JP2005303378A - Image output method and image output apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image output method and an image output apparatus, capable of realizing meticulous charging management, on the basis of partial charging information in one job. <P>SOLUTION: The image output method includes the steps of dividing page information configuring a reception job into a plurality of regions; attaching output control information, including charging request information to image information of the divided regions, and outputting an image in the image information which does not include the charging request information in the divided regions among the image information items outputted from a particular user to a user of a distribution destination, when the user of the distribution destination does not permit charging so as to be capable of outputting the image, on the basis of the partial charging information within a single job. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image output method and an image output apparatus for processing a job from a client on a network.

  Conventionally, a system for requesting a job from a network device from a plurality of client computers connected to a network has been realized. For example, in the case where the network device is an image output apparatus having a print function, printing is started upon receiving a request for a print job from a client. In addition, charging information is added to the print job, charging information is added to the print job, it is determined whether the network device has a network address that can print the pay information, and the payable information is output by selecting the output device. However, a method for performing billing processing has been proposed.

  However, in the above conventional example, since output control is performed only in units of jobs composed of one or a plurality of pages, it is impossible to manage to output only accounting information partially existing in a job. It was.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and an object thereof is to provide an image output method and an image output apparatus that realize fine charge management based on partial charge information in one job. To do.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides an image output method for outputting an image based on a received job from a network, the dividing step of dividing page information constituting the received job into a plurality of regions, An output control information adding step for adding output control information to the image information of the area divided in the dividing step, and the output control information includes charging request information, and when the user of the distribution destination does not permit charging, An image output control step of outputting an image in the image information not including the billing request information in the region divided in the division step among the image information output by a specific user to the distribution destination user. An image output method is provided.

  According to the present invention, when the page information constituting the reception job is divided into a plurality of areas, the output control information is added to the image information of the divided areas, and the distribution destination user does not permit charging, the specific user Is output to the delivery destination user in the image information that does not include the charging request information of the divided area, based on partial charging information in one job. Detailed billing management can be performed.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a system including an image output apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The computer 102 connected to the network 101 is a server, and the computers 103a to 103n (n computers) are clients. Hereinafter, the client is represented as 103.

  Further, MFPs (Multi Function Peripherals) 104 and 105 corresponding to the image output apparatus of the present embodiment are connected to the network 101. Reference numerals 104a to 104p (p MFPs) are color MFPs capable of full-color scanning, printing, and the like. Some of them are connected to the same network 101, and 104a to 104p (p MFPs) represent 104. It shows with. Reference numerals 105a to 105q (q MFPs) denote monochrome MFPs that perform scanning and printing in monochrome. Similarly, 105a to 105q (q MFPs) are denoted by 105. Reference numerals 106a to 106r (r collators) denote collators, and 106a to 106r (r collators) are represented by 106 hereinafter. Although not shown, the MFP 101 is connected to other devices such as an MFP other than the above, a scanner, a printer, or a FAX.

  Here, on the client 103, application software that executes so-called DTP (Desk Top Publishing) is operated to create / edit various documents / graphics. The client 103 converts the created document / graphic into a PDL language (Page Description Language). Then, the document / figure converted into the PDL language is transmitted to the MFPs 104 and 105 via the network 101 and printed out.

  The MFPs 104 and 105 have communication means capable of exchanging information with the server 102 and the client 103 via the network 101, respectively, and are configured to sequentially notify the information and status of the MFPs 104 and 105 to the server 102 and the client 103 side. . Further, the server 102 and the client 103 have utility software that operates in response to the information. The MFPs 104 a to 104 p and the MFPs 105 a to 105 q are managed by the server 102 and the client 103.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a job ticket.
The image output apparatus according to the present embodiment prints a job composed of one or a plurality of pages, with each region (band) obtained by dividing one page constituting the job into a plurality of regions as one unit. By assigning control information (job ticket), it is possible to control printing in band units. In FIG. 2, one page is divided into five ABCDE bands, and a job ticket for each band is assigned to the header of each band. Thus, when the user transmits this job, it is possible to determine whether or not to output information based on the job ticket information for each band.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example when an original image is printed at a receiving destination.
Among the information that constitutes the page, when the area registered as the pay information that requires charging is band D, the user name, server name, and IP address that are already registered and can be charged are assigned. In the case of a transmission destination other than the received device, only the band ABCE is transmitted without transmitting the band D. The area corresponding to the band D may be blank or a message such as “This area could not be printed because it is pay information” may be printed.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the flow of the original image printing process shown in FIG.
First, in step S11, when a print command is issued on the computer, division of the image area in the print job is started under a preset division condition. Subsequently, in step S12, print data for each band is generated. In step S13, a job ticket is attached as an attribute of the print data generated for each band. As described above, this job ticket includes user information and server information.

  Subsequently, in step S14, it is determined whether or not all print jobs have been generated. If it is determined that the generation of all print jobs has not been completed as a result of the determination, the process proceeds to step S15. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S14 that the generation of all print jobs has been completed, the process proceeds to step S18.

  In step S15, it is determined whether or not charging is permitted for the band for which the transmission destination is registered for charging. As a result of this determination, if it is determined that the destination does not permit charging, the process proceeds to step S16. On the other hand, as a result of the determination in step S15, if it is determined that the transmission destination permits charging, the process returns to step S12.

  Subsequently, in step S16, the image data of the band registered for charging is deleted. In step S17, a message indicating why the band cannot be printed is inserted into the band data. Thereafter, the process returns to step S12, and generation of print data for the next band is started.

  If it is determined in step S14 that the generation of all print jobs has been completed, the process proceeds to S18, where the print job is transmitted to the transmission destination, and this procedure ends.

1 is a schematic diagram of a system including an image output apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a block diagram of a job ticket. It is the schematic which showed an example at the time of printing an original image in the receiver. 4 is a flowchart showing a flow of printing processing of the original image shown in FIG. 3.

Explanation of symbols

101 Network 102 Server 103a to 103n Client 104a to 104p, 105a to 105q MFP
106a-106r collator

Claims (2)

An image output method for outputting an image based on a job received from a network,
A dividing step of dividing page information constituting the received job into a plurality of areas;
An output control information adding step of adding output control information to the image information of the area divided in the dividing step;
The output control information includes charging request information, and when the distribution destination user does not permit charging, the charging request information of the area divided in the dividing step among image information output by a specific user. And an image output control step of outputting an image in the image information not including the image to the delivery destination user. An image output device that outputs an image based on a job received from a network,
Dividing means for dividing page information constituting the received job into a plurality of areas;
Output control information adding means for adding output control information to the image information of the area divided by the dividing means;
The output control information includes charging request information, and when the distribution destination user does not permit charging, the charging request information of the area divided by the dividing unit in the image information output by a specific user And an image output control means for outputting an image in the image information not including the image to a user of the distribution destination.

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