JP2005103924A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To shorten a waiting time of a user who carries one's legs in front of a printer to receive a printed image. <P>SOLUTION: An image memory 17 of the printer 1 stores image information transmitted from a plurality of client terminal devices 4 through a network 41, and being under a condition waiting for printing. A printing order setting part 11h sets a printing order to print the image information in an order received by an image information receiving part 11c. When the user approaches to the printer 1 to obtain the printed image, a tag detecting part 11a establishes a communication with a tag 5 carried by the user, and a discriminating information receiving part 11b receives a discriminating information of the user stored in a discriminating information storing part 51a of the tag 5. A printing order changing part 11k changes the printing order so that the image information corresponding to the discriminating information received from the tag 5 with an established communication, is preferentially printed in the order for which the tag detecting part 11a establishes the communication. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a printer that can be connected to a plurality of client terminal devices via a network.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, printers that print image information (data such as documents and drawings) transmitted from a plurality of client terminal devices over a network are known. In a conventional printer used by being connected to a network, printing of image information is performed in the order in which each client terminal device transmits image information to the printer. For this reason, the user who transmitted the image information to the printer waits until printing of the image transmitted by another user is completed even if he / she moves to the front of the printer to receive the printed image (document, drawing, etc.). There was a case where it was unavoidable.

On the other hand, in Patent Document 1, the ratio of the printing waiting time to the printing processing time is calculated as “dissatisfaction level” for each piece of image information, and the sum of the dissatisfaction levels for all the images waiting for printing is minimized. A technique for setting the printing order is disclosed. However, even though this prior art contributes to alleviating unfairness among a plurality of users who operate a plurality of client terminal devices, a leg in front of the printer is received to receive a printed image. It did not solve the problem that the user who carried it was kept waiting.
JP 2000-231467 A

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a printer capable of shortening the waiting time of a user who has come to the front of the printer to receive a printed image. It is.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, the invention described in claim 1 is a printer that can be connected to a plurality of client terminal devices via a network, and is carried by a user and stores identification information of the user, and short-range wireless communication A tag communication unit that communicates with a tag capable of receiving and receiving the identification information from the tag, and the tag communication unit includes: image information transmitted from the plurality of client terminal devices and waiting for printing. Printing order changing means for changing the printing order so as to preferentially print the image information corresponding to the identification information received from the tag that established the communication in the order in which the communication is established. is there.

  According to the above configuration, the printing order is changed so that the image information corresponding to the identification information received from the tag is preferentially printed in the order in which communication with the tag carried by the user is established. The image information of the user approaching the printer is printed in the order of approaching the printer in preference to the image information of the user not approaching. As a result, the waiting time of the user who has stepped in front of the printer to receive the printed image is reduced.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the printer according to the first aspect, the printing order changing unit stores a tag in which the tag communication unit has become unable to communicate among image information whose printing order has been changed. The information corresponding to the identification information is returned to the printing order before the change.

  According to the above configuration, among the image information whose print order has been changed, the information corresponding to the identification information stored in the tag that has become unable to communicate is returned to the pre-change print order. It can be avoided that image information is preferentially printed unnecessarily.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the image information of the user who has approached the printer is printed in the order of approach to the printer in preference to the image information of the user who has not approached the printer. The waiting time of the user who has come to the front of the printer to receive the image is reduced.

[1. Device configuration]
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the usage pattern of the printer of the present invention. In the example of FIG. 1, the printer 1 is communicably connected to a plurality of client terminal devices 4 via a LAN (Local Area Network) 41. Each client terminal device 4 is a personal computer having a function of creating or editing an image (document, drawing, etc.), for example. The printer 1 receives image information (data such as documents and drawings) from the client terminal device 4 via the LAN 41, and forms an image on a recording sheet by a printing unit 13 (see FIG. 2) described later.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the printer 1. The printer 1 includes a control unit 11 that controls the operation of each unit constituting the printer 1, a printing unit 13 that forms an image on recording paper from image information, an operation unit 14 that has a touch panel and the like and receives user operations, The display unit 15 having an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or the like and displaying operation guidance information and the like, and the tag 5 (see FIG. 3) in which the user identification information is stored are communicated with the information stored in the tag 5 A reader / writer unit 16 for reading and writing and an image memory 17 for storing image information are provided.

  The control unit 11 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 61, various display image information displayed on the display unit 15, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 62 that stores a program that defines the operation of the CPU 61, and the processing data temporarily. A RAM (Random Access Memory) 63 or the like is stored, and operation information input by the user from the operation unit 14 is received to control the operation of each unit of the printer 1.

