JP2003001906A - Tandem printing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a tandem printing system capable of executing a printing process with an image read by an image outputting appliance comprising an image reading means, allocated to a plurality of image outputting appliances connected with a network together with the image outputting appliance. SOLUTION: An image outputting appliance having an image reading means comprises a job setting means for having a user set a plurality of image outputting appliances for executing a printing process output image outputting appliances connected with the network line in the case a tandem printing mode is set, and a transmitting means for starting an image reading operation, transmitting the read image data to a tandem server, and transmitting job setting data set by the job setting means to the tandem server in the case an image reading command is inputted by a user operation.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention distributes an image read by one image output device equipped with an image reading means to a plurality of image output devices connected to the image output device via a network line. The present invention relates to a tandem printing system that can perform a printing process by using a tandem printing system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A tandem printing function is provided in which a plurality of copying machines of the same model are connected by a dedicated cable and the image data read by one copying machine is distributed to a plurality of copying machines to perform copying processing. The tandem printing system has already been developed.

Further, there is known one in which a personal computer (PC) outputs a print instruction to a plurality of image output devices connected to the personal computer via a network line.

However, an image read by one image output device (for example, a digital copying machine) equipped with image reading means is distributed to a plurality of image output devices connected to a network line together with the image output device. There is no one that prints.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, an image read by one image output device equipped with an image reading means is distributed to a plurality of image output devices connected to a network together with the image output device. An object of the present invention is to provide a tandem printing system that can perform printing processing.

Further, according to the present invention, an image read by one image output device equipped with image reading means is
A tandem printing system capable of performing print processing by distributing to the plurality of image output devices connected to the network together with the image output device and allowing each image output device to execute printing with the same print setting at this time The purpose is to provide.

[0007]

A first tandem printing system according to the present invention comprises a plurality of image output devices connected to a network line and a tandem server connected to the network line, and an image output device. A tandem printing system in which at least one of them is an image output device equipped with an image reading unit, and the image output device equipped with the image reading unit uses a tandem image output device connected to the network line. A mode setting unit for allowing a user to set a tandem print mode for printing, and a plurality of printers for executing print processing from the image output devices connected to the network line when the tandem print mode is set. Job setting means for allowing the user to set the image output device of
Also, when the tandem print mode is set, when an image reading command by a user operation is input, image reading is started, the read image data is transmitted to the tandem server, and the job setting means sets the image data. The job setting data to the tandem server, and the tandem server stores the received image data and the job setting data in the storage device, as well as receiving the job setting data and all the image data. When the process is completed, a transmission unit is provided for transmitting the image data stored in the storage device together with the print command to each image output device specified by the job setting data stored in the storage device. To do.

A second tandem printing system according to the present invention comprises a plurality of image output devices connected to a network line and a tandem server connected to the network line, and at least one of the image output devices.
One is a tandem printing system, which is an image output device equipped with an image reading means, wherein the image output device equipped with the image reading means is for performing tandem printing using the image output device connected to the network line. A mode setting unit for allowing the user to set the tandem print mode, and when the tandem print mode is set, a plurality of image output devices that execute print processing are selected from the image output devices connected to the network line. In the case where the job setting means for causing the user to set the print setting and the user to perform the print setting, and the tandem print mode are set, when the image reading command is input by the user operation, the image reading is started, The scanned image data is sent to the tandem server and the job settings are The tandem server includes a transmission unit that transmits the job setting data set by the means to the tandem server, and the tandem server stores the received image data and the job setting data in a storage device, as well as the job setting data and all the images. When the reception with the data is completed, the print setting data in the job setting data is included for each image output device specified by the job setting data based on the job setting data stored in the storage device. It is characterized in that it is provided with a transmission means for transmitting the image data stored in the storage device together with the print command.

The image output device equipped with the image reading means is, for example, a digital copying machine.

[0010]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.

[1] Description of configuration of tandem printing system

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a tandem printing system.

