JP2005297381A - Image forming apparatus, method for controlling the same, and program of controlling the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem that a waiting time period is made long by a conflict with an already registered job even when a job expected to be urgently outputted is inputted later in an image forming apparatus that processes a plurality of print jobs by scheduling them beforehand. <P>SOLUTION: A user designates an attribute indicative of interruption permission to a job. In the case that a job requiring an earlier completion time is inputted during the processing of the job (S30), when a control section determines that the job under the processing has the attribute of interruption permission (S35) and can be completed by a time required by a user by virtue of the restarting after processing the interruption of the input job (S55), the control section firstly processes the interruption of the input job (60). In the case that there is no allowance time before the required completion time even while the job having interruption permission is processed, the job is firstly completed, and then the inputted job is processed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, an image forming apparatus control method, and an image forming apparatus control program, and more particularly to control of an image forming job schedule.

Image forming apparatuses (copiers, printers, etc.) that form images based on image data accumulate image data of a plurality of jobs input by a user in a storage unit and schedule them to be executed at an appropriate timing. To do. Here, an output start time or an output completion time is set in advance for a job requested by the user, and the image forming apparatus performs job scheduling based on the output start time or the output completion time, whereby the image forming process of each job is performed at a user's desired time. Can be completed. In addition, the image forming apparatus checks the output start time and output completion time when the job is input, and if the job already stored in the storage unit and the output time range conflict, the image forming apparatus warns the user to that effect, It is possible to prompt the user to change the setting.
JP-A-6-268781

  According to a conventional image forming apparatus, a user can obtain a print output obtained by executing a job at a desired time by making a reservation in advance. Here, not only jobs that can be scheduled in advance, but also jobs that need to be executed unexpectedly. Conventionally, even if there is a job that has been unexpectedly executed later, execution of the previously reserved job is given priority. In other words, there is a problem that the waiting time can be long when the user is in a hurry and needs to print out without performing scheduling that appropriately considers the urgency level of the job. In addition, when the output time range that the user intends to make a reservation has already been reserved, the user has to change the output time range for setting, and there is a disadvantage that the operation burden on the user is heavy.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems. In an image forming apparatus, a preceding request job reserved in advance and a subsequent request job that is requested later and conflicts with the preceding request job are displayed. It is an object to realize schedule control that is executed while harmonizing mutual priorities.

  In the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, the job control information specified for each request job includes a job start request time or completion request time, and an interrupt attribute indicating whether or not an interrupt is permitted. Whether or not to execute the subsequent request job in an interrupt process when a subsequent request job with the completion request time earlier than the preceding request job is input during execution of the preceding request job that permits It is determined according to whether or not the job can be completed up to the completion request time.

  In another image forming apparatus according to the present invention, the job execution control unit obtains a reservation processing time zone for each of a plurality of requested jobs stored in the job storage unit, and reserves a plurality of the requested jobs that have not started each other. When the processing time zones conflict, the reservation processing time zone of the request job with the earlier completion request time is shifted forward.

  A preferred aspect of the present invention is an image forming apparatus having a user notification unit that notifies the user of the estimated completion time of the requested job. In a further preferred aspect of the present invention, the job execution control means updates the estimated completion time of the uncompleted request job in response to the occurrence of the interrupt, and the user notification means updates the completed completion. An image forming apparatus that notifies an estimated time. Another preferable aspect of the present invention is an image forming apparatus in which the user notification unit notifies the user of completion of the requested job.

  In another image forming apparatus according to the present invention, the image forming unit has a plurality of discharge destinations of the output medium on which the image is formed, and discharges the subsequent request job to the discharge destination different from the preceding request job.