  The printing unit 13 exhibits a printer function by printing out image information on a recording sheet, and has, for example, a laser printer mechanism. The laser printer mechanism irradiates a photosensitive member with laser light modulated with image information to form a latent image of the image composed of the image information, and electrostatically attaches toner to the latent image to make it visible. This visible image is transferred to a recording sheet to form an image.

  The operation unit 14 includes, for example, a touch panel and receives a user operation. A publicly known thing can be adopted for this touch panel. For example, a touch panel is a rectangular thin layered body that is configured by covering with a transparent cover a pressure-sensitive material made of a linear transparent material at predetermined pitches in the vertical and horizontal directions. 15 is attached to the upper surface. The touch panel can determine which button has been instructed from the address of the button prompting the selection displayed on the screen of the display unit 15 and the pressed position.

  The display unit 15 includes an LCD, an LED (Light Emitted Diode), and the like, displays a waiting state of image information or the like on the LCD with characters or images, and displays whether there is a communication error, whether maintenance is necessary, or the like on the LED. Is.

  The reader / writer unit 16 and the tag 5 use a well-known RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) system. That is, the reader / writer unit 16 includes an antenna 16g, which will be described later, communicates with the tag 5 (see FIG. 3) in which user identification information is stored by short-range wireless communication, and reads and writes information stored in the tag 5. Do. Details of the tag 5 and the reader / writer unit 16 will be described later with reference to FIG.

  The image memory 17 stores image information and the like, and is a large-capacity memory that can store, for example, about 100 pieces of image information corresponding to a standard document of A4 size.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the tag 5 and the reader / writer unit 16. The tag 5 includes an IC chip 50 and an antenna 52. The IC chip 50 transmits / receives various information (data) to / from the reader / writer unit 16 through the memory 51 including an IC memory for storing user identification information and the antenna 52 including a loop antenna, and receives high-frequency power of radio waves. Communication unit 53. The tag 5 is carried by the user, and is, for example, a card type in which the IC chip 50 and the antenna 52 are embedded in a substantially rectangular plastic substrate. The power necessary for the operation of the tag 5 (reading and writing of various information) is supplied using a signal transmitted as a power signal from the antenna 16g of the reader / writer unit 16.

  The reader / writer unit 16 exchanges various kinds of information with the control unit 11 and controls the respective units of the reader / writer unit 16. The reader / writer unit 16 converts a digital signal from the reader / writer control unit 16 a into an analog signal. / A converter 16b, a modulator 16c that modulates the output from the D / A converter 16b, an amplifier 16d that amplifies the output from the modulator 16c, and a predetermined frequency (here, the output from the amplifier 16d) A filter 16e that removes signals of frequencies other than 13.56 MHz), a matching unit 16f that performs impedance matching with the antenna 16g, an antenna 16g that includes a loop antenna that transmits and receives various signals to and from the antenna 52 of the tag 5, and the like. The demodulator 16h that demodulates the signal received by the antenna 16g and the analog signal from the demodulator 16h And an A / D converter unit 16i for converting into a digital signal.

  The communication between the tag 5 and the reader / writer unit 16 is generated by the induced magnetic flux between the antenna 52 of the tag 5 and the antenna 16g of the reader / writer unit 16 by, for example, mediating an electromagnetic wave of 13.56 MHz. This is done using the induced voltage. Further, communication between the tag 5 and the reader / writer unit 16 is possible mainly when the distance between the tag 5 and the reader / writer unit 16 is within a predetermined distance (for example, 1 m) from the point of the received signal level (in this specification). Such communication that is possible only at a short distance is called short distance communication). Here, the predetermined distance that defines the range of the short-range communication is a range in accordance with the object of the present invention, that is, communication with a tag carried by a user who carries a leg in front of the printer to receive a printed image. It may be in a range suitable for establishment.

  FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the printer 1 showing the configuration of the control unit 11 expanded based on the function. FIG. 4 also shows the configuration of the tag 5 that communicates with the printer 1 in addition to the printer 1. The memory 51 of the tag 5 includes an identification information storage unit 51a that stores user identification information. The control unit 11 detects the tag 5 that can be communicated via the reader / writer unit 16 and the identification information storage unit 51a of the memory 51 of the tag 5 that is detected by the tag detection unit 11a. An identification information receiving unit 11b that receives identification information via the writer unit 16 and an image information receiving unit 11c that receives image information from the client terminal device 4 are provided. The reader / writer unit 16, the tag detection unit 11a, and the identification information reception unit 11b constitute a tag communication unit 60 (corresponding to a tag communication unit) that communicates with the tag 5.

