JP2005165391A - Image forming device information management system, and program therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming device information management system rapidly providing information about an image forming device to a requester. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming device information management system sends a PJL command to a printer via a print spooler and requests the printer to output printer information (S307). For a print job including the PJL command to be processed prior to any other print jobs in queue which were inputted prior to the print job, the print spooler is instructed to change the order of processing the print jobs (S309-S321). As a result, printer information is rapidly obtained from the printer in the process of S323, and is rapidly provided to a managing PC. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus information management system.

Conventionally, a print spooler is used when outputting print data from a computer to an image forming apparatus.
The print spooler temporarily stores print data output from an application or the like as a print job in a queue, and normally processes the print jobs in the order of storage. Therefore, even if you want to print certain print data quickly, if a lot of print data that has been output earlier than the print data is stored in the queue as a print job, the print that you want to print sooner is output. It is difficult to send data to the image forming apparatus.

  In order to deal with such problems, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-228620 discloses that a computer equipped with a print spooler temporarily stops other print jobs when a print job from a priority user is queued. A technique is disclosed in which a print job is processed first.

  On the other hand, as a technique for managing an image forming apparatus (= a printer or a multifunction machine having a printer function as one function), an image connected to the computer is operated by operating a program called a status monitor on the computer. Monitoring and managing the status of the forming apparatus (eg, online / offline, busy, error, etc.) is performed. Also, by running a program called a maintenance tool on the computer, maintenance information (for example, the remaining amount of toner or ink, the remaining amount of recording paper, and the drum replacement time) of the image forming apparatus connected to the computer is managed. It has also been done.

  These status monitors and maintenance tools all operate locally, but in an environment where multiple computers are connected via a network, the status and maintenance information of the image forming apparatus as described above are displayed. There has been a desire to manage collectively from a specific computer (for example, an administrator terminal used by an administrator).

  In response to such a request, Patent Document 2 below obtains various types of information from a local printer in a computer connected to a local printer, and provides the acquired information to another computer connected via a network. Technology is disclosed.

More specifically, in Patent Document 2, the state of the image forming apparatus is monitored, and when the state is changed, the changed state is immediately acquired from the image forming apparatus, and the acquired information is transmitted via the network. Trap processing to be provided (notified) to another connected computer (see, for example, paragraphs [0075] to [0077] in Patent Document 2 below), and another computer connected via a network has requested information provision In this case, request response processing (for example, the following Patent Document 2 paragraph) that immediately acquires the state of the image forming apparatus at that time from the image forming apparatus and provides the acquired information to another computer connected via the network. [0078] to [0081] are disclosed.
JP 2001-256166 A JP 2000-293324 A

  However, in the technique described in Patent Document 2, when information is provided to another computer by trap processing and when information is provided in response to a request from another computer by request response processing, In any case, the latest information at that time is immediately acquired from the image forming apparatus. For this reason, when a response is not returned from the image forming apparatus for a long time, there is a problem that information provision to other computers is delayed.

  More specifically, as a method for acquiring information from the image forming apparatus, a command described in a printer job language (PJL) is given to the image forming apparatus, and the image forming apparatus side There is known a method of reading back information returned from the. PJL is a command language that enables various functions of an image forming apparatus to be controlled, and is a well-known language that was developed by Hewlett-Packard and later adopted by other companies.

  When information is acquired from the image forming apparatus by such a method, the PJL command given to the image forming apparatus is output to the image forming apparatus via the print spooler described above. Therefore, when a large number of print jobs are queued first, normally, the PJL command is not given to the image forming apparatus until output processing for all the queued print jobs is completed. . As a result, the response to the PJL command is not returned from the image forming apparatus for a long time, which causes a problem that information provision to other computers is delayed.

  Further, since the above-mentioned patent document 1 discloses a technique for processing a print job from a priority user first, if it is a priority user, a PJL command may be sent to the image forming apparatus with priority. Although it is considered possible, the user who performs the process of outputting the PJL command is not necessarily the priority user, so there is a possibility that the image forming apparatus will not return a response for a long time. However, even when the conventional techniques described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are combined, there is a problem in that information relating to the image forming apparatus cannot always be promptly provided to the request source.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides an image forming apparatus information management system capable of quickly providing information relating to an image forming apparatus to a request source. .

Hereinafter, a characteristic configuration employed in the present invention will be described in detail.
First, the image forming apparatus information management system described below is
An image forming apparatus and a computer to which the image forming apparatus is connected. The image forming apparatus receives image forming apparatus information, which is information about the image forming apparatus, in response to a request from a request source. An image forming apparatus information management system provided with information acquisition means acquired from the information acquisition means for providing the image forming apparatus information acquired by the information acquisition means to the request source,
The computer
When the output data to the image forming apparatus is passed, information including the output data is queued and temporarily stored as a print job, and the print jobs stored in the queue are sequentially processed to perform the print A print spooler that outputs the output data included in the job to the image forming apparatus;
By passing the output request of the image forming apparatus information to the print spooler, the information including the output request is input to the queue as the print job by using the function of the print spooler, and is included in the print job. Information output requesting means for requesting the image forming apparatus to output the image forming apparatus information by outputting the output request to the image forming apparatus;
When the information output request unit requests the output of the image forming apparatus information, the print job including the output request is input before the print job and stored in the queue And an order change instruction means for instructing the print spooler to change the processing order of the print jobs so that the processing is performed earlier.

  In this image forming apparatus information management system, the information output requesting means uses the print spooler function to put information including the output request into a queue as a print job, and outputs the output request included in the print job to the image forming apparatus. To output the image forming apparatus information to the image forming apparatus. Then, when the information output request unit requests the output of the image forming apparatus information, the order change instruction unit enters a state in which the print job including the output request is input before the print job and stored in the queue. The print spooler is instructed to change the processing order of the print jobs so that the print jobs are processed before the current print job.

  Upon receiving this instruction, the print spooler processes the processing order so that the print job including the output request for the image forming apparatus information is processed first even when there is a print job already stored in the queue. Replace. As a result, a print job including an output request for image forming apparatus information is processed before other print jobs. As a result, the information acquisition unit can quickly acquire the image forming apparatus information from the image forming apparatus, and the information providing unit provides the image forming apparatus information to the request source.

  Therefore, according to this image forming apparatus information management system, it becomes possible to acquire image forming apparatus information from the image forming apparatus more quickly than a system that simply processes print jobs in order, and promptly responds to the request source. Image forming apparatus information can be provided.

Note that this image forming apparatus information management system is preferably configured as follows.
First, for a print job stored in the queue, an in-process print job that is outputting the output data included in the print job to the image forming apparatus, and the output data included in the print job. In the case where an unprocessed print job that has not been output to the image forming apparatus is included, the order change instructing unit inputs the print job including the output request before the print job and enters the queue. It is preferable that the print spooler is instructed to change the processing order of the print jobs so that the print job is processed before the unprocessed print job in the stored state.

  With such an image forming apparatus information management system, the processing print job for which output data is already being output to the image forming apparatus is not subject to change of the processing order. If it has been done, the print output will not be interrupted.

Further, the order change instruction means can change the order of print jobs by various methods.
Specifically, for example, the print spooler can suspend a print job arbitrarily designated from among print jobs stored in the queue. When configured to output the output data included in the print job that is not in the paused state, skipping the print job that has been kept in the queue, the paused state, to the image forming apparatus, When the information output requesting unit requests the output of the image forming apparatus information, the order change instructing unit is put before the print job including the output request and stored in the queue. A temporary stop setting instruction means for instructing the print spooler to place a print job in a temporary stop state.

  In such an image forming apparatus information management system, when the information output request unit requests the output of the image forming apparatus information, the pause setting instruction unit is input before the print job including the output request and is queued. Instructs the print spooler to put the stored print job into a paused state.

  In response to this instruction, the print spooler suspends the print job even when there is a print job that is already stored in the queue, thereby including an output request for image forming apparatus information. The print job is processed before the print job in the pause state. As a result, the information acquisition unit can quickly acquire the image forming apparatus information from the image forming apparatus, and the information providing unit can quickly provide the image forming apparatus information to the request source.

  Further, when adopting such a pause setting instruction means, the print spooler manages the order in which the print jobs are stored in the queue by giving order information to the print jobs. The suspension setting instruction means is configured to input a print job stored in the queue before the print job including the output request based on the order information acquired from the print spooler. It is preferable to determine whether the print spooler is a print job and to instruct the print spooler to put the print job into a paused state for a print job submitted before the print job including the output request.

