JP2001122501A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent the printed matters addressed to plural users from being left in the same bin. SOLUTION: In the condition that a printed matter addressed to a certain user (a user D) is left in an any bin, when processing a printed job addressed to other user (a user A) and to be discharged to the same bin with the described printed matter, before processing this printed job and sending the output complete information to the user A, the output complete information is sent to the user D having the printed matter left in the same bin.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having a function of transmitting a print job output completion notice, and
More specifically, the present invention relates to an output completion notification transmission technique that is useful for preventing such a situation from occurring when prints destined for a plurality of users are mixed in one bin.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a printer having a paper discharge unit having a plurality of bins (a place where printed paper, that is, a printed material is discharged), the paper discharge unit is used as a so-called mail bin. ing. Here, the use as a mail bin usually means that users who use bins are assigned to each bin in advance and registered, and the use of each bin is exclusively used by the registered users (mail bins). function). At this time, since the printed matter addressed to each user is discharged only to the bin in which the user is registered, each user sharing the printer can use the mail bin function to contact specific users other than the user. And make reports easily,
The printed matter can be prevented from being concentrated on one bin.

[0003] In particular, the latter point will be further described. In a system in which a plurality of personal computers and a printer (especially one having a single bin) are connected via a network, and a plurality of users share the printer, a certain user is required When sending an output request (print job) to a printer, prints of users other than the user have already been discharged to one bin, and the user's own prints are often buried in the bin. . As described above, when printed materials of a plurality of users are mixed in one bin, there is a problem that it takes some time to take out one's own printed materials from a large number of printed materials. Such a situation is likely to occur when the number of prints is large or when the user forgets to take a printed material. The mail bin function described above, on the other hand, attempts to solve such a problem.

[0004]

However, in an image forming apparatus having a mail bin function, it is rare that only one user uses one bin as a practical problem. , A plurality of users are registered for each bin. Therefore, in this case, the above-mentioned problem, that is, a printed matter addressed to a large number of users in one bin due to forgetting to take out the printed matter (including both a printed matter addressed to oneself from oneself and a printed matter addressed to oneself from other users)
The problem that a large amount may remain remains still.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of such problems of the prior art, and is mainly intended to prevent an operator from forgetting to remove a printed material in an image forming apparatus having a paper discharge unit used as a mail bin. To provide an image forming apparatus, a control method therefor, and a computer readable recording medium storing a control program therefor, which assists in preventing mixed printed matter addressed to a plurality of users in each bin beforehand. With the goal.

[0006]

The above object of the present invention is achieved by the following means.

(1) An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes a receiving unit for receiving a print job, a paper discharge unit having a bin for discharging paper printed based on the print job, and completion of output of the print job. Transmitting means for transmitting the notification, detecting means for detecting whether or not paper remains in the bin, remaining paper destination specifying means for specifying the destination of the paper remaining in the bin, and paper remaining in the bin. If the destination of the specified remaining paper is the same as the destination of the print job, and if the destination of the specified remaining paper is not the same as the destination of the print job, And an output completion notification destination setting means for setting the destination of the output completion notification as the transmission destination of the output completion notification.

(2) The paper discharge section has a plurality of bins,
Further, there is provided a selection unit for selecting one bin as the discharge destination from the plurality of bins, the remaining paper destination specifying unit specifies a destination of the remaining paper in the selected bin, and the determination unit includes The determination is made when paper remains in the selected bin.

(3) At least one of the plurality of bins
One bin is registered in advance as a discharge destination of a specific user, and for a print job addressed to a specific user registered in the bin, the selection unit selects the bin in which the specific user is registered. .

(4) None of the plurality of bins is registered in advance as a discharge destination of the specific user, and the selecting means preferentially selects one bin from empty bins.

(5) The output completion notification includes identification information of the selected bin.

(6) If the specified destination of the remaining paper is not the same as the destination of the print job, the apparatus further includes a job processing prohibiting unit for prohibiting the processing of the print job until the bin becomes empty. The destination setting unit sets the destination of the processed print job as the transmission destination of the output completion notification.

(7) The job processing prohibiting means permits the processing of the print job when no paper remains in the bin or when the destination of the specified remaining paper is the same as the destination of the print job. .

(8) Second determining means for determining whether or not a predetermined time has passed since the output completion notification was transmitted to the specified destination of the remaining paper, and a destination of the specified remaining paper. If the destination of the print job is not the same as the destination of the print job, the output completion notification destination setting means includes a job processing prohibiting unit that prohibits the processing of the print job until the bin becomes empty or a predetermined time elapses. The destination of the print job is set as the destination of the output completion notification.

(9) Further, there are provided storage means for storing the destination information of the paper remaining in the bin, and input means for inputting the destination information of the paper taken out of the bin. Is based on the contents of the storage means,
The destination of the paper remaining in the bin is specified, and the input destination information is deleted from the contents of the storage means.