  Further, the control unit 11 displays information such as image information waiting for printing based on the printing order set by the condition setting unit 11g on the display unit 15, and operation information input by the user via the operation unit 14. An operation display control unit 11f that accepts, a condition setting unit 11g that sets operating conditions of the printing unit 13 based on information from the tag detection unit 11a, the identification information reception unit 11b, the image information reception unit 11c, and the operation display control unit 11f A printing control unit 11j that operates the printing unit 13 according to the conditions set by the condition setting unit 11g.

  The identification information storage unit 51a stores user identification information. The identification information is a so-called user ID, and for example, the same code as that registered in the employee ID card is used. The identification information is composed of, for example, 8 alphanumeric characters. The identification information stored in the identification information storage unit 51a is protected from being rewritten by a password or the like, and can be rewritten only by a specific user (for example, the person in charge of maintenance of the printer 1).

  The tag detection unit 11a detects the tag 5 that can communicate with the reader / writer unit 16, and can communicate with the reader / writer unit 16 (for example, within a range of 1 m from the reader / writer unit 16). A certain tag 5 is detected from the received signal level or the like. Furthermore, the tag detection unit 11a transmits a detection signal indicating that the communicable tag 5 has been detected, that is, a signal indicating that communication with the tag 5 has been established, to the identification information reception unit 11b and the condition setting unit 11g.

  The identification information receiving unit 11b sends a request signal via the reader / writer unit 16 to the tag 5 with which the tag detection unit 11a has established communication, thereby causing the reader / writer unit 16 from the identification information storage unit 51a of the memory 51 of the tag 5 to communicate. The identification information is received via, and the identification information is output to the condition setting unit 11g.

  The image information receiving unit 11 c receives image information from the client terminal device 4 and stores it in the image memory 17. Identification information of a user who operates the client terminal device 4 is attached to the image information transmitted from the client terminal device 4. In order to attach the identification information, for example, the user may input his / her identification information by key input or the like when transmitting image information. Alternatively, the identification information input by the user when starting to use the client terminal device 4 may be automatically attached to the image information by the client terminal device 4 when transmitting the image information. Alternatively, if the user who uses the client terminal device 4 is uniquely determined, the client terminal device 4 may automatically attach the determined identification information to the image information when transmitting the image information. Good. The image information receiving unit 11c further transmits the identification information attached to the received image information and the image information name to the condition setting unit 11g.

  The operation display control unit 11f displays image information waiting for printing on the display unit 15 based on the printing order set by the condition setting unit 11g. In addition, the operation display control unit 11 f displays other selection screens and the like on the display unit 15 and receives operation information input by the user via the operation unit 14. Further, the operation display control unit 11f transmits operation information, which is a user operation content, to the condition setting unit 11g.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display screen displayed on the display unit 15. The display screen 640 is pressed to sort the image list display unit 641 in which the image list waiting for printing is displayed in the approximate center of the screen and the image names displayed in the image list display unit 641 in order from the top on the right side of the screen. The sort button 642 to be displayed, the next page button 643 to be pressed when displaying the next page of the print waiting image list displayed on the image list display unit 641, and the print waiting image displayed on the image list display unit 641. A previous page button 644 that is pressed when displaying the previous page of the list is displayed.

  The image list display unit 641 includes, in order from the left column, a number display unit 641a that displays a serial number corresponding to the printing order, and a user ID display unit 641b that displays identification information of a user who has output image information to the printer 1. An image information name display unit 641c for displaying the name of the image information to be printed, and a time display unit 641d for displaying the time when the image information sent from the client terminal device 4 as the transmission source is received by the image information receiving unit 11c. Is included.

  Returning to FIG. 4, the condition setting unit 11g sets the operating condition of the printing unit 13 based on information from the tag detection unit 11a, the identification information receiving unit 11b, the image information receiving unit 11c, and the operation display control unit 11f. This operating condition is output to the print control unit 11j. The operation condition includes a printing order of image information waiting for printing (spool state). The condition setting unit 11g includes a printing order setting unit 11h and a printing order changing unit 11k in order to set the printing order. The print order setting unit 11h sets the print order of image information waiting for printing (spooled state) to the order in which the image information receiving unit 11c receives the image information. The printing order changing unit 11k changes the printing order for the image information corresponding to the identification information received by the identification information receiving unit 11b. The printing order set by the condition setting unit 11g is also sent to the operation display control unit 11f. Accordingly, the operation display control unit 11f can display the image information waiting for printing on the display unit 15 in the printing order.

