regardless of the order in which each user issues a print command from the computer. An interrupt printing mode for executing printing based on the interrupt printing signal in response to an interrupt printing signal from the computer, and a plurality of types of printing priority determining signals from a computer capable of determining the priority of the printing; A print control unit that prioritizes execution of the interrupt print mode when there is a conflict with the interrupt print mode. A printer that determines the print execution order to be used. 7. A printer commonly used by a plurality of users on a network, wherein the printer is not in the order in which a print command is received, but can be arbitrarily selected from a plurality of types of print priorities by each user. Print priority is determined based on the print priority determination signal, and a print priority determination mode for executing printing in accordance with the determined priority, and printing at a specified time based on a time specification print signal from a computer. And an interrupted print mode in which each user issues a print command from the computer, regardless of the order in which the user issues a print command, and in response to an interrupted print signal from the computer, an interrupted print mode that preferentially executes printing based on the interrupted print signal. A plurality of types of print priority determination signals from a computer capable of determining the print priority and the time designation mark When a print signal and the interrupt print signal conflict, printing based on the interrupt print signal,
A printer for determining a print execution order, comprising a print control unit for determining a print order in the order of printing based on the time designation print signal and printing based on the print priority order determination signal. 8. The printer according to claim 1, further comprising a print control unit that performs a print head cleaning operation at a previously reserved time. 9. A network system comprising a server, a plurality of user computers connected to the server, and the printer according to claim 1. Description: