JP2005319646A - Image forming apparatus, information processor, control program of image forming apparatus, and control program of information processor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform job processing easily and quickly by an image forming apparatus while lessening burden on the storage device of the image forming apparatus. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus connected with one or more information processors holding job data through a network comprises a means for acquiring job information specifying the job data from the information processor, and a means for displaying the acquired job information. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, an information processing apparatus, an image forming apparatus control program, and an information processing apparatus control program. More specifically, the present invention relates to an image forming system configured by connecting an image forming apparatus and an information processing apparatus over a network. In this embodiment, the set job data is held in the information processing apparatus, the held job data is read out by the image forming apparatus as necessary, and the data browsing / printing process can be performed. The present invention relates to a control program for an apparatus, an image forming apparatus, and a control program for an information processing apparatus.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus such as a complex apparatus (multifunction peripheral) having functions such as a facsimile, a printer, and a copy that execute print processing based on job data transmitted from a host computer (information processing apparatus), job data Is stored in a storage device inside the image forming apparatus, and the job data information list (list of job data names, etc.) is displayed on the display panel of the image forming apparatus main body or the display device of the host computer connected via the network. I was able to browse.
Therefore, the user executes print processing based on the job data by selecting and inputting the data name of the job data to be printed from the browsed information list from the operation panel of the image forming apparatus body or the input device of the host computer. I was letting.
According to an image forming apparatus using such a conventional method, when there is a job that may be frequently executed, the job data is not transmitted from the host computer to the image forming apparatus every time the job is executed. However, it has been possible to quickly execute the printing process at any time using the job data registered in the image forming apparatus.

However, depending on the print contents, the amount of data of the job data may become very large. When a plurality of job data with such a large amount of data is registered, the job data is managed by the storage device in the image forming apparatus. It may not be possible. Further, when the image forming apparatus is connected to a plurality of host computers, job data from each host computer must be stored, and the storage capacity of the image forming apparatus must be increased.
Further, when job data is collectively managed in the image forming apparatus, for example, when the storage device of the image forming apparatus is broken, all registered job information may be lost. There was a problem. Furthermore, when it becomes necessary to change the contents of registered job data, the stored old job data must be deleted once, and the changed job data must be saved again from the host computer. It also took time.

Therefore, in order to solve such a problem, in a conventional image forming system, a host server side stores job data, and a management server for managing the job data information is provided, and the order of jobs executed by this management server is provided. There has been proposed a technique for giving an instruction to transmit job data to an image forming apparatus from a host computer when it is determined that the state of the image forming apparatus is printable by performing control (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2002-202873 A (page 4, FIG. 1)

However, in the conventional technology as described above, since job data is held in the host computer, the problem of job data management burden in the storage device of the image forming apparatus can be solved. Had to be done on a computer. For this reason, when there is a job that is likely to be executed frequently, the job data must be transmitted from the host computer to the image forming apparatus every time the job is executed. There is a problem that the printing process cannot be executed quickly.
In addition, when the installation location of the image forming apparatus and the host computer is physically separated, there is a problem that the user has to go back and forth between the image forming apparatus and the host computer.
Further, when job data is held in the image forming apparatus as described above, there is a problem that registration and deletion of jobs cannot be freely performed depending on the operation state of the image forming apparatus.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems. In an image forming system having an image forming apparatus connected to an information processing apparatus and a network, the image data is stored in the information processing apparatus. Reduces the burden on the storage device of the forming apparatus, enables simple and quick execution of job processing by the image forming apparatus, and holds job data held in the information processing apparatus regardless of the operating state of the image forming apparatus It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus, an information processing apparatus, an image processing apparatus control program, and an information processing apparatus control program.

  In order to achieve the above object, an image forming apparatus according to the present invention is an image forming apparatus connected to one or more information processing apparatuses holding job data via a network, and includes job information for specifying job data. Is obtained from the information processing apparatus, and job information display means for displaying the acquired job information.