  The print control unit 11j receives operating conditions from the condition setting unit 11g and controls the printing unit 13 to operate according to the operating conditions. That is, the print control unit 11j reads out image information from the image information memory 17 according to the printing order, transmits the image information to the printing unit 13, and controls the printing unit 13 to print the image information according to various operating conditions.

[2. Operation of the device]
6 and 7 are flowcharts showing the operation procedure of the client terminal device 4 and the printer 1. 6 shows a process from the creation of the image information by the client terminal device 4 to the storage of the image information in the image memory 17. FIG. 7 shows the process of storing the image information in the image memory 17. It shows the process of printing the image information.

  In the process shown in FIG. 6, when a user using the client terminal device 4 creates an image such as a document on a monitor screen (not shown), the client terminal device 4 creates image information in the process (step S1). . When the user instructs a printing process to print the created image information, the client terminal device 4 transmits the created image information to the printer 1 (step S2). As already described, user identification information is attached to transmitted image information.

  Next, the image information receiving unit 11c receives the image information with the identification information and stores the received image information in the image memory 17 (step S3). At the same time, the image information receiving unit 11c transmits the identification information and the image information name attached to the image information to the condition setting unit 11g. Then, the print order setting unit 11h sets the print order at the end of the image information newly received by the image information receiving unit 11c.

  In the process shown in FIG. 7, the condition setting unit 11g stands by until image information is stored while there is no image information in the image memory 17 (step S11). If there is image information in the image memory 17, the condition setting unit 11 g determines whether there are a plurality of pieces of image information in the image memory 17 (step S <b> 12). If there is no plural image information in the image memory 17, the condition setting unit 11g instructs the print control unit 11j to print only one image information stored in the image memory 17 (step S17). As a result, the print control unit 11j reads the image information stored in the image memory 17, sends it to the printing unit 13, and controls the printing unit 13 to print in accordance with the operating conditions set by the condition setting unit 11g.

  On the other hand, if there is a plurality of pieces of image information in the image memory 17 in step S12, the printing order changing unit 11k determines whether the tag detecting unit 11a has detected a tag 5 that can be communicated within the communication range, that is, a tag. The detection unit 11a determines whether there is a tag 5 with which communication has been established (step S13). If the tag detection unit 11a has not detected the tag 5, the condition setting unit 11g is stored in the image memory 17 without causing the printing order changing unit 11k to change the printing order set by the printing order setting unit 11h. The print control unit 11j is instructed to print the image information being printed (step S17).

  On the other hand, if the tag detection unit 11a detects the tag 5 in step S13, the printing order change unit 11k uses the identification information received by the identification information reception unit 11b from the tag 5 with which the tag detection unit 11a has established communication. The print order is rearranged so that the corresponding image information is preferentially printed in the order in which communication is established (step S14).

  FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the printing order changing unit 11k. As illustrated in FIG. 8A, the print order is set by the print order setting unit 11h so that the image information T1, T2,... Waiting for printing are initially printed in this order. It shall have been. Thereafter, when the user who transmitted the image information T7 (referred to as the user 7) approaches the printer 1 to acquire his / her print image, communication is performed between the tag 5 carried by the user 7 and the tag detection unit 11a. Established. As a result, the identification information receiving unit 11b receives the identification information stored in the tag 5 with which communication has been established, and the printing order changing unit 11k is such that the image information T7 corresponding to the received identification information is ranked first. Rearrange the printing order.

  Thereafter, when the user who transmitted the image information T3 (referred to as the user 3) approaches the printer 1 in order to acquire his / her print image, similarly, between the tag 5 carried by the user 3 and the tag detection unit 11a. The communication is established, and the identification information stored in the tag 5 is received by the identification information receiving unit 11b. Since the tag detection unit 11a first establishes communication with the tag 5 of the user 7 and establishes communication second with the tag 5 of the user 3, the print order change unit 11k determines that the image information T3 is image information. The printing order is rearranged so as to line up after T7. As a result, as shown in FIG. 8B, the printing order is the order of image information T7, T3, T1, T2, T4,.

