JP2005327123A - Print job identification apparatus, printer with identification function, printer management server and identification printing program, identification printing method, and identification printing system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a print job identification apparatus, printer with identification functions, printer management server and program, method, and system for carrying out printing by using an individual identification function in other printer even when a printer provided with individual identification equipment can not be used because of failures or the like. <P>SOLUTION: The print job identification apparatus 100 transmits a print job to a specified printer P after performing individual identification of the print job transmitted from a print job generating terminal T; and comprises: a print job transfer means 240 for searching other printer P instead when the specified printer P is out of order and transferring the print job; and a notifying means 25 for notifying a user of the printer P to which the print job has been transferred. Thus, even when the standard printer P is out of order and incapable of printing, the other printer P is used and secure printing is carried out. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a print job authentication apparatus provided with a personal authentication function for printing a confidential document or the like, a printer with an authentication function, a printer management server, an authentication printing program, an authentication printing method, and an authentication printing system.

In a recent office environment, a plurality of print job generation terminals such as PCs and a plurality of printers are connected to each other via a network such as a LAN, and a user of each print job generation terminal designates an arbitrary printer and performs desired printing. A form in which work can be performed is becoming common.
In such a form, each user who operates the print job generation terminal can select an optimum printer according to the quality of the printed matter, the installation location of the printer, the printing cost, etc., every time printing is executed. However, since each printer is shared and used by multiple users, it often happens that the printer cannot be printed while other users are using it or because it is out of paper, out of ink, paper jam, malfunction, etc. .

As a countermeasure when the target printer cannot be used as described above, for example, in Patent Document 1 below, a printer that has received a print instruction prompts the user to use another printer, or a printer that has received a print instruction. Automatically selects another printer and executes the print job on the other printer.
Further, in Patent Document 2 below, when a printer that has received a print instruction is in use or is out of order, another printer receives the print job of the printer, and the other printer executes the print job instead. ing.
JP 2003-51925 A JP 2001-352419 A

  By the way, in the form where a plurality of users share each printer as described above, confidential documents that other users do not want to see, for example, personal information such as history and salary details and company sales In response to a case where a confidential document or the like for only a specific printer user (individual) such as secret and asset information is printed using a shared printer, the confidential document is printed on the shared printer. A method of attaching a personal authentication device (authentication device) for authenticating an individual is considered.

That is, when printing a confidential document using a shared printer, the user operates a predetermined print job generation terminal and transmits a print job and a print instruction to the printer as soon as the user prints the printer. A confidential document that has been moved and printed before needs to be taken out of the printer before being viewed by other users.
And if a shared printer that prints such confidential documents is unused or within the reach of the user's eyes, printing confidential documents without touching anyone in this way Although it is relatively easy, if the shared printer is running (in use) by another user's print job or is not within the reach of the user's eyes, There is a high possibility that the confidential document will be seen by other users.

  Therefore, a personal authentication device such as a card reader is attached to the shared printer that prints confidential documents as described above, and when the confidential document is printed by the printer, the printer simply prints to the printer. In addition to sending jobs and print instructions, when printing, the user authenticates the individual, such as having the personal authentication device read his / her personal authentication information medium such as an ID card. Only a specific user can surely obtain a printed matter of his / her print job without being seen by other users.

However, in this method of starting printing after authenticating an individual using a personal authentication device, if the printer provided with the authentication device cannot be used due to a failure or the like, an authentication device is provided. As long as there is no printer, there is a disadvantage that printing using the authentication function cannot be executed.
Therefore, the present invention has been made paying attention to such an unsolved problem of the conventional technology, and the purpose of the present invention is other than the case where the printer provided with the personal authentication device cannot be used due to a failure or the like. Providing a new print job authentication apparatus, printer with authentication function, printer management server, authentication printing program, authentication printing method, and authentication printing system capable of executing printing using the personal authentication function of the printer It is.

[Invention 1] In order to solve the above problems, a print job authentication apparatus of Invention 1 comprises:
A print job authentication apparatus connected to a network, which receives a print job transmitted from a print job generation terminal on the network, and prints the print job received by the print job reception unit Personal authentication means for authenticating individuals, status information acquisition means for acquiring status information of a plurality of printers connected to the network, and the status information of each printer acquired by the status information acquisition means A print job transfer unit that determines and transfers a transfer destination printer of the print job authenticated by the personal authentication unit, and a notification unit that notifies the printer of the print job transfer destination determined by the print job transfer unit. It is characterized by having.

With such a configuration, first, when a user who performs authentication printing transmits a print job together with a print instruction from the print job generation terminal on the network to the print job authentication apparatus of the present invention, a print job receiving unit Receives the print job, and the personal authentication means waits for a user authentication operation for the print job.
Next, a user who has transmitted a print job to the print job authentication apparatus of the present invention moves from a location where the print job generation terminal is located to the print job authentication apparatus of the present invention and executes a personal authentication operation.

The personal authentication means that has received the authentication operation checks whether or not the print job of the user who has performed the operation has been received. If it is determined that the print job has been received, the personal authentication means notifies the print job transfer means to that effect.
The print job transfer unit checks whether the standard printer is in a printable state based on the status information acquired by the status information acquisition unit, and determines that the print job has been authenticated. Is transferred to the standard printer, and the notification means notifies the user of information that the print job is executed by the standard printer.

  On the other hand, when the print job transfer unit determines that the standard printer is not in a printable state due to a failure or the like, the print job transfer unit selects a printable printer based on the status information of another printer acquired by the status information acquisition unit. The print job is transferred to the printer, and the notification unit specifies the transfer destination printer such as that the print job is executed by another printer instead of the standard printer and the printer name (location). Information to be notified to the user using a display device such as a display panel provided on the housing or the like.

As a result, the user can accurately grasp the printer on which his / her print job is executed. Therefore, even if the standard printer provided with the print job authentication device is in a state where printing is not possible due to a failure, It is possible to select another printer capable of printing on the same network and execute authentication printing.
Further, the information that the print job has been transferred to another printer is surely notified to the user by the notification means, so that the user can accurately grasp the transfer destination printer. Therefore, even if printing of a print job is executed by another printer, the user can first obtain the printed material without being viewed by other people.

  The “standard printer” in the present invention, the following invention, and the best mode for carrying out the invention refers to a printer that the user first specified to execute printing. Specifically, it refers to a printer provided with the apparatus of the present invention, but is not necessarily limited thereto.

[Invention 2] A print job authentication apparatus according to Invention 2 comprises:
The print job authentication apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention further includes a printing unit that executes printing of the print job authenticated by the personal authentication unit.
In other words, the present invention further includes a printing unit corresponding to the standard printer described in the first aspect. When the printing unit of its own cannot be used, the print job transfer unit performs other processing based on the status information. An optimum printer is searched and a print job is transferred to the printer.

As a result, as in the first aspect, the user can accurately grasp the printer on which his / her print job is executed. Therefore, even if his / her printing means cannot print due to a failure, It is possible to select another printer that can execute printing and execute authentication printing.
Further, the information that the print job has been transferred to another printer is surely notified to the user by the notification means, so that the user can accurately grasp the transfer destination printer. Therefore, even if printing of a print job is executed by another printer, the user can first obtain the printed material without being viewed by other people.

[Invention 3] A print job authentication apparatus according to Invention 2 comprises:
The print job authentication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising printer management means for managing each of the printers.
That is, according to the present invention, the printer management means is provided so that a function equivalent to that of the printer management server is exhibited. Thus, in addition to the effects of the first aspect, printer management for centrally managing each printer is performed. Functions can also be demonstrated at the same time.

[Invention 4] A print job authentication apparatus according to Invention 4 comprises:
In the print job authentication apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, when the print job transfer unit determines a printer other than a standard printer as a transfer destination printer of the print job, Alternatively, the print job is transferred after waiting for a predetermined time after the personal authentication by the personal authentication means is completed,
The notifying means notifies the transfer start time or transfer start time of the print job together with the transfer destination printer information of the print job by the print job transfer means.

  That is, as described in the first aspect, when a standard printer fails and the print job is transferred to another printer and printing is performed, the transfer destination printer is located away from the standard printer. For example, if the print job is immediately transferred to another printer when it is in another room, another floor, etc., printing is started before the user who knows it arrives at the printer. , Some or all of the printed material may be seen by others.

Therefore, in the present invention, when a print job is transferred to another printer and printing is performed, the print job transfer unit does not immediately transfer the print job to another printer, but determines the transfer decision. Or after waiting for a predetermined time to elapse after the personal authentication is completed, the print job is transferred.
As a result, the print start time or the print start time of the other printer can be delayed, so that the transfer destination printer is located away from the standard printer and it takes time until the user arrives. Even in such a case, it is possible to avoid the inconvenience that printing is started before the user arrives at the printer and some or all of the printed matter is seen by others.

In addition to the transfer after the predetermined time elapses, the notification means notifies the transfer start time of the print job together with the transfer destination printer information of the print job. Can estimate the approximate time when printing will start.
Here, “transfer start time” refers to a standard time such as “13:20”, and “transfer start time” refers to other printers such as “1 minute 30 seconds”, for example. This is the interval from when it is decided to transfer a print job or when personal authentication by the personal authentication means is completed to when print job transfer is started by the print job authentication apparatus (the following print job authentication) The same applies to the apparatus, the printer with the authentication function, the printer management server, the authentication printing program, the authentication printing method, the authentication printing system, and the embodiment.)

[Invention 5] A print job authentication apparatus according to Invention 5 comprises:
In the print job authentication apparatus according to a fourth aspect, the print job transfer means transfers the print job to the other printer when a transfer start time or time set in advance or arbitrarily is reached. It is characterized by being.

  That is, in the second aspect, when the print job is transferred to another printer and printing is performed, the print job transfer means does not immediately transfer the print job to the other printer but determines the transfer decision. In the present invention, the print job transfer unit waits for a predetermined time from elapse of time to be transferred, whereas in the present invention, when the print job transfer unit reaches a transfer start time set in advance or arbitrarily, Alternatively, the print job is transferred to the other printer when time elapses.

  Accordingly, for example, when it is a time zone in which a large number of print jobs are stacked on the transfer destination printer and it is not known when the self print job is executed, the transfer determination time is “am10: "00", but if the destination printer can only be used after "pm12: 00", or if the user does not need to pick up the printed material in a hurry, it is set in advance or arbitrarily. Since it is only necessary for the user to visit the destination printer after a predetermined time such as “10 minutes” has elapsed since the transfer start time is reached or when the transfer is determined, the convenience of the destination printer, etc. This makes it possible to save unnecessary labor.

[Invention 6] A print job authentication apparatus according to Invention 6 comprises:
In the print job authentication apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, the print job transfer unit determines a printer other than a standard printer as the transfer destination printer of the print job, and a print start time or a print start time is set. The transfer start time or transfer start time is calculated,
The notifying unit notifies the print start time or the print start time of the other printer together with the other printer of the transfer destination transferred by the print job transfer unit. .

  By delaying the transfer start time to the transfer destination printer as in the fourth aspect of the invention or starting transfer at a time or time set in advance or arbitrarily, a confidential document or the like is first obtained and unnecessary labor is saved. However, depending on the communication speed of the network, the data size of the print job, etc., it may take a long time to start printing on the transfer destination printer although it has started transfer.

  Therefore, in the present invention, when the print job transfer unit determines to transfer the print job and the print start time or the print start time is set, the print job is transferred based on the network communication speed, the print job data size, or the like. The transfer start time or transfer start time in the job authentication apparatus is also calculated, and the notification means notifies the user of the print start time or print start time in the transfer destination printer calculated by the print job transfer means. is there.

  As a result, the user who knows the transfer of the print job can know not only the location of the transfer destination printer but also the time or time when the print job of the user actually starts printing on the printer. Efficient scheduling can be achieved without incurring latency.

[Invention 7] A print job authentication apparatus according to Invention 7 comprises:
In the print job authentication apparatus according to the sixth aspect, the print job transfer means is based on communication speed information with the other printer at the transfer destination, status information of the other printer, and a data size of the print job. Thus, the time until printing is started by the other printer at the transfer destination is calculated.

  As a result, the print job transfer unit can accurately calculate the time until printing is started by another printer at the transfer destination, so that the user who knows the transfer of the print job can change the location of the printer at the transfer destination. In addition to knowing the time or time when printing of the print job is actually started on the destination printer, efficient scheduling can be achieved without causing unnecessary waiting time. Can do.

[Invention 8] A print job authentication apparatus according to Invention 8 comprises:
In the print job authentication apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, the print job transfer unit immediately includes the personal authentication unit when another printer to which the determined print job is transferred is provided. The print job is transferred to the other printer.

In other words, as described above, the print job transfer means transfers the print job to another printer when the standard printer or the like is in a print-disabled state due to a failure or the like, but is the same as the transfer destination printer. When the personal authentication means is provided, the printer does not start printing immediately after arrival of the print job.
Therefore, when the transfer destination printer is provided with personal authentication means, if the print job is immediately transferred to the printer, the user's convenience can be obtained without worrying about the transfer time of the print job transfer means. It is possible to execute printing of confidential documents and the like at the transfer destination printer when it is good.

[Invention 9] A print job authentication apparatus according to Invention 9 comprises:
In the print job authentication apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, the print job transfer unit searches for a printer that can perform print processing for each print job based on the status information acquired by the status information acquisition unit. The print job is transferred to a printer selected from the searched printers.

In other words, as described above, the printer to which the print job is transferred when the standard printer is out of order may be fixedly determined in advance, such as a model having the same performance as the standard printer. Although it is good, if the destination printer is also out of order, the print job can no longer be printed.
Therefore, in the present invention, the print job transfer unit further searches for a printer that can perform print processing for each print job based on the status information acquired by the status information acquisition unit, and selects the printer selected from the searched printers. A print job is transferred.
This makes it possible to reliably print the transferred print job while maintaining its print quality.

[Invention 10] A print job authentication apparatus according to Invention 10 comprises:
In the print job authentication device according to any one of the first to third aspects, the print job transfer unit rewrites a header portion of an intermediate language of the print job.

That is, when transferring a print job to another printer, if the destination printer model is different from the standard printer model, the intermediate language of the transferred print job is different and normal printing cannot be executed. Conceivable.
Therefore, in the present invention, the print job transfer means rewrites the header portion of the intermediate language of the print job before transferring the print job, so that the printer model of the transfer destination differs. Even in such a case, the print job can be normally printed by the transfer destination printer.

[Invention 11] A printer with an authentication function according to Invention 11 comprises:
A printer connected to another printer via a network so as to be able to communicate with the printer, the print job receiving unit receiving a print job transmitted from the print job generating terminal on the network, and the print job receiving unit receiving the print job Personal authentication means for authenticating an individual who performs printing of the print job, and when the print job authenticated by the personal authentication means cannot be processed by the own printing means, the print job is sent to any of the other printers. The print job transfer means for transferring and a notification means for notifying the destination printer of the print job transferred by the print job transfer means.

With this configuration, first, when a user who executes authenticated printing transmits a print job together with a print instruction from the print job generation terminal on the network to the printer with the authentication function of the present invention, the print job reception is performed. The means receives the print job, and the personal authentication means waits for the user's authentication operation for the print job.
Next, the user who has transmitted the print job to the printer with the authentication function of the present invention moves from the location where the print job generation terminal is located to the location of the printer with the authentication function of the present invention and executes a personal authentication operation.

The personal authentication means that has received the authentication operation checks whether or not the print job of the user who has performed the operation has been received. If it is determined that the print job has been received, the personal authentication means notifies the print job transfer means to that effect.
The print job transfer unit checks whether or not its own printing unit is ready for printing, and if it is determined that it is possible, transfers the print job with the authentication to its own printing unit and executes printing. To do.

  On the other hand, when the print job transfer unit determines that the print unit is not ready for printing due to a failure or the like, the print job transfer unit transfers the print job to another printer, and the notification unit transfers the print job to another printer. Information specifying the transfer destination printer such as what is executed by the printer and its printer name (location) is notified to the user using a display device such as a display panel provided on the printer housing or the like.

As a result, the user can accurately grasp the printer on which his / her print job is executed. Therefore, even if the printer with the authentication function is in a state where printing cannot be performed due to a failure, other printing on the same network is possible. It is possible to select an executable printer and execute authentication printing.
Further, the information that the print job has been transferred to another printer is surely notified to the user by the notification means, so that the user can accurately grasp the transfer destination printer. Therefore, even if printing of a print job is executed by another printer, the user can first obtain the printed material without being viewed by other people.

[Invention 12] The printer with an authentication function of Invention 12 is
In the printer with an authentication function according to the eleventh aspect, when the print job transfer unit determines to transfer the print job to another printer, the personal authentication by the determination unit or the personal authentication unit is completed. The print job is transferred after a predetermined time has elapsed since
The notifying means notifies the transfer start time or the transfer start time of the print job together with the transfer destination printer information of the print job by the print job transfer means.

  As a result, the print start time or the print start time of the transfer destination printer can be delayed, so that the transfer destination printer is located away from the standard printer and it takes time for the user to arrive. Even in such a case, it is possible to avoid the inconvenience that printing is started before the user arrives at the printer and some or all of the printed matter is seen by others.

  Further, along with the transfer after the lapse of the predetermined time, the notifying unit notifies the transfer start time or the transfer start time of the print job together with the transfer destination printer information of the print job. It is possible to estimate the approximate time at which printing starts at the destination printer.

[Invention 13] A printer with an authentication function according to Invention 13 comprises:
In the printer with an authentication function according to the twelfth aspect, the print job transfer unit transfers the print job to the other printer when a transfer start time or transfer start time set in advance or arbitrarily is reached. It is characterized by becoming.

  Thus, as in the fifth aspect, it is a time zone in which a large number of print jobs are stacked on the transfer destination printer, and it is not known when the self print job is executed, or the transfer determined time. Is “am10: 00”, but if the destination printer cannot be used unless it is “pm12: 00” or later, or if the user does not need to get the printed matter in a hurry, it can be used in advance or arbitrarily. When the transfer start time or the transfer start time set in is reached, the user only has to go to the printer at the transfer destination, so it is possible to save unnecessary work due to the convenience of the transfer destination printer. .

[Invention 14] A printer with an authentication function according to Invention 14 comprises:
In the printer with an authentication function according to the eleventh aspect, the print job transfer unit determines a printer other than a standard printer as a transfer destination printer of the print job, and a print start time or a print start time is set. When the transfer start time or transfer start time is calculated, the notifying unit prints the print start time at the other printer together with the other printer at the transfer destination transferred by the print job transfer unit. Alternatively, the printing start time is also notified.

  Thus, as in the sixth aspect, the user who knows the transfer of the print job knows not only the location of the transfer destination printer but also the time or time when the printing of his / her print job is actually started on the printer. Therefore, efficient scheduling can be achieved without generating unnecessary waiting time.

[Invention 15] A printer with an authentication function according to Invention 15 comprises:
In the printer with an authentication function according to the fourteenth aspect, the print job transfer means is based on communication speed information with the other printer at the transfer destination, status information of the other printer, and a data size of the print job. Thus, the time until printing is started by the other printer at the transfer destination is calculated.

  As a result, as in the seventh aspect, the print job transfer means can accurately calculate the time until printing is started by another printer at the transfer destination. You can know not only the location of the destination printer, but also the time or time when printing of your print job is actually started on the destination printer, so it is efficient without causing unnecessary waiting time. Scheduling can be achieved.

[Invention 16] The printer with authentication function of Invention 16 is
In the printer with an authentication function according to the eleventh aspect, the print job transfer means immediately sends the print job to the printer when the determined transfer destination printer is provided with the personal authentication means. It is characterized by being transferred.
Thus, as in the case of Invention 8, without worrying about the transfer time of the print job transfer means, it is possible to execute printing of confidential documents and the like at the transfer destination printer at the convenience of the user.

[Invention 17] The printer with an authentication function of the invention 17 comprises:
In the printer with an authentication function according to the eleventh aspect, the print job transfer unit searches for a printer that can perform print processing for each print job based on the status information acquired by the status information acquisition unit, and the searched printer A print job is transferred to a printer selected from the above.
As a result, the transferred print job can be reliably printed while maintaining its print quality, as in the ninth aspect.