  If the image forming apparatus has such a configuration, the job information acquisition unit acquires job information for specifying job data held by an information processing apparatus such as a general-purpose personal computer in accordance with a predetermined operation by a user, for example. Therefore, the acquired job information can be displayed on the display means. Accordingly, when the image forming apparatus is connected to a plurality of information processing apparatuses and the user wants to view the job information of the job data held by each information processing apparatus, each information processing apparatus Even if the user does not browse the job information of the job data held by each information processing apparatus by operating the apparatus, all the information processing apparatuses in the image forming apparatus hold only by inputting a predetermined operation on the image forming apparatus. Job information can be viewed.

Therefore, the job information can be browsed easily and quickly by the image forming apparatus. For example, if job data is collected based on the job information, job processing based on the collected job data can be quickly performed. it can.
Also, by holding job data in the information processing apparatus, the burden on the storage device of the image forming apparatus is reduced, and registration of job data held in the information processing apparatus regardless of the operating state of the image forming apparatus, Deletion is also possible, and convenience can be further improved.

  In the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, the job information display unit displays job information in a list so that selection can be made.

  If the image forming apparatus has such a configuration, the job information display means displays the job information displayed for viewing by the user so that the user can display the displayed job information. By simply selecting and designating, it is possible to easily perform further operations such as an instruction for reading job data or an instruction for executing printing.

  The image forming apparatus of the present invention also includes an execution job registration unit that registers job information designated from displayed job information as an execution job, and data that requests transmission of job data corresponding to the registered job. Command transmission means for transmitting a transmission command to the information processing apparatus, data reception means for receiving job data transmitted in response to the data transmission command, and job execution means for executing predetermined processing based on the received job data It is set as the structure provided with.

  If the image forming apparatus has such a configuration, the job information displayed on the display unit is registered as an execution job by the execution job registration unit, and the command transmission unit holds job data to be executed. And a data transmission command is transmitted to the searched information processing apparatus. As a result, the job data returned by the information processing apparatus that has received the data transmission command can be received by the data receiving means, and the printing process based on the job data can be executed.

  An information processing apparatus according to the present invention is an information processing apparatus connected to any of the image forming apparatuses described above, and includes a job data storage unit that holds job data, and a job in response to a request from the image forming apparatus. And a job transmission unit configured to transmit job information specifying one or more job data held by the data storage unit to the image forming apparatus.

If the information processing apparatus has such a configuration, since the information processing apparatus holds the job data that has been registered for registration in the job data storage unit, the job transmission unit responds to a request from the image forming apparatus. Job information for specifying one or more job data held by the job data storage unit can be transmitted to the image forming apparatus.
Therefore, job information can be provided to the image forming apparatus by a request from the image forming apparatus without requiring any special operation in the information processing apparatus. Information can be browsed.

  In the information processing apparatus of the present invention, the job transmission unit extracts corresponding job data from the job data held by the job data storage unit in response to a data transmission command from the image forming apparatus, and forms an image. It is configured to transmit to the device.

If the information processing apparatus has such a configuration, the job data specified by the data transmission command received from the image forming apparatus can be extracted from the job data storage unit and transmitted to the image forming apparatus by the job transmitting unit. .
For this reason, the user can acquire job data in the image forming apparatus only by transmitting a data transmission command from the image forming apparatus without requiring any special operation in the information processing apparatus. Various processes based on job data can be executed simply and quickly.

  The image forming apparatus control program is an image forming apparatus control program connected to one or more information processing apparatuses holding job data via a network, and acquires job information from the information processing apparatus. The control program causes the image forming apparatus to execute a job information acquisition step and a job information display step for displaying the job information acquired in the job information acquisition step.

If the control program of the image forming apparatus is such a program, for example, a job information acquisition step is performed by directly mounting a recording medium storing the control program on an image forming apparatus equipped with a computer and causing the computer to read the recording medium. Thus, for example, job information for specifying job data held by an information processing apparatus such as a general-purpose personal computer is acquired in accordance with a predetermined operation by the user, so that the acquired job information can be displayed on the display means. .
Accordingly, when the image forming apparatus is connected to a plurality of information processing apparatuses and the user wants to view the job information of the job data held by each information processing apparatus, each information processing apparatus Even if the user does not browse the job information of the job data held by each information processing apparatus by operating the apparatus, all the information processing apparatuses in the image forming apparatus hold only by inputting a predetermined operation on the image forming apparatus. Job information can be viewed.