  In the case of such an image forming apparatus information management system, the temporary stop setting instruction means instructs the print spooler to make a temporary stop state for a print job submitted before the print job including the output request. . Therefore, a print job submitted after a print job including an output request is excluded from the suspension target, and the suspension can be efficiently set only for a print job whose output order is a problem. .

  Further, the temporary stop setting instruction means sets the multiple print jobs in the pause state in the order reverse to the order in which the plurality of print jobs are input to the queue when the multiple print jobs are in the pause state. As described above, it is desirable to instruct the print spooler to place each print job in a paused state.

  With such an image forming apparatus information management system, data output by another print job is being executed while processing for temporarily suspending one print job among a plurality of print jobs is being executed. Even if printing is started, a print job that is not set to the paused state at that time must always be ahead of the print job that is the target of executing the process for setting the paused state at that point. Therefore, the processing order of these two print jobs will not be changed.

  Further, when such a pause setting instruction unit is adopted, the computer is put in a pause state when the information acquisition unit acquires the image forming apparatus information from the image forming apparatus. It is preferable that a temporary stop cancellation instructing unit for instructing the print spooler to cancel the temporary stop state of the print job is provided.

  In such an image forming apparatus information management system, when the information acquisition unit acquires the image forming apparatus information from the image forming apparatus, the temporary stop cancellation instructing unit sets the temporary stop of the print job in the paused state. Instructs the print spooler to release the stopped state.

  In response to this instruction, the print spooler cancels the suspended state of the print job that is in the suspended state. As a result, each data output process is resumed for the print job that has been in the suspended state.

  In this case, it is preferable that the temporary stop cancellation instructing unit cancels the temporary stop state of the print job for the print job that is temporarily stopped by the temporary stop setting instruction unit.

  With this configuration, the print job that has been temporarily stopped for some other reason is not forcibly released from the temporary stop state, and the temporary stop setting instruction unit is in the temporary stop state. The suspended state can be canceled only for the print job that has been completed.

  In such a configuration, for example, when the print spooler manages the order in which the print jobs are stored in the queue by giving order information to the print jobs, the pause setting instruction unit For, whether or not the print job stored in the queue is submitted before the print job including the output request is determined based on the order information acquired from the print spooler. And a means for instructing the print spooler to place the print job in a pause state for a print job submitted before the print job including the output request, and the pause setting instruction means An information storage means for storing the order information given to the print job is provided for a print job that has been suspended by an instruction. Regarding the suspension cancellation instruction means, based on the order information stored in the information storage means, the print job that has been suspended by the suspension setting instruction means is identified, and the suspension state of the printing job is released. This can be realized by using means for instructing the print spooler.

  In general, the print spooler is often composed of software modules implemented as a part of an OS that runs on the computer. In this case, the information output requesting unit and the temporary stop setting instruction unit include The software module may be provided separately from the OS. Alternatively, the information output request unit, the suspension setting instruction unit, and the suspension release instruction unit may be configured by a software module provided separately from the OS.

  By adopting such a configuration, when constructing an image forming apparatus information management system, the function of the print spooler that is provided as a standard in the OS can be used. Therefore, what is the print spooler that is provided as a standard in the OS? There is no need to prepare a separate software module corresponding to a print spooler, and the image forming apparatus information management system can be easily constructed accordingly.

The case where the pause setting instruction unit is employed as the order change instruction unit has been described above. However, as the order change instruction unit, a unit other than the pause setting instruction unit can be employed.
Specifically, for example, the print spooler can set the priority of a print job arbitrarily designated among the print jobs stored in the queue. When the print job is configured to be stored in a queue, skip the low priority print job, and output the output data included in the high priority print job to the image forming apparatus. When the information output requesting unit requests the output of the image forming apparatus information, the change instructing unit is a print that has been input and stored in the queue before the print job including the output request. Priority reduction instruction means for instructing the print spooler to lower the job priority may be used.

  In such an image forming apparatus information management system, when the information output request means requests the output of the image forming apparatus information, the priority lowering instruction means is input before the print job including the output request and is queued. Instructs the print spooler to lower the priority of a stored print job.

  In response to this instruction, the print spooler lowers the priority of the print job even when there is a print job that is already stored in the queue, thereby requesting output of the image forming apparatus information. The included print job is processed before the print job whose priority is lowered. As a result, the information acquisition unit can quickly acquire the image forming apparatus information from the image forming apparatus, and the information providing unit can quickly provide the image forming apparatus information to the request source.

  Further, when adopting such a priority lowering instruction unit, the print spooler manages the order in which the print jobs are stored in the queue by giving order information to the print jobs. The priority lowering instruction unit is configured to input a print job stored in the queue before the print job including the output request based on the order information acquired from the print spooler. It is preferable to determine whether the print spooler is a print job and to instruct the print spooler to lower the priority of the print job submitted before the print job including the output request.

  In such an image forming apparatus information management system, the priority lowering instruction unit instructs the print spooler to lower the priority of a print job submitted before the print job including the output request. . Therefore, a print job submitted after a print job including an output request is excluded from the target of lowering the priority, and the priority is efficiently lowered only for a print job whose output order is a problem. Can do.

  The priority lowering instruction unit lowers the priorities in the order reverse to the order in which the plurality of print jobs are input to the queue when lowering the priorities of the plurality of print jobs. Thus, it is desirable to instruct the print spooler to lower the priority of each print job.

  With such an image forming apparatus information management system, data output by another print job is being executed while processing for lowering the priority of one print job among a plurality of print jobs is being executed. Even if printing is started, a print job whose priority is not lowered at that time must always be preceded by a print job for which processing for lowering the priority is executed. Since the print jobs are queued, the processing order of these two print jobs is not changed.

  Further, when such a priority lowering instruction unit is adopted, in addition to this, when the information acquisition unit acquires the image forming apparatus information from the image forming apparatus, the computer decreases the priority. It is preferable to provide priority recovery instruction means for instructing the print spooler to restore the priority of the print job.

  In such an image forming apparatus information management system, when the information acquisition unit acquires the image forming apparatus information from the image forming apparatus, the priority recovery instruction unit performs priority of the print job whose priority is low. Instructs the print spooler to restore the degree.

  Upon receiving this instruction, the print spooler restores the priority of the print job whose priority is lowered. As a result, each data output process is resumed for the print job whose priority has been lowered.

In this case, it is desirable that the priority recovery instruction means restores the priority of the print job to the print job whose priority is lowered by the priority lowering instruction means.
According to this configuration, the priority is not forcibly returned to the original for a print job whose priority has been lowered for some other reason, and the priority lowering instruction unit sets the priority. It is possible to restore the priority to only the lowered print job.

  For example, when the print spooler manages the order in which the print jobs are stored in the queue by giving order information to the print jobs, the priority lowering instruction unit For, whether or not the print job stored in the queue is submitted before the print job including the output request is determined based on the order information acquired from the print spooler. And a means for instructing the print spooler to lower the priority of the print job submitted before the print job including the output request, and the priority reduction instruction means For a print job whose priority is lowered by an instruction, an information storage unit is provided for storing the order information given to the print job. For the return instruction means, the priority lowering instruction means identifies the print job whose priority is lowered based on the order information stored in the information storage means, and returns the priority of the print job to the original. Can be realized by using a means for instructing the print spooler.

  In general, the print spooler is often composed of software modules implemented as a part of an OS running on the computer. In this case, the information output requesting unit and the priority lowering instruction unit The software module may be provided separately from the OS. Alternatively, the information output requesting unit, the priority lowering instruction unit, and the priority recovery instruction unit may be configured by a software module provided separately from the OS.

  By adopting such a configuration, when constructing an image forming apparatus information management system, the function of the print spooler that is provided as a standard in the OS can be used. Therefore, what is the print spooler that is provided as a standard in the OS There is no need to prepare a separate software module corresponding to a print spooler, and the image forming apparatus information management system can be easily constructed accordingly.

  The image forming apparatus information management system that uses the print spooler when transmitting the image forming apparatus information output request to the image forming apparatus has been described above. It is also possible to construct a system that does not use a print spooler when transmitting to the forming apparatus.

Specifically, the image forming apparatus information management system described below is
An image forming apparatus and a computer to which the image forming apparatus is connected. The image forming apparatus receives image forming apparatus information, which is information about the image forming apparatus, in response to a request from a request source. An image forming apparatus information management system provided with information acquisition means acquired from the information acquisition means for providing the image forming apparatus information acquired by the information acquisition means to the request source,
The computer
When the output data to the image forming apparatus is passed, information including the output data is queued and temporarily stored as a print job, and the print jobs stored in the queue are sequentially processed to perform the print A print spooler that outputs the output data included in the job to the image forming apparatus;
A data transmission unit that is interposed between the print spooler and the image forming apparatus and transmits the output data output from the print spooler to the image forming apparatus;
An information output request that requests the image forming apparatus to output the image forming apparatus information by outputting the image forming apparatus information output request to the image forming apparatus without using the print spooler. Means and
The information output requesting unit requests the image forming apparatus to output the image forming apparatus information during a period from when the data transmitting unit starts transmitting output data corresponding to one print job to when it ends. It is characterized by not being configured.

