JP2003330665A - Image forming system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a system by which a management server retrieves a printer whose function is not inferior to a preliminarily registered printer function, and informs a user of the result or automatically performs substitutive print when it is impossible to perform a predetermined printing in a system where a plurality of printers are interconnected. <P>SOLUTION: In a plurality of image forming devices, a plurality of PC and a network for connecting those device to each other, one PC is made to manage the performances of all printers on the network, and to calculate the contents relation of each performance. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to error processing in an image forming system in which a plurality of image forming apparatuses are connected.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when an image is to be output from a certain PC to a predetermined image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus to which the output is requested cannot form or output images for some reason. Only the operation panel of the image forming apparatus or the PC that has issued the print request is notified to that effect.

[0003]

However, in recent years, a plurality of PCs and a plurality of image forming apparatuses are connected to each other and physically connected by a network.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to allow an image forming apparatus having an equivalent function to form an alternative image when the above-mentioned state of the art occurs, instead of temporarily stopping the image formation.

[0005]

In order to solve these problems, in the present invention, the image forming apparatus connected to the network has its own function and performance, and has a predetermined PC or a predetermined PC on the network. The management is performed by the image forming apparatus, and when the above problem occurs, the information is processed and an alternative image is formed on another image forming apparatus to solve the above problem.

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS (Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is an image forming system diagram in which a plurality of PCs and a plurality of image forming apparatuses are connected on a network.

Reference numerals 101 and 102 are personal computers used by general users for normal business purposes.

Reference numeral 103 is a server for managing a plurality of image forming apparatuses and a plurality of PCs connected to the network 104, 105 is a double-sided printing function, 10-stage output sheet discharging tray, an image forming apparatus with stapling function, and 106 is a double-sided printing function. Image forming apparatus with print function, 20-step output paper discharge tray and stapling function, 107 is single-sided printing function, 10-step output paper output tray, image forming apparatus with stapling function, 108 is double-sided printing function, 1-step output paper output It is assumed that the image forming apparatus has a tray and stapling function.

In this embodiment, the image forming apparatus 1 is changed from the PC 101.
However, the flow until the image forming apparatus 105 cannot form an image for some reason and asks the PC 101 to allow the image forming apparatus 106 to perform alternative printing will be described.

From the performance of each image forming apparatus described above, the image forming apparatus 108 has all the functions.
5 and 106 can be substituted.

The image forming apparatus 107 can replace all the functions with the image forming apparatuses 105 and 106.

It can be said that the image forming apparatus 105 can replace all the functions with the image forming apparatus 106.

It is assumed here that a certain document created on the PC 101 is instructed to be printed to the image forming apparatus 105 with the following content: number of copies: 8 copies duplex printing: stapling.

However, at that time, the image forming apparatus 105
When an image cannot be formed due to an internal abnormality of the apparatus, notifies the management server 103 that manages the entire image forming system to that effect.

When the management server 103 receives the abnormal state from the image forming apparatus 105, the management server 103 receives the print request from the PC 101 to the image forming apparatus 105. Search for an image forming apparatus capable of equivalent printing.

In this case, the image forming apparatus which satisfies all the conditions is the image forming apparatus 106.

An image forming apparatus 106 capable of alternative printing is used here.
The management server 103 that has searched for informs the PC 101 that the image forming apparatus that can perform the alternative printing is the image forming apparatus 106.

Then, the PC 101 which has received the notice displays the notice on the display which is the user interface, and asks the user for an instruction as to whether or not the alternative printing may be performed.

Image forming apparatus 1 performs alternative printing by the user.
If you are instructed to go at 06, PC1
01 again issues an image forming instruction to the image forming apparatus 106 with an instruction equivalent to the above content.

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 1 is an image forming system diagram in which a plurality of PCs and a plurality of image forming apparatuses are connected on a network.

Reference numerals 101 and 102 denote personal computers used by general users for normal business purposes.

Reference numeral 103 denotes a server for managing a plurality of image forming apparatuses and a plurality of PCs connected to the network 104, 105 an image forming apparatus with a double-sided printing function, 10-stage output sheet discharge tray and stapling function, and 106 a double-sided Image forming apparatus with print function, 20-step output paper discharge tray and stapling function, 107 is single-sided printing function, 10-step output paper output tray, image forming apparatus with stapling function, 108 is double-sided printing function, 1-step output paper output It is assumed that the image forming apparatus has a tray and stapling function.

In this embodiment, the image forming apparatus 1 is changed from the PC 101.
However, the flow until the image forming apparatus 105 cannot form an image for some reason and asks the PC 101 to allow the image forming apparatus 106 to perform alternative printing will be described.

From the performance of each image forming apparatus described above, the image forming apparatus 108 has all the functions.
5 and 106 can be substituted.

The image forming apparatus 107 can replace all functions with the image forming apparatuses 105 and 106.

It can be said that the image forming apparatus 105 can replace all the functions with the image forming apparatus 106.

Here, it is assumed that a certain document created on the PC 101 is instructed to the image forming apparatus 105 with the following contents: -Number of copies: 8 copies-Double-sided printing: -Staple present.

However, the image forming apparatus 105 at that time
When an image cannot be formed due to an internal abnormality of the apparatus, notifies the management server 103 that manages the entire image forming system to that effect.

The management server 103, which has received the abnormal state from the image forming apparatus 105, determines from the contents that the PC 101 is currently issuing a print request to the image forming apparatus 105, that of the image forming apparatuses 105 to 108 managed by itself. Search for an image forming apparatus capable of equivalent printing.

In this case, the image forming apparatus which satisfies all the conditions is the image forming apparatus 106.

Here, the image forming apparatus 106 capable of alternative printing
The management server 103 that has searched for
All are queued, and the print instruction is given to the image forming apparatus 106.

Image forming apparatus 106 that has received the print instruction
Forms an image according to the print instruction, and when the image formation is completed, notifies the management server 103 to that effect.

The management server 103, which has received the image formation completion notification from the image forming apparatus 106, is in a state in which the image forming apparatus 105 cannot form an image on the PC 101. Notify that you went.

[0034]

From the above description, the management server of the network manages the functions of a plurality of image forming apparatuses connected to each other on the network and the inclusion relationships thereof,
Even if the predetermined image forming apparatus does not operate unexpectedly, it becomes possible to continuously form an image with a preset alternative image forming apparatus, and a user who knows that the image cannot be formed as in the past. However, it is possible to save the inconvenient trouble of finding another image forming apparatus that meets the print request of the user, resetting the image forming apparatus, and issuing a print instruction.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall view of an image forming system according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart when a user determines alternative printing according to the first exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a display example when a user determines alternative printing on the display of the PC 101 according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart when performing alternative printing according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a display example of performing alternative printing on the display of the PC 101 according to the second embodiment.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of image forming apparatuses and one or more PCs
In an image forming system in which images are connected to each other, if the image forming apparatus that is to form the image is in a state in which the image formation is impossible, another image having an image forming ability equal to or higher than that of a predetermined device is previously prepared. An image forming system characterized by notifying a PC that has issued a print instruction of a display for determining whether or not alternative printing may be performed on an image forming apparatus for which a forming apparatus is set. 2. A plurality of image forming apparatuses and one or more PCs
In an image forming system in which images are connected to each other, if the image forming apparatus that is to form the image is in a state in which the image formation is impossible, another image having an image forming ability equal to or higher than that of a predetermined device is previously prepared. An image forming system characterized in that an image forming apparatus to which a forming apparatus is set automatically forms an image.