Therefore, the job information can be browsed easily and quickly by the image forming apparatus. For example, if job data is collected based on the job information, job processing based on the collected job data can be quickly performed. it can.
Also, by holding job data in the information processing apparatus, the burden on the storage device of the image forming apparatus is reduced, and registration of job data held in the information processing apparatus regardless of the operating state of the image forming apparatus, Deletion is also possible, and convenience can be further improved.

  The control program for the information processing apparatus is a control program for the information processing apparatus that is connected to the image forming apparatus that executes processing based on job data via a network, and that stores job data that has been set as input. The information processing apparatus includes a storage step and a job information transmission step of extracting corresponding job information from the job data held in the job data storage step in response to a request from the image forming apparatus and transmitting the job information to the image forming apparatus. As a control program to be executed.

If the control program of the information processing device is such a program, for example, the information processing device can be loaded by directly mounting the recording medium storing the control program on the information processing device equipped with a computer and causing the computer to read the information processing device. Because the job data stored in the job data storage step is stored in the job data storage step, one or more job data stored in the job data storage step is specified in response to a request from the image forming apparatus. Job information to be transmitted can be transmitted to the image forming apparatus.
Therefore, job information can be provided to the image forming apparatus by a request from the image forming apparatus without requiring any special operation in the information processing apparatus. Information can be browsed.

According to the present invention, the image forming apparatus includes the job information acquisition unit that acquires job information for specifying job data from the information processing apparatus and the job information display unit that displays the acquired job information. The job information held by the apparatus can be browsed easily and quickly.
Also, by holding job data in the information processing apparatus, the burden on the storage device of the image forming apparatus is reduced, and registration of job data held in the information processing apparatus regardless of the operating state of the image forming apparatus, Deletion is possible, and convenience can be further improved.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
An image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram illustrating a state in which an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is connected to a plurality of information processing apparatuses.
However, although the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a network printer as a specific example, the image forming apparatus of the present embodiment is not limited to the network printer, and can exchange data with an information processing apparatus. Includes network-connected copiers, facsimiles, scanners, digital multifunction devices (multifunction peripherals (MFPs)), etc.

  Further, when the image forming apparatus of the present embodiment is a printer, the printer includes various printing methods such as an inkjet printer, a sublimation type thermal transfer printer, a dot impact printer, a laser printer, and a fusion type thermal transfer printer. Needless to say, a printer is included.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the printer device 10 is connected to a host computer (information processing device) 30 (host PCs 30a, 30b,..., 30n) composed of a general-purpose personal computer via a network 20 so as to exchange data. Has been. Further, the printer 10 includes an input unit 11, a display unit (job information display unit) 12, a network interface (command transmission unit, data reception unit) 13, a control unit 14, a storage unit 15, an engine unit. 16.

The input unit 11 performs various settings such as print processing performed by the printer device 10. Further, the input unit 11 sends a display request for job information such as a job name specifying job data held in the host computer 30 to the display unit 12. Further, the input unit 11 specifies a job to be selectively executed from the job information displayed by the display unit 12.
The input means 11 is provided with a job information browsing button (not shown). When this job information browsing button is pressed, a job information display request is sent to the job information acquisition unit 14-3 of the control means 14, and acquisition of job information is started.
The job information browsing button can be displayed on the display surface of the touch panel type display unit 12 or can be provided as a physical push button in the vicinity of the display unit 12.

  The display means (job information display means) 12 is composed of, for example, a cathode ray tube display device, a liquid crystal display device, or the like, and displays information data sent from the display control unit 14-2 on the screen. Moreover, the display means 12 in recent years often uses a touch panel system, and the display means 12 using the touch panel system also has the function of the input means 11.