(10) Another image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes: a receiving unit for receiving a print job; a paper discharge unit having a plurality of bins for discharging paper printed based on the print job; Transmitting means for transmitting a print job output completion notification, detecting means for detecting whether or not paper remains in each bin, and remaining paper destination specifying means for specifying the destination of the paper remaining in each bin; A determination unit configured to determine whether the same destination as the print job exists among the destinations of the specified remaining paper in all of the plurality of bins when paper remains in all of the plurality of bins. And if the same destination as the print job does not exist among the specified remaining paper destinations in all of the plurality of bins, setting all of the specified remaining paper destinations as the transmission destination of the output completion notification Completion And having a previous setting means.

(11) Further, there is provided a selecting means for preferentially selecting one bin as a discharge destination from empty bins among the plurality of bins.

(12) The output completion notification includes the identification information of the selected bin.

(13) Further, if the same destination as the print job does not exist among the specified destinations of the remaining paper in all of the plurality of bins, at least one of the plurality of bins becomes empty. The output completion notification destination setting means sets a destination of the processed print job as a transmission destination of the output completion notification.

(14) The job processing prohibiting means is configured to determine whether or not there is no remaining paper in at least one of the plurality of bins, or in the destination of the specified remaining paper in all of the plurality of bins. If the same destination as the print job exists, the processing of the print job is permitted.

(15) Second determining means for determining whether or not a predetermined time has passed since the output completion notification was transmitted to all of the specified destinations of the remaining paper, and If the same destination as the print job does not exist among all the specified remaining paper destinations, the print job is processed until at least one of the plurality of bins is empty or a predetermined time has elapsed. A job processing prohibition unit for prohibiting the output completion notification, wherein the output completion notification destination setting unit sets a destination of the processed print job as a transmission destination of the output completion notification.

(16) Further, it has storage means for storing destination information of the paper remaining in each bin, and input means for inputting the destination information of the paper taken out of the bin, and specifies the remaining paper destination. The means specifies the destination of the paper remaining in each bin based on the contents of the storage means, and the input destination information is deleted from the contents of the storage means.

(17) A method for controlling an image forming apparatus according to the present invention is a method for controlling an image forming apparatus having a paper discharge unit having a bin from which printed paper is discharged, and receives a print job. A process of detecting whether or not paper remains in the bin; a process of specifying a destination of the paper remaining in the bin if paper remains in the bin; and a process of identifying the remaining paper. For determining whether the destination of the specified remaining paper is the same as the destination of the print job, and when it is determined that the specified destination of the remaining paper is not the same as the destination of the print job, the output completion notification of the specified remaining paper destination And a step of transmitting an output completion notification to the set destination.

(18) Another method of controlling an image forming apparatus according to the present invention is a method of controlling an image forming apparatus including a paper discharge unit having a plurality of bins, from which printed paper is discharged, Receiving a print job, detecting whether paper remains in each bin, and, if paper remains in all of the plurality of bins, remaining paper for all of the plurality of bins. Identifying the destination of the paper being processed;
Determining whether the same destination as the print job exists among the destinations of the specified remaining papers in all of the plurality of bins, and determining the destination of the specified remaining papers in all of the plurality of bins. If the same destination as the print job does not exist, the process of setting all of the specified destinations of the remaining papers as the destination of the output completion notification and the process of transmitting the output completion notification to the set destination It is characterized by having.

(19) A computer-readable recording medium according to the present invention is a control program for an image forming apparatus provided with a paper discharge unit having a bin from which printed paper is discharged, and receives a print job. A process of detecting whether or not paper remains in the bin; a process of specifying a destination of the paper remaining in the bin if paper remains in the bin; and a process of identifying the remaining paper. For determining whether the destination of the specified remaining paper is the same as the destination of the print job, and when it is determined that the specified destination of the remaining paper is not the same as the destination of the print job, the output completion notification of the specified remaining paper destination And a program for causing a computer to execute a process of setting a destination as a destination and a process of transmitting an output completion notification to the set destination.

(20) A computer-readable recording medium according to the present invention is a control program for an image forming apparatus provided with a paper discharge unit having a plurality of bins, from which printed paper is discharged. Receiving, and the step of detecting whether or not paper remains in each bin, and if paper remains in all of the plurality of bins, remaining paper for all of the plurality of bins Identifying the destination of the paper that is present, determining whether the same destination as the print job exists among the identified destinations of the remaining paper in all of the bins, If the same destination as the print job does not exist among all the specified remaining paper destinations, a process of setting all of the specified remaining paper destinations as destinations of the output completion notification, and the set destination To A program for executing a process of transmitting a force completion notification to the computer is a record.

[0027]

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

First, items common to the embodiments will be described.

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a network system to which the present invention is applied.

In this system, one personal computer 20, 30, 40, 5 is connected to one printer (image forming apparatus) 10.
0, 60, 70, and 80 are communicably connected to each other via a network 90. Each personal computer 20-80
Are assigned to seven predetermined users A to G, respectively. Therefore, in this system, one printer 10 is shared by seven users A to G. Each of the users A to G may be an individual or a group.

The configuration of the network 90, that is, the means for connecting the image forming apparatus (here, the printer 10) to the personal computers 20 to 80 uses infrared rays or radio waves even if it is a wired system such as an Ethernet cable. Wireless system may be used.

The number of image forming apparatuses and personal computers connected to the network 90 is not limited to the above example. The present invention is applicable to any system having one or a plurality of image forming apparatuses and a plurality of personal computers.