[Invention 18] A printer with an authentication function of Invention 18 comprises:
In the print job authentication apparatus according to the eleventh aspect of the invention, the print job transfer means rewrites a header portion of an intermediate language of the print job.
As a result, similarly to the tenth aspect, even when the transfer destination printer is different, the print job can be normally printed by the transfer destination printer.

[Invention 19] A printer management server according to Invention 19 comprises:
A printer management server connected to a print job generation terminal and a plurality of printers so as to be able to communicate with the print job, the print job reception unit receiving a print job transmitted from the print job generation terminal, and the print job reception unit receiving the print job Personal authentication means for authenticating an individual who performs printing of the print job, status information acquisition means for acquiring status information of each printer, and the status information of each printer acquired by the status information acquisition means A print job transfer unit that determines and transfers a transfer destination printer of the print job authenticated by the personal authentication unit, and a notification unit that notifies the printer of the print job transfer destination determined by the print job transfer unit. It is characterized by having.

With this configuration, first, when a user who performs authenticated printing transmits a print job together with a print instruction from the print job generation terminal on the network to the printer management server of the present invention, the print job receiving means The print job is received, and the personal authentication unit waits for a user authentication operation for the print job.
Next, a user who has transmitted a print job to the printer management server of the present invention moves to a printer management server of the present invention from a location where the print job generation terminal is located, and executes a personal authentication operation.

The personal authentication means that has received the authentication operation checks whether or not the print job of the user who has performed the operation has been received. If it is determined that the print job has been received, the personal authentication means notifies the print job transfer means to that effect.
The print job transfer unit checks whether the standard (default) printer is in a printable state based on the status information acquired by the status information acquisition unit, and if it is determined that it is possible, authentication is obtained. The print job is transferred to a predetermined printer, and the notification means notifies the user of information that the print job is executed by the predetermined printer.

  On the other hand, when the print job transfer unit determines that the predetermined printer is not in a printable state due to a failure or the like, the print job transfer unit selects a printable printer based on the status information of another printer acquired by the status information acquisition unit. In addition to transferring the print job to the printer, the notifying means identifies the destination printer such as that the print job is executed by another printer instead of a predetermined printer and the printer name (location). Information to be notified to the user using a display device such as a display panel provided on the housing or the like.

As a result, the user can accurately grasp the printer on which his / her print job is executed, so that even if the standard printer cannot be printed due to a failure, another print can be executed on the same network. It is possible to select an appropriate printer and execute authentication printing.
Further, the information that the print job has been transferred to another printer is surely notified to the user by the notification means, so that the user can accurately grasp the transfer destination printer. Therefore, even if printing of a print job is executed by another printer, the user can first obtain the printed material without being viewed by other people.

[Invention 20] A printer management server according to Invention 20,
In the printer management server according to the nineteenth aspect, when the print job transfer means determines a printer other than a predetermined printer as the transfer destination printer of the print job, at the time of the determination or when personal authentication is completed The print job is transferred after a predetermined time or time elapses from the printing job, and the notification unit transfers the print job together with the print job transfer destination printer information by the print job transfer unit. The start time is also notified.

  Thus, as in the fourth aspect, the print start time at the other printer at the transfer destination can be delayed, so that the transfer destination printer is located away from the predetermined printer and the user arrives before the arrival. Even in the case where it takes time, it is possible to avoid the inconvenience that printing is started before the user arrives at the printer and a part or all of the printed matter is seen by others.

  Further, along with the transfer after the lapse of the predetermined time, the notifying unit notifies the transfer start time or the transfer start time of the print job together with the transfer destination printer information of the print job. It is possible to estimate the approximate time at which printing starts at the destination printer.

[Invention 21] The printer management server of Invention 21 is
In the printer management server according to the twentieth aspect, the print job transfer means transfers the print job to the other printer when a transfer start time or transfer start time set in advance or arbitrarily is reached. It is characterized by that.

  As a result, as in the fifth aspect, for example, it is determined whether or not the time when the print job is executed in a time zone where a large number of print jobs are stacked on the transfer destination printer is determined. If the print time is “am 10:00” but the destination printer cannot be used unless it is “pm 12:00” or later, or if the user does not need to get the printed matter in a hurry, Or, when the transfer start time or transfer start time that is set arbitrarily is reached, the user only has to go to the destination printer, so it is possible to save unnecessary work due to the convenience of the destination printer. It becomes.

[Invention 22] A printer management server according to Invention 22 comprises:
In the printer management server according to the eighteenth aspect, when the print job transfer unit determines a printer other than a standard printer as a transfer destination printer of the print job, and a print start time or a print start time is set The transfer start time or transfer start time is also calculated, and the notifying unit prints the print start time or the other printer together with the other transfer destination printer transferred by the print job transfer unit. The printing start time is also notified.

  Thus, as in the sixth aspect, the user who knows the transfer of the print job can know not only the location of the transfer destination printer but also the time when the print job of the user is actually started. Therefore, efficient scheduling can be achieved without generating unnecessary waiting time.

[Invention 23] The printer management server of Invention 23 is
In the printer management server according to the twenty-second aspect, the print job transfer means is based on communication speed information with the other printer of the transfer destination, status information of the other printer, and data size of the print job. The time until printing is started by another printer at the transfer destination is calculated.

  As a result, as in the seventh aspect, the print job transfer means can accurately calculate the time until printing is started by another printer at the transfer destination. You can know not only the location of the destination printer, but also the time or time when printing of your print job is actually started on the destination printer, so it is efficient without causing unnecessary waiting time. Scheduling can be achieved.

[Invention 24] A printer management server according to Invention 24 comprises:
In the printer management server according to the nineteenth aspect of the present invention, when the other printer to which the determined transfer destination of the print job is provided with the personal authentication unit, the print job transfer unit immediately sends the print job transfer unit to the other printer. A print job is transferred.
As a result, as in the eighth aspect, it is possible to execute printing of confidential documents and the like at the transfer destination printer at the convenience of the user.

[Invention 25] The printer management server of Invention 25 is
In the printer management server according to the nineteenth aspect, the print job transfer means searches for a printer that can perform print processing for each print job based on the status information acquired by the status information acquisition means. A print job is transferred to a printer selected from among them.
As a result, similarly to the ninth aspect, the transferred print job can be reliably printed while maintaining its print quality.

[Invention 26] A printer management server according to Invention 26 comprises:
The printer management server according to the nineteenth aspect is characterized in that the print job transfer means rewrites an intermediate language header portion of the print job.
As a result, similarly to the tenth aspect, even when the transfer destination printer is different, the print job can be normally printed by the transfer destination printer.

[Invention 27] The authentication printing program of Invention 27 comprises
An authentication printing program used in a print job authentication apparatus attached to any of a plurality of printers connected on a network, the computer of the print job authentication apparatus,
A print job receiving function for receiving a print job transmitted from the print job generating terminal on the network; a personal authentication function for authenticating an individual who executes printing of the print job received by the print job receiving means; A status information acquisition function for acquiring the status information of the printer and a printer to which the print job authenticated by the personal authentication function is transferred based on the status information of each printer acquired by the status information acquisition means A print job transfer function and a notification function for notifying a printer to which a print job is transferred determined by the print job transfer unit are realized.

As a result, as in the first aspect, the user can accurately grasp the printer on which his / her print job is executed. It is possible to select another printer that can execute printing and execute authentication printing.
Further, the information that the print job has been transferred to another printer is surely notified to the user by the notification means, so that the user can accurately grasp the transfer destination printer. Therefore, even if printing of a print job is executed by another printer, the user can first obtain the printed material without being viewed by other people.

Furthermore, since a general-purpose computer system can be used as it is, it can be realized more economically than when a separate new computer system is constructed.
In addition, it is possible to easily improve the functions of each function simply by rewriting a part of the program such as version upgrade.

[Invention 28] The authentication printing program of Invention 28 comprises:
In the authentication printing program according to the twenty-seventh aspect, when the print job transfer function determines that a printer other than the predetermined printer is the transfer destination printer of the print job, a predetermined time or time elapses from the determination. The print job is transferred after waiting for the print job, and the notification function notifies the transfer start time or transfer start time of the print job together with the print job transfer destination printer information by the print job transfer function. It is characterized by the above.

  Thus, as in the second aspect, the printing start time or time of the other printer at the transfer destination can be delayed, so that the transfer destination printer is located away from the predetermined printer and the user's arrival Even if it takes time until the user arrives at the printer, it is possible to avoid the inconvenience that printing is started before the user arrives at the printer and some or all of the printed material is seen by others. Become.

In addition to the transfer after the predetermined time elapses, the notification function notifies the print job transfer start time or time together with the print job transfer destination printer information. It is possible to estimate the approximate time or time at which printing starts with the printer.
Furthermore, since a general-purpose computer system can be used as it is, it can be realized more economically than when a separate new computer system is constructed, and each function can be changed by simply rewriting a part of a program such as a version upgrade. Functional improvement can be easily performed.

[Invention 29] The authentication printing program of the invention 29 comprises:
In the authentication printing program according to the twenty-eighth aspect, the print job transfer function transfers the print job to the other printer when a transfer start time or time set in advance or arbitrarily is reached. It is characterized by this.
Thus, as in the third aspect, for example, when it is a time zone in which a large number of print jobs are stacked on the transfer destination printer and it is not known when the print job is executed, transfer is determined. If the print time is “am 10:00” but the destination printer cannot be used unless it is “pm 12:00” or later, or if the user does not need to get the printed matter in a hurry, Alternatively, when the transfer start time set arbitrarily is reached, the user has only to go to the printer of the transfer destination, so that it is possible to save useless labor due to the convenience of the transfer destination printer.

  Furthermore, since a general-purpose computer system can be used as it is, it can be realized more economically than when a separate new computer system is constructed, and each function can be changed by simply rewriting a part of a program such as a version upgrade. Functional improvement can be easily performed.

[Invention 30] The authentication printing program of the invention 30 comprises:
In the authenticated printing program according to the twenty-seventh aspect, when the print job transfer function determines a printer other than a standard printer as a transfer destination printer of the print job, and a print start time or a print start time is set The transfer start time or the transfer start time is also calculated, and the notification function is used for the print start time or the other printer to be transferred together with the other printer of the transfer destination transferred by the print job transfer means. The printing start time is also notified.

As a result, as in the sixth aspect, the user who knows the transfer of the print job knows not only the location of the transfer destination printer but also the time or time when printing of his / her own print job is actually started on the printer. Therefore, efficient scheduling can be achieved without generating unnecessary waiting time.
Furthermore, since a general-purpose computer system can be used as it is, it can be realized more economically than when a separate new computer system is constructed, and each function can be changed by simply rewriting a part of a program such as a version upgrade. Functional improvement can be easily performed.

[Invention 31] The authentication printing program of the invention 31 comprises:
In the authentication printing program according to the thirty-third aspect, the print job transfer function is based on communication speed information with the other printer at the transfer destination, status information of the other printer, and a data size of the print job. The time until printing is started by another printer at the transfer destination is calculated.

  As a result, as in the seventh aspect, the print job transfer function can accurately calculate the time until printing is started by another printer at the transfer destination. You can know not only the location of the destination printer, but also the time or time when printing of your print job is actually started on the destination printer, so it is efficient without causing unnecessary waiting time. Scheduling can be achieved.

  Furthermore, since a general-purpose computer system can be used as it is, it can be realized more economically than when a separate new computer system is constructed, and each function can be changed by simply rewriting a part of a program such as a version upgrade. Functional improvement can be easily performed.

[Invention 32] An authentication printing program according to Invention 32 comprises:
In the authenticated printing program according to the twenty-seventh aspect, when the personal authentication means is provided in the other printer to which the determined print job is transferred, the print job transfer function is immediately connected to the other printer. A print job is transferred.

As a result, as in the eighth aspect, it is possible to execute printing of confidential documents and the like at the transfer destination printer at the convenience of the user.
Furthermore, since the computer system of the print job authentication apparatus can be used as it is, it can be realized more economically than when a separate new computer system is constructed, and only part of the program such as version upgrade can be rewritten. It is possible to easily improve the function of each function.

[Invention 33] The authentication printing program of Invention 33 comprises:
In the authenticated printing program according to the twenty-seventh aspect, the print job transfer function searches for a printer that can perform print processing for each print job based on the status information acquired by the status information acquisition function, and A print job is transferred to a printer selected from among them.

As a result, similarly to the ninth aspect, the transferred print job can be reliably printed while maintaining its print quality.
Furthermore, since the computer system of the print job authentication apparatus can be used as it is, it can be realized more economically than when a separate new computer system is constructed, and only part of the program such as version upgrade can be rewritten. It is possible to easily improve the function of each function.

[Invention 34] The authentication printing program of the invention 34 comprises:
The authentication print program according to the twenty-seventh aspect is characterized in that the print job transfer function rewrites a header portion of an intermediate language of the print job.
As a result, similarly to the tenth aspect, even when the transfer destination printer is different, the print job can be normally printed by the transfer destination printer.
Furthermore, since a general-purpose computer system can be used as it is, it can be realized more economically than when a separate new computer system is constructed, and each function can be changed by simply rewriting a part of a program such as a version upgrade. Functional improvement can be easily performed.

[Invention 35] The authentication printing program of Invention 35 comprises:
An authentication printing program used by a printer connected to another printer through a network so as to be able to communicate with the other printer, wherein the print job is transmitted to a computer of the printer from a print job generation terminal on the network. When the job receiving function, the personal authentication function for authenticating the individual who executes printing of the print job received by the print job receiving unit, and the print job authenticated by the personal authentication unit cannot be processed by the own printing unit, A print job transfer function for determining and transferring a printer to which the print job is to be transferred from among the other printers, and a notification function for notifying the printer to which the print job is transferred determined by the print job transfer means. It is characterized by being realized.

As a result, as in the first aspect, the user can accurately grasp the printer on which his / her print job is executed. It is possible to select another printer that can execute printing and execute authentication printing.
Further, the information that the print job has been transferred to another printer is surely notified to the user by the notification means, so that the user can accurately grasp the transfer destination printer. Therefore, even if printing of a print job is executed by another printer, the user can first obtain the printed material without being viewed by other people.

  Furthermore, since the computer system installed in the printer can be used as it is, it can be realized more economically than when a separate new computer system is constructed, and each program can be rewritten only by rewriting a part of the program such as version upgrade. It is possible to easily improve the function.

[Invention 36] The authentication printing method of Invention 36 comprises:
A method of operating a print job authentication apparatus connected to a network, the print job receiving step receiving a print job transmitted from a print job generating terminal on the network, and the print job received in the print job receiving step A personal authentication step of authenticating an individual who performs printing, a status information acquisition step of acquiring status information of each printer, and the personal authentication step based on the status information of each printer acquired in the status information acquisition step A print job transfer step for determining and transferring the printer to which the print job authenticated in step (i) is transferred, and a notifying step for notifying the printer for the print job transfer destination determined in the print job transfer step. It is a feature.

As a result, as in the first aspect, the user can accurately grasp the printer on which his / her print job is executed. Therefore, even if the standard printer cannot be printed due to a failure, It is possible to select another printer that can execute printing and execute authentication printing.
In addition, the information that the print job has been transferred to another printer is surely notified to the user through the notification step, so that the user can accurately grasp the transfer destination printer. Therefore, even if printing of a print job is executed by another printer, the user can first obtain the printed material without being viewed by other people.

[Invention 37] The authentication printing method of Invention 37 comprises:
In the authentication printing method according to the thirty-sixth aspect, when the print job transfer step is determined to be a printer other than a predetermined printer as a transfer destination printer of the print job, from the time of the determination or when personal authentication is completed. The print job is transferred after a predetermined time or time elapses, and the notification step starts transfer of the print job together with print destination printer information in the print job transfer step. The time or transfer start time is also notified.

  As in the fourth aspect, this makes it possible to delay the print start time or time of the other printer at the transfer destination, so that the transfer destination printer is away from the predetermined printer and the user's arrival Even if it takes time until the user arrives at the printer, it is possible to avoid the inconvenience that printing is started before the user arrives at the printer and some or all of the printed material is seen by others. Become.

  In addition to the transfer after the predetermined time elapses, the notification function notifies the print job transfer start time or time together with the print job transfer destination printer information. It is possible to estimate the approximate time or time at which printing starts with the printer.

[Invention 38] The authentication printing method of Invention 38 comprises:
In the authentication printing method according to the thirty-sixth aspect, the print job transfer step transfers the print job to the other printer when a transfer start time or time set in advance or arbitrarily is reached. It is characterized by this.

  Thus, as in the third aspect, for example, when it is a time zone in which a large number of print jobs are stacked on the transfer destination printer and it is not known when the print job is executed, transfer is determined. If the print time is “am 10:00” but the destination printer cannot be used unless it is “pm 12:00” or later, or if the user does not need to get the printed matter in a hurry, Or, when the transfer start time or time set arbitrarily is reached, the user has only to go to the printer of the transfer destination, so it is possible to save useless labor due to the convenience of the transfer destination printer. .

[Invention 39] The authentication printing method of Invention 39 comprises:
In the authenticated printing method according to the thirty-sixth aspect, when the print job transfer step determines a printer other than a standard printer as a transfer destination printer of the print job, and a print start time or a print start time is set The transfer start time or the transfer start time is also calculated, and the notifying step includes the print start time or the other printer to be transferred together with the other printer to be transferred by the print job transfer means. The printing start time is also notified.

  As a result, as in the sixth aspect, the user who knows the transfer of the print job knows not only the location of the transfer destination printer but also the time or time when printing of his / her own print job is actually started on the printer. Therefore, efficient scheduling can be achieved without generating unnecessary waiting time.

[Invention 40] The authentication printing method of Invention 40 comprises:
In the authenticated printing method according to the thirty-ninth aspect, the print job transfer step is based on communication speed information with the other printer at the transfer destination, status information of the other printer, and a data size of the print job. The time until printing is started by another printer at the transfer destination is calculated.

  Thus, similarly to the seventh aspect, in the print job transfer step, it is possible to accurately calculate the time until printing is started by another printer at the transfer destination. You can know not only the location of the destination printer, but also the time or time when printing of your print job is actually started on the destination printer, so it is efficient without causing unnecessary waiting time. Scheduling can be achieved.

[Invention 41] The authentication printing method of the invention 41 comprises:
In the authenticated printing method according to the thirty-sixth aspect, in the print job transfer step, when the personal authentication means is provided in another printer to which the determined print job is transferred, the other printer is immediately connected to the print job transfer step. A print job is transferred.
As a result, as in the eighth aspect, it is possible to execute printing of confidential documents and the like at the transfer destination printer at the convenience of the user.

[Invention 42] The authentication printing method of Invention 42 comprises:
In the authenticated printing program according to the thirty-sixth aspect, the print job transfer step searches for a printer that can perform print processing for each print job based on the status information acquired in the status information acquisition step. A print job is transferred to a printer selected from among them.
As a result, similarly to the ninth aspect, the transferred print job can be reliably printed while maintaining its print quality.

[Invention 43] The authentication printing method of Invention 43 comprises:
In the authenticated printing method according to the thirty-sixth aspect, the print job transfer step rewrites an intermediate language header portion of the print job.
As a result, similarly to the tenth aspect, even when the transfer destination printer is different, the print job can be normally printed by the transfer destination printer.

[Invention 44] The authentication printing method of Invention 44 comprises:
A method for operating a printer with an authentication function connected so as to be able to communicate with other printers via a network, the print job receiving step for receiving a print job transmitted from a print job generation terminal on the network; A personal authentication step for authenticating an individual who executes printing of the print job received in the print job reception step, and when the print job authenticated in the personal authentication step cannot be processed by the own printing means, A print job transfer step for transferring the print job to any one of the above, and a notification step for notifying a printer to which the print job is transferred determined in the print job transfer step.