  In this image forming apparatus information management system, the information output requesting means outputs an output request for image forming apparatus information to the image forming apparatus without using a print spooler, so that the information output request means is kept in a queue. Even when there are print jobs, an output request for image forming apparatus information can be transmitted to the image forming apparatus separately from the print jobs. Therefore, according to the image forming apparatus information management system, the image forming apparatus information is more quickly transmitted from the image forming apparatus than the system that outputs the output request of the image forming apparatus information to the image forming apparatus using the print spooler. The image forming apparatus information can be promptly provided to the request source.

  In addition, in this image forming apparatus information management system, the information output requesting unit outputs the image forming apparatus information from when the data transmission unit starts to transmit the output data corresponding to one print job. The image forming apparatus is configured not to request it. Therefore, there is no possibility that the information output requesting unit interferes with the output process by the print spooler.

  Note that the information output requesting unit does not request the image forming apparatus to output the image forming apparatus information until the data transmitting unit starts and ends the transmission of the output data corresponding to one print job. Specifically, for example, the computer includes an exclusive information providing unit that provides exclusive information that cannot be acquired by both the information output request unit and the data transmission unit at the same time. The means does not request the image forming apparatus to output the image forming apparatus information when the exclusive information is not acquired from the exclusive information providing means, and the data transmission means The transmission of the output data is started after the exclusion information is acquired from, and when the transmission of the output data is completed, the exclusion information is acquired. You can adopt a configuration that releases the state.

  For example, when Windows (registered trademark) of Microsoft Corporation is adopted as the OS, the print spooler is configured by a software module mounted as a part of the OS operating on the computer, and the data transmission means is The language monitor, which is a software module provided separately from the OS, and the port monitor, which is a software module implemented as part of the OS, outputs the output data output from the print spooler. A system configured to transmit to the image forming apparatus via the language monitor and the port monitor is known, but in this case (or a system employing an equivalent module configuration), the language monitor The printing When there is a transmission request for the output data from a spooler, the exclusive information is obtained from the exclusive information providing means, and then a response to the transmission request for the output data is returned to the print spooler. When the output data is output from the print spooler, the transmission of the output data is started, and when the end of transmission of the output data is notified from the print spooler, the state where the exclusive information is acquired is released. Good.

  With this configuration, the necessary functions are incorporated into the language monitor, which is a software module provided separately from the OS, while using the print spooler and port monitor, which are software modules implemented as part of the OS, as they are. Thus, the image forming apparatus information management system can be easily constructed.

Furthermore, even when a configuration other than the above is adopted, a system that does not use a print spooler can be constructed when an output request for image forming apparatus information is transmitted to the image forming apparatus.
Specifically, the image forming apparatus information management system described below is
An image forming apparatus and a computer to which the image forming apparatus is connected. The image forming apparatus receives image forming apparatus information, which is information about the image forming apparatus, in response to a request from a request source. An image forming apparatus information management system provided with information acquisition means acquired from the information acquisition means for providing the image forming apparatus information acquired by the information acquisition means to the request source,
The computer
When the output data to the image forming apparatus is passed, information including the output data is queued and temporarily stored as a print job, and the print jobs stored in the queue are sequentially processed to perform the print A print spooler that outputs the output data included in the job to the image forming apparatus;
A data transmission unit that is interposed between the print spooler and the image forming apparatus and transmits the output data output from the print spooler to the image forming apparatus;
An information output request that requests the image forming apparatus to output the image forming apparatus information by outputting the image forming apparatus information output request to the image forming apparatus without using the print spooler. Means and
The data transmission means acquires the image forming apparatus information from the image forming apparatus after the information output request means requests the image forming apparatus to output the image forming apparatus information. The output data is configured not to be transmitted to the image forming apparatus until.

  Also in this image forming apparatus information management system, the information output request means outputs the output request for the image forming apparatus information to the image forming apparatus without using the print spooler. Even if there are print jobs that are present, an output request for image forming apparatus information can be transmitted to the image forming apparatus separately from those print jobs. Therefore, according to the image forming apparatus information management system, the image forming apparatus information is more quickly transmitted from the image forming apparatus than the system that outputs the output request of the image forming apparatus information to the image forming apparatus using the print spooler. The image forming apparatus information can be promptly provided to the request source.

  In addition, in this image forming apparatus information management system, the data transmission means, after the information output request means requests the image forming apparatus to output the image forming apparatus information, the information acquisition means forms the image forming apparatus information. The output data is not transmitted to the image forming apparatus until it is acquired from the apparatus. Therefore, there is no possibility that the data transmission means interferes with the output request processing of the image forming apparatus information by the information output request means.

  The data transmission means outputs the output data after the information output request means requests the image forming apparatus to output the image forming apparatus information until the information acquisition means acquires the image forming apparatus information from the image forming apparatus. As a specific configuration for preventing the information from being transmitted to the image forming apparatus, for example, the computer provides exclusive information providing means for providing exclusive information that cannot be obtained simultaneously by both the information output requesting means and the data transmitting means The data transmission means does not transmit the output data to the image forming apparatus when the exclusive information is not acquired from the exclusive information providing means, and the information output request means After obtaining the exclusive information from the information providing means, the image forming apparatus requests the image forming apparatus to output the image forming apparatus information, and also acquires the information. After means acquires the image forming apparatus information from the image forming apparatus can employ a configuration that releases the state acquired the exclusive information.

  For example, when Windows (registered trademark) of Microsoft Corporation is adopted as the OS, the print spooler is configured by a software module mounted as a part of the OS operating on the computer, and the data transmission means is The language monitor, which is a software module provided separately from the OS, and the port monitor, which is a software module implemented as part of the OS, outputs the output data output from the print spooler. A system configured to transmit to the image forming apparatus via the language monitor and the port monitor is known, but in this case (or a system employing an equivalent module configuration), the language monitor Is the exclusive information When the exclusive information is not acquired from the providing means, even if there is a transmission request for the output data from the print spooler, a response to the transmission request is not returned to the print spooler, and the output data from the print spooler It is preferable that the output data is not transmitted to the image forming apparatus by waiting for the output.

  With this configuration, the necessary functions are incorporated into the language monitor, which is a software module provided separately from the OS, while using the print spooler and port monitor, which are software modules implemented as part of the OS, as they are. Thus, the image forming apparatus information management system can be easily constructed.

In addition, the program for the image forming apparatus information management system described below is
An image forming apparatus and a computer to which the image forming apparatus is connected. The image forming apparatus receives image forming apparatus information, which is information about the image forming apparatus, in response to a request from a request source. And an information providing means for providing the image forming apparatus information obtained by the information obtaining means to the request source, and the computer further comprises the image forming apparatus. When the output data is passed to, information including the output data is queued as a print job and temporarily stored, and the print jobs stored in the queue are sequentially processed to be included in the print job. An image forming apparatus information management system comprising a print spooler that outputs the output data to the image forming apparatus. Wherein a program used for causing a computer to function as,
As a process to be executed by the computer,
By passing the output request of the image forming apparatus information to the print spooler, the information including the output request is input to the queue as the print job by using the function of the print spooler, and is included in the print job. Information output request processing for requesting the image forming apparatus to output the image forming apparatus information by outputting the output request to the image forming apparatus;
By executing the information output request processing, when the output of the image forming apparatus information is requested, the print job including the output request is input before the print job and stored in the queue. And changing the order of the print jobs so that the print jobs are processed before the print job. The order change instructing process for instructing the print spooler.

  According to the program for the image forming apparatus information management system, the computer can function as a part of the above-described image forming apparatus information management system.

  As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus information management system capable of quickly providing information relating to an image forming apparatus to a request source.