Further, at this time, the type of the image forming apparatus may be, for example, a multifunction machine (for example, a digital copier) or a facsimile apparatus of a scanner and a printer other than the printer. A system having a plurality of image forming apparatuses may be used.

The printer 10 has a mail bin function, and a plurality of (here, five) bins 1, from which sheets (printed matter) printed based on a print job are discharged.
A paper discharge unit having 2, 3, 4, and 5 is provided. Bottle 1
Reference numeral 5 is used when the discharge unit is used as a mail bin. "Normal Usage" for Mail Bin Usage
And "unusual usage". Here, the "normal usage method" is, as described above, a method in which a user who uses a bin is assigned to each bin in advance and registered, and the use of each bin is exclusively used by the registered user. The "unusual usage method" means that the image forming apparatus (printer 10) automatically discharges a printed material to an empty bin without registering a user who uses the bin for each bin in advance. This is a method of notifying the user who transmitted the print job of the identification information of the previous bin (for example, the bin number). Such a mail bin function is realized, for example, by instructing printing (hereinafter, referred to as “mail printing”) specifying a destination (user) of a printed matter on a print mode setting screen of each of the personal computers 20 to 80. Here, the bins 1 to 5 are provided by mounting an optional paper discharge device 15a on the printer main body 10a.

Upon receiving the print job transmitted from each of the personal computers 20 to 80, the printer 10 performs printing based on the received print job, and discharges the printed matter to one bin. In the case where the mail bin is used in a normal usage manner, the discharge destination bin is recognized by analyzing destination information (identification information of a transmission source personal computer and presence / absence of mail printing and destination information) included in a print job. If the destination user is a registered bin and the mail bin is used in a different manner than usual, the bin is arbitrarily determined according to a predetermined standard. In any case, the destination of the print job is the user specified in the mail print in the case of the mail print, and the user who transmitted the print job in the case other than the mail print. Then, when the ejection of the printed material is completed, an output completion notification is transmitted to the user (strictly speaking, the personal computer assigned to the user; hereinafter the same) as the destination of the print job. Here, the output completion notification refers to output for a print job (including both printing and discharging. The same applies hereinafter).
Means that notification has been completed. At this time, according to the present invention, as described in detail later, if a print job previously discharged remains in a bin to which the printer 10 intends to discharge a print job, the print job is processed. Before transmitting the output completion notification to the corresponding user, the output completion notification is transmitted to the destination (user) of the printed matter remaining in the same bin. This makes it possible to notify each user that he has forgotten to take out the printed material.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a control system of the printer 10.

The printer 10 includes a job receiving unit 11, a CP
U12, memory 13, printer engine 14, paper discharge unit 1
5, an output removal detection unit 16 and an output completion notification transmission unit 17 are provided.

The job receiving unit 11 is a part of a network interface for connecting the printer 10 to the personal computers 20 to 80 on the network 90.
The print job transmitted from 0 to 80 is received. The print job includes the identification information of the personal computer that sent the print job and the print mode information (including information on whether or not to print mail and the destination).
And image data.

The CPU 12 controls each part of the printer 10 and, according to a control flowchart described later,
In a case where printed materials addressed to a plurality of users are mixed in one bin, a transmission destination of an output completion notification (hereinafter referred to as an “output completion notification destination”) is set to help prevent such a situation beforehand. In addition, it has a function of adjusting the timing of transmitting the output completion notification. In setting the output completion notification destination, information included in the print job received by the job receiving unit 11 (identification information of the transmission source personal computer and information of the mail print destination), the output removal detection unit 16
Is considered. The CPU 12 also has a function of converting image data included in the received print job into a form of bitmap data that can be printed by the printer engine 14 (rasterizing), and further performing a layout process such as Nin1 as necessary. Have.

Although not shown, the memory 13 is a read-only ROM in which information is stored in advance and cannot be basically changed, and a RAM in which information can be freely written and read.
Consists of The control program is stored in the ROM,
The RAM stores a print job and a user information table described later. In the case of the printer 10 having the mail bin function, the registration information of the users A to G for each of the bins 1 to 5 is stored in a RAM or a rewritable ROM (for example, a flash memory) as a user registration table.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of the memory 13. As shown in FIG. 3, the memory 13 (RAM) has a job storage unit 131 and a user information table 132. The received print job is temporarily stored (stored) in the job storage unit 131 until the output is completed. The user information table 132 stores information (e.g., user name and user I) related to the destination (user) of the printed matter discharged to each of the bins 1 to 5.
D) (hereinafter referred to as “user information”) is stored for each bin (see FIGS. 5 and 7). The user information in the table 132 is not deleted until the corresponding printed matter is removed from the discharge destination bin. By referring to the user information table 132, the destination (user) of the printed matter remaining in each bin is specified. The print jobs are processed in the order stored in the job storage unit 131,
Is output.

The printer engine 14 outputs the image data rasterized (and laid out) by the CPU 12 on paper according to the print mode.

The paper discharge unit 15 has a plurality of bins 1 to 5,
The output paper printed by the printer engine 14 is stored. The paper discharge unit 15 includes the above paper discharge device 15a.