In this example, two digital copying machines 1,
Two or four personal computers 3, 4, 5, 6 and two printers 7, 8 are connected by a network cable 9. The personal computer 3 is used as a tandem server, and the personal computer 5 is used as a mail server.

The digital copying machine 1 has a function as an ordinary digital copying machine, and also transmits an image read by the digital copying machine 1 to a predetermined personal computer 3, 4, 5, 6 by using a network address (PC). It has a function of sending (sending) and a function of sending an image read by the digital copying machine 1 to a predetermined personal computer 3, 4, 6 (mail sending) via the mail server 5 using an electronic mail address.

The tandem server 3 has a function of distributing and printing the image sent from the digital copying machine 1 to each image output device (digital copying machines 1 and 2 and printers 7 and 8).

The digital copying machine 1 includes a control unit 101. The control unit 101 includes a ROM 102 for storing the program and the like, a RAM 103 for storing necessary data,
Connection output device storage unit 104, mail address storage unit 10
5. A job setting data storage unit 106 is provided. Connection output device storage unit 104, mail address storage unit 105
Are provided in the non-volatile memory.

The digital copying machine 1 further includes an operation display unit 107, a scanner device 108, an image processing unit 109, a memory control unit 110, a bit map memory 111, a printer unit 112, a CODEC 113, an image memory 114, and a communication control unit 115. Network interface 11
6, the mail generation means 117 and the like.

The operation display unit 107 is provided with a tandem print mode setting key for setting an operation mode in a tandem print mode for performing tandem printing using an image output device connected to the network cable 9. Has been.

The tandem server 3 has a CPU 301 and an RO.
An M302, a RAM 303, a hard disk 304, a network interface 305, etc. are provided.

[2] Description of Tandem Printing Process

[2-1] Description of preliminary setting

Connection output device storage unit 1 of the digital copying machine 1
In 04, the names and network addresses of the personal computers 3, 4, 5, 6 are registered. The personal computer 3 is registered as a tandem server in the connection output device storage unit 104. Further, the names of the image output devices (digital copying machines 1 and 2 and printers 7 and 8) connected by the network cable 9 are registered in the connection output device storage unit 104.

Hard disk 304 of tandem server 3
Is a driver (printer driver) 3 of each image output device (digital copying machines 1 and 2 and printers 7 and 8).
045 is stored. Further, the hard disk 304 of the tandem server 3 has an image data folder 3043 for storing the image data sent from the digital copying machine 1 and a job setting for storing the job setting data sent from the digital copying machine 1. A data storage unit 3042 is provided.

Further, the hard disk 304 of the tandem server 3 receives the image data sent from the digital copying machine 1, stores it in the image data folder 3043, and stores the job setting data sent from the digital copying machine 1. An image data receiving program 3041 to be stored in the job setting data storage unit 3042 is stored.

Further, in the hard disk 304 of the tandem server 3, image data received from the digital copying machine 1 is output based on the job setting data received from the digital copying machine 1 to an image output device (digital copying machines 1, 2 and printer). 7 and 8) for printing by
A tandem print processing program 3044 is stored.

[2-2] Description of Tandem Printing Processing Procedure FIG. 2 shows the operation of the user and the operation of the digital copying machine 1 when performing tandem printing.

The user first operates the tandem print mode setting key using the operation display unit 107 (step 1). In addition, the user uses the operation display unit 107 to
A transmission mode is selected (step 2).

After that, the user performs a job setting operation (step 3). That is, the user operates the operation display unit 10
7 is used to set a plurality of output devices for tandem printing and various print settings (double-sided, single-sided, number of copies, image quality, etc.). The output device for performing tandem printing is an image output device (digital copying machine 1, 2 and printer 7, which is stored in the connection output device storage unit 104).
8) is selected. In this case, the digital copying machine 1 is also selected. The digital copying machine stores the data set by the user in the job setting data storage unit 106 as the job setting data (step 4).

Next, the user sets a document on the scanner device 108 and presses the start key (step 5).

The digital copying machine 1 starts reading the original image and transmits the read image data and the job setting data stored in the job setting data storage unit 106 to the tandem server 3 (step 6).