As a specific example of data displayed on the screen, as shown in FIG. 2, for example, job information acquired by a job information acquisition unit 14-3 described later in response to a job information display request can be selected and specified. There is what I did.
In FIG. 2, a job name (Data Name) as job information and a data capacity (Data Size) are displayed in association with the job name. In this display example, job information items 1 to 5 are displayed in the order in which jobs are set. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and any one of a plurality of job information items can be specified. As long as they are displayed in any order.

In the display example of FIG. 2, specific job information is selected and specified by inverting one of the plurality of job information. In other words, by pushing any one of the job selection buttons 12-1 including the up and down arrows displayed at the right end of the display screen, the job information to be reversed is switched and selected. In FIG. 2, the JOB name 3. This shows a state where doc (job information) is selected and designated.
In addition, a “Receive” button and a “Print” button are displayed at the bottom of the display screen shown in FIG. 2, and when any of the job information is selected, when these buttons are pushed, A corresponding processing request is output to the control means 14.

The network interface (command transmission means, data reception means) 13 is an interface that transmits and receives data to and from a plurality of host computers 30 via the network 20.
For example, when a job information browsing button (not shown) of the input unit 11 is pressed and a display request for job information is input to the control unit 14, the network interface 13 receives a control from the control unit 14 according to this request. Alternatively, a job information request command is output to two or more host computers 30. When this job information request command is output, host PC identification information (information that can identify the host computer 30 such as an IP address) extracted from the storage unit 15 is sent via the control unit 14. The network interface 13 transmits a job information request command to the host computer 30 indicated by the host PC identification information.
The network interface 13 receives job information transmitted from each host computer in response to the job information request command, and inputs it to the control means 14.

The network interface 13 transmits to the host computer 30 a data transmission command for requesting data acquisition of a job registered by the execution job registration unit 14-4 described later, and is transmitted from the host computer 30 accordingly. The received job data is received and input to the control means 14.
The host computer 30 that transmits the data transmission command may be all of the plurality of host computers 30, but when the job information is acquired, the job information is associated with the identification information of the host computer 30 and stored. 15, when the network interface 13 transmits a data transmission command, the host computer 30 holding the job information is referred to by referring to the host computer identification information corresponding to the job information in the storage unit 15. Only the data transmission command can be transmitted.

  Further, when a password is sent from the host computer 30 in response to a job information request command transmission or the like, the network interface 13 receives this password, and receives the password input by the input means 11 in response to this password. A reply is made to the host computer 30 that has requested the password.

The control unit 14 is a device that performs overall control of the functions of the printer device 10 and is configured by a CPU, a memory, and the like, and includes an input control unit 14-1, a display control unit 14-2, and a job information acquisition unit 14-3. , An execution job registration unit 14-4, a job execution unit 14-5, and an engine control unit 14-6.
The input control unit 14-1 receives the input data set and registered by the input unit 11. Accordingly, the control unit 14 controls various functions of the printer device 10 based on the setting contents. Further, upon receiving a job information display request from the input unit 11, the input control unit 14-1 sends this to the display control unit 14-2. Furthermore, when an execution job is designated from the input means 11, the input control unit 14-1 sends the designated job information to the execution job registration unit 14-4.
The display control unit 14-2 collects information data to be displayed on the display unit 12 in accordance with an operation from the input unit 11, and sends it to the display unit 12 for display.

  When the job information acquisition unit (job information acquisition unit) 14-3 receives a job information display request by pressing the job information browsing button of the input unit 11, the job information acquisition unit (job information acquisition unit) 14-3 extracts the host PC identification information from the storage unit 15 and The interface 13 is controlled to send a job information request command to the host computer 30 indicated by the host PC identification information. Then, the job information sent back from the host computer 30 is acquired via the network interface 13. That is, when the job information browsing button is pressed, the job information acquisition unit 14-3 accesses the host PC identification information (for example, IP address) of each host computer 30 extracted from the storage unit 15, and stores the job information. Get it.