The output removal detecting section 16 detects whether or not the printed matter remains in each of the bins 1 to 5, that is, whether or not the printed matter has been removed from each of the bins 1 to 5. This detection is performed for each of bins 1 to 5. For example, the output removal detection unit 16 includes a sensor for detecting the presence or absence of a sheet in each bin 1 to 1.
5.

The output completion notification transmitting unit 17 is a part of a network interface for connecting the printer 10 to the personal computers 20 to 80 on the network 90, similarly to the job receiving unit 11, and according to a command from the CPU 12,
The output completion notification is sent to the set output completion notification destination (user A
To G personal computers 20 to 80) at the adjusted timing. If the mail bin is used in an unusual manner, the user is not assigned to each bin in advance.Therefore, the output completion notification includes the notification of the output completion and the output bin It contains identification information (eg, bin number).

In the present invention, as described above, when there is a possibility that prints addressed to a plurality of users are mixed in one bin, an output completion notification destination is set to help prevent such a situation beforehand. At the same time, the timing for transmitting the output completion notification is adjusted. More specifically, when a previously ejected printed matter remains in a bin to which the image forming apparatus (printer 10) intends to eject a print job, the print job is processed and corresponds. Before transmitting the output completion notification to the user, the output completion notification is transmitted to the destination (user) of the printed matter remaining in the same bin. In short, every time the destination of the printed matter discharged to the same bin is switched, the output completion notification is transmitted to the destination of the previously discharged printed matter remaining in the bin. Hereinafter, each embodiment will be described in more detail.

(First Embodiment) The first embodiment is a case where a mail bin is used in a normal usage method, that is, a case where a user who uses a bin is registered in advance for each bin. . Here, for example, bin 1
, User A and user D, bin 3 user C, user E and user G, bin 4 user B and bin 5 user F, and bin 2 have not been registered ( (See FIG. 5).

In this embodiment, a certain user (for example,
While prints destined for the user D) remain in an arbitrary bin (bin 1 in this case), an attempt is made to process a print job destined for another user (for example, user A) destined for the same bin. In this case, before processing this print job and sending an output completion notification to the other user (user A),
User with prints remaining in the same bin (User D)
Sends an output completion notification to.

In this embodiment, a printer 10 having a mail bin function will be described as an example of an image forming apparatus. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a paper discharge unit having only one bin is provided. Image forming apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a control flowchart for explaining an operation example of the printer 10 according to the first embodiment. Here, after a print job addressed to a certain user (for example, user A) is received, processing of the print job is performed, and an output completion notification is transmitted to user A, the destination of the print job. 2 shows a series of processing procedures of the printer 10. The processing of each step of the control flowchart is executed by the CPU 12 of the printer 10.

First, in step S100, the CPU 12
When a print job addressed to a certain user (for example, user A) is received by the job receiving unit 11, the received print job is temporarily stored (stored) in the job storage unit 131 in the memory 13.

Then, in step S105, the memory 1
3, a bin in which the user (user A), which is the destination of the print job to be processed next (for example, the print job received in step S100), is registered and searched. The determined bin (bin 1 in this case) is determined as the bin of the discharge destination for the print job.

In step S110, based on the detection result of the output removal detection unit 16, it is determined whether or not the previously discharged printed matter remains in the discharge destination bin (bin 1) determined in step S105. Judge. If no printed matter remains (S110: NO), there is no possibility that printed matter addressed to a plurality of users is mixed in the same bin.
The process immediately proceeds to step S135.

On the other hand, if the printed matter remains (S110: YES), in step S115, the memory 1
3, the destination (user) of the printed matter remaining in the discharge destination bin (bin 1) with reference to the user information table 132 in
To identify. Then, in step S120, it is determined whether the destination specified in step S115 is the same as the destination of the print job (user A). If the destinations (users) are the same (S120: YES), even if the printed matter is discharged to the discharge destination bin (bin 1), there is no possibility that the printed matter addressed to a plurality of users is mixed in the same bin. The process immediately proceeds to step S135.

On the other hand, if the destination (user) is not the same (S120: YES), the bin (bin 1) of the discharge destination
When the printed matter is discharged to the same bin, printed matter addressed to a plurality of users is mixed in the same bin.
The destination (for example, user D) specified in step S115 is set as the output completion notification destination, and the output completion notification transmission unit 1
7, an output completion notification transmission command is sent. In response to this directive,
The output completion notification transmitting unit 17 transmits an output completion notification to the set output completion notification destination, that is, the destination (user D) specified in step S115.

Then, in step S130, the output removal detecting section 16 removes the printed material from the bin (bin 1) of the discharge destination, that is, the bin (bin 1) of the discharge destination.
Waits until it is empty (prohibition of print job processing), and proceeds to step S135 when it is detected that the bin (bin 1) of the discharge destination is empty. As a result, it is possible to reliably prevent prints addressed to a plurality of users from being mixed in one bin. At the same time as detecting that the discharge destination bin (bin 1) is empty, the user information (user D) of the bin (bin 1) is deleted from the user information table 132 in the memory 13.

