JP2002259110A - Printing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printing system capable of preferentially printing out print data to be quickly printed out without mixing it with other print data. SOLUTION: In the printing system allowing a plurality of computers 2a to 2n and a host computer to output print data printing requests to printers 4a to 4n through a network, the host computer is provided with a scheduled printing end time calculation program for calculating the scheduled printing end time of the printing data by predicting time required for the printing of the print data on based on the throughput of the printers 4a to 4n and input operation means such as a keyboard 6 and a mouse 7 for setting up required end time at the time of printing out a document.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technology of a print system that prints print data such as color documents and images.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional print system, there is a well-known technique of searching for a printer having the earliest print end time and printing in an environment where a plurality of computers and a plurality of printers are connected to a network (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-2000). −
No. 20263).

[0003]

However, in such a conventional print system, when print data of a document or the like for which a print request has been made already exists, printing of print data of a document or the like for which a print request has been made later is not performed. This is based on the premise that printing is performed after printing of print data of a document or the like for which printing has been requested previously is completed, and there is no distinction between what should be printed quickly and what should not be printed.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a print system capable of printing preferentially without confusing print data to be printed quickly with other print data.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a print system in which a plurality of computers make print requests for print data to a printer via a network. Means for estimating the time required for printing the print data based on the processing capability of the printer and determining a scheduled print end time of the print data, and setting a desired print end time when executing document printing. The time setting means is a print system of the computer.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the print system according to the first aspect, wherein the printer sets a scheduled print end time for each of the plurality of print data requested to be printed. And a print order change unit for changing the print order of the plurality of print data by comparing the print order desired time set by the print end desired time setting unit with the print end desired time set by the print end desired time setting unit.

Further, in the print system according to a third aspect of the present invention, in the print system according to the second aspect, the plurality of printers are provided, and the scheduled printing end time for the designated printer exceeds the desired printing end time. In this case, another printer which is predicted to be able to finish printing by the desired printing end time is searched, a printing method capable of finishing printing by the desired printing end time is determined, and a notifying means for notifying the printing method is provided. And a printing method reselecting unit.

[0008]

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described. [Configuration] A print system according to the present invention has means for detecting the status of a printer from a computer by performing bidirectional communication in an environment where the printer is connected to a plurality of computers (including a host computer) via a network. In addition, the printer has means for detecting the number and data capacity of print data such as documents requested to be printed by the printer and the processing capacity based on the printer performance.

The print system further includes a print time estimating means for estimating the time required to print each print data that has already been requested for printing based on the data capacity and the processing capacity. And means for determining the expected printing end time of each document, and means for estimating the time at which the printer in the power saving mode returns to the normal operation mode in the power saving mode. A print end desired time setting unit is provided for setting a desired print end time when a user executes printing of print data from the computer to the printer.

[0010] Further, the printer of the print system sets a scheduled print end time of each print data and a desired print end time of each print data set by the desired print end time setting means for a plurality of print data requested to be printed. There is a printing order changing means for comparing and changing the printing order.

Further, in a case where the scheduled printing end time exceeds the desired printing end time even if the printing order changing means is used in a designated printer in an environment where a plurality of printers are present, printing can be completed by the desired printing end time. A search result for searching for another printer predicted to be the same and a printing method capable of terminating printing by the desired printing end time from the search result, a notification means for notifying the user of the printing method, and a printing method reselecting means Having.

The above-mentioned host computer is used as a server of a network. This host computer is used for other processing such as state detection, processing capacity detection and control, and such processing such as detection and control can be performed by another computer. Also,
The present invention does not necessarily require all of the above-described components. [Operation] The operation of such a printing system will be described.

The printer has three states: an operating state (a state in which printing or warm-up time is not required), a power saving state (a state in which a warm-up for printing is required), and a trouble occurrence state. It is assumed to be in any of

Further, there are N pieces of print data such as documents requested to be printed by a certain printer, the data capacity of the n-th print data is D (n), the desired print end time is K (n),
The printing time of the print data n predicted from the processing capacity of the printer is t (n), and the expected printing end time of the document n predicted from the current time and the printing time of the first to (n-1) th print data is Let T (n). In addition, let TF be the time at which the printer is expected to warm up and return to the operating state when power consumption is being reduced.