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with an example.
[First Embodiment]
First, the first embodiment will be described.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a network system in which a plurality of personal computers are connected to each other via a LAN (Local Area Network).
The image forming apparatus information management system exemplified as an embodiment of the present invention is configured as a system that operates on the personal computers 1, 1 ′, 1 ′..., And responds to requests from the personal computer 2. The printer information of the printers 3, 3 ', 3 "... connected to 1', 1" ... is provided to the personal computer 2. The personal computer 2 includes the personal computers 1, 1 ', .. Is acquired, and printer information of the printers 3, 3 ′, 3 ″,... Connected to the personal computers 1, 1 ′, 1 ″,. In the following description, the personal computer 2 that manages printer information is referred to as a management PC 2, and the personal computers 1, 1 ′, 1 ″,... Managed by the management PC 2 are referred to as managed PCs 1, 1 ′, 1 ″,.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the managed PC 1 includes a control unit 101 mainly composed of a CPU 111, a ROM 112, a RAM 113, and the like, and an I / F unit 102 for connecting the control unit 101 and various devices. A main body unit 11, an input unit 12 such as a keyboard and a pointing device, a display unit 13 such as a display, and an auxiliary storage unit 14 such as a hard disk.

  Windows (registered trademark) is installed in the main body 11 as an OS (Operating System), and functions commonly used by applications such as a printer I / F function unit 121, a LAN I / F function unit 122, and a print spooler 123. Is composed of software modules implemented as part of the OS. In addition, the OS also provides input / output functions such as keyboard input and screen output, and functions such as hard disk and memory management. As long as an equivalent function can be realized, the managed PC 1 may be mounted with another OS (for example, Linux (registered trademark), MacOS (registered trademark), etc.), but in the following description, The description will be continued on the assumption that the managed PC 1 has various functions provided by Windows (registered trademark).

  The I / F unit 102 of the main unit 11 includes a LAN I / F 114 such as a LAN card, USB (Universal Serial Bus), in addition to the I / F with the input unit 12, the display unit 13, and the auxiliary storage unit 14 described above. A printer I / F 115 such as a port or a parallel port is provided. The managed PC 1 is connected to the LAN via a LAN cable connected to the LAN I / F 114, and is connected via a printer cable connected to the printer I / F 115. The management PC 1 and the printer 3 are connected.

  The managed PC 1 is installed with software for realizing a function of acquiring printer information from the printer 3 connected to the managed PC 1 and providing the printer information to the management PC 2. This software is installed on the CPU 111. Is configured to function as the printer information acquisition unit 124.

The managed PCs 1 ′, 1 ″,... Are configured in the same manner as the managed PC 1 and have the same functions as the managed PC 1. Therefore, detailed description thereof is omitted.
The management PC 2 is basically configured in the same manner as the managed PC 1 and includes a main body unit 21, an input unit 22, a display unit 23, an auxiliary storage unit 24, and the like. The main body unit 21 includes Windows as an OS. (Registered trademark) is installed. As long as the management PC 2 can realize an equivalent function, another OS (for example, Linux (registered trademark), MacOS (registered trademark), etc.) may be mounted. However, in the following description, the management PC 2 The description will be continued on the assumption that various functions provided by Windows (registered trademark) are provided.

  This management PC 2 requests the computers on the network such as the managed PCs 1, 1 ′, 1 ″... To provide information regarding the printers 3, 3 ′, 3 ″. In response to the request, software for realizing a function of collectively managing printer information provided from other computers is installed.

  The printers 3, 3 ', 3 "... are managed printers to be managed by the management PC 2. These printers 3, 3', 3" ... are all compatible with a printer job language (PJL). It is a thing.

  Next, management PC side processing executed in the management PC 2 will be described based on the flowchart of FIG. This management PC side process is a process that is started when the operator performs a predetermined operation in the management PC 2, for example.

  When this process is started, the management PC 2 first waits until a management target printer server is extracted on the console screen (S101). More specifically, the management PC 2 enters a standby state by displaying a console screen 41 as shown in FIG. On the console screen 41, a printer server name selection column 43, a printer information display column 45, an OK button 47, an end button 49, and the like are displayed. The printer server name selection column 43 is an input column that displays a list of selectable printer server names in a drop-down menu format, and allows one of them to be selected by the operator. The names (= printer server names) assigned to each of “... Are displayed in a list. When the operator performs an operation of selecting one printer server name in the printer server name selection field 43, the management PC 2 Assuming that the printer server name has been extracted, the process proceeds to the next process.

  Subsequently, the management PC 2 activates an RPC client (S103). RPC (Remote Procedure Call) is a technology for software (RPC client) operating on one computer to call and execute functions provided by software (RPC server) operating on another computer operating on a network. In this embodiment, the RPC client is activated in the management PC 2 and, as will be described later, the RPC server is activated in each of the managed PCs 1, 1 ′, 1 ″... (S201 in FIG. 5). ), Remote management of managed PCs 1, 1 ′, 1 ″... Is realized from the management PC 2 side.

  Then, it waits for an instruction from the console screen (S105), and the operator clicks the OK button 47 on the console screen 41 with a pointing device such as a mouse (or a function equivalent to the operation is assigned). When an instruction is given by performing an operation of pressing a shortcut key (the same applies hereinafter), the printer information is read from the managed PC (S107).

  More specifically, the management PC 2 requests the managed PC to provide printer information by making an RPC call to the managed PC using the function of the RPC client. The process on the managed PC side will be described in detail later, but when the RPC server is activated on the managed PC side and receives an RPC call from the managed PC 2, the managed PC side acquires printer information from the printer. Processing is performed, and the acquired printer information is provided (returned) to the management PC 2 as an RPC return value. In this way, the management PC 2 reads the printer information provided from the managed PC side.

  In the process of S107, the managed PC from which the printer information is to be read is the managed PC selected in the process of S101 among the managed PCs 1, 1 ′, 1 ″,. All of the printers locally connected to the managed PC from which the printer information is to be read. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. The printers 3, 3 ′, 3 ″... Are connected to the printers 3, 3 ′, 3 ″..., But a plurality of printers are connected to each managed PC 1, 1 ′, 1 ″. In that case, printer information is read from all of the plurality of printers.

  When the printer information is acquired in this way, the printer information is displayed in the printer information display field 45 on the console screen 41 (S109). Then, once the RPC client is terminated (S111) and an operation for clicking the end button on the console screen 41 has been performed (S113: YES), the present process is terminated, while an operation for clicking the end button is performed. If not (S113: NO), the process returns to S101.

  The above is the process executed on the management PC 2 side, and the managed PC side process is executed on each of the managed PCs 1, 1 ′, 1 ″... In parallel with this process. The PC side processing will be described with reference to the flowcharts of Fig. 5 and Fig. 6. The managed PC side processing is executed in each managed PC 1, 1 ', 1 "... A process executed on the managed PC 1 will be described.

  This process on the managed PC side is a process that is always executed by the printer information acquisition unit 124 in the managed PC 1. For example, the printer information acquisition unit 124 is preferably configured by software set to start operation and become a resident process when the managed PC 1 enters an operating state. Alternatively, it may be configured to automatically start when at least one printer locally connected to the managed PC 1 enters an operating state.

  When this process is started, the printer information acquisition unit 124 first activates the RPC server (S201) and waits for an RPC call (S203). As described above, the RPC is used in the present embodiment to realize remote management of the managed PC 1 from the management PC 2 side. In the processing of S203, the processing of S107 described above is executed. When the RPC call is received from the RPC client on the management PC 2 side, a request for providing printer information is notified from the management PC 2 side, and the process proceeds to the next process.

  When an RPC call is received from the management PC 2 side, the printer information acquisition unit 124 executes processing for reading printer information from the printer (S205). Specifically, the printer information reading process is as shown in FIG.

  When the printer information reading process is started, the printer information acquisition unit 124 first extracts an unprocessed printer (S301). The term “unprocessed printer” as used herein refers to a printer that has not yet been treated as a processing target by this processing among all the printers connected to the managed PC 1, and there are one or more such unprocessed printers. If it exists, one of them is extracted as a processing target.

  Subsequently, when there is an unprocessed printer in the process of S301 (S303: NO), it is checked whether or not the extracted printer is a local printer (S305). If the extracted printer is not a local printer (S305: NO), the process returns to S301. On the other hand, if the extracted printer is a local printer (S305: NO), the process proceeds to S307. As a result of the processing in S303 and S305, only when there is an unprocessed local printer, the process proceeds to S307, and when the network printer is excluded from the processing target and there is no unprocessed printer. This processing is finished.

  When the process proceeds to S307, the printer information acquisition unit 124 executes the PJL transmission process (S307). The PJL (printer job language) to be transmitted in step S307 includes, for example, a command for checking the remaining amount of toner or ink, a command for checking the remaining amount of recording paper, a command for checking the drum replacement time, etc. These PJL commands are stored in the command file 132 in the auxiliary storage unit 14.