In step S135, step S105
The printer engine 14 processes the print job in which the bin of the discharge destination is determined, and causes the printer engine 14 to perform printing.
5 is discharged to the bin (bin 1) which is the discharge destination this time.

In step S140, the destination (user A) of the print job processed in step S135 is set as the output completion notification destination, and an output completion notification transmission command is sent to the output completion notification transmission unit 17. In response to this instruction, the output completion notification transmitting unit 17 transmits an output completion notification to the set output completion notification destination, that is, the destination (user A) of the print job. Simultaneously with the transmission of the output completion notification, the information of the user (user A) as the output completion notification destination is written in the user information table 132 in the memory 13 at the position of the bin (bin 1) as the current discharge destination.

Therefore, according to the present embodiment, in a state where printed matter addressed to a certain user (user D) remains in an arbitrary bin (bin 1), another user (e.g. When a print job destined for user A) is to be processed, the user who has printed matter remaining in the same bin before processing this print job and sending an output completion notification to another user (user A). Since the output completion notification is transmitted to (user D), it is possible to notify each user that he has forgotten to take out the printed material, and it is possible to prevent a situation in which printed materials addressed to a plurality of users are mixed in one bin. Can be prevented.

The processing procedure shown in the control flowchart of FIG. 4 may have various modifications as described below.

For example, in the control flowchart of FIG.
In step S130, the process waits until the output destination bin becomes empty. However, this is basically done in order to prevent prints addressed to different users from being mixed in the same bin. This is because it is desirable to perform the next output after the printed matter is removed from the viewpoint of reliability. However, if the user who has received the output completion notification does not fetch the printed matter forever, the output to the bin will not be performed thereafter. Therefore, a waiting time (standby time) is set, and the output is performed in step S125. When a predetermined time has elapsed since the completion notification was transmitted, the process may be shifted to the next process even if the bin is not empty.

Here, the “predetermined time” is preferably
This is an adjustable time that can be arbitrarily set by the user in advance. For example, when the predetermined time is set to “0”, the printer 10 processes the print job immediately after transmitting the output completion notification to the user who has left the printed matter. When the predetermined time is set to “infinity”, the printer 10 does not process the print job unless the printed matter remaining in the discharge destination bin is removed.

Further, in this case, it is preferable to release the standby (prohibition of the processing of the print job) immediately when the printed matter is removed from the bin during the standby regardless of the set standby time, Start processing the print job.

However, in the above-described modified example, the waiting is canceled after a predetermined time has elapsed even if the printed matter has not been removed. Is output, and there is a possibility that printed materials addressed to a plurality of users are mixed in one bin. In this case, assuming that one user removes the printed matter addressed to himself from the bin and returns the printed matter other than that addressed to himself to the original bin, the printed matter addressed to any user is removed and the printed matter addressed to any user is restored. Cannot be specified.

As a method for solving this, for example, the following two methods can be considered.

First, the first method is as follows.

The user who has received the output completion notice takes out all the printed matter discharged to the bin in which he / she is registered, regardless of whether the printed matter is addressed to the user or not. At this time, the printer 10 determines that all prints remaining in the bin have been removed, and proceeds to the next process. After that, the user extracts a print destined for himself from the prints taken out of the bin, and moves the remaining prints to another dedicated tray without returning the prints to the original bin.

The second method is as follows. This can be realized by using the user information table 132 for specifying the user who has the printed matter remaining in the bin.

When the user who has received the output completion notification goes to the bin where he / she is registered for the printed matter addressed to him / her, the user operates an operation panel (not shown) provided on the printer 10 or a ten key (numeric keypad). The user's user information is input to the printer 10 using any appropriate means. Thereby, the user information table 1 in the memory 13
32, information about the user is deleted. Also,
For example, it is possible to delete the user information relating to the user using the network 90, such as by replying to the output completion notification transmitted from the printer 10. Thus, the user information is stored in the user information table 1
32, the user deleted from the printer 10
Determines that the printed material addressed to the user has been removed from the bin, and does not transmit an output completion notification for notifying that the user has forgotten to remove the printed material.

When the method shown in the above modified example is applied to the example of FIG. 5, the following is obtained.

In the example of FIG. 5, it is assumed that a print job addressed to user A is received. At this time, the bin to which the print job is to be discharged is the bin 1, and the printed material destined for the user A and the printed material destined for the user D remain in the bin 1 as the printed material discharged earlier. Therefore, first, an output completion notification is transmitted to the users A and D, and after the bin 1 becomes empty or a predetermined time has elapsed, the print job addressed to the user A is processed. Then, when the output to the bin 1 is completed, an output completion notification for the print job is transmitted to the user A, and the user A is written in the position of the bin 1 in the user information table 132.

Similarly, in the example of FIG. 5, this time,
Consider a case where a print job addressed to user G is received. At this time, the users whose prints remain in the bin 3 in which the user G is registered are the user C and the user E. Therefore, first, an output completion notification is transmitted to the user C and the user E, and after the bin 3 becomes empty or a predetermined time elapses,
The print job addressed to the user G is processed. When the output to the bin 3 is completed, an output completion notification is transmitted to the user G, and the user G is registered in the bin 3 of the user information table 132.
Write to the location.