As a result, as in the first aspect, the user can accurately grasp the printer on which his / her print job is executed. Therefore, even if the standard printer cannot be printed due to a failure, It is possible to select another printer that can execute printing and execute authentication printing.
In addition, the information that the print job has been transferred to another printer is surely notified to the user through the notification step, so that the user can accurately grasp the transfer destination printer. Therefore, even if printing of a print job is executed by another printer, the user can first obtain the printed material without being viewed by other people.

[Invention 45] The authentication printing system of Invention 45 comprises:
A printing system in which a print job generation terminal and a plurality of printers are connected via a network, and at least one of the printers receives a print job transmitted from the print job generation terminal on the network A print job receiving unit that performs printing of a print job received by the print job receiving unit, and a print job authenticated by the personal authentication unit cannot be processed by its own printing unit. A print job transfer unit that transfers the print job to any one of the other printers, and a notification unit that notifies a destination printer of the print job transferred by the print job transfer unit. It is what.

As a result, as in the first aspect, the user can accurately grasp the printer on which his / her print job is executed. Therefore, even if the standard printer cannot be printed due to a failure, It is possible to select another printer that can execute printing and execute authentication printing.
In addition, the information that the print job has been transferred to another printer is surely notified to the user through the notification step, so that the user can accurately grasp the transfer destination printer. Therefore, even if printing of a print job is executed by another printer, the user can first obtain the printed material without being viewed by other people.

[Invention 46] The authentication printing system of Invention 46 comprises:
A printing system in which a print job generation terminal and a plurality of printers are connected via a network, wherein at least one of the printers includes a print job authentication device, and the print job authentication device is connected to the network. Print job receiving means for receiving a print job transmitted from the print job generating terminal, personal authentication means for authenticating an individual who executes printing of the print job received by the print job receiving means, and status information of each printer Status information acquisition means for acquiring a print job transfer for determining and transferring a printer to which a print job authenticated by the personal authentication means is transferred based on the status information of each printer acquired by the status information acquisition means And the print job transfer destination printer determined by the print job transfer means. And notification means for notifying is characterized in that it has a.

As a result, as in the first aspect, the user can accurately grasp the printer on which his / her print job is executed. Therefore, even if the standard printer cannot be printed due to a failure, It is possible to select another printer that can execute printing and execute authentication printing.
In addition, the information that the print job has been transferred to another printer is surely notified to the user through the notification step, so that the user can accurately grasp the transfer destination printer. Therefore, even if printing of a print job is executed by another printer, the user can first obtain the printed material without being viewed by other people.

Embodiments of a print job authentication apparatus, a printer with an authentication function, a printer management server, an authentication printing program, an authentication printing method, and an authentication printing system according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is an overall conceptual diagram showing a first embodiment of an authentication printing system 100 according to the present invention.

  As shown in the figure, in the authentication printing system 100, a print job generation terminal T composed of a PC or the like and a plurality of printers P (A to D) are connected to each other via a network N such as a LAN so as to be able to communicate with each other. The user operating the print job generation terminal 200 designates one of the printers P (A to D) according to the print contents and transmits the print job to execute a predetermined print process. It can be done.

In addition, one printer P (A) of the plurality of printers P (A to D) is used to authenticate an individual (user) who performs printing by the printer P (A) and control the printing process. The print job authentication apparatus 200 is attached.
As shown in FIG. 2, the print job authentication apparatus 200 includes a print job reception unit 210, a status information acquisition unit 220, a personal authentication unit 230, a print job transfer unit 240, a notification unit 250, and a storage unit 260. The main functions of these means 210, 220, 230, 240, 250, 260 will be described below.

  First, the print job receiving unit 210 provides a function of receiving a print job transmitted from the print job generating terminal 200 and temporarily storing (saving) the received print job in the storage unit 260 or the like. ing. The print job also includes personal information for specifying the user who transmitted the print job.

  Next, the status information acquisition means 220 includes a standard printer P (in this embodiment, printer (A)) and each other printer P connected to the network N (in this embodiment). Provides the function of temporarily storing (storing) the status information obtained by acquiring the status information of the printers (B) to (D) periodically or from time to time in the storage means 260 or the like. Yes. Here, as status information acquired from each printer P ((A) to (D) in the present embodiment), at least information for specifying the printer P and whether or not the printer can execute printing. Information (for example, whether printing is in progress or not, if printing is in progress, remaining printing time, whether there is a failure such as jam or out of toner, etc.), the printer is not particularly limited. In addition to the IP address and MAC address for identifying the printer, information specific to the printer, such as the printing method (inkjet method, laser method), whether color printing is possible, current toner consumption [%] (CMYK), toner Remaining amount [%] (CMYK), number of prints since startup (A4, A3, B5, etc.), total number of prints since shipment (A4, A3, B5, etc.), current paper remaining amount (A4) A3, B5, etc.), various information such as paper tray / cover state (open / closed), presence / absence of double-sided unit installation, printer internal temperature, paper jam, etc. may be included in this “status information” as appropriate. . Others: power ON / OFF status, time since printer startup, standard time (GMT (Greenwich Mean Time), Japan Standard Time, etc.), power consumption, date of manufacture, product serial number, network settings (IP address) , Subnet mask, default gateway, DNS (Domain Name System), WINWindows (registered trademark) Internet Name Service, NetBIOSNetwork BIOS name, etc., firmware version information, hardware memory size (used memory size, free memory size (HDD size) , Used HDD size, free HDD size)) and the like.

  The personal authentication unit 230 provides a function of authenticating an individual (user) who executes printing of a print job received by the print job receiving unit 210 or stored in the storage unit 260 after the reception. The authentication card for personal identification possessed by the individual (user) who executes printing of the above, and a card reader for reading the personal (user) information electromagnetically written on the authentication card.

That is, as will be described in detail later, this personal authentication means 230 reads the personal information written in the authentication card owned by the user who executes printing by the card reader, and the user who owns the authentication card executes the print job. A function for determining whether or not the user is a valid user who is qualified to do so is provided.
Next, the print job transfer means 240 sends the print job authenticated by the personal authentication means 230 to its own (default) printer P (the printer P (A) in the present embodiment) or the standard printer P. When it is determined that the print job cannot be processed, the function of transferring the print job to any of the other printers P (in this embodiment, printers (B) to (D)) is provided. Yes. For example, as will be described in detail later, based on the status information of each printer P (in this embodiment, (A) to (D)) acquired by the status information acquisition means 220, the standard printer P (A) When the print function is not available, the received print job is transferred to any of the other printers P when it cannot be used, and the print processing is delegated.

The notification unit 250 provides a function of mainly notifying the user of information or the like for specifying the transfer destination printer P when the print job transfer unit 240 transfers the print job. The information is displayed using characters and images using display means such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) installed on the housing 200.
The storage unit 260 includes a rewritable storage device such as a semiconductor memory or a hard disk device (HDD). Each storage unit 260 acquires not only the print job received by the print job reception unit 210 but also the status information acquisition unit 220. In addition to the status information of the printer P, various information such as personal authentication information used by the personal authentication means 230, various control programs (software), and the like are stored in a rewritable manner.

  Here, the functions of the print job receiving unit 210, status information acquiring unit 220, personal authentication unit 230, print job transfer unit 240, notification unit 250, storage unit 260, etc. of the print job authentication apparatus 200 are actually CPU and RAM as shown in FIG. This can be realized by a computer system including various hardware configurations including a ROM and the like, and a dedicated computer program (software) for executing an algorithm for realizing each of the means 210, 220, 230, 240, 250, 260 and the like. Yes.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 3, the hardware configuration for realizing the print job authentication apparatus 200 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 40 that is responsible for various controls and arithmetic processing, and a main storage device. A RAM (Random Access Memory) 41 constituting a (Main Storage), a ROM (Read Only Memory) 42 which is a read-only storage device, and an auxiliary storage unit (Secondary) such as a hard disk drive device (HDD) or a semiconductor memory. Storage) 43, a display unit 44 including a monitor (LCD (liquid crystal display) or CRT (cathode ray tube)), a card reader 45 that is one of personal information input devices, and a communication network such as a LAN, WAN, or the Internet. Between the network N and the input / output interface (I / F) 46 and the like, a processor bus, a memory bus, a system bus, and an input / output including a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus and an industrial standard architecture (ISA) bus The buses are connected by various internal and external buses 47 such as buses.

  Then, for example, a storage medium such as a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, flexible disk (FD) or the like, or various dedicated computer programs, status information, and print jobs supplied via the communication network N are stored in the storage unit 43 and the like. At the same time, the program and information are appropriately loaded into the main storage device 41, and according to the program loaded into the main storage device 41, the CPU 40 performs various controls and arithmetic processing using various resources, and the processing result (processing) Data) is output to the display unit 44 via the bus 47 and displayed, and the print job is transmitted to one of the printers P via the network N or stored in the auxiliary storage device 43 as needed. The storage (update) process is performed.

  The print job generation terminal T connected to the print job authentication apparatus 200 so as to be capable of information communication has a function for transmitting a print job generated according to a user instruction to the print job authentication apparatus 200 together with a print instruction. Although there is no particular limitation as long as it has, in many cases, for example, from a general-purpose personal computer (PC) operating on a common OS (Operating System) having various application software such as word processing software and drawing software Many cases are considered to be composed.

  In addition, each printer P has a basic function such as a print job reception function for receiving a print job transmitted from the print job authentication apparatus 200 and a print mechanism for executing the received print job. It is not necessary to have a special function, and a general-purpose (ordinary) printing apparatus such as a conventionally used (color) ink jet printer or laser printer can be applied as it is.