  Incidentally, in the PJL transmission process of S307, more specifically, the printer information acquisition unit 124 reads the PJL command from the command file 132 and transmits the PJL command to the printer 3 side to the print spooler 123. It is processing to transmit. Therefore, at the time of the processing of S307, the PJL command is merely put in the queue 131 as a print job, and the PJL command is not always output to the printer 3 side immediately. In particular, when the print data passed to the print spooler 123 prior to the PJL command is stored in the queue 131 as a print job, the print spooler 123 normally processes the print jobs stored in the queue 131 in the order of storage. In some cases, a considerable time may be required until the PJL command is output to the printer 3 side.

Therefore, in this process, following the process of S307, the following process is executed to change the processing order of the PJL commands.
First, the printer information acquisition unit 124 extracts an unprocessed JOB (S309). As illustrated in FIG. 7A, the queue 131 stores a plurality of print jobs, and each print job is given an ID (JOB ID). This ID is usually a numerical value that increases as the storage order in the queue 131 becomes later, and when it increases to some extent, it returns to 0 and circulates (the maximum value is undefined). In the processing of S309, one print job is extracted in order from the larger ID among the print jobs stored in the queue 131.

  Subsequently, when there is no print job extracted in the process of S309 (S311: YES), since the PJL command has already been output to the printer 3, the process proceeds to the process of S323 described later.

  On the other hand, if there is a print job extracted in the process of S309 (S311: NO), the ID assigned to the print job of the PJL command is N, and the ID of the extracted print job is N or later (greater than N) ) Is checked (S313). At this time, the comparison is performed in consideration of the case where the ID is circulated and returned to 0. If the ID is N or later (S313: YES), it can be determined that the extracted print job is a print job of the PJL command or a print job stored in the queue 131 after the print job of the PJL command. Since the order is not changed, the process returns to S309.

  In the process of S313, if the ID of the extracted print job is not N or later (S313: NO), it is checked whether or not the extracted print job is in the PAUSE state (S315). If it is in the PAUSE state (S315: YES), the extracted print JOB is in the PAUSE state for some reason (for example, upon receiving an instruction from the user), and the print spooler can be left as it is. Since 123 is not handled as an output process target to the printer 3, the process returns to S309.

  On the other hand, if the extracted print job is not in the PAUSE state (S315: NO), it is checked whether or not the extracted print job is being printed (S317). If printing is in progress (S317: YES), the processing order is not changed in this embodiment, and the process returns to S309.

  In the process of S317, when the extracted print job is not being printed (S317: NO), the print spooler 123 is instructed to set the extracted print job to the PAUSE state (S319). As a result, the extracted print job is in the PAUSE state. Then, the ID of the extracted print job is additionally registered in the list (S321), and the process returns to S309. The list for additionally registering IDs in the process of S321 is a list as shown in FIG.

  The processes in S309 to S321 described above are repeatedly executed while an unprocessed JOB is extracted in the process of S309. For example, there is a print job with ID = N−1 to N + 2 shown in FIG. If there is, print jobs are extracted in order from the N + 2 side with the largest ID. The print jobs of ID = N to N + 2, which are IDs after N, are not subject to the change of the processing order, and the print jobs of ID = N−1 to N−3 have the large ID on the N−1 side. The PAUSE state is set in order, and the ID is registered in the list shown in FIG. 7B. A print job with ID = N-4 is not subject to change in processing order because it is being printed, and ID = N-4. Since the unprocessed JOB is no longer extracted in the process of S309 after the print job JOB is extracted, the process shifts from the process of S311 to the process of S323. Accordingly, as a result of the processing of S309 to S321, the print jobs of ID = N-1 to N-4 that have been put in the queue 131 prior to the print job of the PJL command with ID = N are being printed. Except for the print job with ID = N-4, all are set to the PAUSE state. As a result, when the print with the print job with ID = N-4 being printed is completed, the next print job for the PJL command with ID = N The processing order is changed so that is processed.

  Now, after shifting from the process of S311 to the process of S323, the printer information acquisition unit 124 acquires the printer information by receiving the readback data from the printer 3 (S323). The read back from the printer 3 is not transmitted from the printer 3 side until the PJL command is sent from the print spooler 123 to the printer 3 side. Therefore, in the process of S323, the read back data is transmitted from the printer 3 side. Repeat reception until is returned.

  When the printer information is acquired, the PAUSE unreleased JOB having the ID registered in the list in the process of S321 is extracted (S325). If there is an extracted PAUSE unreleased JOB (S327: NO), the print job of the print JOB is extracted. The print spooler 123 is instructed to cancel the PAUSE state (S329). As a result, the extracted print job is released from the PAUSE state. When the process of S329 is completed, the process returns to the process of S325, and the processes of S325 to S329 are repeated. If there is no extracted PAUSE unreleased JOB during this repeated process (S327: YES), the process returns to S301. Returning to the processing of S301 in this way, the processing for the local printer that has been the processing target in S307 and thereafter is finished.

  Thereafter, the processes of S301 to S329 are repeated in the same manner, so that all the printers available from the managed PC 1 are processed. Among them, the processes of S307 to S329 are performed for the local printer. Printer information is acquired from the local printer. If there is no unprocessed printer as a result of the process of S301 (that is, the process for all printers has been completed) (S303: YES), this process ends.

  When the processing of S301 to S329 is completed in this way, the processing of S205 shown in FIG. 5 is completed. Subsequently, the managed PC 1 returns printer information as an RPC return value to the management PC 2. (S207). The printer information returned here is all the printer information acquired in the process of S205. The printer information returned to the management PC 2 by the process of S207 is read on the management PC 2 side by the process of S107 described above.

  Note that this process is preferably performed on the managed PC 1 side at all times. Normally, the operator does not perform an operation of clicking the end button (S209: NO), so the process proceeds to S203. And wait until an RPC call is received again. However, an interface for the operator to click the end button is also prepared. When the operator clicks the end button (S209: YES), the RPC server is ended (S211), and this processing is finished. .

  As described above, this image forming apparatus information management system has means (information output request means) for executing the processing of S307, and includes a PJL command (output request) using the function of the print spooler 123. Information is input to the queue 131 as a print job, and a PJL command included in the print job is output to the printer (image forming apparatus), thereby requesting the printer to output printer information (image forming apparatus information). . When the output of the printer information is requested, the means for executing the processing of S309 to S321 (order change instruction means or pause setting instruction means) sends the print job including the PJL command before the print job. The print spooler 123 is instructed to change the processing order of the print jobs so that the print jobs are processed before the print jobs stored in the queue 131.

  In response to this instruction, the print spooler 123 changes the processing order so that the print job including the PJL command is processed first even when there is a print job already stored in the queue 131. Thereby, the print job including the PJL command is processed before the other print jobs. As a result, the means for executing the processing of S323 (information acquisition means) can quickly acquire the printer information from the printer, and the means for executing the processing of S207 (information providing means) for the printer information is the management PC 2 (request source). Provide against.

  Therefore, according to the image forming apparatus information management system, printer information can be acquired from the printer more quickly than in a system that simply processes print jobs in order, and the printer information is quickly transmitted to the management PC 2. Can be provided.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment will be described.
However, the image forming apparatus information management system exemplified below is different from the first embodiment only in the printer information reading process shown in FIG. 6 in the first embodiment. Since there is no difference from the form, only the printer information reading process in the managed PC 1 will be described in detail based on the flowchart of FIG. 8, and the description of the parts equivalent to those in the first embodiment will be omitted.

  In the image forming apparatus information management system according to the second embodiment, when the printer information reading process corresponding to the process of S205 is started, the printer information acquisition unit 124 first extracts an unprocessed printer (S401). If there is an unprocessed printer in the process (S403: NO), if the extracted printer is not a local printer (S405: NO), the process returns to S401, while the extracted printer is a local printer ( (S405: NO), the process proceeds to S407. The processes of S401 to S405 are the same as the processes of S301 to S305 described above.

  When the process proceeds to S407, the printer information acquisition unit 124 executes PJL transmission processing with priority = 99 (S407). The PJL (printer job language) to be transmitted in the process of S407 is similar to the process of S307 described above, a command for checking the remaining amount of toner or ink, a command for checking the remaining amount of recording paper, and drum replacement A command for checking the timing is different from the first embodiment in that priority = 99 is set for the print job of the PJL command.

  This priority can be set to a value from 1 to 99 for each print job by giving a command to the print spooler 123 by calling an API (Application Program Interface). The value specified here is the print spooler. The print spooler 123 determines the processing order based on the high priority and the print job input timing.