(Second Embodiment) The second embodiment is applied to a case where a mail bin is used in an unusual usage method, that is, a case where a user who uses a bin is not registered for each bin in advance. is there. In this case, the printer 10 (image forming apparatus) automatically discharges the printed matter addressed to each user to an empty bin, and transmits the identification information (for example, bin number) of the bin to which the paper is discharged to the user who transmitted the print job. Notice.

In this embodiment, the output completion notification can be transmitted in the following two modes. The first mode is that all bins 1 to 1 of the paper output unit 15 used as mail bins are used.
In the case where a print job destined for a certain user is to be processed in a state where printed matter remains in the print job 5, an output completion notification is transmitted to all the users who have the printed matter remaining. Is to transmit an output completion notification only to a user who has a print remaining in any one bin to which the printer 10 intends to perform output.

FIG. 6 is a control flowchart for explaining an operation example of the printer 10 according to the second embodiment. Here, in the first aspect of the two aspects described above, after receiving a print job addressed to a certain user (for example, user A), the print job is processed, and the user who is the destination of the print job is processed. 4 shows a series of processing procedures of the printer 10 until an output completion notification is transmitted to A. The processing of each step of the control flowchart is executed by the CPU 12 of the printer 10.

In the control flowchart for the second aspect of the above two aspects, the bin to which the paper is to be discharged for the received print job is determined in advance or arbitrarily determined by the printer 10 (image forming apparatus). If you remove the difference that it can be decided,
Is basically the same as the control flowchart corresponding to the first embodiment (only the contents of step S105 are different), so that the description thereof will be omitted.

First, in step S200, the CPU 12
When a print job addressed to a certain user (for example, user A) is received by the job receiving unit 11, the received print job is temporarily stored (stored) in the job storage unit 131 in the memory 13.

In step S205, based on the detection result of the output removal detection unit 16, it is determined whether or not there is an empty bin in which no printed matter remains.

If there is an empty bin (S205: YE
S), the print job to be processed next in step S230 (for example, the print job received in step S200)
Is processed by the printer engine 14, and in step S235, one of the empty bins detected in step S205 is selected by an appropriate method described later, and the selected empty bin is selected. After the printed matter is discharged to the bin No., the process proceeds to step S250.

Here, in general, a method of selecting one bin from a plurality of bins, that is, a method of determining a bin to which the printer 10 (image forming apparatus) outputs data, employs any appropriate method (reference). I just need. For example, the bins may be selected simply in the order of bin numbers, the bins may be selected in ascending order of registered user information, or the bins may be selected in ascending order of the total capacity of the print job.

On the other hand, when there is no empty bin (S2
05: NO), and in step S210, referring to the user information table 132 in the memory 13, all bins 1 to 1
The destinations (users) of all the prints remaining in any one of Nos. 5, that is, all the users whose prints remain in any of the bins are specified.

In step S215, the same destination (user A) as the next print job to be processed (for example, the print job received in step S200) is included in all the destinations specified in step S210. Determine if it exists. If the same destination (user A) exists (S215: YES), in step S240, the print job is processed, and the printer engine 14 performs printing in the same manner as in step S230.
Then, a bin in which the printed matter of the same destination (user A) remains is selected. (If there are a plurality of such bins, one of the bins is selected by the above-mentioned arbitrary appropriate method. One bin is selected), and after the printed matter is discharged to the selected bin, the process proceeds to step S250.

On the other hand, if the same destination (user A) does not exist (S215: NO), step S220
Then, all the destinations (all users) specified in step S210 are set as output completion notification destinations, and an output completion notification transmission command is transmitted to the output completion notification transmission unit 17. In response to this command, the output completion notification transmitting unit 17 proceeds to step S210
Send the output completion notification to all destinations (all users) specified in.

Then, in step S225, the process stands by until the output removal detecting section 16 detects that the printed matter has been removed from any one of the bins, that is, it has been detected that any one of the bins has become empty. The process proceeds to step S230 when it is detected that one of the bins is empty. As a result, it is possible to reliably prevent prints addressed to a plurality of users from being mixed in one bin. At the same time as detecting that one of the bins is empty, the user information of the bin is deleted from the user information table 132 in the memory 13. The contents of each processing of step S230 and step S235 are as described above.

In step S250, step S230
Alternatively, the destination (user A) of the print job processed in step S240 is set as the output completion notification destination, and an output completion notification transmission command is transmitted to the output completion notification transmission unit 17. In response to this instruction, the output completion notification transmitting unit 17 transmits an output completion notification to the set output completion notification destination, that is, the destination (user A) of the print job. As described above, the output completion notification at this time includes, in addition to the notification that the output has been completed, the identification information (for example, bin number) of the bin of the discharge destination.
Contains. Simultaneously with the transmission of the output completion notification, the information of the user (user A) of the output completion notification destination is written into the user information table 132 in the memory 13 at the position of the bin that is the current discharge destination.

Therefore, according to the present embodiment, all bins 1 to 1 of the paper output unit 15 used as mail bins are used.
5, when a print job destined for a certain user (user A) is to be processed in a state where printed matter remains in the print job 5 before the output completion notification is transmitted to the corresponding user (user A). In addition, since the output completion notification is sent to all the users who have the printed matter remaining, it is possible to notify each user that they have forgotten to take out the printed matter, and the printed matter for multiple users is mixed in one bin Can be prevented from occurring.