[0015] In the environment where there are Q printers, when a user requests a printer from a computer to print a print data of data volume D by setting a desired print end time K, the printer that requested the printing is set to P (1). A virtual number such as P (2) to P (Q) is assigned to the printer.

In this printing system, first, a printer
Detects the processing capacity and status of P (1) by bidirectional communication, calculates the printing time t of print data D predicted from the printing processing capacity of P (1), and prints by the desired printing end time K. Determine if it can be terminated. If it is predicted that printing is possible, printing is executed as it is.

On the other hand, if it is predicted impossible, the next printer
Judge P (2), and if printer P (2) can print in time, P
In (1), printing is not possible until the desired printing end time, but the user is notified that P (2) is a printable printer, and the user is allowed to select whether or not to print in P (2), and the printer P ( If 2) is not possible, proceed to the judgment of P (3). This method is sequentially repeated, and in the case where printing cannot be performed by P (Q) by the desired printing end time, a method of enabling printing, such as printing by dividing into a plurality of printers, is presented.

[0018]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. [System Configuration] FIG. 1A shows a print system according to the present invention. In FIG. 1A, 1
Is a network cable, 2a to 2n are personal computers (personal computers) as user terminals connected to the network cable 1, 3 is a host computer such as a network server connected to the network cable 1, and 4a to 4n are connected to the network cable 1. Printers. The host computer 3 and the network cable 1 constitute a network.

Also, the personal computers 2a to 2n are shown in FIG.
As shown in (1), an operation control circuit (operation control means) 5, a keyboard 6, a mouse 7, a ROM (storage means) 8, a RAM (storage means) 9, and an information recording device connected to the operation control circuit 5, respectively. It has a playback device 10 and a display device 11. As the information recording / reproducing device 10, a hard disk or a magneto-optical disk device such as an MO, a CDROM, a CDR, a CDRW, and a DVD is used. In addition, a CRT, a liquid crystal display, or the like is used for the display device 11.

As shown in FIG. 2C, the host computer 3 has an arithmetic control circuit (operation control means) 12 and a keyboard 13, a mouse 14, and a ROM (storage) connected to the arithmetic control circuit 12, respectively. Means) 15, RA
M (storage means) 16, an information recording / reproducing device 17, and a display device 18. The information recording / reproducing device 17 includes a hard disk, MO, CDROM, CDR, CDRW,
A magneto-optical desk device such as a DVD is used. In addition, a CRT, a liquid crystal display, or the like is used for the display device 18.

Further, the printers 4a to 4n are provided with an arithmetic control circuit 19 and ROs connected to the arithmetic control circuit 19, respectively.
M (storage means) 20, RAM (storage means) 21, and operation panel 22 provided with a liquid crystal display device. This RO
A printer control program is stored in M20.
The arithmetic control circuit 19 of each of the printers 4a to 4n reads out a printer control program from the ROM 20 and stores it in the RAM 21 at startup. Moreover,
The printers 4a to 4n have a printing mechanism 23 that is driven and controlled by the arithmetic and control circuit 19 to perform printing.

The arithmetic control circuit 19 of each of the printers 4a to 4n operates in accordance with the printer control program read into the RAM 21 so that the operation of the printing mechanism 23 is not controlled for a certain period of time, or a switch in the power saving mode is operated. In this case, the power saving mode is set. In the power saving mode, for example, the display on the liquid crystal display of the operation panel 22 is turned off, and the printing mechanism 23 is turned off.
The preheating of the toner fixing roller and the like is performed. <Functions of Personal Computers 2a to 2n> (i) Input of printing condition setting conditions A printing condition setting program is recorded in the information recording / reproducing device 10 of each of the personal computers 2a to 2n. The print condition setting program causes the display device 11 to display other print condition setting screens such as a print range, a print size, characters, and designation of the printers 4a to 4n. The print condition setting screen is provided with a menu for inputting a desired print end time or an input frame for inputting a desired print end time.

Therefore, the user (user) of each of the personal computers 2a to 2n uses the input control means such as the keyboard 6 and the mouse 7 to operate the information recording / reproducing apparatus 1 by the arithmetic and control circuit 5.
The print control program can be read from 0, the read print control program can be stored in the RAM 16, and a print condition setting screen can be displayed on the display device 11.