  Subsequently, an unprocessed JOB is extracted (S409). If there is no extracted print JOB (S411: YES), the process proceeds to S423, while if a print JOB exists (S411: NO). The ID assigned to the print job of the PJL command is N, and it is checked whether the ID of the extracted print job is N or later (greater than N) (S413). At this time, the comparison is performed in consideration of the case where the ID is circulated and returned to 0. If the ID is N or later (S413: YES), the process returns to S409. On the other hand, if the ID is not N or later (S413: NO), it is checked whether the extracted print job is being printed. (S417). If printing is in progress (S417: YES), the process returns to S409. On the other hand, if printing is not in progress (S417: NO), the priority of the extracted print job is set to 1 (print spooler). 123 is instructed (S419). As a result, the priority of the extracted print job is 1. Then, the ID of the extracted print job and the priority before change are additionally registered in the list (S421), and the process returns to S409. The list for additionally registering the ID and the pre-change priority in the process of S421 is a list as shown in FIG. 9B.

  The processes of S409 to S421 described above are repeatedly executed while an unprocessed job is extracted in the process of S409. For example, there is a print job with ID = N−1 to N + 2 shown in FIG. If there is, print jobs are extracted in order from the N + 2 side with the largest ID. The print jobs of ID = N to N + 2, which are IDs after N, are not subject to the change of the processing order, and the print jobs of ID = N−1 to N−3 have the large ID on the N−1 side. The priority and the priority before change are registered in the list shown in FIG. 9B, and the print job with ID = N-4 is being printed. Instead, after the print job with ID = N-4 is extracted, the unprocessed JOB is not extracted in the process of S409, and the process proceeds from the process of S411 to the process of S423. Therefore, as a result of the processing of S409 to S421, the print jobs of ID = N-1 to N-4 that have been put in the queue 131 before the print job of the PJL command with ID = N are being printed. Except for the print job of ID = N-4, all the priorities = 1.

  As a result, when printing by ID = N-4, which is printing, is completed, the print spooler 123 sets ID = 1 print job with priority = 99 and priority = 1. The processing order is changed so that the processing is performed before the print jobs of ID = N-1 to N-3.

  When the process proceeds from the process of S411 to the process of S423, the printer information acquisition unit 124 acquires the printer information by receiving the readback data from the printer 3 (S423), and the list is obtained by the process of S421. A priority unrecovered JOB having the registered ID is extracted (S425). If there is an extracted priority unrecovered JOB (S427: NO), the priority of the print job is recovered (before change registered in the list). Is designated) to the print spooler 123 (S429). As a result, the priority of the extracted print job is returned to the original value. Then, when the process of S429 is completed, the process returns to S425, and the processes of S425 to S429 are repeated. In this iterative process, when there is no extracted priority unrecovered JOB (S427: YES), the process returns to S401. When the process returns to S401 in this way, the process for the local printer that has been the target of processing in S407 and thereafter is finished.

  Thereafter, the processing of S401 to S429 is repeated in the same manner, so that processing is performed for all printers that can be used from the managed PC 1. Among them, the processing of S407 to S429 is performed for the local printer. Printer information is acquired from the local printer. If there is no unprocessed printer as a result of the processing in S401 (that is, processing for all the printers has been completed) (S403: YES), this processing ends.

  As described above, the image forming apparatus information management system according to the second embodiment also has means (information output request means) for executing the processing of S407 and uses the function of the print spooler 123 to execute the PJL command. Information including (output request) is input to the queue 131 as a print job and the printer information (image forming apparatus information) is output to the printer (image forming apparatus) by outputting the PJL command included in the print job to the printer (image forming apparatus). ) Output. When the output of the printer information is requested, the means (order changing instruction means or priority lowering instruction means) for executing the processes of S409 to S421 causes the print job including the PJL command to be input before the print job. The print spooler 123 is instructed to change the processing order of the print jobs so that the print jobs are processed before the print jobs stored in the queue 131.

  In response to this instruction, the print spooler 123 changes the processing order so that the print job including the PJL command is processed first even when there is a print job already stored in the queue 131. Thereby, the print job including the PJL command is processed before the other print jobs. As a result, the means for executing the process of S423 (information acquisition means) can quickly acquire the printer information from the printer, and the means for executing the process of S207 described in the first embodiment (information providing means). Provided to the management PC 2 (request source).

  Therefore, according to the image forming apparatus information management system, printer information can be acquired from the printer more quickly than in a system that simply processes print jobs in order, and the printer information is quickly transmitted to the management PC 2. Can be provided.

[Third Embodiment]
Next, a third embodiment will be described.
The image forming apparatus information management system exemplified below also details differences from the first embodiment, and a description of parts equivalent to the first embodiment is omitted.

  In the first and second embodiments, the PJL command is output to the printer 3 via the print spooler 123. However, in the third embodiment, the printer does not pass the PJL command to the print spooler 123. 3 is adopted.

  Specifically, in this embodiment, the spooler system in the managed PC 1 is configured as a system including a print spooler 123, a language monitor 141, and a port monitor 142 as shown in FIG. An application 151 that performs print output using 123 transmits print data to the print spooler 123. The print data transferred to the print spooler 123 is transmitted to the physical layer driver 152 via the language monitor 141 and the port monitor 142 and finally reaches the printer 3. As in the case of the application 151, the system of the first and second embodiments adopts a configuration in which a PJL command is passed to the print spooler 123 and output to the printer 3 through the same transmission path as other print data. However, the system of the third embodiment outputs the PJL command to the printer 3 without passing it to the print spooler 123 by passing it directly to the physical layer driver 152.

  However, in the case of the first and second embodiments, since the PJL command and other print data used in this system are both processed in order in the print spooler 123, there is a situation in which they are output simultaneously. In the case of the third embodiment, the system and the print spooler 123 output the PJL command and other print data at the same time, so that both data are mixed and the printer 3 side. May not be able to perform appropriate processing on the printer 3 side.

  Therefore, in the image forming apparatus information management system of the third embodiment, exclusive control is performed with respect to the output of the PJL command and the output of other print data used in this system. Specifically, for example, when Windows (registered trademark) is used as the OS, mutual control can be performed between different processes using a mutex or the like.

  Hereinafter, specific processing will be described based on the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. FIG. 11 is a flowchart corresponding to the printer information reading process shown in FIG. 6 in the first embodiment.

  When this process is started, first, the process waits until the end of printing (S501). Specifically, a mutex assigned with a predetermined name is acquired, and if acquisition fails, it can be determined that printing by the print spooler 123 is being performed, so the system waits until acquisition of the mutex is successful. .

  If the mutex is successfully acquired in the process of S501, it can be determined that printing by the print spooler 123 has not been performed, so the PJL transmission process is executed (S502). In the process of S502, a PJL command similar to the process of S307 described above is transmitted to the printer 3, but this PJL command is not passed to the print spooler 123, but the printer provided by the port monitor 142. Sent directly to the port. Thereafter, the printer information is acquired by receiving the readback data from the printer 3 (S503), and the present process ends. When this processing is finished, the acquired mutex is released.

  On the other hand, in order to realize exclusive control with the processing shown in FIG. 11, the above-described language monitor 141 executes the print data processing shown in FIG. This process is started when the print spooler 123 calls “StartDocPort” which is one of API (Application Program Interface) in order to output print data via the language monitor 141.

  When this process is started, the language monitor 141 waits until the end of the printer information reading process (S601). Specifically, a mutex assigned with a predetermined name is acquired, and if the acquisition fails, it can be determined that the printer information reading process shown in FIG. Wait until At this time, the print spooler 123 has called “StartDocPort”, but does not return a response to the print spooler 123. Therefore, the print spooler 123 enters a standby state without proceeding to the subsequent print data output process.

  If the mutex is successfully acquired in the process of S601, it can be determined that the printer information reading process has not been performed. Henceforth, a process equivalent to a general language monitor is executed. That is, processing corresponding to “StartDocPort” called from the print spooler 123 is executed (S603), processing corresponding to “WritePort” is executed (S605), and data passed from the print spooler 123 is not finished. (S607: NO), returning to the process of S605 again, the process according to “WritePort” is repeated, and when the data passed from the print spooler 123 is completed (S607: YES), the process according to “EndDocPort” is executed. (S609), and this process is finished. When this processing is finished, the acquired mutex is released. Further, the processing according to “StartDocPort” (S603), the processing according to “WritePort” (S605), and the processing according to “EndDocPort” (S609) are all different from the known processing in this type of language monitor. There is no detailed description here.

  As long as the two processes described above are not executed in parallel, the process proceeds without waiting for any of the processes. However, when executed in parallel, the person who started the process first is in the standby state. While the process proceeds without becoming, the person who starts the process later enters a standby state and waits for the process that started first to finish.