  The rearrangement of the printing order is performed, for example, in the image information waiting for printing excluding the image information currently being printed, that is, in the image information waiting for printing that has not yet started printing. In this case, the image information T1 shown in FIG. 8A is image information that has been positioned at the top of the image information waiting to be printed that has not yet started printing. However, the rearrangement of the printing order may be performed in the image information waiting to be printed including the image information currently being printed. In this case, the image information T1 shown in FIG. 8A may be image information waiting for printing that has already started printing. When printing of the image information T1 has already started, if the printing order is changed as shown in FIG. 8B, printing of the image information T1 is interrupted, and printing of the image information T7 is preferentially executed. Become. For example, when the image information T1 is 10 pages of document information and the printing of the fifth page is being performed, if the printing order is changed as shown in FIG. Is completed, printing of the image information T7 is started, and after the printing of the image information T7 and T3 is completed, printing of the sixth and subsequent pages of the image information T1 is started.

  When the printing order is changed, the operation display control unit 11f changes the order of the image information displayed on the image list display unit 641 illustrated in FIG. Therefore, the user can confirm that the printing order has been changed so as to give priority to his / her own image information by viewing the image list display unit 641.

  Returning to FIG. 7, when the process of step S <b> 14 is completed, the printing order changing unit 11 k is unable to communicate with the tag detecting unit 11 a among the tags 5 storing the identification information corresponding to the image information whose order has been changed. It is determined whether there is a tag 5 (step S15). If there is no tag 5 that has become incapable of communication, the condition setting unit 11g prints the image information stored in the image memory 17 without further causing the printing order changing unit 11k to change the printing order. (Step S17).

  On the other hand, if it is determined in step S15 that the tag 5 that has become unable to communicate is recognized, the printing order changing unit 11k uses the printing order of the image information corresponding to the identification information stored in the tag 5 that has become impossible to communicate. (Step S16). Thereafter, the condition setting unit 11g instructs the print control unit 11j to print the image information stored in the image memory 17 (step S17).

  After the printing order is changed as shown in FIG. 8B, when the user 3 carrying the tag 5 storing the identification information corresponding to the image information T3 leaves the printer 1, the tag 5 and the tag detection unit When communication with 11a becomes impossible, the printing order change unit 11k returns the printing order of the image information T3 to the order before the change. As a result, as shown in FIG. 8C, the printing order is image information T7, T1, T2, T3, T4,.

  As described above, according to the printer 1, the image information of the user who has approached the printer 1 is printed in the order of approach to the printer 1 in preference to the image information of the user who has not approached the printer 1. The waiting time of the user who has come to the front of the printer 1 to receive the image is reduced. Further, among the image information whose printing order has been changed, the information corresponding to the identification information stored in the tag 5 that has become unable to communicate is returned to the printing order before the change, so that the image information of the user away from the printer 1 is displayed. However, it is possible to avoid unnecessary preferential printing.

[3. Other Embodiments]
(1) In the above embodiment, the example in which the tag 5 is a card type is shown. However, the tag 5 may have another form that can be carried by the user, for example, a film type, a coin type, or the like. .
(2) In the above embodiment, an example in which power is supplied from the reader / writer unit 16 to the tag 5 has been described. However, the tag 5 may include a power source such as a battery.

It is explanatory drawing which illustrates the usage form of the printer of this invention. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a printer. FIG. It is a block diagram which shows an example of a structure of a tag and a reader / writer part. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a printer showing a configuration of a control unit based on functions. It is a figure which shows an example of the display screen displayed on a display part. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement procedure of the client terminal device and printer regarding preparation and transmission of image information. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an operation procedure of a printer regarding a printing process. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing of a printing order change part.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Printer 4 Client terminal device 5 Tag 11k Print order change part (print order setting means)
41 Network 60 Tag communication section (tag communication means)

Claims (2)

A printer that can be connected to a plurality of client terminal devices via a network,
Tag communication means for storing the identification information of the user carried by the user and communicating with a tag capable of short-range wireless communication and receiving the identification information from the tag;
Priority is given to the image information corresponding to the identification information received from the tag that established the communication, in the order in which the tag communication means has established communication, from among the image information that has been sent from the plurality of client terminal devices and is waiting to be printed. And a printing order changing means for changing the printing order so as to perform printing.   The printing order changing unit returns the image information corresponding to the identification information stored in the tag whose tag communication unit has become unable to communicate among the image information whose printing order has been changed, to the printing order before the change. The printer according to claim 1.

Images