The user (user) of each of the personal computers 2a to 2n uses the input operation means such as the keyboard 6 and the mouse 7 to display the print range and print size on the print condition setting screen displayed on the display device 11. Characters, printers 4a-4n
And other printing conditions can be input. (ii) Input of desired print end time In addition, the users (users) of the personal computers 2a to 2n are:
Using the input operation means such as the keyboard 6 and the mouse 7 as the desired print end time setting means, the user can input the desired print end time of the print data on the print condition setting screen displayed on the display device 11. <Function of Host Computer 3> A print control program is recorded on a hard disk, which is one of the information recording / reproducing devices 17 of the host computer 3. The print control program includes a printer monitoring program, a printer control program, a user terminal control program, and the like.

The printer monitoring program includes a print state detection program (print state detection means), a printable recovery time prediction program (return time prediction means), a print amount detection program (print amount detection means), a print time prediction program (print data Print time estimating means), a scheduled print end time determining program (means for determining a scheduled print end time of print data), a print order changing program (print order changing means), a printing method determining program (printing method determining means), and the like. .

The user terminal control program includes a printing method notification program (printing method notification means), a printing method reselection program (printing method reselection means), and the like. 1. Start-up of the host computer 3 The operation control circuit 12 of the host computer 3 reads the operating program recorded on the hard disk of the information recording / reproducing device 17 in accordance with the program stored in the ROM 15 at the time of start-up, and makes the RAM 16 resident. Then, the host computer 3 makes the printer control program installed on the hard disk and incorporated in the operating program resident in the RAM 16 at the time of startup.

The arithmetic and control circuit 12 of the host computer 3 includes a plurality of personal computers 2a as user terminals.
When a print request is issued to any one or more of the printers 4a to 4n from the printers 2a to 2n, the printer 2 operates according to the printer control program, and the personal computers 2a to 2
n is set (designated) by each of the personal computers 2a to 2n and the printer 4a to
4n, and execute printing. 2. Monitoring and Control of Personal Computers 2a to 2n and Each of Printers 4a to 4n This printer monitoring program includes a plurality of personal computers (user terminals) 2a to 2n via a network cable 1.
And a print state detecting unit for performing bidirectional communication with the plurality of printers 4a to 4n to obtain communication information from the plurality of personal computers 2a to 2n and detecting the print state (print state) of the plurality of printers 4a to 4n. It works. (1) Printable Return Time Prediction The operation control circuit 12 of the host computer 3 determines that the plurality of user terminals, ie, the personal computers 2a to 2n, are in a state where each of the printers 4a to 4n is in the power saving mode.
When a print request is issued to one or more of the printers 4a to 4n from the printer 4a, the printer 4a operates according to a printable return time prediction program (return time prediction means).
4n predicts the time to return to the normal operation mode. (2) Detection of Number of Print Data and Data Capacity The arithmetic control circuit 12 of the host computer 3 sends the printer 4a from the personal computers 2a to 2n as a plurality of user terminals.
When a print request is issued to any one or more of the personal computers 2a to 4n, the personal computer 2a, which is a plurality of user terminals, operates according to the print amount detection program stored in the RAM 16.
2n to detect the number and data volume of print data such as documents and images transmitted from the printers 2 to 2n. (3) Printer Processing Capacity Detection The arithmetic control circuit 12 of the host computer 3 sends a print request to one or more of the printers 4a to 4n from the user terminals 2a to 2n. 4n function as a processing capacity detecting means for detecting the processing capacity.

The processing capacity of each of the printers 4a to 4n may be recorded in advance in the information recording / reproducing apparatus 10 as data, and read out by the arithmetic and control circuit 12 as needed. The detection of the processing capability of each of the printers 4a to 4n is performed based on the print processing time when the test print data is transmitted to each of the printers 4a to 4n and the test print data is printed by each of the printers 4a to 4n. It can also be obtained in advance. Then, the data of the obtained print processing time can be recorded in the information recording / reproducing device 17 and read out by the arithmetic and control circuit 12 as necessary. Further, the processing capacity of each of the printers 4a to 4n is as follows.
The data may be stored in advance in the ROM 15 of each of the printers 4a to 4n and read out by the arithmetic and control circuit 12 as needed. (4) Print Time Prediction of Print Data Further, the arithmetic control circuit 12 of the host computer 3
The time required to print the print data of each document or image for which printing has already been requested is obtained according to a print time prediction program. That is, the arithmetic control circuit 12 operates according to the print time prediction program, and has already been requested to print based on the data capacity of the print data obtained in (2) and the processing capacity of the printer detected in (3). The time required to print the print data of each document or image is estimated.