  On the other hand, the protocol used for communication between the print job authentication apparatus 200 and the print job generation terminal T and the printer P is not particularly limited. If the network N is a network via a wide area network such as the Internet, the Internet If the standard TCP / IP protocol is used and LAN is unified by a specific vendor, AppleTalk / EtherTalk (registered trademark), NetBEUI / NetBIOS (registered trademark), SPX / IPX (registered trademark), etc. Specific protocols can be used. For example, in the case of TCP / IP, TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) for establishing a connection between the print job authenticating apparatus 200, the print job generating terminal T, and the printer P to ensure reliable communication, efficient In addition to UDP (User Datagram Protocol), which is a connectionless protocol to provide secure communication, and IP (Internet Protocol), which is a protocol for delivering packets to a predetermined destination from many routes, via a network Telnet (Telecommunication Network) which is a protocol for remote control of the other terminal, FTP which is a protocol for executing file transfer using Telnet File Transfer Protocol), NFS (Network File System) which is a protocol for providing a transparent file access function to other computers, and SNMP (Network Transfer System) which is a protocol for exchanging network management information such as failure information and traffic information. Simple Network Management Protocol), ARP and RARP (Address Resolution Protocol, Reverse ARP), SLIP and PPP (Serial Line Protocol, Point to Point Protocol), RIP and OSPF Inf. Path First), RSVP (Resource Reservation Protocol), IPsec (IP security Protocol), IGMP (Internet Group Management Protocol), NTP (Network Time Protocol), etc. are often used.

Next, a specific example of the authentication printing method using the authentication printing system 100 and the print job authentication apparatus 200 according to the present invention having the above-described configuration will be described with reference mainly to the flowcharts of FIGS.
First, FIG. 4 shows an example of the flow of processing from generation of a print job to restriction of output of the print job in the print job generation terminal T.

As shown in the figure, if a print job such as a document or an image is generated from information (data) acquired via various application software or a network in the first step S100, the print job generation terminal T performs the next step. The process proceeds to step S102, waits for a transmission instruction from the user, and then proceeds to the next determination step S104.
In step S104, it is determined whether there is a transmission instruction for the print job. When it is determined that there is no transmission instruction (No), the process returns to step S102 and waits until there is a transmission instruction. When it is determined that there is an instruction (Yes), the process proceeds to the next step S106 and the print job is transmitted to the designated printer P. However, the printed matter executed by this print job is the print instruction. If the document is a confidential document that is not desired to be viewed by anyone other than the user who issued the document (or the person who obtained the user's permission), the print job may not be sent directly to any printer P. Instead, it is once transmitted to the print job authentication apparatus 200 according to the present invention.

  That is, as described above, if the print data created by the print job generation terminal T is directly sent to the printer P not provided with the print job authentication apparatus 200 as in the present invention, the print queue of the printer P will be displayed. If it is empty, printing of the print job immediately transmitted by the printer P is started, and some or all of the confidential document may be seen by others before the user reaches the location of the printer P. . Accordingly, when a print job is transmitted to such a print job authentication apparatus 200, the print job is temporarily stocked in the print job authentication apparatus 200, and printing starts immediately. Such inconveniences can be avoided. Note that the transmission of the print job from the print job generation terminal T is performed by designating the print job authentication apparatus 200 of the present invention, in addition to the printer P (this embodiment) with the print job authentication apparatus 200 attached thereto. In the form, when it is executed for the printer (A)), it is automatically stocked in the print job authentication apparatus 200 of the present invention.

If the print job is transmitted to the print job authentication apparatus 200 of the present invention in this way, the process proceeds to the next step S108 and the output of the contents of the print job displayed on the monitor or the like is restricted. Then, the transmission process ends.
In other words, the user who has transmitted the print job related to the confidential document normally moves away from the print job generation terminal T to the place where the print job authentication apparatus 200 is installed to execute the print job thereafter. However, if the contents of a print job related to a confidential document are still displayed on the monitor of the print job generation terminal T after moving, the contents of the confidential document can be viewed by others via the monitor. It is because there is a possibility that it will be.

In this last step S108, there is no possibility that the contents of the confidential document will be seen by others via the monitor, or other output restrictions (for example, turning off the monitor power, password, etc.) Etc.) can be omitted when the attached screen saver is activated.
In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, a print job generated by a certain print job generation terminal (A) installed on the network N is transferred from the print job generation terminal (A) via the network N. It is assumed that a print job is transmitted to the print job authentication apparatus 200 attached to one printer (A).

Next, the flowchart of FIG. 5 shows an example of the flow of processing from print reception waiting to notification of a transfer destination printer in the print job authentication apparatus 200.
As shown in the figure, the print job authentication apparatus 200 starts a predetermined warm-up operation and initial choke operation after power-on, and waits for reception of a print job from the print job generation terminal T after the initial operation is completed. (Step S200). Then, the print job authentication apparatus 200 determines whether or not a print job has been received in the next step S202. When it is determined that no print job has been received (No), the print job authentication apparatus 200 returns to step S200 again. However, when it is determined that the print job has been received (Yes), the process proceeds to the next step S204, and the received print job is temporarily stored in the storage unit 260 or the like, and the process proceeds to the next step S206.

  In step S206, a print job authentication operation waiting state from the user who transmitted the print job is awaited. In the next determination step S208, it is determined whether or not an authentication operation has actually been performed. When it is determined in this determination step S208 that the authentication operation has not yet been performed (No), the process returns to step S206 again to wait for the authentication operation, but when it is determined that the authentication operation has actually been performed. (Yes) further proceeds to the next determination step S210.

  Here, the print job authentication operation by the user means that, as described above, the personal authentication unit 230, for example, an authentication card in which the ID of each user possessed by each user is recorded, and a card reader that reads this authentication card. In this case, an authentication card reading operation or the like for the card reader can be cited. As the personal authentication means 230, biometric information for identifying an individual such as a fingerprint or an iris, and a dedicated reading device for reading the biometric information In this case, an input operation of the user's own biometric information to the biometric information reading device is exemplified. Further, when the personal authentication means 230 is composed of an authentication card and a card reader as described above, in order to prevent spoofing due to theft of the authentication card, a password is also used together with the reading operation of the authentication card. A predetermined password may be input.

  In determination step S210, personal authentication is performed based on the input personal information. If it is determined that authentication is not possible (No), the process proceeds to step S226 and the user cannot authenticate using the display unit. After the notification, the process is terminated without transferring the received print job. However, when it is determined that the authentication is possible (Yes), the process proceeds to the next step S212, and each printer is set. Get status information.

  Here, the personal authentication method based on the input personal information is not particularly limited. For example, user information that is qualified to be authenticated by the authentication device 200 is registered in the database of the storage unit 260 or the like. In addition, the entered personal information (ID, etc.) is compared with the user information registered in the database, and if both information completely match, it is determined that authentication is possible. It is common to determine that authentication is not possible. Even if the input personal information matches the user information registered in the database, it is possible that only a specific print job has not arrived due to a communication failure or the like. The personal authentication may be performed by checking the personal information and the input personal information. Further, as described above, when a password is used in combination, it is possible to make it possible to authenticate that the passwords also completely match.

On the other hand, the status information of each printer P acquired in step S212 may be acquired from each printer P after determining that authentication is possible in step S210. It may be acquired from P and stored in the storage means 260 or the like.
The flowchart in FIG. 6 shows an example of the flow of processing related to such personal authentication.

As shown in the figure, first, if personal information is input in the first step S300, the process proceeds to the next step S302 and the input personal information is collated with a personal information database provided in the storage means 260 or the like. Then, the process proceeds to the next step S304 to determine whether or not the individual is a user registered in the database.
When it is determined that the user is not a registered user (No), the process proceeds to step S314 to notify that authentication is impossible, and the process is terminated, but when it is determined that the user is a registered user. (Yes) shifts to the next step S308 to determine whether or not a print job corresponding to the user has been received.

  As a result of this determination processing, when it is determined that there is no corresponding print job (No), similarly, the process proceeds to step S314 to notify that authentication is impossible, and the processing ends. When it is determined that there is (No), the process proceeds to step S310 and authentication is performed, and then the process proceeds to next step S312 to notify the user of the authentication and the process is terminated. A print job that has been received but could not be authenticated may be stored as it is, but since the storage capacity of the storage device 260 and the like is consumed unnecessarily, no processing is performed. It is desirable to automatically delete it at an appropriate time when it is not known.

Next, when the print job is authenticated and the status information of each printer P is acquired in this way, the process proceeds to step S214 shown in FIG. 5, and the authenticated print job is determined based on the status information. It is determined whether or not the standard printer (default printer), that is, the printer (A) in the present embodiment is in a printable state.
When it is determined that the authenticated print job can be printed by the standard printer P (A) (Yes), the process jumps to step S220 and transmits the print job to the standard printer P (A) as it is. However, if it is determined that printing is not possible (No), the process proceeds to the next step S216, and the print processing of the authenticated print job is possible based on the status information of each of the other printers P. A search is made as to whether another printer P exists.

  If it is determined in step S218 that there is no printer P that can be printed (No), the process proceeds to step S224 to notify the user that printing is not possible and inform the user accordingly, and the process ends. However, when it is determined that there is a printer P that can be printed (Yes), the process proceeds to step S220, the print job is transferred to the printer P, and then the process proceeds to the next step S222 to transfer to. The process is terminated after a notification for specifying the printer P is made.

  In the present embodiment shown in FIG. 7, it is determined that printing cannot be executed because the printing mechanism of the printer P (A) provided with the print job authentication apparatus 200 of the present invention is out of order. As a result of searching for a printable printer based on the status information from among (B), (C), and (D), the printer (B) closest to the location of the printer (A) is used by another user. Although the print job could not be immediately executed because the printer was in the middle, the printer (C) in the next closest location was ready to execute the print job immediately. The printing apparatus 200 (the print job transfer unit 240) shows a state in which the received print job is transferred to the printer (C) without being transferred to the printers (A) and (B).

  As a result, a user who gives a print instruction for a print job related to a confidential document prints after the authentication operation in the print job authentication apparatus 200 due to a failure of the default printer P to which the print job authentication apparatus 200 is attached. Even if it cannot be executed, it is possible to automatically search for another printer P that can perform printing processing and execute printing with the printer P. Therefore, it is troublesome to search for another printer P that can be printed. Therefore, efficient printing can be realized.

Further, since the user is notified of information such as the model and location of the destination printer P along with the print job transfer processing, the user can surely know the destination printer P. Thus, it is possible to execute secure printing for a printing process that does not want anyone to see such as a confidential document.
The print job authentication apparatus 200 is a set of functions for realizing the computer system including the CPU, the RAM, and the like and the print job receiving unit 210 and the like on the software using the computer system as described above. The authentication print program can be realized by being recorded on a computer-readable storage medium such as a CD-ROM as shown in FIG. The user can use the authentication printing program by purchasing it in a package or the like and then installing it in an auxiliary storage device or the like of a computer via an information reading device such as a CD-ROM drive.