Although various modifications can be made to the processing procedure shown in the control flowchart of FIG. 6, these are basically the same as those described in the first embodiment. The description is omitted.

However, irrespective of the length of the set waiting time, when the printed matter is removed from the bin during the waiting, the waiting (prohibition of the processing of the printing job) is immediately released and the processing of the printing job is started. In this case, in a modified example corresponding to the second embodiment, if the printed material is not removed from any of the bins even though the predetermined time has elapsed, the printer 10 (image forming apparatus) may operate in an arbitrary bin. Output to

When the method shown in the above modified example is applied to the examples of FIGS. 5 and 7, it is as follows.

First, in the example of FIG. 5, consider a case where a print job addressed to user G is received. At this time, an empty bin 2 is searched for, an output to the user G is performed with the bin 2 as a discharge destination, and then an output completion notification (including the bin number 2 of the discharge destination) is transmitted to the user G. Then, the user G is written in the position of the bin 2 in the user information table 132.

Also, in the example of FIG.
Consider a case where a print job addressed to is received. At this time,
Although empty bins are searched, none of the bins are empty, and since there is no user G among the users whose prints remain, all users who have prints remaining (users A, B, C, D) , E, F). After that, any empty bin (bin number = N)
To the user G, and sends an output completion notice (including the bin number N of the discharge destination) to the user G. Then, the user G is written to the position of the bin N in the user information table 132.

When the computer is used as described above, the output completion notification transmission technique according to the present invention is executed by the CPU 12 executing a predetermined program describing the processing procedure shown in FIG. 4 or FIG. The predetermined program may be provided by a computer-readable recording medium (for example, a floppy disk or a CD-ROM). In this case, the program recorded on the computer-readable recording medium is usually transferred to and stored on a hard disk. Further, the predetermined program may be provided, for example, as application software that executes the above-described processing independently, or may be incorporated in the software of the printer 10 as one function of the printer 10.

[0093]

As described above, according to the present invention,
If the printed matter discharged first remains in the bin where the image forming apparatus is to output, an output completion notification is sent to the user who is the destination of the printed matter. It is possible to notify the user of forgetting, which can help prevent a situation in which prints addressed to a plurality of users are mixed in one bin.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a network system to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a control system of the printer in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of a memory shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a control flowchart for explaining an operation example of the printer according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a user information table in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a control flowchart for explaining an operation example of the printer according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating another example of the user information table in FIG. 3;

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 2, 3, 4, 5 bin, 10 printer, 11 job receiving unit, 12 CPU, 13 memory, 14 printer engine, 15 paper discharge unit, 16 output removal detection unit, 17 Output completion notification transmitting unit, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80 ... personal computer, 131 ... job storage unit, 132 ... user information table.

Continued on the front page F-term (reference) 2C061 AP01 BB10 HJ04 HK11 HK19 HQ06 HQ17 2H027 DA38 DC09 ED22 EE07 EJ08 EJ15 FA23 ZA07 3F050 CA08 CB05 CB07 CE06 LA01 LB03 3F054 AA01 AC01 BF07 BF22 KA22 9