Note that the arithmetic control circuit 12 of the host computer 3 operates in a state where each of the printers 4a to 4n is in the power saving mode, and outputs any one of the personal computers 2a to 2n to the printers 4a to 4n. If there is a print request for one or more, it operates according to the print time prediction program, and the return time predicted in (1) is also used as data for predicting the print time of the above print data. It has become. (5) Determining the scheduled printing end time of the print data The arithmetic control circuit 12 of the host computer 3 operates according to the estimated printing end time determining program,
The estimated printing end time of the print data is calculated from the “time required for printing the print data” predicted in (4). (6) Changing the print order of a plurality of print data Further, the arithmetic and control circuit 12 of the host computer 3 operates according to the print order change program to determine the plurality of print data requested to be printed by (5). The print order of the plurality of print data is switched by comparing the print end time of each print data thus obtained with the desired print end time of each print data input in (ii). This function can be provided in each of the printers 4a to 4n. (7) Reselection of printing method Further, the arithmetic control circuit 12 of the host computer 3 determines the printing method when the scheduled printing end time for the printer specified by the plurality of personal computers 2a to 2n exceeds the desired printing end time. It operates in accordance with a program (printing method determining means) to search for another printer that is predicted to be able to finish printing by the desired time to finish printing, and to determine a printing method that can finish printing by the desired time to finish printing. Has become.

The arithmetic control circuit 12 of the host computer 3 operates the printing method notifying program to transmit the printing method determined by the printing method determining program to each of the personal computers 2a to 2n. The information is displayed on the display device 11 of each of the personal computers 2a to 2n.

Further, the arithmetic control circuit 12 of the host computer 3 operates the printing method reselection program upon this notification, and displays the printing method reselection screen on each of the personal computers 2a to 2d.
n to be displayed on the display device 18. (Others) All or some of the functions of the host computer 3 can be provided in each of the personal computers 2a to 2n or the printers 4a to 4n, and if necessary, the host computer 3 and each of the personal computers 2a to 2n can be provided. 2n and the printers 4a to 4n can be provided separately. [Operation] Next, the control operation by the arithmetic control circuit 12 of the host computer 2 of the print system having such a configuration will be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. Here, reference numerals used in the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 will be described first. <Description of Codes Used in Flowcharts> Each of the printers 4a to 4n is in an operating state (a state in which printing or warm-up time is not required), a power saving state (a state in which warm-up for printing is required). ) And one of the three trouble occurrence states.

A printer 4i (i = 1, 2, 3,...)
In n), there are N pieces of print data such as documents requested to be printed, and the data capacity of the nth document is D.
(n), the desired print end time is K (n), the print time of print data N such as a document predicted from the processing capacity of the printer 4i is t (n), the current time and the (n-1) th to 1st times Let T (n) be the expected print end time of the print data N predicted from the print time of the print data. In addition, when the printer 4i is saving power, a time at which it is predicted that the printer 4i will warm up and return to the operating state is assumed to be TF.