Next, a second embodiment of the authentication printing system 100 of the present invention will be described.
In this embodiment, a transfer start time (or “time”, the same applies hereinafter) setting function is added to the print job transfer means 240 described above, and the transfer start time setting function of the print job transfer means 240 is set as shown by a broken line in FIG. User input means 270 for setting a transfer start time (or “time”, the same applies hereinafter) is further provided.

  That is, in the first embodiment, when a print job cannot be printed due to a failure of the printing mechanism of the standard printer P, the print job authentication apparatus 200 can print the print job after the authentication process. It is possible to realize secure printing by transferring to the printer P and notifying the user of the information, but the printer P on a separate floor or another building is selected as the destination printer P. In such a case, the transfer ends before the user reaches the transfer destination printer P. When the user reaches the transfer destination printer P, printing of a part of the confidential document has already started or all printing has ended. Is also possible.

  As described above, in the case where the transfer destination printer P is located far away from the print job authentication apparatus 200, secure printing cannot be performed. Therefore, in the present embodiment, transfer to the print job transfer unit 240 is performed. In addition to providing a start time setting function, the authentication apparatus 200 further includes user input means 270 for setting the transfer start time of the transfer start time setting function.

FIG. 9 shows an example of an interface for the user to input the transfer start time of the print job when the print job is transferred to another printer P in this way.
As shown in the figure, when the user authentication is completed and the print job transfer unit 240 determines to transfer the print job to another printer P, the print job transfer unit 240 notifies the notification unit 250 to that effect. Upon receiving this notification, as shown in the upper display portion M in FIG. 9, the notification means 250 gives the user “printing on LP-9500 of 11.22.33.44”. A message indicating that the job is to be transferred and the fact that the destination printer P is to be transferred is displayed for a certain period of time. Then, as shown in the display section M in the lower part of FIG. A message prompting you to enter the transfer start time is displayed along with a message such as “Please enter the time until job transfer starts.”

  Then, the user who has seen the screen of the display unit M in the lower part of FIG. 9 uses the user input means 270 provided in the vicinity of the display unit M, for example, a numeric keypad K, a mouse, etc. After inputting a correct time (numerical value), if the time is acceptable, click “OK” to determine the time. For example, if it is expected that the travel time from the location of the authentication apparatus 200 to the location of the transfer destination printer will take “5 minutes”, and the transferred confidential document is desired immediately, the user can input “ Immediately after entering "5 minutes" and clicking "OK", if the movement from the location to the destination printer P is started, printing of the confidential document at the destination printer P starts almost simultaneously with the arrival. As a result, the user can reliably obtain the confidential document in the shortest time without seeing anyone's eyes.

  Also, if the user who sent the print job knows that the print job will be transferred to another printer P, but determines that it is not necessary to get the confidential document in a hurry, for example, transfer If the transfer start time is set a few hours ahead so that printing is executed when all the people in the room with the previous printer P are supposed to go home, move to the location of the transfer destination printer P quickly. Therefore, it is possible to execute the printing process of the confidential document with time and mental margin.

Here, in this embodiment, the transfer start time is arbitrarily set by the user using an input means such as a numeric keypad. However, this transfer start time is fixed in advance at the time of initial setting or the like, for example, a transfer destination. Regardless of the printer P, a default value such as “5 minutes” may be set so that the user can arbitrarily change the time as necessary.
Further, when the user can arbitrarily set the transfer start time of the print job as in this embodiment, it is possible to set a more accurate transfer time if the transfer time can also be known at the same time. Become. For example, even if the user's own travel time to the transfer destination printer P can be predicted to some degree accurately, the travel time may be increased if the data amount of the print job is large or the network communication speed is slower than expected. If the transfer start time of the print job is set based only on this, the user may wait for a long time until printing is actually started at the transfer destination printer P. Therefore, if a print job transfer time calculation function is further added to the print job transfer unit 240 and the transfer time of the print job is displayed on the display unit M together with a notification that transfer is to be executed, the user can transfer the print job. Therefore, it is possible to set an accurate print start time in consideration of the above, and it is possible to realize efficient transfer without waste.

  For example, if the communication speed of the network N is about “750 Kbps” and the total data size of the print job is about “15 Mbytes”, the transfer time will take about “2 minutes 40 seconds” (( 15M bytes × 8 bits) / 750K bits = 160). Therefore, if the print start time is set in consideration of this transfer time, efficient printing without waste can be realized without waiting for the print to start before the transfer destination printer P.

When the transfer destination printer P is not warmed up, it is desirable to notify the total time of the warm-up time in addition to the transfer time.
Also, as shown in FIG. 10, when another known print job authentication device 200A is attached to the transfer destination printer P (in this embodiment, the printer (D)), it immediately If the print job is transferred to the printer P, the same authentication operation is required again in the print job authentication apparatus 200A, but actual printing is executed by the printer P after the authentication operation. Thus, confidential document printing can be executed without worrying about transfer time, print start time, and the like.

If the transfer destination printer P is of a different type from the standard printer P, the print job can be easily printed by rewriting the intermediate language header.
That is, the print job to be transmitted is from a file in which various header information such as intermediate language is described in addition to print data (print contents) such as text and bmp as shown in (1) to (5) below. It is configured.
(1) DATE = “2004/2/20 10:31:57” // date.
(2) PRINTER = “¥¥ server1 ¥ EPSON LP-9500C”
// Network address (3) EJL JI USER = “username” MACHINE = “¥¥ usermachine” OS = “Windows (registered trademark) 2000” DRIVER = “EPSON LP-9500C” // User name, user machine name, user machine OS, model name (4) EJL SE LA = ESC / PAGE // Intermediate language (5) EJL SET RS = QK PU = AU PS = A4 OU = FD DX = OFF EC = ON SZ = OFF RI = ON SN = OFF GAMMAMODE = NORMAL SL = YES CO = 1 PK = NM TO = 0 LO = 0 // Print setting (6)... // Print contents Therefore, when a print job is transferred to a predetermined printer P The print job transfer unit 240 uses the (3) machine of this header. The species name is changed, for example, “DRIVER =“ EPSON LP-9500C ”” → “DRIVER =“ EPSON LP-9000C ””, and the (2) network address is changed to “PRINTER =“ ¥ server1 ¥ EPSON ”. LP-9500C "" → "PRINTER =" \\ usermachine \ EPSON LP-9500C "".

If the intermediate language of the destination printer P is different from that of the standard printer P, the intermediate language is simultaneously rewritten to the intermediate language of the destination printer P, so that the destination printer P Even if the models are different, the print job can be surely printed by the transfer destination printer P.
Next, a third embodiment of the authentication printing system 100 of the present invention will be described.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 11, a printer 300 with an authentication function is connected on the network N in place of the above-described print job authentication apparatus 200 and the printer P to which the print job authentication apparatus 200 is attached.
That is, in the printer 300 with the authentication function, as shown in FIG. 12, each means 210, 220, 230, 240, 250 constituting the print job authentication apparatus 200 described above is added to a printing apparatus provided with a known printing means 280. , 260 is incorporated as it is.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, the self printing unit 280 corresponds to the default printer P in the above embodiment, and the print job transfer unit 240 is similar to the above embodiment, and the print job transfer unit 240 is the self printing unit 280. If it is determined that printing is not possible due to a failure or the like, the authenticated print job is transferred to another printer P on the network N based on the status information acquired by the status information acquisition unit 220, and the transfer facts and transfer are transferred. Similarly, the notification unit 250 notifies the user of information related to the destination printer and the like.

As a result, similarly to the above-described embodiment, even when the printing unit 280 of the printer 300 with the authentication function is in a non-printable state, the print job can be printed using another printer P. In addition, secure printing can be realized for confidential documents and the like.
Also in the present embodiment, when the transfer destination printer P is at a remote location, the print job transfer means 240, in the same way as in the previous embodiment, determines the print start time or The time can be controlled.

  FIG. 13 shows an example of a hardware configuration of a computer system that constitutes the printer 300 with the authentication function. The CPU 40, the RAM 41, and the ROM 42 are connected to each other via a bus 47 so as to be able to communicate with each other. The CPU 40 and the like are connected to the network N, the storage unit 43, the display unit 44, the operation panel 48, the printing unit 49, and the like via an interface 46 so as to be able to communicate with each other. Then, the CPU 40 executes predetermined control and arithmetic processing according to data and programs input from the network N, the operation panel 48, and the like, and outputs the execution results to the display unit 44 and the printing unit 49 via the RAM 41. Each function of each means 210, 220, 230, 240, 250, 260 constituting the functional printer 300 is realized.

Next, a fourth embodiment of the authentication printing system 100 of the present invention will be described.
In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 14, a printer management server with authentication printing 400 is connected to the network N instead of the above-described print job authentication apparatus 200, and a plurality of printers are connected by this printer management server with authentication printing 400. P (the printers P1 to P3 in this embodiment) is collectively managed.

That is, as shown in FIG. 15, the printer management server with authentication printing 400 is connected to each of the means 210, 220, 230, constituting the above-described print job authentication apparatus 200 on a PC or the like equipped with a known printer management means 290. 240, 250, 260 are incorporated as they are.
Therefore, in this embodiment, in principle, a print job is transferred between several printers P under the management of the printer management server 400 with authenticated printing, and the print job transfer means 240 If it is determined that the printing function of the default printer P (for example, the printer P1) cannot be used due to a failure or the like, the other printers (for example, the printers P1 and P2) acquired by the status information acquisition unit 220 are determined. The print job is transferred to one of the other printers P on the basis of the status information, and the user is notified of the transfer fact and the information about the transfer destination printer by the notification means 250.

  As a result, similar to the above-described embodiment, even if the default printer P1 is in a non-printable state, the print job can be printed using another printer P. Secure printing can be realized. Also, in general, printers managed by one printer management server have a limited range such as the same floor or the same site, so that the inconvenience that the print job is transferred to a distant printer P is avoided. can do.