  A method for controlling an image forming apparatus according to the present invention is a method for controlling an image forming apparatus that selectively executes a plurality of requested jobs for performing image formation requested by a user and forms an image on a medium. Using the job control information including the job start request time or completion request time specified in the request job and the interrupt attribute indicating whether or not interrupt is permitted, the preceding request job during execution of the preceding request job permitting the interrupt A completion time estimation step for obtaining an estimated completion time of the preceding request job when the subsequent request job is interrupted and executed when a subsequent request job having an earlier completion request time is submitted; and A step of interrupting and executing the subsequent request job when the completion request time of the request job is before the completion request time; and If there later than the completion request time of the requested job, having the steps of the continued execution of the preceding requested job, to start the execution of the subsequent requests job after completion of the preceding requested job.

  An image forming apparatus control program according to the present invention includes a computer that controls an image forming apparatus that selectively executes a plurality of requested jobs for performing image formation requested by a user and that performs image formation on a medium. The job request information including the job start request time or completion request time and the interrupt attribute indicating whether the interrupt is permitted or not is used to execute the preceding request job permitting the interrupt during execution of the preceding request job. A completion time estimation procedure for obtaining an estimated completion time of the preceding request job when the subsequent request job is interrupted and executed when a subsequent request job with an earlier completion request time is submitted; and the estimated completion time is the preceding request job A procedure for interrupting and executing the subsequent request job when the completion request time is before the completion request time, and the estimated completion time is the If there later than the completion request time line requested job, and continue execution of said preceding requested job, the procedure for starting the execution of the subsequent requests job after completion of the preceding requested job, is executed.

  According to the present invention, the prior request job to be reserved in advance is assigned an interrupt attribute according to the priority of the execution, and the subsequent request job that competes with the preceding request job is input during the execution of the preceding request job. In this case, it is determined depending on the situation which one of them is given priority. By specifying in the interrupt attribute that interrupts are not permitted for pre-priority request jobs with high priority, the image is formed before the completion request time when the user needs the output result without being interrupted by subsequent request jobs. Processing can be completed. On the other hand, if the preceding request job is designated to permit interruption, the preceding request job being executed can be temporarily interrupted, and the subsequent request job can be interrupted and completed. In this case, after completion of the subsequent request job, the interrupted preceding request job is resumed and completed. Here, whether or not to perform the interrupt execution of the subsequent request job is determined in consideration of the allowance time until the completion request time of the preceding request job. In other words, if the preceding request job can be completed up to its completion request time even if the subsequent request job is interrupted, the interrupt execution is performed. On the other hand, if the subsequent request job is interrupted, the preceding request job is processed by the completion request time. If the job cannot be completed, the interrupt request is not executed and the completion of the preceding request job is given priority.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as embodiments) will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a system including a printer which is an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. This system includes a printer 2, a client computer 4, and a communication network 6 such as a local area network (LAN) that enables data transmission between them.

  The printer 2 receives a print job (hereinafter referred to as a job) submitted by the user from the client computer 4 via the communication network 6 and prints it on paper. A plurality of client computers 4 can be connected to the communication network 6. The printer 2 includes a storage unit 10, a control unit 12, and an image forming unit 14. The accumulation unit 10 stores jobs input from the client computer 4 and holds them until execution of the printing process. For example, the storage unit 10 is configured using a magnetic recording device such as a hard disk in addition to a semiconductor memory. The image forming unit 14 performs printing on a sheet based on the job, and discharges the printing result. The image forming unit 14 has a plurality of discharge destinations, and can switch to which of the discharge destinations. The control unit 12 controls each unit of the printer 2, particularly controls the execution of jobs stored in the storage unit 10, and controls the operation of the image forming unit 14.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic processing flow diagram for explaining job scheduling of the printer. This figure shows a process of incorporating a job to be submitted from the client computer 4 into the current print schedule. When a job is input from the client computer 4, the input job is temporarily stored in the storage unit 10 (S20). Each job to be submitted includes job control information together with image data to be printed. This job control information includes information indicating a job start request time or completion request time, and an interrupt attribute, which are specified by the user. The start request time is the job execution start time requested by the user. On the other hand, the completion request time is the completion time of the job requested by the user. Basically, the print processing is completed before this time, and the user can receive the print result. Is required. The interrupt attribute specifies whether to permit or reject another job from being interrupted during execution of the job.