The number of printers 4a to 4n is Q, ie, P
(P) In an environment in which [p = 1, 2, 3,... Q] devices, the user sets a desired end time K for printing print data of data volume D from a host computer 3 to a certain printer 4 i and requests printing. In this case, the printer that requested the printing is set to P (1), and the other printers are assigned virtual numbers, such as P (2) to P (Q), as follows, and the printing process is executed. I do. <Input of desired print end time> User (user) in one or more of the personal computers 2a to 2n
As described above, when there is print data,
The input operation means such as the keyboard 13 and the mouse 14 is used as the desired print end time setting means, and the desired print end time of the print data is input to the print condition setting screen displayed on the display device 11 via the arithmetic control circuit 5. be able to. <Control Operation> Step S1 Then, the print data at the desired print end time from one or more of the personal computers 2a to 2n to one or more of the plurality of printers 4a to 4n. Together with the print request, for example, the personal computer 2i (i
= 1, 2, 3... N), when there is a print request together with print data, the arithmetic and control circuit 12 substitutes “0” into a variable p indicating the number of print request printers in step 1 in FIG. And the process proceeds to step S2. Step S2 In this step, the arithmetic control circuit 12
a to 4n, the printer for which a print request has been made
In addition to (1), the remaining printers 4a to 4n are given virtual numbers P (2) to P (Q), and the printer determination subroutine of step S3 (steps S3-1 to S3) is performed. Go to -8). Steps S3 and S3-1 In step S3, the process proceeds to step S3-1 of the printer determination subroutine in FIG. 2, and the printer P (1) for which the print request in step S2 has been issued is stored in the variable p initialized in step S1. The value (p + 1) obtained by adding “1” is substituted for the variable p, and the routine goes to Step S3-2. Step S3-2: In this step, it is determined whether or not the value stored in the variable p is equal to or smaller than Q. If the value stored in the variable p is equal to or smaller than Q, the process proceeds to step S3-3. If the value stored in the variable p is not equal to or smaller than Q, the flow shifts to step S3-8. Step S3-3 In this step, the arithmetic and control circuit 12 detects the processing capacity and status of the printer P (p) [p = 1, 2, 3,... In particular, in the case of the present embodiment, the arithmetic and control circuit 12 detects the processing capacity and state of the printer P (1) by bidirectional communication and obtains the data capacity of the print data transmitted from the personal computer which has issued the print request. .
The arithmetic control circuit 12 also detects the detected printer P (1)
The printer P (1) calculates the time t required for printing the requested print data from the print processing capability and the data capacity of the requested print data, and then proceeds to step S3-4. . Step S3-4 In this step, the printer P (p) that has issued the print request
It is determined whether or not a trouble has occurred in the printer P (p).
The process returns to 3-1 and loops. If no trouble has occurred in the printer P (p), the process proceeds to step S3-5. That is, in the present embodiment, it is determined whether or not a trouble has occurred in the printer P (1). If a trouble has occurred in the printer P (1), the flow returns to step S3-1 to loop, and If no trouble has occurred in P (1), the process proceeds to step S3-5. Step S3-5 In this step, the printer P (p) that has issued the print request
It is determined whether the printer P (p) is saving power. If the printer P (p) is saving power, the process proceeds to step S3-10. If the printer P (p) is not saving power, the process proceeds to step S3-10.
Move to 6. That is, in the present embodiment, it is determined whether or not the printer P (1) that has issued the print request is saving power. If the printer P (1) is saving power, step S3-
The process proceeds to S9, and if the printer P (1) is not saving power, the process proceeds to step S3-6. Step S3-6 In this step, [T (n) + t] <K... In the order of N, N-1,..., 1 for print data 1 to N such as a document or image being printed. (A) [T (n) + t] <Kn (B) The process proceeds to step S3-7 in order to find n that satisfies both the expressions. Step S3-7: In this step, it is determined whether or not there is n that satisfies both equations (A) and (B). If there is no n that satisfies both equations (A) and (B), step The process returns to S3-1 and loops. If there is n that satisfies both the expressions (A) and (B), the process proceeds to step S3-10. Step S3-8 In this step, a printable method is searched for using all the P (1) to P (Q) [= printers 4a to 4n], and the process ends. Step S3-9 In this step, (TF + t) <K is obtained, and K becomes (T + T).
F + t) if smaller, the process proceeds to step S3-10,
If K is larger than (TF + t), the process proceeds to step S3-1 to loop. Step S3-10 In this step, the printer P (p) that has issued the print request
Is determined to be a printable printer, and the process ends. That is, in this embodiment, the printer P (1) that has issued the print request
Is determined to be a printable printer and the process ends, and the process proceeds to step S4 in FIG. Step S4 In this step, it is determined whether or not the variable p is “1”. If the variable p is not “1”, the process proceeds to step S5, and if the variable p is “1”, the process proceeds to step S7. Move to Step S5 In this step, the printable method is transferred to the arithmetic and control circuit 5 of the personal computer 2i of the user who issued the print request, and the printable method is displayed (notified) on the display device 11 of the personal computer 2i. Move to S6.