Claims (20)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus, comprising: a receiving unit that receives a print job; a paper discharge unit that has a bin from which paper printed based on the print job is discharged; and a transmission that transmits a print job output completion notification. Means, detection means for detecting whether or not paper remains in the bin, remaining paper destination specifying means for specifying the destination of the paper remaining in the bin, and identification when paper remains in the bin Means for determining whether the destination of the specified remaining paper is the same as the destination of the print job, and when the specified destination of the remaining paper is not the same as the destination of the print job, the output of the specified destination of the remaining paper is completed. An image forming apparatus comprising: an output completion notification destination setting unit configured to set a notification transmission destination. 2. The paper discharge unit has a plurality of bins, and further includes a selection unit that selects one bin as a discharge destination from the plurality of bins. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the destination of the paper remaining in the selected bin is specified, and the determination unit performs the determination when the paper remains in the selected bin. . 3. At least one bin among the plurality of bins is registered in advance as a discharge destination of a specific user, and the selecting unit determines whether a print job destined for the specific user registered in the bin is a destination. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the bin in which the specific user is registered is selected. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein none of the plurality of bins is registered in advance as a discharge destination of a specific user, and the selecting unit preferentially selects one bin from empty bins. 3. The image forming apparatus according to 2. 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the output completion notification includes identification information of a selected bin. 6. A job processing prohibition unit for prohibiting the processing of a print job until a bin becomes empty when the specified destination of the remaining paper is not the same as the destination of the print job. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the setting unit sets a destination of the processed print job as a transmission destination of the output completion notification. 7. The job processing prohibiting unit permits processing of a print job when no paper remains in the bin or when the specified destination of the remaining paper is the same as the destination of the print job. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein: 8. A second judging means for judging whether or not a predetermined time has passed since the output completion notification was transmitted to the specified destination of the remaining paper, and wherein the destination of the specified remaining paper is If the destination of the print job is not the same as the destination of the print job, the output completion notification destination setting unit has a job processing prohibiting unit that prohibits the processing of the print job until the bin becomes empty or a predetermined time elapses. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a destination of the print job is set as a destination of the output completion notification. 9. A storage means for storing destination information of paper remaining in the bin, and an input means for inputting destination information of paper taken out of the bin, wherein the remaining paper destination specifying means is provided. 9. The image according to claim 8, wherein the destination of the paper remaining in the bin is specified based on the content of the storage means, and the input destination information is deleted from the content of the storage means. Forming equipment. 10. An image forming apparatus, comprising: a receiving unit for receiving a print job; a paper discharge unit having a plurality of bins for discharging paper printed based on the print job; Transmitting means for transmitting; detecting means for detecting whether or not paper remains in each bin; remaining paper destination specifying means for specifying the destination of the paper remaining in each bin; and all of the plurality of bins When paper remains, determining means for determining whether the same destination as the print job exists among the destinations of the specified remaining paper in all of the plurality of bins, and If the same destination as the print job does not exist among all the specified remaining paper destinations,
An image forming apparatus comprising: an output completion notification destination setting unit configured to set all of the specified destinations of the remaining sheets as transmission destinations of the output completion notification. 11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a selection unit that preferentially selects one bin as a discharge destination from empty bins among the plurality of bins. 12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the output completion notification includes identification information of a selected bin. 13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of determining whether at least one of said plurality of bins is empty, if the same destination as that of the print job does not exist among the specified remaining paper destinations in all of said plurality of bins. 11. The print processing apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a job processing prohibition unit configured to prohibit processing of the print job, wherein the output completion notification destination setting unit sets a destination of the processed print job as a transmission destination of the output completion notification. Image forming apparatus. 14. The job processing prohibiting means, when there is no remaining paper in at least one of the plurality of bins, or in the destination of the specified remaining paper in all of the plurality of bins. 14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 13, wherein when the same destination as the print job exists, processing of the print job is permitted. 15. A second judging means for judging whether a predetermined time has elapsed since the output completion notice was transmitted to all of the specified destinations of the remaining paper, and all of the plurality of bins If the same destination as the print job does not exist among the specified remaining paper destinations in
A job processing prohibition unit for prohibiting the processing of the print job until at least one of the plurality of bins becomes empty or a predetermined time elapses, wherein the output completion notification destination setting unit is The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein a destination of the print job is set as a transmission destination of the output completion notification. 16. A remaining paper destination specifying means, further comprising: storage means for storing destination information of paper remaining in each bin; and input means for inputting destination information of paper taken out of the bin. 16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the destination of the paper remaining in each bin is specified based on the content of the storage unit, and the input destination information is deleted from the content of the storage unit. Image forming apparatus. 17. A method for controlling an image forming apparatus having a paper discharge unit having a bin from which printed paper is discharged, the method comprising: receiving a print job; and determining whether or not paper remains in the bin. And if the paper remains in the bin, the process of identifying the destination of the remaining paper in that bin, and whether the identified destination of the remaining paper is the same as the destination of the print job Determining the destination of the specified remaining paper as the destination of the output completion notification if it is determined that the specified destination of the remaining paper is not the same as the destination of the print job; and Transmitting an output completion notice first, and controlling the image forming apparatus. 18. A method for controlling an image forming apparatus provided with a paper output unit having a plurality of bins for discharging printed paper, comprising: receiving a print job; Detecting whether or not the remaining paper is present in all of the plurality of bins, and identifying the destination of the remaining paper for all of the plurality of bins; and Determining whether the same destination as the print job is present in the identified remaining paper destinations in all of the bins; and printing in the identified remaining paper destinations in all of the plurality of bins. If the same destination as the job does not exist,
A method for controlling an image forming apparatus, comprising: setting all of the specified destinations of the remaining sheets as transmission destinations of an output completion notification; and transmitting an output completion notification to the set transmission destination. . 19. A control program for an image forming apparatus provided with a paper discharge unit having a bin from which printed paper is discharged, comprising: a step of receiving a print job; and determining whether paper remains in the bin. And if the paper remains in the bin, the process of identifying the destination of the remaining paper in that bin, and whether the identified destination of the remaining paper is the same as the destination of the print job Determining the destination of the specified remaining paper as the destination of the output completion notification if it is determined that the specified destination of the remaining paper is not the same as the destination of the print job; and A step of transmitting an output completion notice first, and a computer-readable recording medium recording a program for causing a computer to execute the steps. 20. A control program for an image forming apparatus provided with a paper discharge unit having a plurality of bins for discharging printed paper, comprising: a process of receiving a print job; Detecting whether or not the remaining paper is present in all of the plurality of bins, and identifying the destination of the remaining paper for all of the plurality of bins; and Determining whether the same destination as the print job is present in the identified remaining paper destinations in all of the bins; and printing in the identified remaining paper destinations in all of the plurality of bins. If the same destination as the job does not exist,
A step of setting all of the specified destinations of the remaining papers as a destination of the output completion notification, a step of transmitting the output completion notification to the set destination, and a computer-readable recording program for causing a computer to execute Possible recording medium.