At this time, the image data read by the scanner device 108 is processed by the image processing unit 109 and the memory control means 1.
It is transmitted to the tandem server 3 via 10, the CODEC 113, the communication control means 115 and the network interface 116. At this stage, the digital copying machine 1 does not perform the printing process on the image data read by the scanner device 108.

FIG. 3 shows the operation of the tandem server 3 which has received the job setting data and the image data. This processing is executed by the image data receiving program 3041 and the tandem printing processing program 3044.

The tandem server 3 stores the image data received from the digital copying machine 1 in the image data folder 3043 and the job setting data received from the digital copying machine 1 in the job setting data storage section 3042 (step 11). .

When the job setting data and all the image data have been received (step 12), the tandem server 3 instructs the image output device designated by the job setting data stored in the job setting data storage section 3042. Image data folder 3043 together with a print command including print setting data in the job setting data.
The image data in is transmitted (step 13).

Each image output device that has received the print command including the print setting data and the image data prints the received image data with the print setting according to the received print setting data. Therefore, each of these image output devices executes print processing based on the same print setting content.

[0036]

According to the present invention, an image read by one image output device equipped with an image reading means is distributed to a plurality of image output devices connected to a network together with the image output device for printing processing. Will be able to.

Further, according to the present invention, the image read by one image output device equipped with the image reading means is distributed to a plurality of image output devices connected to the network together with the image output device for printing processing. In addition, each image output device can be caused to perform printing with the same print settings.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a tandem printing system.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a user operation and an operation of the digital copying machine 1 when performing tandem printing.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation of the tandem server 3 when performing tandem printing.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 2 digital copier 4, 5, 6 PC 3 tandem server 7, 8 printer 9 network cable

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    F-term (reference) 2C061 AP01 AP04 HQ12 HQ17 HR07                 5B021 AA01 AA19 BB01 CC05 EE04                       QQ04                 5C062 AA05 AA13 AA35 AB17 AB38                       AB53 AC41 AC42 AC43 BA04

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An image output device comprising a plurality of image output devices connected to a network line and a tandem server connected to the network line, at least one of the image output devices including an image reading means. In the tandem printing system, the image output device having an image reading unit is configured to allow a user to set a tandem printing mode for performing tandem printing using the image output device connected to the network line. A mode setting means, a job setting means for causing a user to set a plurality of image output devices for executing print processing from among the image output devices connected to the network line when the tandem print mode is set, Also, if the tandem print mode is set, the image When a read command is input, it starts reading an image, sends the read image data to the tandem server, and also has a sending unit that sends the job setting data set by the job setting unit to the tandem server. The tandem server specifies the means for storing the received image data and the job setting data in the storage device, and the job setting data stored in the storage device when the reception of the job setting data and all the image data is completed. A tandem printing system comprising: a transmission unit that transmits the image data stored in the storage device together with the print command to each of the image output devices. 2. An image output device comprising a plurality of image output devices connected to a network line and a tandem server connected to the network line, at least one of the image output devices having an image reading means. In the tandem printing system, the image output device provided with an image reading unit is configured to allow a user to set a tandem printing mode for performing tandem printing using the image output device connected to the network line. When the mode setting means and the tandem print mode are set, the user is allowed to set a plurality of image output devices that execute print processing from the image output devices connected to the network line, and the user is allowed to set the print settings. The job setting means for performing the job and the tandem print mode are set. In the case that,
A sending unit that starts reading an image, sends the read image data to the tandem server, and sends the job setting data set by the job setting unit to the tandem server when an image reading command is input by a user operation. The tandem server has means for storing the received image data and the job setting data in the storage device, and the job stored in the storage device when the reception of the job setting data and all the image data is completed. Based on the setting data,
The image forming apparatus further includes a transmitting unit that transmits the image data stored in the storage device together with the print command including the print setting data in the job setting data to each image output device designated by the job setting data. Tandem printing system. 3. The tandem printing system according to claim 1, wherein the image output device provided with the image reading means is a digital copying machine.