In this step, the arithmetic control circuit 12 of the host computer 3 operates the printing method reselection program upon this notification, transmits a printing method reselection screen to the personal computer 2i, and displays it on the display device 18. I have. Step S6 In this step, when the user operates the personal computer 2i,
Any one of the printable methods notified to the display device 11 is input to the print method reselection screen via the keyboard 6 and selected or the printable method displayed on the print method reselection screen via the mouse 7. Is selected, the selected printing method is transmitted to the arithmetic and control circuit 5. Then, the arithmetic and control circuit 5 determines whether or not the printing method transmitted from the personal computer 2i is the printing execution in which the printer P (p) is designated. If it is not execution but print cancellation, the process ends. Step S7 In this step, a print execution command is issued to the printer P (p), and the routine goes to a step S8. Step S8 In this step, it is determined whether or not the printer P (p) is in trouble. If the printer P (p) is in trouble, the process proceeds to a printer determination subroutine in step S3. If P (p) is not in trouble, the process moves to step S9. Step S9 In this step, it is determined whether or not printing by the printer P (p) has been completed. If printing has not been completed, the flow returns to step S8 to loop. The print processing operation ends.

[0035]

As described above, the first aspect of the present invention relates to the printing of print data in a print system in which a plurality of computers make a print request for print data to a printer via a network. Means for estimating a time based on the processing capability of the printer to determine a scheduled print end time of the print data, and a desired print end time setting means for setting a desired print end time when executing document printing; Therefore, even when there is urgent print data, by setting the desired print end time, the urgent print data can be printed without being mixed with other urgent print data. In addition, since printing can be reliably performed by the printer that has issued the print request within the desired printing end time, printing is not performed on a printer that is not preferred, such as being away from the seat or not obtaining the expected print quality.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the printing system according to the first aspect, wherein the printer sets a print end time for each of the plurality of print data requested to be printed. And a print order change means for changing the print order of the plurality of print data by comparing the print end desired time set by the print end desired time setting means with the print end desired time. Can be changed so that printing ends at the desired printing end time, and more users can output to their favorite printer.

In a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the printing system according to the second aspect, wherein the plurality of printers are received, and the scheduled printing end time for the designated printer is the desired printing end time. If it is exceeded, another printer that is predicted to be able to finish printing by the desired printing end time is searched for, a printing method that allows printing to be completed by the desired printing end time is determined, and a notification to notify the printing method is made. In addition, the printing method reselecting means is provided, so that the user who gives priority to the printing end time over the preference of the printer is notified of the printing method in time. spread.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1A is a circuit diagram of a printing system according to the present invention, FIG. 1B is a control circuit diagram of a user terminal of FIG.
(C) is a control circuit diagram of the host computer of (a),
(D) is a control circuit diagram of the printer of (a).

FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the printing system shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining a print determination subroutine shown in FIG. 2;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Network cable 2a-2n ... Personal computer (user terminal) 3 ... Host computer 4a-4n ... Printer 5 ... Operation control circuit (operation control means) 6 ... Keyboard 7 ... Mouse 8 ROM (storage means) 9 RAM (storage means) 12 arithmetic operation control circuit (operation control means) 13 keyboard 14 mouse 15 ROM (storage means) 16: RAM (storage means)

Claims (3)

[Claims] In a print system in which a plurality of computers make a print request for print data to a printer via a network, a time required for printing the print data is estimated based on the processing capability of the printer. A computer which has means for calculating an expected print end time of the print data, and a desired print end time setting means for setting a desired print end time when executing document printing. 2. The printing system according to claim 1, wherein said printer sets a scheduled print end time and a desired print end time setting means for each of the plurality of print data requested to be printed. A print system, comprising: a print order change unit that compares a print order of the plurality of print data by comparing a print end desired time of the print data. 3. The print system according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of said printers are provided, and when the scheduled printing end time for the designated printer exceeds the desired printing end time, the printing is continued until the desired printing end time. While searching for another printer that is predicted to be able to end printing, finds a printing method that allows printing to be completed by the desired printing end time, and has a notifying means for notifying the printing method, and a printing method reselecting means. A print system comprising: