JP2006079421A - Print system, computer program and storage medium therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem that since there is the case requiring transmission of a job even if it cannot receive all jobs without deciding possibility/impossibility of reception on an equipment side in resending or the like of the stored job after a client breaks down, it is necessary to selectively use schedule processing even if it is a schedule to the same group job. <P>SOLUTION: By reducing risk that the respective jobs of the group job cannot be printed in a lump, and providing a group printing function capable of more properly deciding propriety of the group job printing as compared to a print server of a general PC, a schedule function of the proper job can be provided in each function without making a user perform setting. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a job grouping printing scheduling method in a printing system that performs scheduling of print jobs from a plurality of clients on a network interface card of a device.

  When printing with a printer device, the printer device accepts a print job transmitted from the host, and performs printing in the order in which the jobs are accepted. Therefore, when multiple print jobs are sent from multiple hosts to the printer device for each host, the print jobs from multiple hosts are mixed in the output tray, so that the print jobs can be distinguished from print jobs sent from other hosts. Had to be sorted. There has also been a problem that a job printed from another host is erroneously taken due to a mistake in sorting the print jobs.

Therefore, there is a method called group job printing in which a plurality of print jobs to be continuously printed are transmitted and printed in one session, and interrupt printing from other clients is not performed. Further, as a group job method of a conventional print system, a group job printing function for collecting jobs of a plurality of clients, and a method for transferring to another client at the time of client shutdown and continuing printing are described in the following patent documents Has been.
JP 2002-278735 A

  In a print system that performs scheduling of print jobs on a network interface of a device, the number of jobs accepted by the device is limited. Therefore, in the group job printing function, a schedule method for determining whether or not reception is possible is required. However, when resending a saved job after the client goes down, there are cases where it is necessary to send a job without determining whether or not all devices can be accepted without determining whether or not the device can accept them. For this reason, it is necessary to use different schedule processes even for schedules for the same group job.

  The present invention has been made paying attention to the above points. In a print system that performs print job scheduling on a network interface of a device, the number of jobs accepted by the device is limited. Therefore, in the group job printing function, It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing system, a computer program, and a storage medium for realizing a scheduling method for determining whether or not reception is possible.

  A print system that schedules print jobs from multiple clients on the network interface of a device. Processing multiple group jobs as group jobs and transferring multiple jobs in a group job from a computer to a printer device Print server on an output device having means for confirming the number of jobs that can be submitted continuously and a free space, and means for scheduling the scheduled job and instructing the client personal computer to send the job It is characterized by.

  The present invention provides a group printing function that reduces the risk of group jobs not being able to be printed together and enables more accurate determination of whether or not group jobs can be printed than a general PC print server. In addition, an appropriate job scheduling function can be provided for each function without requiring the user to make settings.

  Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to examples.

  FIG. 1 is a network configuration of a print processing system according to an embodiment.

  In the figure, reference numerals 101, 102, 103, and 104 denote network computers connected to the network 107 and capable of communicating with each other, typically personal computers (PCs), each connected to the network 107 via a network cable. The printer driver is capable of executing various programs such as application programs and has a function of converting print data into a printer language corresponding to the printer. Here, it is assumed that each computer supports a plurality of printer drivers. In addition, it has a function of transferring print data converted into a printer language corresponding to the printer to a network printer. Reference numeral 105 denotes a network printer as a print control apparatus, which is connected to the network 107 via the network interface 106, analyzes a print job including print data transmitted from a client computer, and prints dot images one page at a time. Convert to and print. Although only one network printer 105 is shown in the figure, it is assumed that a plurality of other network printers are connected. The functions of each network printer may be different.

  A network 107 is connected to the computers 101 to 104, the network printer 105, and the like.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the computers 101 to 104.

  In FIG. 2, a CPU 200 controls the entire apparatus, executes an application program, a printer driver program, an OS stored in a hard disk (HD) 205, the network printer control program of the present embodiment, and the like, and a RAM 202 Control to temporarily store information, files, etc. necessary for program execution.

  Reference numeral 201 denotes a ROM as storage means, which stores various data such as programs such as basic I / O programs, font data used in document processing, and template data. Reference numeral 202 denotes a RAM as temporary storage means, which functions as a main memory, work area, and the like of the CPU 200.

  Reference numeral 203 denotes a floppy (registered trademark) disk (FD) drive as a storage medium reading means. As shown in FIG. 5, which will be described later, a program stored in the FD 204 as a storage medium is loaded into the computer through the FD drive 203. can do. Reference numeral 204 denotes a floppy (registered trademark) disk as a storage medium, which is a storage medium in which a program is stored so as to be readable by a computer. The storage medium is not limited to the FD and is arbitrary.

  Reference numeral 205 denotes one of external storage means, which is a hard disk (HD) that functions as a large-capacity memory, and stores an application program, a printer driver program, an OS, a network printer control program, related programs, and the like. Furthermore, a spooler as spool means is secured here. The spool means is a client spooler in the client, and a server spooler in the print server. In the print server, job information received from the client is stored, and a table for controlling the order is also generated and stored in the external storage means.

  Reference numeral 206 denotes a keyboard which is an instruction input unit. The user instructs the client computer and the operator or administrator inputs an instruction of a device control command to the print server. A display 207 is a display unit that displays commands input from the keyboard 206, the status of the printer, and the like.

  A system bus 208 controls the flow of data in a computer that is a client or a print server. Reference numeral 209 denotes an interface which is an input / output unit, and the information processing apparatus exchanges data with an external apparatus via the interface 209.

  Note that the configuration of the computer is an example thereof, and is not limited to the configuration example of FIG. For example, the storage location of data and programs can be changed by ROM, RAM, HD, etc. according to the characteristics.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the memory map of the RAM 202 shown in FIG. 2, and is a memory map in a state where the network printer control program loaded from the FD 204 is loaded into the RAM 202 and can be executed.

  In this embodiment, the network printer control program and related data are directly loaded from the FD 204 to the RAM 202 and executed. However, every time the network printer control program is operated, the network printer control program is already executed. May be loaded into the RAM 202 from the HD 205 installed from the FD 204. The medium for storing the network printer control program may be other than the FD. Furthermore, it is possible to store the network printer control program in the ROM 201, configure it as a part of the memory map, and execute it directly by the CPU 200. In addition, software that realizes the same function as each of the above devices can be used as an alternative to a hardware device.

  Hereinafter, the network printer control program may be simply referred to as a print control program or a printer driver. The print control program includes a program for performing control for instructing the change of the print destination of the print job or the instruction for changing the print order in the client. On the other hand, the print server includes a program for controlling the order of print jobs and notifying the end of printing of a print job, a request for changing a print destination, and the like. In addition, the print control program of this embodiment that performs such control may separately divide the module installed in the client and the module installed in the print server, or one print control program is executed. It may function as a client or a print server depending on the environment. Alternatively, it is possible to install a module having a function for a client and a module functioning for a print server in one computer, and perform a pseudo parallel operation at the same time or in a time division manner.

  Reference numeral 301 denotes a basic I / O program, which has an IPL (Initial Program Loading) function for starting the operation of the OS by reading the OS from the HD 205 into the RAM 202 when the computer is turned on. This is the area that contains Reference numeral 302 denotes an operating system (OS), and 303 denotes a network printer control program, which is stored in an area secured on the RAM 202. Reference numeral 304 denotes related data, which is stored in an area secured on the RAM 202. Reference numeral 305 denotes a work area in which an area for the CPU 200 to execute the printer control program is secured.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a memory map of the FD 204 illustrated in FIG.

  In FIG. 4, 401 is volume information indicating data information, 402 is directory information, 403 is a network printer control program which is a print control program described in the present embodiment, and 404 is related data thereof. The network printer control program 403 is programmed based on the flowchart described in this embodiment, and in this embodiment, both the client and the server have the same configuration.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the internal module configuration of the client personal computer (PC) (101 to 104) and network printer (105) shown in FIG.

  In FIG. 5, normally, when a printing instruction is given, the application program generates a series of drawing commands via the OS. The generated drawing command is converted into a predetermined format via a printer driver, and then passed to Windows (registered trademark) Spooler. Windows (registered trademark) Spooler takes a procedure of passing print job data to a port monitor selected and instructed by a user via a user interface and transmitting it to a printer device. In the present embodiment, the user designates a print job control system port monitor 504 (hereinafter abbreviated as job control port monitor) in advance for the normal operation just described.

  The application program 501 generates a series of drawing commands via the OS. Here, the drawing command generated via the OS is transferred to the PDL Driver 502.

  The PDL Driver 502 that has received the drawing command generated via the OS generates a page description language for printing on the device and transmits a print job data to the printer device instead of the conventional port monitor 504. As print job data. In addition, print setting information such as a paper size and a staple instruction set via the printer driver interface is also transmitted to the job control port monitor 504. A print job control system print manager 505 (hereinafter abbreviated as job control print manager) allows the user to check what the print job is in the print control service module 506 and to operate the print job. Is a program that provides a user interface. The job control print manager 505 exchanges information / instructions with the print control service module 506 via a software interface (API: Application Program Interface) of the print control service module 506. More specifically, the print manager 505 issues an event specifying a device to the print control service module 506, and the print control service module 506 monitors the status of the device based on the issued event, A result based on the monitoring is notified to the print manager 505.

  A job control module 507 serving as a print system server is provided on the network interface card 106 in which the network printer 105 is mounted. The job control module 507 monitors the device status and job status using the event handler 515, and notifies the print control service module 506 of the device status and job status when requested by the print control service module 506 of the client. At this time, the job control module 507 acquires the device status from the printer controller 513. Also, the job control module 507 has a job scheduler 509 that performs print job scheduling, and registers a job in the schedule list when a print request is received from a client.

  The job control module 507 is mounted on the platform 510. Further, the network interface card 106 includes a print module (LPR / RAW) 511 that performs printing with respect to the printer controller 513 and a device communication module 512 that communicates with the printer controller 513.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing job grouping processing of the job list 1101. In step 601, it is determined whether an API (StartGroupJob) of the print control service module 506 indicating that the application 501 starts job grouping has been called when the job is received. If StartGroupJob has been called, the process proceeds to step 602, and a notification that StartGroupJob has been called is sent to the output port 508. Also, a group ID is set in the group ID 1205 of the printer queue information 1201. The group ID is managed by the job list 1101, and an arbitrary group ID is set for each group. In step S603, print job data is received from the job control port 504.

  In step S604, a job list 1101 related to the received job is created, and a job ID 1102, a document name 1104, and a spool file path 1105 are set.

  In step S605, the group ID is referenced from the group ID 1205 of the printer queue information 1201, and the value is set in the group mode 1108 of the job list 1101.

  In step S606, the job accepted in step 603 is transmitted to the output port 508. At the time of transmission, information on the job ID 1102 in the job list 1101 is also notified.

  In step 607, it is determined whether the application 501 has instructed the end of grouping. If the grouping end instruction has not been issued, it is determined that there is still a group job to be transmitted, and the process proceeds to step 603. If it is determined in step 607 that the application 501 has instructed the end of grouping, the process proceeds to step 608, the group end flag 1107 is set, and a group end notification is issued to the output port 508. Further, the process proceeds to step S609, the group ID 1205 of the printer queue information 1201 is cleared, and the process ends.

  In step 601, it is determined whether the application 501 has called the API (StartGroupJob) of the print control service module 506 indicating the start of grouping of jobs. In step 610, the process proceeds to step 610, and print job data is received from the job control port 504. In step 611, a job list 1101 relating to the received job is created, and a job ID 1102, a document name 1104, and a spool file path 1105 are set. In step 612, the job transmission instruction received in step 610 is instructed to the output port 508, and the process ends. Information on the job ID 1102 in the job list 1101 is also notified to the transmission instruction.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the job grouping process of the output port 508.

  In step 701, it is determined whether it is the transmission instruction issued in steps S 606 and S 612 from the printer queue 514 or the StartGroupJob issued in step 602. If it is an instruction of StartGroupJob, the process proceeds to step S712. In step S605, connection processing is performed on the device IP address 1204 of the printer queue information 1201.

  In step S702, the group ID 1106 of the job list 1101 corresponding to the job ID specified in the transmission instruction is referred to and it is confirmed whether the group ID is set. If the group ID is set, the process proceeds to step S703.

  In step S703, it is confirmed whether the output port 508 has already connected a session for transferring a group job. If not connected, connection processing is performed for the device IP address 1204 of the printer queue information 1201 in step S708.

  In step S704, the file in the spool file path 1105 is transferred, and the process proceeds to step S705.

  In step S705, it is confirmed whether the group end notification issued in step S607 is notified. If the group end notification is not issued, it is determined that there is still a grouping job to be transmitted, and the process proceeds to step S701. Transition.

  If a group end notification is issued in step S705, it is determined that there is no group job to be transmitted, and the process proceeds to step S706.

  If a group end notification has been issued in step S706, it is determined that there is no grouped job to be transmitted, and the session that has been connected in steps S710, S708, and S712 is disconnected, and the process ends.

  In step S707, the job list 1101 of all grouped jobs is deleted, and the process ends.

If a session for transferring a group job is not connected in step S703, the process proceeds to step S704, the file in the spool file path 1105 is transferred, and the process proceeds to step S705.
If the group ID is not set in step S702, the process proceeds to step 710, and the connection process is performed for the device IP address 1204 of the printer queue information 1201. In step S712, the file in the spool file path 1105 is transferred, and the process proceeds to step S706.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart from selection of a scheduling method (schedule mode 1108) of the print control service module 506 to transmission of a job.

  In step S801, job spooling is started. In step S802, when the job spooling is completed, it is confirmed in step S803 whether the print control service module 506 is performing termination processing. If the termination process is performed in S803, the schedule mode 1108 of the job list 1101 is set to 2. When this information is notified to the server job control module 507 in step S806, the job control module 507 sets the schedule mode 1108 in the schedule list 1304. If a job with this value set is smaller than the size of the group job accepted by the device queue buffer, only the accepted job is registered in the schedule.

  If the print control service module 506 has not performed stop processing in S803, the schedule mode 1108 is set to 1 in S804. In step S806, a job batch registration instruction is issued. At this time, the schedule mode is also notified. Upon receiving the notification, the job control module 507 sets the schedule mode 1108 in the schedule list 1304. If the group job in which this mode is set is smaller than the size of the group job accepted by the device queue buffer, the job schedule is rejected. In step S807, it is confirmed whether a transmission enable notification is received from the server job control module 507. If received, the job is transmitted in step S809. If not received, the number of jobs and the size of the device in S808 are monitored, and a transmission enable notification from the job control module 507 of the server is awaited.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart for the scheduling method of the job control module 507.

  When a job is registered from the print control service module 506, batch registration of a plurality of jobs is accepted in S901, and the number of jobs that can be accepted is confirmed in S902. If the number of receivable jobs is greater than the number of jobs scheduled to be registered in S903, the receivable size is confirmed in S904. If the number of scheduled registration jobs is larger than the number of jobs that can be assigned, the schedule mode is confirmed in S908. If the mode is 1, the registration is canceled in S909. When the mode is 2, the process proceeds to S906, and the group job member jobs are registered as much as possible. If the receivable size is confirmed in S904 and the number of receivable jobs is larger than the number of registered jobs in S905, the process proceeds to S906 to register a group job. If it is less, the schedule mode is confirmed in S908. After S906, the client is notified of reception in S907. After that, when job reception is started by the job control module 507, printing is performed from the head job of the group job in S910.

  FIG. 10 is a timing chart of the client (print control service module 506), server (job control module 507), and network printer controller 513.

  When the grouping is completed in S1001 and the spooling is completed in S1002, after the group jobs are prepared in the job control module 507 in S1003, the jobs are registered collectively. When the first member job of the group job is scheduled up in S1005, a schedule up notification is sent to the print control service module 506 in S1004. In step S1006, the print control service module 506 returns a status indicating that transfer is in progress to the job control module 507. In steps S1006, 7, 8, and 9, the job corresponding to the group ID 1106 is transferred. In S1010, the transfer ends.

  FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the job list 1101 managed by the print control service module 506.