  The host PC identification information stored in the storage unit 15 and the host PC identification information retrieved from the storage unit 15 by the job information acquisition unit 14-3 are for all the host computers 30 connected to the network 20. However, the host PC identification information may be for a part of the host computer 30 connected to the network 20 (for example, when five host computers 30 are connected to the network 20, storage means 15 can store host PC identification information for one or more host computers 30).

  The execution job registration unit (execution job registration unit) 14-4 registers job information specified from the job information listed in the display unit 12 so as to be selectable, and stores job data specified by the registered job information. In order to acquire, the network interface 13 is controlled to transmit a data transmission command to the host computer 30.

The job execution unit (job execution means) 14-5 executes a predetermined process based on job data received from each host computer 30 via the network interface 13. Although the predetermined process varies depending on the contents of the job, in the case of a print job, image processing such as rasterization is executed based on the image data.
The engine control unit 14-6 outputs the output image data subjected to image processing by the job execution unit 14-5 to the engine unit 16, and controls each component such as a photosensitive drum included in the engine unit 16 to perform print processing. It is running.

The storage unit 15 is configured by an HDD (hard disk drive) or the like, and stores and holds the acquired job information, job data, and the like as well as image data transmitted from the host computer 30. Further, when storing job information, identification information of the host computer 30 holding the job data specified by the job information can be stored in association with the job information.
Further, the storage unit 15 stores host PC identification information (for example, an IP address) for each host computer 30.
Under the control of the engine control unit 14-6, the engine unit 16 performs an operation process such as a print process based on the output image data and a paper discharge process for the printed paper.

The network 20 includes a public line network, an Internet network, and the like, and transmits and receives information data between the printer device 10 and the host computer 30.
The host computer (information processing apparatus, host PC) 30 is a general-purpose personal computer connected to the printer apparatus 10 via the network 20, and includes a job data storage unit 31 and a job transmission unit 32.
The job data storage unit 31 includes a storage device such as an HDD, and stores and holds various job data set by an application installed in the host computer 30.
The job transmission unit 32 transmits job information specifying one or more job data held by the job data storage unit 31 to the printer device 10 in response to a job information request command from the printer device 10. The job transmission unit 32 extracts job data corresponding to the job specified by the command from the job data storage unit 31 in accordance with the data transmission command from the printer device 10, and transmits this to the printer device 10.

Next, the operation of the image forming system according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 3 is a ladder diagram illustrating operation processing between the printer apparatus and the host computer in the image forming system according to the present embodiment.
The host computer 30 holds job data set based on information input by input means of the host computer in the job data storage means 31 as a pre-process (job data storage step).

First, when the job information acquisition unit 14-3 reads that the job information browsing button provided in the input unit 11 is pressed (step S301), the printer apparatus 10 reads the host PC identification information extracted from the storage unit 15. A job information request command is transmitted to the host computer 30 indicated by (2) via the network interface 13 (step S302).
When the host computer 30 receives the job information request command, the host computer 30 requests a password request to send a password in order to determine whether or not the requested printer device 10 is an access-permitted device. A command is returned (step S303).

When receiving the password request command from the host computer 30, the printer device 10 causes the display unit 12 to display a password input screen under the control of the display control unit 14-2. When the password input according to the password input screen is read (step S304), the control unit 14 transmits the password to the host computer 30 via the network interface 13 (step S305).
When the host computer 30 reads the password transmitted from the printer device 10, the host computer 30 compares this password with the previously-matched verification password (step S306), and if the verification matches, the request is received in step S302. The transmitted job information is transmitted to the printer device 10 (step S307 (job information transmission step)).
If the collation in step S306 does not match, the host computer 30 transmits a collation failure notification to the printer device 10 and causes the display unit 12 of the printer device 10 to redisplay the password input screen.

When the printer apparatus 10 acquires the job information transmitted in step S307 by the job information acquisition unit 14-3 via the network interface 13 (job information acquisition step), the acquired job information is displayed in the display control unit 14-2. A list is displayed on the display unit 12 so as to be selectable by control (step S308 (job information display step)).
When the job information is selectively designated by the input unit 11 in accordance with the display in step S308 and the pressing of the “receive” or “print” button is recognized (step S309), the execution job registration unit 14-4 of the printer apparatus 10 determines The designated job information is registered as an execution job, and the network interface 13 is controlled to transmit a data transmission command to the host computer 30 (step S310).