  Specifically, in the timing chart shown in FIG. 13, as shown in FIG. 13A, when “StartDocPort” is called in the thread of the print spooler 123 (spooler side thread in FIG. 13), the language monitor 141 The mutex is acquired, processing corresponding to “StartDocPort” is executed, and thereafter, “WritePort” and “EndDocPort” are called to perform print job processing.

  During this process, even if the thread that outputs the PJL command of this system (the management program thread in FIG. 13) starts the printer information reading process, it remains in a standby state until the language monitor 141 releases the mutex. After the monitor 141 releases the mutex, the PJL transmission process and the readback reception process are executed.

  On the other hand, in the timing chart shown in FIG. 13, when the thread (the management program thread in FIG. 13) that outputs the PJL command of this system starts the printer information reading process as shown in (b), this thread Acquires a mutex and executes PJL transmission processing and readback reception processing.

  During this process, even if “StartDocPort” is called in the thread of the print spooler 123 (spooler-side thread in FIG. 13), the process according to “StartDocPort” is not executed until the system releases the mutex. As a result, the language monitor 141 and the print spooler 123 are in a standby state. When the mutex is released, processing corresponding to “StartDocPort” is executed for the first time at that time, and thereafter, “WritePort” and “EndDocPort” are called to perform print job processing.

  As described above, in the image forming apparatus information management system according to the third embodiment, the means (information output request means) for executing the processing of S502 uses the print spooler 123 for the PJL command (output request). Therefore, even if there are print jobs stored in the queue 131, a PJL command can be transmitted to the printer 3 separately from those print jobs. Therefore, according to this image forming apparatus information management system, the printer information can be acquired from the printer 3 more quickly than the system that outputs the PJL command to the printer 3 using the print spooler 123, and the management PC 2 Printer information can be promptly provided to (requester).

  In addition, in this image forming apparatus information management system, the means for executing the process of S502 (information output request means) is provided with the process of S501 so that the language monitor 141 (data transmission means) corresponds to one print job. The printer 3 is configured not to request the printer 3 to output the printer information from the start to the end of transmission of the output data. Therefore, there is no possibility that the means (information output request means) for executing the process of S502 will interfere with the output process by the print spooler.

  In this image forming apparatus information management system, the language monitor 141 (data transmission means) is provided with the process of S601, so that the means for executing the process of S502 (information output requesting means) outputs the printer information to the printer 3. The output data is not transmitted to the printer 3 until the means (information acquisition means) for executing the processing of S503 acquires the printer information from the printer 3 after the request is made. Therefore, there is no possibility that the language monitor 141 (data transmission unit) interferes with the printer information output request process by the unit (information output request unit) that executes the process of S502.

As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to said specific one Embodiment, In addition, it can implement with a various form.
For example, in the third embodiment, the language monitor 141 is introduced with a mechanism for waiting for data output from the print spooler 123, but a specific example for preventing the output data via the print spooler 123 from reaching the printer 3 is described. The target means may be another mechanism. For example, the port monitor 142 may suspend the response to the language monitor 141 so that the output data via the print spooler 123 does not reach the printer 3.

  Further, in the first embodiment, it has been described that the printer information is displayed on the management PC 2. However, a Web server function is introduced into the management PC 2 and the printer information is distributed to the client PC in the Web page format. Then, the printer information can be viewed on any PC on the network equipped with a browser.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the hardware illustrated in the said embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of managed PC. It is a flowchart of management PC side processing. It is a figure which shows the console screen displayed on management PC. It is a flowchart of managed PC side processing. 5 is a flowchart of printer information reading processing in the first embodiment. (A) is a diagram showing print jobs stored in a queue, and (b) is a diagram showing a list in which IDs of print jobs in a PAUSE state are registered. 10 is a flowchart of printer information reading processing according to the second embodiment. (A) is a diagram showing a print job stored in the queue, (b) is a diagram showing a list in which the ID of a print job whose priority has been changed and the priority before the change is registered. It is a schematic block diagram of the spooler system with which managed PC1 is provided. 10 is a flowchart of printer information reading processing in the third embodiment. 6 is a flowchart of print data processing in a language monitor. It is a timing chart which shows the state of exclusive control.

Explanation of symbols

  1, 1 ', 1 "... managed PC (personal computer), 2 ... management PC (personal computer), 3, 3', 3" ... printer, 11, 21 ... main body, 12, 22 ... input unit, 13, 23 ... display unit, 14, 24 ... auxiliary storage unit, 41 ... console screen, 43 ... printer server name selection column, 45 ... printer Information display column, 47 ... OK button, 49 ... End button, 101 ... Control unit, 102 ... I / F unit, 111 ... CPU, 112 ... ROM, 113 ... RAM 121, printer I / F function section 122, LAN I / F function section 123, print spooler 124, printer information acquisition section 131, queue 132, command File, 141 ... Language Nita, 142 ... port monitor 151 ... application 152 ... physical layer driver.

Claims (25)