Also in the present embodiment, when the transfer destination printer P is at a remote location, the print job transfer means 240, in the same way as in the previous embodiment, determines the print start time or The time can be controlled.
FIG. 16 shows an example of the hardware configuration of the computer system constituting the printer management server 400 with authentication printing, and the CPU 40, RAM 41, and ROM 42 are connected to each other via a bus 47 so as to be able to communicate with each other. In addition, the CPU 40 and the like, and the network N, the storage unit 43, the display unit 44, the input unit 50, and the like are connected via the interface 46 so as to be able to communicate with each other. The CPU 40 executes predetermined control and arithmetic processing according to data and programs input from the network N, the input unit 50, etc., and outputs the execution result to the display unit 44 and the printing unit 49 via the RAM 41. The respective functions of the units 210, 220, 230, 240, 250, 260 and the printer management unit 290 constituting the printer management server 400 with printing are realized.

  Further, as an application example applicable not only to this embodiment but also to each of the above embodiments, when the transfer destination printer P is determined and notified to the user by the notification means 250, as shown in FIG. In addition to receiving the transfer start time, etc., there are interfaces and means for determining whether or not to execute transfer, presenting some printers that can be transferred, and entrusting which printer to transfer to. Further, it may be added.

  For example, if the installation location of the transfer destination printer is too far away, an option of canceling the printing without executing it may be provided, or from among some printers P that have been raised as transfer destination printer candidates. If a favorite printer suitable for the user's convenience can be selected, more secure printing can be realized.

1 is an overall configuration diagram showing a first embodiment of an authentication printing system according to the present invention. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a print job authentication apparatus according to the present invention. 2 is a configuration diagram illustrating a hardware configuration for realizing a print job authentication apparatus. FIG. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a processing flow in a print job generation terminal. FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an overall processing flow in the print job authentication apparatus. FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of authentication processing in the print job authentication apparatus. 1 is a conceptual diagram according to a first embodiment of an authentication printing system. It is a conceptual diagram which shows an example of the recording medium which recorded the authentication printing program. It is a conceptual diagram which shows 2nd Embodiment of the authentication printing system which concerns on this invention. It is another conceptual diagram which concerns on 1st Embodiment of an authentication printing system. It is a whole block diagram which shows 3rd Embodiment of the authentication printing system which concerns on this invention. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a printer with an authentication function according to the present invention. It is a block diagram which shows the hardware constitutions which implement | achieve the printer with an authentication function. It is a whole block diagram which shows 4th Embodiment of the authentication printing system which concerns on this invention. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a printer management server with an authentication function. It is a block diagram which shows the hardware constitutions which implement | achieve the printer management server with an authentication function.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 ... Authentication printing system, 200 ... Print job authentication apparatus, 210 ... Print job receiving means, 220 ... Status information acquisition means, 230 ... Personal authentication means, 240 ... Print job transfer apparatus, 250 ... Notification means, 260 ... Storage means, 270 ... Setting input means, 280 ... Printing means, 290 ... Printer management means, 300 ... Printer with authentication function, 400 ... Printer management server with authentication printing, 40 ... CPU, 41 ... RAM, 42 ... ROM, 43 ... Storage section, 44 ... display unit, 45 ... card reader, 46 ... interface, 47 ... bus, 48 ... operation panel, 49 ... printing unit, 50 ... input unit, P (A) to (D), P1 to P3 ... printer, T ... Print job generation terminal, N ... network.

Claims (18)

A print job authentication device connected to a network,
Print job receiving means for receiving a print job transmitted from a print job generating terminal on the network;
Personal authentication means for authenticating an individual who executes printing of the print job received by the print job receiving means;
Status information acquisition means for acquiring status information of a plurality of printers connected to the network;
A print job transfer unit that determines and transfers a transfer destination printer of the print job authenticated by the personal authentication unit based on the status information of each printer acquired by the status information acquisition unit;
And a notifying means for notifying a destination printer of the print job determined by the print job transferring means. The print job authentication device according to claim 1,
A print job authentication apparatus, further comprising: a printing unit that executes printing of a print job authenticated by the personal authentication unit. The print job authentication device according to claim 1,
A print job authentication apparatus, further comprising printer management means for managing each of the printers. The print job authentication apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The print job transfer means includes:
When a printer other than the standard printer is determined as the printer to which the print job is to be transferred, wait for a predetermined time after the determination or when the personal authentication by the personal authentication means is completed. The print job is transferred and
The notification means includes
The print job authentication apparatus, wherein the print job transfer means notifies the transfer start time or the transfer start time of the print job together with the print destination printer information. The print job authentication apparatus according to claim 4,
The print job transfer means includes:
A print job authentication apparatus, wherein the print job is transferred to the other printer when a transfer start time or time set in advance or arbitrarily is reached. The print job authentication apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The print job transfer means includes:
When the print job transfer destination printer is determined to be a printer other than the standard printer, and the print start time or print start time is set, the transfer start time or transfer start time is calculated. With
The notification means includes
A print job authentication apparatus that notifies the print start time or the print start time of the other printer together with the other printer of the transfer destination transferred by the print job transfer means. The print job authentication apparatus according to claim 6.
The print job transfer means includes:
Based on the communication speed information with the other printer of the transfer destination, the status information of the other printer, and the data size of the print job, the transfer from the transfer destination to the other printer is started. A print job authentication apparatus characterized in that a time until printing is started is calculated. The print job authentication apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The print job transfer means includes:
The print job is configured to immediately transfer the print job to the other printer when the other printer to which the determined transfer destination of the print job is provided has the personal authentication means. Authentication device. The print job authentication apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The print job transfer means includes:
A printer capable of print processing is searched for each print job based on the status information acquired by the status information acquisition means, and the print job is transferred to the selected printer from the searched printers. A print job authentication device. The print job authentication apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The print job transfer means includes:
An apparatus for authenticating a print job, wherein a header portion of an intermediate language of the print job is rewritten. A printer connected to a print job generation terminal and another printer via a network,
Print job receiving means for receiving a print job transmitted from the print job generating terminal;
Personal authentication means for authenticating an individual who executes printing of the print job received by the print job receiving means;
A print job transfer means for transferring the print job to one of the other printers when the print job authenticated by the personal authentication means cannot be processed by the self print means;
And a notifying unit for notifying a destination printer of a print job transferred by the print job transfer unit. A printer management server connected to a print job generation terminal and a plurality of printers via a network,
Print job receiving means for receiving a print job transmitted from the print job generating terminal;
Personal authentication means for authenticating an individual who executes printing of the print job received by the print job receiving means;
Status information acquisition means for acquiring status information of each printer;
A print job transfer unit that determines and transfers a transfer destination printer of the print job authenticated by the personal authentication unit based on the status information of each printer acquired by the status information acquisition unit;
A printer management server comprising notification means for notifying a destination printer of a print job determined by the print job transfer means. An authentication printing program used in a print job authentication apparatus connected to a network having a print job generation terminal and a plurality of printers,
In the computer of the print job authentication device,
A print job reception function for receiving a print job transmitted from the print job generation terminal;
A personal authentication function for authenticating an individual who executes printing of a print job received by the print job receiving unit;
A status information acquisition function for acquiring status information of each printer;
A print job transfer function for determining and transferring a printer to which a print job authenticated by the personal authentication function is transferred based on the status information of each printer acquired by the status information acquisition means;
An authentication printing program that realizes a notification function for notifying a destination printer of a print job determined by the print job transfer unit. An authentication printing program used in a print job generation terminal and a printer connected to another printer via a network,
In the printer computer,
A print job reception function for receiving a print job transmitted from the print job generation terminal on the network;
A personal authentication function for authenticating an individual who executes printing of a print job received by the print job receiving unit;
A print job transfer function for determining and transferring a printer to which the print job is to be transferred from among the other printers when the print job authenticated by the personal authentication unit cannot be processed by the self print unit;
An authentication printing program that realizes a notification function for notifying a destination printer of a print job determined by the print job transfer unit. A method for operating a print job authentication apparatus connected to a network having a print job generation terminal and a plurality of printers,
A print job receiving step of receiving a print job transmitted from the print job generation terminal on the network;
A personal authentication step for authenticating an individual who executes printing of the print job received in the print job reception step;
A status information acquisition step of acquiring status information of each printer;
A print job transfer step of determining and transferring a printer to which the print job authenticated in the personal authentication step is transferred based on the status information of each printer acquired in the status information acquisition step;
An authentication printing method comprising: a notification step of notifying a transfer destination printer of the print job determined in the print job transfer step. A method for operating a print job generation terminal and a printer with an authentication function connected to another printer via a network,
A print job receiving step of receiving a print job transmitted from the print job generation terminal on the network;
A personal authentication step for authenticating an individual who executes printing of the print job received in the print job reception step;
A print job transfer step of transferring the print job to one of the other printers when the print job authenticated in the personal authentication step cannot be processed by its own printing means;
An authentication printing method comprising: a notification step of notifying a printer to which a print job is transferred determined in the print job transfer step. A printing system in which a print job generation terminal and a plurality of printers are connected via a network,
At least one of the printers is
Print job receiving means for receiving a print job transmitted from a print job generating terminal on the network;
Personal authentication means for authenticating an individual who executes printing of the print job received by the print job receiving means;
A print job transfer means for transferring the print job to one of the other printers when the print job authenticated by the personal authentication means cannot be processed by the self print means;
An authentication printing system comprising: notification means for notifying a destination printer of a print job transferred by the print job transfer means. A printing system in which a print job generation terminal and a plurality of printers are connected via a network,
Among the printers, at least one printer includes a print job authentication device,
The print job authentication device
Print job receiving means for receiving a print job transmitted from a print job generating terminal on the network;
Personal authentication means for authenticating an individual who executes printing of the print job received by the print job receiving means;
Status information acquisition means for acquiring status information of each printer;
A print job transfer unit that determines and transfers a transfer destination printer of the print job authenticated by the personal authentication unit based on the status information of each printer acquired by the status information acquisition unit;
An authentication printing system comprising: notification means for notifying a destination printer of a print job determined by the print job transfer means.

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