When there is a job that is executing print processing when a new job is submitted (S25), the control unit 12 completes the completion request time T _N specified for the submitted job and the completion request for the ongoing job. comparing the time _{T E} (S30). If the submitted job may be completed after the job being executed (T _N ≧ T _E ), the processing of the job being executed is continued as it is, while the submitted job is incorporated into the print schedule of the job waiting for execution (S40 to S40). S50). Further, even when there is no job that is executing the printing process (S25), the processes S40 to S50 for incorporating the input job into the printing schedule of the job waiting for execution are performed.

When the completion request time T _N of the submitted job is compared with the completion request time T _{E of the} job being executed, if it is requested to complete the submitted job first (T _N <T _E ) (S30 ), It is determined whether or not the input job can be interrupted and processed (S35). If the interrupt attribute specified for the job being executed is “rejected”, the control unit 12 continues the processing of the job being executed as it is, while incorporating the input job into the print schedule of the job waiting for execution. Processes S40 to S50 are performed.

On the other hand, if the interrupt attribute is "permitted" (S35), the control unit 12, a margin time to complete request time T _E of the running job, whether sufficient to perform the put job Is determined (S55). In this determination process, the control unit 12 completes the request time and time tau _E to T _E, the estimated travel processing time tau _R and required for the processing of the input job Estimated processing time tau _N required for the remaining processing of the running job Compare the total. If τ _E ≧ τ _R + τ _N , the job being executed can be completed until the completion request time T _E even if the submitted job is processed earlier by interrupt execution. Therefore, in this case, the control unit 12 temporarily interrupts the processing of the job being executed, and interrupts and executes the submitted job. When the input job is completed, the interrupted job is resumed and completed (S60). As will be described later, each job notifies the user of the completion time estimated when it is incorporated into the print schedule. Here, due to the occurrence of the interruption, the estimated completion time of the job being executed is reduced, and the control unit 12 notifies the user of the updated time. Further, the control unit 12 notifies the user of the end of output of the input job that has been interrupted (S65).

  Note that the control unit 12 can control the image forming unit 14 to output the print result of the input job executed in the interrupt process to a discharge destination different from the job being executed. Then, when restarting the interrupted job being executed, the output destination is switched again, and the print result of the job being executed is continuously accumulated in the original output destination.

If a _{τ E <τ R + τ N} (S55), when the interrupt execution poured jobs, it is impossible to complete the running job to complete request time T _E. Therefore, in this case, the control unit 12 continues the processing of the job being executed as it is, while performing processing S40 to S50 for incorporating the input job into the print schedule of the job waiting for execution.

Processing S40 to S50 for incorporating the input job into the print schedule of the job waiting for execution is performed as follows. First, the control unit 12 checks whether or not there is a conflict between the input job and a job already registered in the print schedule (S40). In this process S40, for example, the control unit 12 obtains an estimated value (estimated required processing time) of the time required for the processing of the input job, and further, based on the value and the start request time or completion request time _{TN of the} input job. Thus, the estimated processing time zone of the input job is obtained. If there is an overlap between the estimated processing time zone and the job reservation processing time zone already registered in the print schedule, the control unit 12 determines that there is a conflict, and schedules with the conflicting job. Adjustment (S45) is performed and the print schedule is updated (S50). On the other hand, if there is no overlap in the reservation processing time zones of any registered jobs, the control unit 12 determines that there is no conflict (S40), and basically performs the input job estimation process on the print schedule. The time zone is registered as the reservation processing time zone for the input job (S50). The print schedule is stored and held in a storage unit such as a memory provided in the printer 2, for example. The control unit 12 includes a timer. For example, when the time counted by the timer 12 becomes the start time of the job specified in the print schedule, the execution of the job is started.