An image forming apparatus and a computer to which the image forming apparatus is connected. The image forming apparatus receives image forming apparatus information, which is information about the image forming apparatus, in response to a request from a request source. An image forming apparatus information management system provided with information acquisition means acquired from the information acquisition means for providing the image forming apparatus information acquired by the information acquisition means to the request source,
The computer
When the output data to the image forming apparatus is passed, information including the output data is queued and temporarily stored as a print job, and the print jobs stored in the queue are sequentially processed to perform the print A print spooler that outputs the output data included in the job to the image forming apparatus;
By passing the output request of the image forming apparatus information to the print spooler, the information including the output request is input to the queue as the print job by using the function of the print spooler, and is included in the print job. Information output requesting means for requesting the image forming apparatus to output the image forming apparatus information by outputting the output request to the image forming apparatus;
When the information output request unit requests the output of the image forming apparatus information, the print job including the output request is input before the print job and stored in the queue An image forming apparatus information management system comprising: an order change instructing unit for instructing the print spooler to change the processing order of print jobs so that processing is performed earlier. The print job stored in the queue includes an in-process print job that is outputting the output data included in the print job to the image forming apparatus, and the output data included in the print job. Includes unprocessed print jobs that have not been output to the image forming device,
The order change instructing unit is configured to process a print job including the output request before the unprocessed print job that has been input before the print job and stored in the queue. The image forming apparatus information management system according to claim 1, wherein the print spooler is instructed to change a processing order of print jobs. The print spooler can temporarily stop a print job that is arbitrarily designated from among the print jobs stored in the queue, and the print job that has been temporarily stopped remains stored in the queue. The print job set in the paused state is skipped, and the output data included in the print job not in the paused state is output to the image forming apparatus.
When the information output requesting unit requests the output of the image forming apparatus information, the order change instructing unit is put before the print job including the output request and stored in the queue. 3. The image forming apparatus information management system according to claim 1, further comprising: a pause setting instruction unit that instructs the print spooler to place a print job in a pause state. 4. The print spooler manages the order in which the print jobs are stored in the queue by giving order information to the print jobs.
Based on the order information acquired from the print spooler, the temporary stop setting instruction means is configured so that a print job stored in the queue is submitted before a print job including the output request. The print spooler is instructed to put the print job into a paused state for a print job submitted before the print job including the output request. The image forming apparatus information management system according to claim 3. When the plurality of print jobs are temporarily stopped, the temporary stop setting instruction unit is configured to be temporarily stopped in an order reverse to the order in which the plurality of print jobs are input to the queue. 5. The image forming apparatus information management system according to claim 3, wherein the print spooler is instructed to place each print job in a paused state. When the information acquisition unit acquires the image forming apparatus information from the image forming apparatus, the computer cancels the suspended state of the print job that is in the suspended state with respect to the print spooler. The image forming apparatus information management system according to any one of claims 3 to 5, further comprising a temporary stop cancellation instructing unit for instructing the image forming apparatus. The image formation according to claim 6, wherein the temporary stop cancellation instructing unit cancels the temporary stop state of the print job for the print job that has been temporarily stopped by the temporary stop setting instruction unit. Device information management system. The print spooler manages the order in which the print jobs are stored in the queue by giving order information to the print jobs.
Based on the order information acquired from the print spooler, the temporary stop setting instruction means is configured so that a print job stored in the queue is submitted before a print job including the output request. Is a means for instructing the print spooler to suspend the print job for a print job submitted before the print job including the output request,
An information storage unit that stores the order information given to the print job for a print job that has been paused by an instruction from the pause setting instruction unit;
The temporary stop cancellation instructing means identifies a print job that has been paused by the temporary stop setting instruction means based on the order information stored in the information storage means, and releases the temporary stop state of the print job. The image forming apparatus information management system according to claim 7, wherein an instruction is given to the print spooler. The print spooler is configured by a software module implemented as part of an OS that runs on the computer.
The image forming apparatus information according to any one of claims 3 to 8, wherein the information output request unit and the temporary stop setting instruction unit are configured by a software module provided separately from the OS. Management system. The print spooler is configured by a software module implemented as part of an OS that runs on the computer.
9. The information output requesting unit, the suspension setting instruction unit, and the suspension cancellation instruction unit are configured by software modules provided separately from the OS. An image forming apparatus information management system according to claim 1. The print spooler can set the priority of a print job arbitrarily designated among the print jobs stored in the queue, and the low priority print job is stored in the queue. The low-priority print job is skipped, and the output data included in the high-priority print job is output to the image forming apparatus.
When the information output requesting unit requests the output of the image forming apparatus information, the order change instructing unit is put before the print job including the output request and stored in the queue. 3. The image forming apparatus information management system according to claim 1, further comprising a priority lowering instruction unit that instructs the print spooler to lower a priority of a print job. The print spooler manages the order in which the print jobs are stored in the queue by giving order information to the print jobs.
Based on the order information acquired from the print spooler, the priority lowering instruction unit is configured so that a print job stored in the queue is input before a print job including the output request. The print spooler is instructed to lower the priority of the print job submitted before the print job including the output request. The image forming apparatus information management system according to claim 11. When the priority of the plurality of print jobs is lowered, the priority lowering instruction unit is configured so that the priorities are lowered in the reverse order to the order in which the plurality of print jobs are input to the queue. The image forming apparatus information management system according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the print spooler is instructed to lower the priority of each print job. When the information acquisition unit acquires the image forming apparatus information from the image forming apparatus, the computer resets the priority of the print job whose priority is lowered to the print spooler. The image forming apparatus information management system according to claim 11, further comprising: a priority recovery instruction means for instructing the image forming apparatus. 15. The image formation according to claim 14, wherein the priority recovery instruction unit returns the priority of the print job to a print job whose priority is lowered by the priority lowering instruction unit. Device information management system. The print spooler manages the order in which the print jobs are stored in the queue by giving order information to the print jobs.
Based on the order information acquired from the print spooler, the priority lowering instruction unit is configured so that a print job stored in the queue is input before a print job including the output request. Is a means for instructing the print spooler to lower the priority of the print job for a print job submitted prior to the print job including the output request,
For a print job whose priority has been lowered by an instruction from the priority lowering instruction means, the information storage means for storing the order information given to the print job is provided.
The priority recovery instruction means identifies a print job whose priority has been lowered by the priority lowering instruction means based on the order information stored in the information storage means, and based on the priority of the print job. The image forming apparatus information management system according to claim 15, wherein the print spooler is instructed to return the print spooler. The print spooler is configured by a software module implemented as part of an OS that runs on the computer.
The image forming apparatus information according to claim 11, wherein the information output request unit and the priority lowering instruction unit are configured by a software module provided separately from the OS. Management system. The print spooler is configured by a software module implemented as part of an OS that runs on the computer.
The information output requesting unit, the priority lowering instruction unit, and the priority recovery instruction unit are configured by software modules provided separately from the OS. An image forming apparatus information management system according to claim 1. An image forming apparatus and a computer to which the image forming apparatus is connected. The image forming apparatus receives image forming apparatus information, which is information about the image forming apparatus, in response to a request from a request source. An image forming apparatus information management system provided with information acquisition means acquired from the information acquisition means for providing the image forming apparatus information acquired by the information acquisition means to the request source,
The computer
When the output data to the image forming apparatus is passed, information including the output data is queued and temporarily stored as a print job, and the print jobs stored in the queue are sequentially processed to perform the print A print spooler that outputs the output data included in the job to the image forming apparatus;
A data transmission unit that is interposed between the print spooler and the image forming apparatus and transmits the output data output from the print spooler to the image forming apparatus;
An information output request that requests the image forming apparatus to output the image forming apparatus information by outputting the image forming apparatus information output request to the image forming apparatus without using the print spooler. Means and
The information output requesting unit requests the image forming apparatus to output the image forming apparatus information during a period from when the data transmitting unit starts transmitting output data corresponding to one print job to when it ends. An image forming apparatus information management system, characterized in that it is configured not to perform the above. The computer includes exclusive information providing means for providing exclusive information that cannot be obtained simultaneously by both the information output request means and the data transmission means,
The information output request unit does not request the image forming apparatus to output the image forming apparatus information when the exclusive information is not acquired from the exclusive information providing unit.
The data transmission unit starts transmitting the output data after acquiring the exclusive information from the exclusive information providing unit, and cancels the state of acquiring the exclusive information when the transmission of the output data is completed. The image forming apparatus information management system according to claim 19. The print spooler is configured by a software module implemented as part of an OS that runs on the computer.
The data transmission means includes a language monitor, which is a software module provided separately from the OS, and a port monitor, which is a software module mounted as part of the OS, and is output from the print spooler. The output data is configured to be transmitted to the image forming apparatus via the language monitor and the port monitor.
The language monitor obtains the exclusive information from the exclusive information providing unit when the output data transmission request is received from the print spooler, and then returns a response to the output data transmission request to the print spooler. When the output data is output from the print spooler that has received the response, the transmission of the output data is started, and when the transmission end of the output data is notified from the print spooler, the exclusive information is acquired. The image forming apparatus information management system according to claim 20, wherein: An image forming apparatus and a computer to which the image forming apparatus is connected. The image forming apparatus receives image forming apparatus information, which is information about the image forming apparatus, in response to a request from a request source. An image forming apparatus information management system provided with information acquisition means acquired from the information acquisition means for providing the image forming apparatus information acquired by the information acquisition means to the request source,
The computer
When the output data to the image forming apparatus is passed, information including the output data is queued and temporarily stored as a print job, and the print jobs stored in the queue are sequentially processed to perform the print A print spooler that outputs the output data included in the job to the image forming apparatus;
A data transmission unit that is interposed between the print spooler and the image forming apparatus and transmits the output data output from the print spooler to the image forming apparatus;
An information output request that requests the image forming apparatus to output the image forming apparatus information by outputting the image forming apparatus information output request to the image forming apparatus without using the print spooler. Means and
The data transmission means acquires the image forming apparatus information from the image forming apparatus after the information output request means requests the image forming apparatus to output the image forming apparatus information. The image forming apparatus information management system is configured not to transmit the output data to the image forming apparatus during The computer includes exclusive information providing means for providing exclusive information that cannot be obtained simultaneously by both the information output request means and the data transmission means,
The data transmission means does not transmit the output data to the image forming apparatus when the exclusive information is not acquired from the exclusive information providing means.
The information output requesting unit acquires the exclusive information from the exclusive information providing unit, and then requests the image forming apparatus to output the image forming apparatus information, and the information acquiring unit includes the image forming apparatus. 23. The image forming apparatus information management system according to claim 22, wherein when the information is acquired from the image forming apparatus, the state where the exclusive information is acquired is canceled. The print spooler is configured by a software module implemented as part of an OS that runs on the computer.
The data transmission means includes a language monitor, which is a software module provided separately from the OS, and a port monitor, which is a software module mounted as part of the OS, and is output from the print spooler. The output data is configured to be transmitted to the image forming apparatus via the language monitor and the port monitor.
When the language monitor does not acquire the exclusive information from the exclusive information providing means, even if there is a transmission request for the output data from the print spooler, a response to the transmission request is not returned to the print spooler. The image forming apparatus information management system according to claim 23, wherein the output data is not transmitted to the image forming apparatus by waiting for output of the output data from the print spooler. An image forming apparatus and a computer to which the image forming apparatus is connected. The image forming apparatus receives image forming apparatus information, which is information about the image forming apparatus, in response to a request from a request source. And an information providing means for providing the image forming apparatus information obtained by the information obtaining means to the request source, and the computer further comprises the image forming apparatus. When the output data is passed to, information including the output data is queued as a print job and temporarily stored, and the print jobs stored in the queue are sequentially processed to be included in the print job. An image forming apparatus information management system comprising a print spooler that outputs the output data to the image forming apparatus. Wherein a program used for causing a computer to function as,
As a process to be executed by the computer,
By passing the output request of the image forming apparatus information to the print spooler, the information including the output request is input to the queue as the print job by using the function of the print spooler, and is included in the print job. Information output request processing for requesting the image forming apparatus to output the image forming apparatus information by outputting the output request to the image forming apparatus;
By executing the information output request processing, when the output of the image forming apparatus information is requested, the print job including the output request is input before the print job and stored in the queue. Image forming apparatus information management, comprising: an order change instruction process for instructing the print spooler to change a print job processing order so that the print job is processed before an existing print job. A program for the system.

Images