Upon receiving the data transmission command, the host computer 30 extracts job data corresponding to the command from the job data storage unit 31 (step S311), and transmits the extracted job data to the printer device 10 (step S312).
When the printer device 10 receives job data via the network interface 13, the job execution unit 14-5 reads the received job data and executes predetermined processing (step S313).

The image forming apparatus according to the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiment. However, the image forming apparatus according to the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention. It goes without saying that implementation is possible.
For example, in the display unit 12 described in the above embodiment, job name and data size are displayed in the job information list display. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the host computer 30 holding the job information is displayed. The identification information can also be displayed. As a result, when it is desired to execute only a job set in a specific host computer, it is possible to select and specify corresponding job information.

Further, the image forming apparatus according to the above embodiment can be executed by an image forming apparatus controlled by a control program. The control program for the image forming apparatus is provided by a recording medium, for example. As the recording medium, for example, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a semiconductor memory, or any other means that can be read by an image forming apparatus can be used.
Also, the control program for the image forming apparatus recorded on the recording medium can be directly loaded into the image forming apparatus and read into the image forming apparatus, and can also be read into the image forming apparatus via a communication line. You may make it.
Further, the information processing apparatus according to the embodiment can be executed by the information processing apparatus controlled by the control program, similarly to the image forming apparatus.

  This can be suitably used when an image forming apparatus connected to a plurality of host computers via a network executes a print job by an operation from the image forming apparatus side.

1 is an overall configuration diagram of an image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 shows an example of a display screen of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a ladder diagram illustrating an operation process of the image forming system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

10 Printer device (image forming device)
11 Input means 12 Display means 12-1 Job selection button 13 Network interface (command transmission means, data reception means)
14 Control Unit 14-1 Input Control Unit 14-2 Display Control Unit 14-3 Job Information Acquisition Unit (Job Information Acquisition Unit)
14-4 Execution Job Registration Unit (Execution Job Registration Unit)
14-5 Job execution unit (job execution means)
14-6 Engine Control Unit 15 Storage Unit 16 Engine Unit 20 Network 30 Host Computer (Information Processing Device)
31 Job data storage means 32 Job transmission means

Claims (7)

An image forming apparatus connected to one or more information processing apparatuses holding job data via a network,
Job information acquisition means for acquiring job information for specifying the job data from the information processing apparatus;
An image forming apparatus comprising: job information display means for displaying the acquired job information. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.
The image forming apparatus, wherein the job information display means displays the job information in a list so as to be selectable. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
Execution job registration means for registering job information designated from the displayed job information as an execution job;
Command transmission means for transmitting a data transmission command for requesting transmission of job data corresponding to a registered job to the information processing apparatus;
Data receiving means for receiving the job data transmitted in response to the data transmission command;
An image forming apparatus comprising: a job execution unit that executes predetermined processing based on the received job data. An information processing apparatus connected to the image forming apparatus according to claim 1,
Job data storage means for holding the job data;
Job transmission means for sending job information specifying one or more job data held by the job data storage means to the image forming apparatus in response to a request from the image forming apparatus. Information processing apparatus. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4,
The job transmission unit extracts corresponding job data from job data held by the job data storage unit in response to the data transmission command from the image forming apparatus, and transmits the job data to the image forming apparatus. An information processing apparatus characterized by the above. A control program for an image forming apparatus connected via a network to one or more information processing apparatuses that hold job data,
A job information acquisition step of acquiring the job information from the information processing apparatus;
An image forming apparatus control program for causing an image forming apparatus to execute a job information display step for displaying job information acquired in the job information acquiring step. A control program for an information processing apparatus connected to an image forming apparatus that executes processing based on job data via a network,
A job data storage step for storing the input job data;
In response to a request from the image forming apparatus, the corresponding job information is extracted from the job data held in the job data storing step and is transmitted to the image forming apparatus. A control program for an information processing apparatus.

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