  As schedule adjustment processing S45 in the case where a conflict occurs between two jobs, for example, the completion request times of both the jobs that cause the conflict are compared, and one job whose completion request time is earlier is compared with the other job whose completion request time is later The reservation processing time zone is shifted so as to be completed before the start of execution. Thus, both jobs can be completed until the requested time.

  The control unit 12 notifies the client computer 4 of the end time (estimated completion time) of the reservation processing time zone (S70). Further, in the schedule adjustment process S45, when the reservation processing time zone of the registered job is shifted, the updated estimated completion time is notified to the client computer 4.

1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a system including a printer which is an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic process flow diagram illustrating job scheduling of the printer.

Explanation of symbols

  2 Printer, 4 Client computer, 6 Communication network, 10 Storage unit, 12 Control unit, 14 Image forming unit.

Claims (8)

Job storage means for storing a plurality of requested jobs for image formation requested by a user, and job execution control means for controlling the execution of each requested job based on job control information specified for each requested job An image forming apparatus including an image forming unit that selectively executes each requested job and forms an image on a medium.
The job control information includes a job start request time or completion request time, and an interrupt attribute indicating whether or not an interrupt is permitted,
The job execution control means executes the subsequent request job in an interrupt process when a subsequent request job having an earlier completion request time than the preceding request job is submitted during execution of the preceding request job permitting the interrupt. Determining whether or not to perform completion of the preceding request job by the completion request time,
An image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.
The job execution control means obtains a reservation processing time zone for each of the plurality of request jobs stored in the job storage means, and when the reservation processing time zones of the plurality of request jobs that have not started conflict with each other, Shifting the reservation processing time zone of the request job earlier in the completion request time forward;
An image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
An image forming apparatus comprising user notification means for notifying the user of the estimated completion time of the requested job. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3.
In response to the occurrence of the interrupt, the job execution control means updates the estimated completion time of the uncompleted requested job,
The user notification means notifies the updated estimated completion time;
An image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, wherein:
The image forming apparatus, wherein the user notification unit notifies the user of completion of the requested job. The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The image forming unit includes:
Multiple output destinations for imaged output media,
Discharging the subsequent request job to the discharge destination different from the preceding request job;
An image forming apparatus. A method of controlling an image forming apparatus that selectively executes a plurality of requested jobs for image formation requested by a user and forms an image on a medium,
Using job control information including an interrupt attribute indicating whether or not an interrupt is permitted, and a job start request time or completion request time specified for the request job,
Completion of the preceding request job when the subsequent request job is interrupted and executed when a subsequent request job whose completion request time is earlier than the preceding request job is input during execution of the preceding request job permitting the interruption A completion time estimation step for obtaining an estimated time;
Interrupting and executing the subsequent request job when the estimated completion time is before the completion request time of the preceding request job;
Continuing the execution of the preceding request job when the estimated completion time is after the completion request time of the preceding request job, and starting execution of the subsequent request job after completion of the preceding request job;
A control method characterized by comprising: A computer that controls an image forming apparatus that selectively executes a plurality of requested jobs for image formation requested by a user and performs image formation on a medium;
Using the job control information including the job start request time or completion request time specified in the request job, and an interrupt attribute indicating whether an interrupt is permitted or not,
Completion of the preceding request job when the subsequent request job is interrupted and executed when a subsequent request job whose completion request time is earlier than the preceding request job is input during execution of the preceding request job permitting the interruption A completion time estimation procedure for obtaining an estimated time;
A procedure for interrupting and executing the subsequent request job when the estimated completion time is before the completion request time of the preceding request job;
A step of continuing execution of the preceding request job when the estimated completion time is later than the completion request time of the preceding request job, and starting execution of the subsequent request job after completion of the preceding request job;
An image forming apparatus control program for executing

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