  The job list 1101 used in this embodiment creates a printer queue 514 when print job data is transmitted from the job control port 504 to the print control service module 506. The job ID 1102 is an arbitrary ID assigned to the job list 1101 managed by the printer queue 514, and is used as an ID for identifying a job. A document name 1104 is a name of a document to be printed by the application 501, and notifies the printer queue 514 when the job control port 504 transmits print job data to the print control service module 506. The spool file path 1105 is a file path in which the job control service stores the print job data transmitted from the job control port 504 to the print control service module 506 in the HD 205. The group ID is an arbitrary group ID issued by the printer queue 514 when the application 501 designates job grouping. The group of the job can be identified by this group ID. The group end flag 1107 is a flag indicating the last job in the group job. A group mode 1108 is a schedule mode indicating a scheduling method. When this mode is 1, if the number of received jobs or the size of the server is smaller than the number of group jobs or the size, registration of this group job is rejected. When this mode is 2, only the member jobs accepted in the group job are registered in the schedule.

  FIG. 12 is a diagram showing printer queue information 1201 that determines the operation of a print job accepted by the printer queue 514.

  Here, the printer name 1202, the driver name 1203, and the device IP address 1204, which are the settings of the printer queue information 1201, will be described.

  A printer name 1202 indicates the name of a Windows (registered trademark) printer object. The printer name 1202 is different for each printer object, and the printer object can be identified.

  The driver name 1203 is the name of the driver set in the printer object.

  The device IP address 1204 is the IP address of the corresponding network printer (device) 105.

  FIG. 13 shows an example of a job schedule list on the server.

  The schedule list 602 is an arbitrary ID unique to each device, and is used as an ID for identifying a job. The device ID 1302 in FIG. 11 is also the same ID, and this ID is registered in the client job list 1101 and the server schedule list 1301, respectively. The job status 1303 is information indicating the job status. A schedule mode 1304 is a schedule mode of the job control module 507.

  FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating a flow of a print protocol performed by the print control service module 506 by the processing of the flowchart of FIG. 9 in order to realize the job grouping function.

  A plurality of print job data are transmitted in one session of the print protocol.

1 shows a network configuration diagram of a print processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. It is a hardware block diagram of the network computer in this invention. It is a figure showing the memory map of RAM202 in this invention. It is a figure showing the memory map of FD204 in this invention. FIG. 2 shows a module configuration diagram of a print system client in a client PC and a module configuration diagram of a print system server in a network device according to the present invention. 3 shows a flow of grouping processing of a client job in the present invention. 6 shows a flow of job grouping processing of a client output port in the present invention. 6 shows a flow of a grouping process for a client job and a job transmission process in the present invention. 3 shows a flow of a print control service module of a client in the present invention. 3 shows a flow of a print control module of a server in the present invention. Fig. 5 shows a client job list according to the present invention. Fig. 6 shows client printer queue information according to the present invention. The server schedule list | wrist in this invention is shown. It is a figure showing the session of the printing protocol in this invention.

Explanation of symbols

101, 102, 103, 104 Client PC
105 Network printer

Claims (10)

A print system that schedules print jobs from multiple clients on the device's network interface. Processing multiple group jobs as group jobs, and transferring group jobs from a computer to a printer device. The number of jobs that can be submitted continuously and a means to confirm that there is free space,
A print system characterized by a print server on an output device having means for scheduling a scheduled job and instructing a client PC to send the job.   2. The printing system according to claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of jobs to be output continuously registered as a group job in a print server on the device and requesting a schedule.   The print system according to the above, comprising a client PC having a means for continuously transmitting a plurality of jobs to be output continuously after a transmission instruction after a schedule up of the print server on the device, and a network line. The printing system according to claim 1 or 2.   4. The print system according to claim 1, wherein the schedule method is switched by a function.   5. The print system according to claim 1, wherein the printing system accepts only when individual jobs of a group job can be scheduled together as the job scheduling method according to claim 4. Printing system.   5. The print system according to claim 1, wherein the job scheduling method according to claim 4 is a method of accepting a part of jobs even when individual jobs of a group job cannot be scheduled collectively. The printing system according to any one of 5 to 5.   A computer program for causing a computer to realize the functions of the print system according to claim 1.   A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute the processing steps of the printing system according to claim 1.   A computer program for causing a server process of the print system according to any one of claims 1 to 6 to be executed on a network interface of a device.   A storage medium readable by a network interface that records a program for causing the server processing of the print system according to any one of claims 1 to 6 to be executed on the network interface of the device.

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